'DEBUT ALBUM' - SUGAR KANE AND MAGIC CIRCLES



After the best part of 18 months, a collection of my recordings is now out there for your consumption. Why has it taken so long? Lack of motivation, confidence, playing in two bands around Tokyo, crappy living arrangements, ghosts from the past, family stuff, coming back to England, self discipline, self control, self esteem.....My perfectionism slowed me down too Anyway, I'm glad it's finally airing. I don't mean to sound up my own arse but these are good songs. They definitely need more exposure.

All were recorded on an 8-track HD recorder. No laptops, cubase, pro-tools or garageband were used (I wouldn't know how to work them anyway. They seem to make a 'musician' out of anybody these days). Recorded in Tokyo, Japan between Spring 2009 - Spring 2010. Minimal overdubs done in The Shires, England and Houston, Texas.

I usually started off by recording the drums with two microphones for a retro sound. Think of a late 60s / early 70s stereo picture. From then on I would overdub the rest at home. The vocals were usually done in Karaoke boothes. The mixing took a bit longer.

Here's a track by track run down:

All songs written, instruments played and recordings produced by Andrew Tyrone Rodgers execept vocals on 'Song For Ella' by Xuan Nguyen.


MICHAEL STIPE

Michael Stipe? Well, it's not actually about him or in tribute. When I write songs (or come up with a melody in my head), I usually envisage an imaginary song from one of my favorite musicians. The only thing is though, is that I can never hear them for real. So I have to write and record them. I just imagined Stipe doing this one.

This sounds nothing like REM but I can still visualise Michael (especially during the 'Oh-Oh-Oh------' in the chorus) doing that funny stuff with his hands.

EKI MAE

About the dissapointment of being in love with someone who doesn't feel the same towards you but still desperately tries to hold on to you as a 'friend'. I've been there and it's not nice. I wouldn't reccommend it. Especially when you find out they're shacked up with someone else.

LET'S OPEN

Quite an old tune. Recorded this at university when I was about 12. According to Jonti of Japanzine, there is a hint of Nigel Godrich going on with the production. Thank you Jonti for the compliment! Bizzare though as I don't think I've ever thoroughly listened to an album he's produced.

THE YELLOW HOUSE

Poor Vincent. I read a book about him and came up with this melody. Eddie Barth likes this one.

ESTRANGED

The only live recording on here (done on 2-track). This was made in a basement bar in Ikebukuro, Tokyo last summer. If you listen carefully, you'll be able to hear a few glasses rattling in the background. This is a representation of me as a one man band live.

BURDENSOME WOMAN

Elizabeth Taylor, Patsy Kensit et al...

GILES AND THE BUTTERFLY

Florence and The Machine, Noah and The Whale, Marina (she is hot) and The Diamonds, Glow and The Forest, Giles and The Butterfly.

SONG FOR ELLA (WITH XWANSONGS)

This melody came to me one day when I was living in Nishi Funabashi, just east of Tokyo. I've no idea how it came about. Maybe it was one of those that flow through the air.

I was playing this acoustically on my own around Tokyo but it was missing something. A powerful female vocal. Anyway, I stuck up a version of me singing it on YouTube and a friend of Bradleys (who is in The Simones, the band I play drums in) from Texas saw it. She liked the song and also happened to have a beautiful voice. In fact the perfect voice for this song. A great collaboration came about. Thank you Xuan! Hope to do more work together in the future! Oh, and get the chance to meet you! ;-)

Please check out more of her amazing voice here: www.myspace.com/songsbyxwan

YOU

A nice slice of Jangle Pop! I've always liked The Byrds, Johnny Marr etc... About time I bought a 12 String Rickenbacker though.

RUN

Between the ages of 7 - 14, some of my favorite bands used to be Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, Erasure, New Order etc... They still are, only at that age I used to get the piss taken out of me at school for liking them. I still remember now listening to 'Actually' by PSB on the car cassette player back in the 80's. Mum had taste after all!