Tales of The Necromancer and the nightmare that seemed to go on for all time

Wow, so here I am sort of in a bit of disbelief at the concept that this album is actually finally finished and released. It's quite a long story this one, the whole thing went through so many stages it is unreal, ten and a half years from playing the first note to actually having a finished CD. Some of this album was recorded under so much duress I am amazed not only that I managed to finish it, but that I survived with my sanity mainly intact. Anyway, enough of that as I wouldn't change a second of it, to me, every note oozes uncompromising belief and blind determination, makes me feel triumphant and I hope folk like it! Yeah, so this is the full unadulterated story from start to finish of The Necromancer.....

The Wizards Bones

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I think this footage pretty much sums up the atmosphere in the studio when we were recording. The Last Studios were my personal favorite place to record. I've recorded there with Doomlord & Man Of The Hour as well as my solo stuff. The actual recording was done in about eight days between August and December 2006. Produced by Paddy Tobin and featuring drums by Mike Sowerby, both of The Last People On Earth. Unfortunately the studio is no longer there.

Music Video for 'Beyond the Secret Island'

At the time I was very busy singing for heavy metal band Man Of The Hour and didn't have any time for Shitball. So over the course of a year I had re-arranged, re-recorded and added vocals to the demos. I had, by now decided that these songs were going to be the basis for another solo album. My first being We Have Bift Off in 2002. I added twelve songs from the three solo demos I had recorded prior to We Have Bift Off. These were Pierres Nightmare - 1997, Take Me To Your Love Hell - 2000 & Ibrahim and the beautiful mermaid - 2001. I split all of the twenty seven songs into two groups. Songs that it was possible to teach to a drummer & bassist in ten minutes and ones that were not. Plus six that I realised were shit and got chucked. This arrangement was the basic structure for The Wizards Bones and The Necromancer.

The Wizards Bones was recorded at the Last Studios in Hull by producer Paddy Tobin. The drummer who had to learn twelves songs in ten minutes was Mike Sowerby. We recorded the drums and guitars live onto 16 track tape in one long night. Each track took between one and three takes, with just a few goes inbetween. I wanted to get the loosest feel possible. The guitar overdubs were done the next two days and I did all the bass on the last day. I returned in the winter for three days to do the vocals and mix. In all, with various trips in and out as well, the whole things was recorded and mixed in ten days.