Gavin Sutherland - Musician and Songwriter

A Curious Noise.

"A Scotsman, an Englishman and an American walk into a bar . . ."

But seriously, I thought it was time for a few new sounds and a bit of musical interaction, so I called a couple of pals and got the ball rolling. John Wright, drummer with the band I left school to join back in the sixties, and Carl Damiano, a piano player from the States I had the good fortune to bump into while I was out on the road a couple of years ago, formed the nucleus of the band and, as things developed, we were joined by singers Debi Doss and Rachael Brown and horn player Alexander Jarvie. A fine bunch of people to work with and spend some time with. I played the guitars and bass and a few other odds n' ends including the little old Hohner accordion I found in a builder's rubbish skip a few years ago. Yeah, someone had thrown it out.

The seeds of 'A Curious Noise' were sown last year while I was out and about, doing a few gigs. With hotel room time on my hands, and plenty of courtesy note paper lying around, I began to scribble down rough ideas until I had enough raw material for an album in my suitcase. When I eventually got around to recording, in the summer this year, I decided to do it all in mono, a sound I'd loved since I first put a tanner in a big Wurlitzer juke box, way back in my 'teens, and a sound I knew would suit what we were putting together. We enjoyed making 'A Curious Noise' and hope you like what we've done. The Ark

"Monophonic Sound? Whatever next!"

Geeky stuff: The album was recorded on a Mac machine loaded with Pro Tools software. Working in mono definitely gave the whole thing a bang and I've since read that Pavarotti prefered to record in mono so that his voice sat in front of everything else on the track. Just thought I'd throw that in. A lot of musicians and record makers prefer the sound of analogue, tape recording, and I would have agreed with them when the whole digital thing kicked off back in the eighties, but, thing is, computer based recording has come a very long way since then, and it's getting to a point where you can't hear the difference. Or, maybe I'm getting to a point where I can't hear the difference? Whatever. I still love messing about with tape machines, but that's more of a geeky hobby than a practical way of recording for me these days. To quote an old pal of mine, Richard Digby Smith (he's the guy who engineered all our early Island stuff and has, over the years, worked with them all, McCartney, Marley, Led Zep etc. etc.) "Yeah, those old records sounded good, but not because they were recorded on tape, they sounded good despite the fact that they were recorded on tape. We wasted so much session time dealing with tape hiss problems and drop in clicks!" I didn't use anything fancy, in fact all the vocals and acoustic instruments were recorded with a Sure SM57 stage mike. I used a Mackie mini-mixer so I could tone things up a bit if necessary before the sounds went onto disc. I'm really not a fan of digital EQ. I'm much more at home with old school top, middle and bass controls. No limiters or compressors on here either, just kept an eye on the levels and let the whole thing breath as freely as possible. It's all about getting a sound you like, how you go about getting it doesn't matter. I've been lucky enough to work with some class recording engineers over the years who all agree that if you've got a decent instrument, in a good sounding room, you shouldn't need to mess about with the over all sound too much. It's down to how you mike things up, close range, mid range, long range, straight ahead, angled, all that stuff. Nobody listens to an acoustic guitar six inches from the sound hole. A sound needs room to move and grow naturally. A lot of it's common sense really.

So, on with the show . . . .

New on youtube:"The Sky's On Fire"

With John Wright on drums, Carl Damiano on piano with vocal harmonies from Debi Doss and 'The Deveronaires'.

'A Curious Noise'

1) A Curious Noise
2) The Sky's On Fire
3) Sitting On A Rock
4) Fourteen Angels
5) Intoxicating Rhythm
6) Cutting Cards
7) Latenight Blue
8) Come The Day
9) Simple Kindness
10) Endless Sky

Written and performed by Gavin Sutherland, vocals, guitars, bass guitar, accordion, ukulele and various, with:

Cast, in order of appearance:

John Wright, drums.
Carl Damiano, piano, Hammond and Fender Rhodes.
Debi Doss, backing vocals, tracks 1, 2, and 8.
Drew Jarvie, tuba, track 3.
Rachael Brown, Harmony voice, track 10, and backing vocals, tracks 6 and 7.

