ON ESN RECORDS:
The 'Said Liquidator Anthology 1987-1991' contains 33 of the band's recordings. The songs have all been mastered from the original sources, mainly studio master tapes, and for the first time makes available high quality format releases of some songs that were only released on cassette during the band's lifetime.

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No

Song

Recording Location

Original Release

Notes

1

Rise

Cluny Studios - November 1990

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

Written by Simon and first performed by the Wendies (an acoustic three piece with Wendy on vocals, Jenny on flute and Simon on guitar) as a one off support to Said Liquidator before being worked into the Liquidator set. Given the amount of time Said Liquidator spent gigging it could be hard to find the time to get a song stage ready, particularly as arrangements took a while finalise, which was probably why this one was first played by the more stream lined Wendies.

2

Unbelievable

Cluny Studios - November 1990

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

Written by Rolf. In 1991, Stevie and Simon came home from recording this song to turn on the TV and to their horror, see EMF for the first time, performing their song of the same name - the delivery of the chorus being very similar!

3

The Third Man

Cluny Studios - November 1990

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

Written by Simon. Originally a lot slower and easier to sing but this version certainly has some zip. It was first released on the 'Rise' cassette and subsequently included in the 'Leamington Spa' compilation.

4

Lovely Day (Vocal version but not the one with bass)

Cluny Studios - November 1990

Unreleased mix

Written by Rolf and sung by Stevie, Debbie and Simon. The version released on 'Rise' featured additional drums and bass. This stripped down version is more representative of the way it was performed on stage when Rolf would take over on guitar. The band made a lot of instrument changeovers on stage and when this one occurred one night in London at the Powerhaus, a member of one of the other bands on the bill was heard to say, "Are they going to juggle fish next?"

5

The Only Colour

Cluny Studios - November 1990

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

Written by Rolf; sung by Stevie. An eco themed song that was very much to the point although a little idealistic in places, "We're going to melt down all our cars and turn them into bicycles", but it has worn rather well lyrically. Dave Brewis' production made a huge contribution to this recording - there are some bold touches and a nice distribution of dynamics.

6

No Ribbons on Oak Trees

Lynx Studios - November 1990

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

Written and sung by Simon. On the one occasion we tried to play this live, it was a disaster as the vocal worked best when delivered barely louder than a whisper, which was just unworkable in a pub gig. The recorded version is probably the only time it was performed successfully, which makes it an oddity for a band that gigged their songs to death.

7

No Perfumes or Colognes

Cluny Studios - November 1990

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

Written by Simon; sung by Stevie. One of the band's earliest songs and one that defined the sound well. Simon had two separate guitar parts he was messing about with that Stevie suggested putting together into one song. They sort of fitted together and Tony came up with the woodwind parts that bring the mid section to life.

8

Prats Rush In

Cluny Studios 23/03/90

Unreleased

Written by Simon; sung by him and Stevie. There's an earlier live version on disc 2 with a much sexier beat but a line up change led to a different approach and an attempt to tighten up the rhythm in the studio. This recording has its moments and is very representative of the band's overall sound.

9

(Free Your) Emotions

Cluny Studios 23/03/90

Unreleased

Written and sung by Simon. This is an unreleased demo version of the song that has a better vocal than the one released on 'Rise'. It also has violin on it, courtesy of Andy Lawrenson who was in the band for a few months, during which time there were 8 members on stage!

10

Liquidator Jingle

Cluny Studios 08/09/89

'Rise' cassette album - Feb 1991

'Devised' by Simon although the chat was based on a Babycham advert that was on TV a lot at the time. "Hey, I'd love a Babycham."

11

Say What You Feel (7" mix)

Impulse Studios 28/01/89

7" La Di Da label sampler - July 1989

Written by Tony; sung by Stevie. Tony originally called it 'Simon Says (Say What You Feel)', the title at least being inspired by the many after gig pep talks Simon gave Tony to try and keep him involved in the band. The music and beat was based on the format of a house record Tony heard on a jukebox. It's not recognisable as anything in particular, but this was his interpretation of a mainstream record of the day. Rolf provides a big drum sound with his electronic pads and there's a very insistent chorus but once the choppy guitar and pin pricks of flute have been added it takes on a very Liquidator sound.

