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Troubadour's big summer
ROCK Quest 2009 finalists Troubadour are back in town to continue recording their eagerly anticipated debut album
The acoustic duo returned to the Fylde after playing at the Beautiful Days Festival in Escot Park, Devon, just in time to notch up another Tommyfest slot last weekend.
Michael Shanagher and Andrew Bache have had a busy summer, squeezing in studio time in between shows.
"We've been recording at Blueprint Studios in Manchester," said Mick. "It's where Elbow recorded their Mercury Prize winning album The Seldom Seen Kid as well as loads of other bands that we like.
"We've heard CDs recorded there from the likes of Ian Brown and Stephen Fretwell and they had that natural acoustic sound – as though the guitars were in the room with you, which is what we wanted to hear on our album."
Andy added: "Last time we went we followed Snoop Dogg and Damon Albarn into the studio – they'd been collaborating on some new material and wanted to get their ideas down, so they
recorded at Blueprint after Snoop's gig at the MEN arena.
"Snoop insisted on having all the doors and windows open and he let a fly in ... I don't think you can hear it buzzing on the tracks though."
Between gigs they have spent the last few weeks rehearsing with a cellist.
"Strings sound great – they add so much depth to our sound," said Andy. "We went back into the studio on Friday before Tommyfest to get the cello parts recorded. Then it's just a matter of mixing and mastering, and that'll be the songs done.
"It'll be time to get the artwork sorted then so we can have the CDs ready for the album launch in October."
"It's been another busy summer yo-yo-ing up and down the country, playing gigs in Exeter and South Wales, as well as appearing at Blackpool Grand Theatre as part of the Black Vegas event," said Mick.
"Playing on the stage at the Grand in my hometown was something I'd wanted to do for a long time and then the day after, we set off down to Beautiful Days in Devon.
"That's The Levellers' own festival, and we played there on the Sunday with a line-up that included Newton Faulkner, Billy Bragg, James, Seth Lakeman, and of course The Levellers, who are Andy's heroes, so it feels like we've both achieved a few of our ambitions."
The album launch will be at the Poulton Community Centre on Parry's Way, off Breck Road, on October 30.
Tickets will be available soon but you can e-mail Troubadour at troubadour2007@yahoo.co.uk to reserve them.
The duo can also be seen at next weekend's Fylde Folk Festival and have opening slots with Edwina Hayes, and Adrian Edmondson's band the Bad Shepherds in the Marine Hall in Fleetwood.
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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