Produced by Gavin Sutherland for Spaceman Productions

Recorded at Seatown Sound, Gamrie, Scotland.
Additional recording by John Wright at The Creswell Ark, Staffordshire.
Mixed by James Hunter at ARC Recording Studio, Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire.
Mastered by Richard Werner at B and B Studios, Edinburgh.
Cover photograph by John Crimes, Leek Arts Festival 2014.
Graphics by Mike Garden at Birnam CD, Perthshire.
Tech support from Michael Wiseman, Macduff, Banffshire.

I'll be updating this page as the plot thickens, meanwhile here are all the words for folks who have got the album and fancy singing along.

A Curious Noise
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, piano. Debi Doss, backing vocals.

A bit of straight ahead rock n' roll with a toe-tapping back beat. Yeah, the band's in town!

The moon is up and the stars are bright,
We're gonna have a ball tonight,
Kick off your shoes, it'll be alright,
Getting down in the moonlight.
Tell everybody that the band's in town
Folk are coming in from miles around
Getting high on the high-life sound
Laying it down in the moonlight.

Don't you love it when you hear that piano roll,
We got a left hand boogie and some good old country soul.
Now let me tell you now . .

The moon is up and the stars are bright,
We're gonna do it all tonight
Everything's gonna be alright
Getting down in the moonlight.
Strange things happen when the sun goes down
Shake it up and rock it around
Nobody thinking about heading for home,
When the old man's blowing on a saxophone.
No place I'd rather be,
Carried away in the do re mi
Under the stars, you and me,
Rolling in a rhythm like a wave on the sea.

Don't you love it when the sisters do that thing,
We got an old guitar and some good old country swing
Don't wanna talk about it . . . .

The moon is up, the stars are bright
We're gonna do it all tonight
Everything's gonna be alright,
Getting down in the moonlight
Laying it down in the moonlight.
Curious noise, curious noise,
Strange things happen, they happen to me . . . .

The Sky's On Fire (The Sea is Burning)
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, piano, Hammond. Debi Doss and 'The Deveronaires', backing vocals.

Home grown philosophy inspired by a golden sunset.

The sky's on fire, the sea is burning.
The waters on the bay, are shining gold,
The ancient wheel, forever turning,
Who knows how many secrets it may hold.
It all comes down, to what it has to be.
It all comes down, to chance and mystery.
It all comes down, through endless time,
It all comes down to finding peace of mind.

The road is long, but the wheels are turning,
Bringing home long lost memories
The sacred word, the skill and learning,
Passed through pages, still ringing clear.

Sitting On A Rock
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, piano. Alexander Jarvie, tuba.

Every time I hear the news there's something more to concern me about the future of my children and grandchildren. Things more often than not beyond my control. Sitting on a rock, and just switching off to the trials and tribulations from time to time can help restore some sanity.

Everybody hustling but I don't know why,
There's a deep blue sea and a clear blue sky,
Think I'll sit on this rock,
And let the day roll by.
I hear talk about the fish in the sea,
Plenty for you, and plenty for me,
Well I don't know about that,
Think I'll just lay back, and let it be.
Maybe right, maybe on a roll
All God's children got a pocket full of soul.
Well I don't know about that think I'll just lay back and let it all roll by.
Maybe right, maybe wrong,
I'll think about that, but it won't take long.

Fourteen Angels
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, Fender Rhodes

Someone told me a while ago that if you find a white feather it's a sign that an angel is nearby, watching over you. Not sure if that's a scientifically proven fact, but let's not let that spoil the story! I came home one night to find fourteen white feathers at my front door.

No darkness, when I'm with you,
No darkness, in a light so true,
I see your smile and it all comes shining down,
No Darkness, when you're around.
So much anger in the world today,
I want to pack my things and get away.

I got fourteen angels watching over me,
Fourteen angels, smiling down on me.
I see those angels, fly so high,
All those angels, and I don't know why.
So much trouble in the world today,
I want to spread my wings and fly away.

Intoxicating Rhythm
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, Fender Rhodes.

Just fancied doing an 8 bar blues shuffle and as I played it through the words just appeared in my head. Wish it was always like that.

Frozen in, and frozen out,
Sometimes I wonder what it's all about,
Oh my Lord, what's coming next.
My my my I'm a long way from home,
Time to think about going alone
Bless my soul, what's coming next.

