SmallTown Chorale

Unreliable Recollections from Jimmy McKenna (subject to amendment as better facts come to light)

By late 1982 Studio facilities were becoming affordable. The recordings that mostly comprise SmallTown Chorale are mostly those made at Durham Street Studios (DSS) of Hartlepool. This led to the temporary formation of a DisGuise mkIII line-up with Paul Lynagh on drums and Michael Dixon on second guitar.

Dumb Guitar – a Kitchen Sink recording! – i.e. everything and the kitchen sink was thrown in, making use of 8 separate recording tracks. The song was from a January 1977 jam of the same name led by Peter which I later turned it into a full song – it was never performed live. This version is performed by the mk111 DisGuise, Paul Lynagh on drums, Mike Dixon on bass/rhythm guitar/pretend balalaika and That Peter Scott on lead guitar.

Boys and Girls – one of the bigger DisGuise songs from 1978. Finally recorded on to a Portastudio in 1982 with some superb guitar from Peter. Alan Scully and I had recorded some drums tracks in 2009 and I subsequently managed to match his drums to the 1982 version, therefore creating a DisGuise mk1 performance (ish).

Don’t Talk to Strangers – this song was written in late 1978 and the recording at 8 Track at DSS with Terry Ashley on drums and Peter Scott on sinister guitar and synth noises.

Run to Me – yet another bittersweet pop song with super solos from Peter on guitar and keyboards. Recorded at 8 Track at DSS. The original Paul Lynagh drum tracks were damaged so when I revisited the song Jay Bell performed.

Head – The creation of this song can be tied to early 1986. The popular TV comedy Blackadder had an episode entitled Head and there had also been a separate drama series called Dead Head. Peter and I were discussing a mutual friend and I observed that his head was all over the place, and suddenly there was a song. Paul Lynagh on drums, Mike Dixon on rhythm guitar/bass and Peter Scott on lead guitar. A DisGuise mkIII performance.

(In the) Heat of the Night as a gawky 15 year old I was once on a bus coming away from Hartlepool Headland and dozen or so ladies also got on and sat around me. I recall there was a large American Navy ship in port at the time and for the ladies seemed to relish making me squirm with embarrassment. ‘How much are we charging tonight Gertie?’ is what one said to another. In 1982 I came up with a related story about a sailor in a foreign port and Peter played superb guitar on what was original a Portastudio recording. Alan Scully finally added live drums in 2009 making it another DisGuise mk1 performance.

(I Want to Watch My)Tele With You – a song of domestic bliss recorded at 8 Track at Durham Street Studios (DSS) with subsequent drums from Jason Bell.

Climbing up the Stairs – another song from 1978, live Peter would add in bits of ‘The March of the Siamese Children’ and ‘The Dying Swan from Swan Lake’ into it and they are still here. In 1981 Peter and I recorded a version at Impulse Studios in Gateshead and later there was the Space age psychedelic version with Gavin Bell, Jason Bell and Mark Hand (on the Artistic License album). This version, with Alan Scully on drums, attempts to recreate the 1978 approach with elements from the 1981 version added to make a bit of a racket.

There’s a Man up There – originally one of the new songs recorded by Peter and I during the 1981 Two Tape Recorder Sessions. The originally Bo Diddleyesque approach  became reggaefied when we jammed it out in 1986 with Paul Lynagh on drums and Michael Dixon on second guitar. Another DisGuise mkIII performance.

BusConductress – another song inspired by School bus journeys! The tea time Mad Bus home must have been dreaded by bus drivers, conductors and conductresses as frenzied kids piled on and created a mighty row. This song of course is pure adolescent wishful thinking.

Tobacco Road – the definitive Love/Hate song to one’s home town – originally a slow blues song, written and recorded by John D Loudermilk in December 1959, it was speeded up and became a hit for The Nashville Teens in 1964. DisGuise played this regularly in 77-78 and years later Peter and I later revisited it with David Knox on drums for this live recording made by Alex Morris.

I Don’t Want to Think – DisGuise performed this regularly in 1978, I decided to deconstruct it from its punky roots, make it into a keyboard vocal extravaganza and recorded it at DSS. I subsequently relented and Jason Bell added drums to keep it lively.

In London – I’d had the guitar riff for years, and inspired by our December 1977 adventures travelling to the big city, turned it into a song, with Alan on drums.

He’s Not Worth It – inspired from reading the Jackie Magazine belonging to girlfriends (as in friends who were girls) at school. Ostensibly to read the Cathy and Claire pages (very helpful for this 17 year old!) but also to secretly read the over the top picture stories which inspired the story in this song. It was originally attempted during the December 1977 ‘live in the studio’ recordings for Chiswick Records and this version again has Alan on drums.

You’re Too Loud /Small Town Chorale – the DisGuise ml1 broken string song (i.e. Peter could re string and play along to my two note riff, and manage to be completely in tune for the Small Town part.  It was recorded initially as part of the live in the studio recordings in December 1977 for Chiswick Records. When I decided to record this in 1983 at DSS, Peter plays dentist drill guitar but declined to perform Small Town so I improvised. Jason Bell is on drums.

Put it in the Curry – the revisited simplified mix of Dumb Guitar meant that some extraneous bits were put to one side, so here they are. The phrase ‘put it in the curry’ is stolen from That Spike Milligan.