Tender Touch

'Tender Touch' featuring Sarah Davies
(from the album: 'Take It to the Bridge' 2009)

Recorded in the same session as 'Take It to the Bridge' (and also 'Talking to You'), all three tracks were put down in one morning in a converted church recording studio. We wasted most of the morning in the main live room, which was far too live but it gave us the opportunity to really get to work out the structure and the grooves. All three songs were new to Richie (bass), Steve (drums) and Cliff (guitar) but we all had chord charts and we are used to this highly spontaneous way of working... it helps keep things fresh!

This particular track was really tough for Steve in particular... the rhythm is similar to a style known as the 'Purdie Shuffle', basically a 12/8 feel but it is very slow and very difficult to keep steady. We eventually got it in three takes but I seem to remember Steve sweating blood!

Cliff (pictured above with his favorite Strat) plays some lovely and very tasteful guitar throughout the track. A bit of a showcase for him really!

Everything that we record is tracked to Pro Tools and after we put down the basic rhythm tracks I overdubbed some of the sax parts including a lead line for the eventual lead vocalist, though at this stage, we didn't know who that was going to be.

All of this took place in April 2008 and by September, everything else, backing vocals, extra keyboards, sax section, percussion had all been recorded and mixed but still without any lead vocal. We actually tried 4 different singers but none had the right feel or attitude to the song. Then in October we met Sarah Davies (pictured above) who was just perfect and finished the whole track in three takes. Sarah was just 18 years old when she recorded this track but she already has a sound and style that is totally her. Which ultimately is what we're all looking for.

Lovely backing vocals as well from Abby, Danni & Lexie.

Drums & percussion: Steve Wilson
Bass: Richie Blake
Guitar: Cliff Moore
Rhodes & Hammond: Paul Raymond
Backing vocals: Abby Tweddle, Danni Douel & Lexie Raymond
Lead vocal: Sarah Davies
Saxophones: Paul Raymond
Engineer: Tony Hobden
Production & mix: Paul Raymond

http://rapidshare.com/files/178509354/Dr_Sax..._Tender_Touch.mp3