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We started rehearsing in July 2015. Of course, back then Jim and I  did not really know what the plan was. I had written a few songs. We spent Many months just practising and developing the songs. In particular, we experimented with structure staying away from traditional song formats.  One of the first songs we did was called ‘Learning Something’ where it had these long stretched musical bits between each verse wiping away standardised ideas.  As the rehearsals progressed we also applied the same treatment to ‘Merry go around’ dealing with choices one can take or not. No 1 E mix was also taking songwriting apart, the song as the title suggests is based on one chord. We often Joked that the next number would be No 2 in E & C.  Of course while it was interesting to go off the beaten track  It was also necessary to make things that could be played at a Party etc, to communicate in other ways too. I picked a couple of tracks that I had played with the Madhatters in the 1990’s. Due to S Mchillbilly’s untimely death, I always felt that I should re-record some of them and justify my comments that ‘I knew one of the greatest songwriters’. The first one we did was called ‘Come to the Ball’ a hypnotic drive beat with witty words. The version that has ended up on the album includes piano and bass. There were 6 weeks of pre-recording making suitable demos of the tracks. Of which a fair amount of the tracks mainly guitar or vocals made it onto the album. Gypo Buggane the recording engineer and co-musical producer often added bass lines or trumpet as it was required. Barley and Oats the opening track is an McHillbilly original. I remember hearing this track for the first time in The Netherlands on one of McHillbilly’s many trips. He played it just before we ate and I knew it was a hit. I encouraged him to record them, unfortunately, these tracks never got developed into proper recordings due to lack of time and other commitments.

The idea for ‘One Track Mind’ came while I was visiting the natural history museum in Oxford. I thought it would be interesting to record maybe ten very different versions of the same song. In the rehearsal phase, we ended up with hours and hours of different takes of the tracks. Then it progressed to more state of being ‘One Track Mind’ is about a way to a better world. Music is slowly starting to be recognised as a science and it is a greater understanding of complex human emotions. If one wants to convince another of an opinion, music is a very good way to do that. In some respects, I only do this so that we can look at a better way of doing things. Hence why there are two tracks dealing with Dreams. ‘Let me in your Dreams’ Is a rework of a piece of music I wrote in the nineties called ‘Let me in your Nightmare’.  The sharing of one’s dreams is often the highest state that people can reach. However, it is often dismissed. The true power of them and the meaning they give us, perhaps is often how we view our time on this planet. ‘Hold on to your Dreams’ was a song that McHillbilly and I co-wrote to finish an album of mine called ‘Red Hot Sparks’ released in the nineties. If the world decides everything for people. It is not winning in their hearts. We can do better there is nothing to fear from one another and there is somewhere that we can create grace and beauty. As always love is the answer. Nobody does knowingly stupid things. To them, it is the smartest thing to do. It is hard to show love in face of such barren landscapes were people remember themselves in some distant dream.

Down to Sea takes a different turning. This is never what I intended and yet here we are. Did man set out to become this tame yet we long to be free with no idea of what that entails? ‘Waiting to cross the Road’ was one of the songs that the Madhatters use to do. Which usually involved McHillbilly rapping it at some opportune moment. I particularly remember him doing it at a New York party where he had just arrived to great applause. Jim and I have contributed to this song. Jim with the delta blues and I with the melody. It was picked because so much of life for many people is around the corner. I have to wait for this or that, life is now, cross that road.
‘I am Manx man’ was originally ‘I am an Irish Man’ this one is also from the  Madhatter days and was penned by McHillbilly I adapted it for modern times. It is included here cause it deals with the idea that we are different and it is alright. In the age multi-billion dollar corporations, no one seise fits all.  Which is something I write about, there are always alternatives to how we do things in society. It is not as if the current path is such a great success.
The only song dealing about love is called ‘Is it any wonder’. There is real development on this album Gypo forced me to play more succinctly and follow/stay with the melody of the track. In doing this the track that has been most difficult, finally found a home and came alive. The opening riff stays with me and reminds me of the one’s dearest to me.

Buy on ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/one-track-mind/id1123948653
Buy on at CdBaby: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/cousinlee

Album released 25 May 2016 at www.cousinlee.com and other good music outlets.

(In high-quality Mp3 256) For £5.99
Running Order:
No 1. Barley & Oats
No 2. Come to the Ball
No 3. Take me Down to the Sea
No 4. Let me in Your Dreams
No 5. Waiting to cross the road
No 6. Merry go round
No 7. I am Manx Man
No 8. Learning Something
No 9. Is it any Wonder
No 10. Hold onto your dreams
No 11. No1 in E (E Mix)
Choose your own Cover Artwork by : Jim Rawson