The seed for In Sight of Home was sewn in 2019 after watching an incredibly moving BBC documentary commemorating the one hundredth anniversary of the lolaire Disaster. I was inspired to write a song about the tragedy and decided it would become the title track on a new album.
It wasn't until a certain pandemic hit that I had the time and space to continue writing. Shadow of the Chevin is a love song to my wonderful home-town of Otley. I'm originally from Leigh in Lancashire, but in 2017 I traded in my Lancashire passport, moved o’er t’ border and became an honorary Yorkshireman. All is Quiet was written after taking a stroll around Otley on a beautiful April evening during the first lockdown - the normally bustling market town was eerily quiet and still. I wrote December on a dark and misty winter's night as I found myself contemplating growing older and how quickly life passes by.
After covid, my normally hectic existence resumed and I wrote several songs dealing with the everyday stresses and strains of real life. In This Moment is about finding those rare moments of peace and tranquillity, a situation very often aided by a glass or two of red wine! I Don't Need Tomorrow is a song dedicated to anyone, who for whatever reason, is not looking forward to what tomorrow might bring.
1000 Faces is a song about fate and not taking anything for granted. Never deals with the thought of being forced to move away from a place you love.
Two of the songs are observations on modern life. Flatlining addresses First World problems and how many people live their lives through social media. I wrote Holyhead after visiting the town and seeing a homeless girl set against a backdrop of opulent cruise ships in the harbour.
Ghost of a Girl was written after discovering a ghostly statue of Alice in Wonderland in a garden behind York Minster. She looked lost, alone and frozen in time on that grey and damp February afternoon.
I played most of the instruments myself, but beyond drums, bass and guitar my skills are fairly limited, so I enlisted the help of several wonderful local musicians. Also, on the song In Sight of Home I'm joined on lead vocals by the incredibly talented Edwina Hayes.