Delightful. Intriguing. Resonant.
THE CLEANSING OF CONSTANCE BROWN presented by STAN'S CAFE
@ A E Harris, 1st - 19th March, 18.30 & 20.30 (running time 70min)
(no perfs. Sundays or Mondays)
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Comfort Hour was recorded one evening during rehearsals for Lurid and Insane. The show was
to be accompanied by a Radio Station - People's Radio Freedom - and the station needed content. Hamfisted! had been
commissioned to run the station but it seemed tough to give them no content at all. In the end the demands of creating
Lurid and Insane meant that Comfort Hour was the only content we gave them.
Days before, on 11th September, rehearsals had been abandoned whilst we watched horrifying events unfold. Now, late in
the evening we set up instruments in our first floor rehearsal space on Birmingham's New Canal Street with the lights out, looking out
over the railway line and the City Centre lit up. We knew we were to record an hour of material in a single take. Brian
used the limited equipment available to improvise a live recording set up. James rapidly wrote a page of text for Heather to deploy as
she saw fit.
The text aims to create an ambiguous audio world that can be read as either reasuring of disturbing. The voice
could be the soothing mantra of a self-help / positive thinking guru talking an insomniac into sleep, or it could
be the mouthpiece of an Orwellian opiate state/religion asking you to accept unquestioningly the Status Quo and the benevolance
of those in-charge.
The result was rough and ready but atmospheric, it got played every night as People's Radio Freedom closed down.
Later we tried recording a similar improvisation in a recording studio with better equipment intending to release it as a CD.
This second recording was nowhere near as good so we chose to release the original. Sections of
it were played on Radio 3's Late Junction.
No video available.
No further images for this project.
Comfort Hour
Heather Burton: Voice
Amanda Hadingue: Violin & Backing Vocals
Graem Rose: Bass Guitar
Craig Stephens: Keyboards
Andy Watson: Rhythm Guitar
Nina West: Lead Guitar
Simon Webb: Drums
Brian Duffy: Recording & Live Mixing
James Yarker: Text
Ed Dimsdale: Photography
Simon Ford: Graphic Design
Syd Ewart: Studio Thanks
Emily Dawkes: Administration
No Reviews
Pieces for the Radio: Volume 2 Comfort Hour.
A lullaby for adults living in troubled times.
Playing time 1 hour.
Pt 1: This Is Comfort Hour Pt 2: No Matter What Anyone Says Pt 3: You Have Nothing To Fear Pt 4: The Sun Will Always Set Pt 5: Now You Are Older Pt 6: You Are Loved Pt 7: This Is Comfort hour Pt 8: Close Your Eyes
A lullaby for adults living in troubled times.
Playing time 1 hour.
Pt 1: This Is Comfort Hour Pt 2: No Matter What Anyone Says Pt 3: You Have Nothing To Fear Pt 4: The Sun Will Always Set Pt 5: Now You Are Older Pt 6: You Are Loved Pt 7: This Is Comfort hour Pt 8: Close Your Eyes
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CD: Pieces for the Radio: Volume 2 Comfort Hour £8.00 including postage |
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