“The Wreckless Eric 1980 Sessions” - A Radio Owlsnest Special.

I’ve been wanting to record this show for a very long time, and after re-mastering some precious vintage cassette demos, I feel the time is right to tell the story of working with iconic punk legend “Wreckless Eric” in 1980. Along with my songwriting partner of that period, Brian Fairweather, the three of us wrote and demoed 6 brand new cracking songs for a potential Wreckless Eric album to be released on the infamous Stiff records. The demos were recorded in my little London bedsit flat on a rudimentary analog 4 track tape machine set-up - as raw and primitive as you could imagine … but I believe these tracks have a very special undeniable power about them that reflect the zeitgeist of that era. And Wreckless (Eric Goulden) was in fine form lyrically and vocally on these (up to this point, never heard or released) extremely rare demos. We wrote and recorded these songs over a frantic period of three weeks in my minuscule bedsit featuring Brian on multiple guitars and effects and backing vocals, me on bass guitar and sparse keyboards and backing vocals, and Eric on rhythm guitar and lead vocals. And we used a first generation Roland CompuRythmn 68 drum machine for our drums. Dave Robinson, the head of Stiff records, was very excited and encouraged by our homemade efforts and set dates in a professional studio to record the songs (with Brian and I in the band) for the prospective new “Wreckless” album. But alas, tragically, it was not to be …

Although full band rehearsals took place, and a producer (Bob Andrews of Graham Parker and the Rumour fame) was selected, and we even found ourselves set up in Battery Studios, London, waiting to record the album master tracks, Eric didn’t turn up for the final sessions!

After all these years, I still hear the potential of these raw songs. And I believe they portray the unique artistry of one of England’s greatest eccentric punk artists and poets, at the very height of his creative ability. It’s a story I’ve wanted to tell for a very long time.
Martin


Wreckless Eric Demos - All songs written by Eric Goulden/Fairweather/Page;
Recorded by Martin Page (1980).
℗ 2023 Martin Page. All rights reserved.

Photo: courtesy of William White.