Guitarist Jez Williams on The Last Broadcast (2002)
"After stepping off the tour bus (after touring Lost Souls) we pretty much went straight into songwriting mode. We'd been on the road for what seemed like two years playing the ‘Lost Soul’ songs. I remember the new songs coming thick and fast. Looking back, it was an incredibly creative time; the songs just kept on coming. Maybe it was down to the boost we had from the reaction to Lost Souls, we were feeling very cocky and confident.
Some of the early songs were There Goes The Fear and Words. I had this little house in Northenden where my makeshift studio was. It took a couple of nights to get the backing track with the top line melody to the There Goes The Fear. Literally the next night I had Words coming out of the speakers. It was all very fast!
I remember it well... those hot summers nights everyone was round we had all the windows open blasting out There Goes The Fear and Words, It felt great to know we had these tunes in the bag. Pounding was an old chord sequence I'd been knocking around with but never managed to find its groove; as soon as we put the primal caveman beat in, it just clicked.
M62 Song was special. We new it had atmosphere, but didn't know which direction to take it in. Andy suggested we go down to the Northenden flyover and record it under the motorway. Jimi and I were not so keen but Andy was right. As soon as we heard all the trucks and suburban noise, it was nailed. Very atmospheric; it had this haunted spooky vibe to it.
Jimi brought in Friday’s Dust which had this great contemporary folk feel to it. After adding more leftfield strings and noises it fitted perfectly into the album. I think it really gave the album another dimension.
Satellites had been knocking around since Lost Souls period. We didn't do much with it at the time but it was one of those songs that kept knocking on our door demanding to be let in. It’s funny with those little ones, they’re so persistent and they just won't leave your head. Andy came in with some lyrics and suddenly everything fell into place.
Caught By The River happened so quickly it was ridiculous. We decided to go to a rehearsal room in Stockport called The Green Room. Jimi, Andy and I just started to play these three chords. Jimi started to sing this great top line melody and there it was... very natural and easy. Andy started to write these very poignant lyrics about a friend of ours; everything started to click like at the start of the recording. That was the last piece of the jigsaw for the album.
For me they were good days. The simple focus of writing and recording that album; no personal f***-ups or problems, I was in a good place. We were just in it riding the wave - enjoying the act of making music - so simple!
We managed to write record and mix that album in eight months. Which for Doves was incredibly fast..."
9:30 AM | 07/04/2009
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