Del Amitri

Released May 1985

Chrysalis Records


Heard Through A Wall
Hammering Heart
Former Owner
Sticks And Stones Girl
Deceive Yourself
I Was Here
Crows In The Wheatfield
Keepers
Ceasefire
Breaking Bread

Among Del Amitri fans, this is affectionately called, "the first album". Fans are divided over the validity of this album, however. Some fans see this album as an obvious precursor to Waking Hours, while others, are close to disavowing any knowledge of its actual existance!

Taken as an album, by itself, and not a Del Amitri album; the album is quite good. The production clean, the performances flawless, and the songs are melodically stimulating. The one downfall, as it were, is the speed of the vocals. Words flowing out of the singers so fast, that it's hard to understand. And, as no lyrics are included in the album (they were available via the now defunct fan club), without careful scrutiny of the songs, only periodic words are able to be understood.

The lyrics have now become readily available, via the Internet. Both via the official website, and fans copying them and sending them around like a chain-letter!

Produced by: Hugh Jones
Organ on "Deceive Yourself" by Peter Griffiths
Additional Percussion by Preston Hayman
Recorded at Park Lane Studio

Waking Hours

Released July 1989

A&M Records


Kiss This Thing Goodbye
Opposite View
Move Away Jimmy Blue
Stone Cold Sober
You're Gone
When I Want You
This Side Of The Morning
Empty
Hatful Of Rain
Nothing Ever Happens

In, what most fans consider the first Del Amitri album, the band hits its stride. "Waking Hours" brought Del Amitri their first taste of success, with a couple of hit singles. "Nothing Ever Happens" became a popular sing-a-long, and "Kiss This Thing Good-bye" actually got them into the US charts.

"Waking Hours" was a very big transitionary album. The loss of Bryan Tolland on guitar, brought in a new member, Michael Slaven. And then, as soon as the album is finished, drummer Paul Tyagi leaves the band. Michael Slaven changes his mind about spending the next year on tour and departs as quickly as he arrived. This leaves the band without a guitar player and a drummer, and a new album and hit singles to support.

Enter Brian McDermott and David Cummings. Their faces on the cover of the album, but they play not one note on the album. This causes some confusion with fans trying to put faces with names. But both new members showed their true colors and stepped through the confusion to show their talents to a quickly growing fan base.

Produced by: Mark Freegard
Produced by: Hugh Jones ("Empty", "You're Gone" and "Nothing Ever Happens")
Produced by: Gil Norton ("Move Away Jimmy Blue")
Mixed by: Julian Mendelsohn
Andy Alston: Piano & Organ
Robert Cairns: Viloin
Blair Cowan: Accordion and Synthesiser
Julian Dawson: Harmonica
Stephen Irvine: Drums
James O'Malley: Bass
Caroline Lavelle: Cello
Will Mowat: Sequencing & Keyboards
Recorded at Park Lane, Linford Manor, & Chipping Norton

Change Everything


Released May 1992

A&M Records


Be My Downfall
Just Like A Man
When You Were Young
Surface Of The Moon
I Won't Take The Blame
The First Rule Of Love
The Ones That You Love Lead You Nowhere
Always The Last To Know
To Last A Lifetime
As Soon As The Tide Comes In
Behind The Fool
Sometimes I Just Have To Say Your Name

1992 found Del Amitri right where they'd like to be; with the same line up they had two years previously. The anxiously awaited follow-up to "Waking Hours", "Change Everything" carried forward the same quality both in musicianship and songwriting that was featured on "Waking Hours". The twelve songs represent a sense of realisim in the world of love.

Once again, the album supplied them with minor success in the US. "Always The Last To Know" bubbled in the lower half of the Top 40 while "Be My Downfall did the same in the UK. The tour to support the album is where the band shined. With two albums of material to choose from, the shows were longer, and almost totally Del Amitri music. Not as many covers as in previous tours.

Produced by: Gil Norton
Engineered by: Steven Haigler
Bass: Nick Clark ("When You Were Young", "I Won't Take The Blame", and "Sometimes I Just Have To Say Your Name")
Recorded at: Master Rock, London; Park Lane, Glasgow

Twisted

Released February 1995

A&M Records


Food For Songs
Start With Me
Here and Now
One Thing Left To Do
Tell Her This
Being Somebody Else
Roll To Me
Crashing Down
It Might As Well Be You
Never Enough
It's Never Too Late To Be Alone
Driving With The Brakes On

1994 saw the departure of Brian McDermott. Timing couldn't have been worse, as Del Amitri was ready to muscle their way into the studio to make "Twisted". Drummer Chris Sharrock was recruited to play on the album, but declined to join the band permanently.

This is the album that brought Del Amitri their biggest presence in the US. "Roll To Me" was released as a single, and hit the Top 10. This would prove to be a boon and a curse for the band.

Having their music heard was what they're in the business for. However, "Roll To Me" is not 'typical' Del Amitri. The rest of "Twisted" has a harder edge, almost making their sound unrelated to the previous album.

The electric guitar is to the fore on this album. And the guitars are played expertly by Iain Harvey and David Cummings. Justin Currie's songwriting reaches amazing levels on this album, half of which is written with Iain Harvey.

Produced by: Al Clay
Mixed by: Bob Clearmountain
Drums: Chris Sharrock
Harmonica: Frazer Spiers ("Food For Songs")
Violin: David Crichton ("One Thing Left To Do")
Percussion: Martin Ditcham, David McCluskey
Recorded at: Haremere Hall, The Chapel, The Funny Farm, Palladium, Park Lane, Helicon Mountain Recording Studios
Recorded March - June 1994

Some Other Sucker's Parade

Released: June 1997

A&M Records


Not Where It's At
Some Other Sucker's Parade
Won't Make It Better
What I Think She Sees
Medicine
High Times
Mother Nature's Writing
No Family Man
Cruel Light Of Day
Funny Way To Win
Through All That Nothing
Life Is Full
Lucky Guy
Make It Aways Be Too Late

(Bonus tracks added to import copies)
Paper Thin
Sleep Instead Of Teardrops

Having toured incessantly since the release of "Twisted", the songs on "Some Other Sucker's Parade" portray life away from where you want to be. Not necessarily where you are or where you're headed. True to form, the songs themselves are incredible pieces of songwriting. The band setting out to fit into a formula they believe will help them advance both as musicians, and as popular musicians.

True to Del Amitri history, prior to recording the album, they lost another guitarist. David Cummings elected to stay in England and try a new career. Ashley Soan had joined the band on drums after the release of "Twisted", and so the search for a guitarist was begun to replace David Cummings. Finding Jon McLaughlin was a piece of good fortune. But, it was not to last.

Ashley Soan and Jon McLaughlin decided not to continue with the band after recording "Some Other Sucker's Parade". With a tour starting in mere days, Mark Price signed on as drummer, and later, Kris Dollimore as guitarist.

Produced by: Mark Freegard
Mixed by: Dave Bianco
Whistle: Jamie Seyberth ("Funny Way To Win")
Recorded at: The Chapel, Parkgate Studios
Recorded November 1996 - January 1997

Hatful Of Rain. The Best of Del Amitri

Released: September 1998

Mercury Records


Cry To Be Found
Roll To Me
Kiss This Thing Goodbye
Not Where It's At
Nothing Ever Happens
Always The Last To Know
Move Away Jimmy Blue
Here and Now
Spit In The Rain
When You Were Young
Driving With The Brakes On
Stone Cold Sober
Tell Her This
Just Like A Man
Be My Downfall
Some Other Sucker's Parade
Don't Come Home Too Soon