I've been up and I've been down,
Take my time now, turn it around,
Oh my Lord, what's coming next,
Hold on now, yeah hold on tight
Intoxicating rhythm's gonna take us through the night
Bless my soul, what's coming next

Early warning, something I've found,
Get too high it's a long way down,
Oh my Lord, what's coming next.
Frozen in and frozen out,
Sometimes I wonder what the whole thing's about,
Oh my Lord, what's coming next.

Cutting Cards
John Wright, drums. Rachael Brown and 'The Deveronaires' harmony voices.

We've all been through the mill, some to a greater degree than others, but when you've had a trying time you just have to sort yourself out, get back on track and get on with it.

I was cut out, shut out but I'm on a roll again,
Run in and done in and wondering where all this might end.
Nothing but gray sky lay over my head,
But here I am, cutting cards again.

Shook up and messed up, and hung out to dry.
Put down and let down, I'll never know why.
Dark cloud was gathering, over my head,
But here I am, spinning the wheel again.

Nothing but blue sky, over my head
Yeah here I am, back in the race
Here I am, back on the case
Here I am, cutting cards again.

Latenight Blue
John Wright, drums. Rachael Brown and 'The Deveronaires' harmony voices.

A favourite pastime. Strolling in the peace and calm of a moonlit night. Sometimes I wonder if I might actually be nocturnal?

Walking out in the moonlight,
Taking the air on a still night,
Walking together, the way we do,
In the latenight blue.
Who knows what we'll find,
If we leave the day behind
Stepping a measure, the way we do,
In the latenight blue.

I know for sure our day will come,
The race is over, the battle won

Come The Day (When we haul the boat ashore . . .)
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, piano. Debi Doss and 'The Deveronaires', harmony voices.

Another look at the mysteries of life and how we deal with it all. More than a hint of my north east Scottish roots and culture, both musically and lyrically in this one.

Dreams come and go, Where we're heading, I don't know,
A time for letting feelings flow.
A time for reflection, Maybe see a new direction,
Who knows where that road might go.
A storm out on the water, a mist rolling in,
I can hear that wild wind roar,
But it will all come together,
When we clear that heavy weather,
Come the day when we haul the boat ashore.

It's a world of mystery,
Many things we'll never know,
A world that we may never understand.
Making plans telling stories,
All those tales of hope and glory,
Breaking up like waves on the sand,
Counting all those blessings,
Still looking for the truth,
Those things are so hard to find,
But it'll all come together
When we clear that heavy weather
Come the day when we haul the boat ashore.

Simple Kindness
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, piano, Hammond organ.

I'm sure I'm not alone in hoping that some day soon the world will be a kinder, more caring and tolerant place.

There's a whisper on the breeze, a sky so full of wonder
In a place where I belong, a place that I call home,
We'll walk those hills together and watch the river run
Find a place of comfort, where two hearts beat as one
And let the day roll by, throw caution to the wind,
Share a precious moment, and find that peace within,
In a place where I belong, away from all that madness
A place where we can count the stars
and share some simple kindness.

There's a whisper on the breeze, a sky so full of wonder
In a place where I belong, a place that I call home,
We'll walk that shore together and watch the setting sun
Find a place of comfort, where two hearts beat as one
And let the day roll by, throw caution to the wind,
Share a precious moment, and find that peace within,
In a place where we belong, away from all that madness
A place where we can count the stars
and share some simple kindness.

Endless Sky
John Wright, drums. Carl Damiano, piano. Rachael Brown, harmony voice.

Star gazing on a clear night always brings out the "who, what, why, where, when" in me.

Sometimes there's no reason, Nothing on my mind,
Gaze into the distance, who knows what we'll find
Long days of indecision, time rolls by,
Drifting on forever, through an endless sky.

Nights and memories, faces and times,
Deep in meditation, a dream unwinds
Maybe there's a comfort, in the peace I've found
In quiet contemplation, as the night comes down.

A time for thinking over what the wise men say,
Sometimes a simple act of kindness,
Can go a long way.
All those doubts and questions,
still I don't know why
We're drifting on forfever, through an endless sky,
We're drifting on together, through an endless sky,
We're drifting on forfever, through an endless sky . . . . .