Reissuing the 1977 album from UK guitarist Ian Brighton, written as an instrumental story for children, apparently very sophisticated children, in a mix of composed and freely improvised passages, using non-idiomatic approaches with unusual and extended techniques, open atmospheric passages and strange transitions, a peculiar and wonderful album of imaginative playing.
Format: CD Condition: New Released: 2018 Country: UK Packaging: Digipack Tracks 1, 6 and 7 recorded at The Cathedral, in Chelmsford, Essex, England UK, by Simon Clifford-Smith.
Tracks 2, 3, 4 and 5 recorded at West Square electronic music studio, by Dave Rhodes and John Dodd. Originally released on vinyl LP in 1997 on the Bead Records label as Bead 3.
6. The Chapel Of Splintered Glass (With Love Alf) 7:45
7. Marsh Gas 7:20
sample the album:
descriptions, reviews, &c.
"The background to Marsh Gas originated from when I took part in a concert at Battersea Town Hall back in the spring of 1975. The music, specifically written for children was part composed and part freely improvised. Entitled The Sun Tamer: a Polynesian folk tale, the children participated by playing blown and percussive instruments, all under the guidance of a narrator. As the story unfolded such was their involvement and enjoyment they appeared oblivious of the music being played.
I decided to try something similar and wrote a short story about a gnome like creature called the Plickie and his friends (and enclosure with the original album). They were Zoltaire, quiet and considerate and De-Boop, noisy and bespectacled who played a long horn that wrapped around him. Accompanied by the blind Wizard of a Thousand Eyes who steered them through the dark forest, passing the Old King and his followers, until they reached the Silver River. They separated when the Big apple appeared: the last place of happy jazz. Alone, Plickie journeyed deeper toward the chapel of Splintered Glass. Here he met the Flashing Wizard who consoled him to ignore others and find his own song. Engulfed in total darkness he sang until he found it, where-upon blidning light streamed in. As his eyes cleared he discovered himself back home inside the marshes.
"Wherever you go you cannot escape whoever you are, so just be yourself," the tracked recorded in Chelmsford Cathedral are of special significance my grandfather, a leading campanologist on the late 19th century, had rung there 70 years beforehand. One of the hand bell ringers playing with me that day had also rung with my grandfather when he was just a young seaman, home on leave during the 1940's; there I was, following in his gootsteps.
My love of playing in these atmospheres, albeit simulated, can be heard on Imaginings, also on FMR, and on a duet album with Henry Kaiser entitled Together Apart.
The independent collective label Bead Records kindly released Marsh Gas as Bead 3 in 1977, with financial assistance provided by the Arts Council of Great Britain. Although, as an LP, it sold out many years ago, Bead Records is still an active concern and contactable via its website - beadrecordssp.com.
With recent interest in my music and the non-availability of the original album I have decided to re-issue it as a compact disc. for that many thanks go to: Kevin Smith of foundry Studios Portsmouth for media transfer and mastering, Hugh Cutmore for his drawings and Trevor Taylor for layout and production. Marsh Gas lives on..."-Ian Brighton, October, 2018