12

Hold You In My Arms

Impulse Studios 12/02/89

Unreleased

The only song that Simon and Stevie ever wrote together (sung by Simon) and one of the longest in the set at almost 5 minutes so perhaps we just threw everything in! Lyrically interesting, but twenty years on, it's worth mentioning that the story bears almost no relation to reality and takes only a very minor event as a point of departure and then going on a long journey into the realms of fantasy.

13

Heart and Soul

Impulse Studios 29/01/89

Unreleased

Written by Tony; sung by Stevie. One of Tony's many lovely song arrangements that was an absolute pleasure to play live and one that we often started with as a way to introduce the sound of the band. (This song relates to 'House In Bohemia' below.)

14

Surrendering (To This Impact)

Impulse Studios 02/07/89

Say What You Feel 12" - Nov 1989

Written by Simon; sung by Stevie and Simon. This song made quite an impact in the Liquidator set when it was introduced as it had a big uplift in the dynamics that always helps to win a new crowd over but it also had a little depth and (some) subtlety to it.

15

Casting Too Many

Impulse Studios 02/07/89

Say What You Feel 12" - Nov 1989

Written and sung by Simon. Using a simple structure and simple chords, this was one of the mainstays of the live set and was probably included right till the end.

16

House In Bohemia

Impulse Studios 02/09/89

Say What You Feel 12" - Nov 1989

Recorded originally as Tony's 'Heart and Soul' but Stevie was never keen on the lyrics so Simon came up some new ones inspired by a late night party just off Westgate Road. The opening line, 'Where the plants marble the ceiling' referred to the shadows created by the floor lights as they shone through the plant leaves.

 DISC 2

1

How to Smile

Desert Sounds Studios 26/10/87

Hitback 7" EP - Jan 1987

Written by Simon; sung by Stevie. Recorded on a freezing cold winter's day in what I'd swear was a condemned building near the Felling Metro station. This song was the transition from the 'Biscuit Tin Years' to the 'Woodwind Years'. It featured original members Paul and Michael on bass and percussion and they really set the tone. The clarinet and flute is introduced at the end of the song and would, from then on, be an ever present part of the Liquidator sound.

2

Tall Paul (Dub)

Baker Street Studios 13/03/88

Unreleased mix

Written by Simon and mixed by Kevin Ridley. I'm not sure how we chanced upon this version. Maybe Kevin thought it would lend itself to a 'dub' treatment or it might have been an attempt to create a backing tape for Simon and Stevie to make an in-store appearance, although they didn't ever do that.

3

Stiffest Ultimatum

Baker Street Studios 12/03/88

No Ribbons on Oak Trees, cassette mini album - May 1988

Written and sung by Simon and featuring a washboard solo from Alan. The instrument was such a main feature of the song that on one occasion, with a gig pending and no washboard, we hired one from an antique shop and it cost about as much as we were paid for the gig! Being quick to learn from that we soon secured our own with a 'wanted' ad in the Evening Chronicle.

4

Sole Contempt

Baker Street Studios 13/03/88

No Ribbons on Oak Trees, cassette mini album - May 1988

Written and sung by Simon with Stevie. This is the first song where we really wanted to be 'tuneful'. Listening to this now Simon doesn't recognise his guitar playing as it was much more melodic and flowing than anything else he recorded over the years. "How did that happen?", he asks.

5

Chest

Baker Street 13/03/88

No Ribbons on Oak Trees, cassette mini album - May 1988

Written and sung by Simon. This was another song that was in the set from start to finish. It developed over the years, becoming more compact and robust during the acapella break where rhythm clicks and rumbling floor toms were added to avoid a drop in volume. 

6

Tall Paul

Baker Street 13/03/88

No Ribbons on Oak Trees, cassette mini album - May 1988

Written and sung by Simon with Stevie. A lyric about Paul from Laverne and Shirlie who had written a song, 'Unreliable', about Said Liquidator's audition process in 1986 - through which we eventually found Stevie. It inspired this response that drew upon a mainly friendly rivalry. This song became the climax of the set and had a life of its own as it expanded to include references to well known songs as they occurred to us, for example 'Sound of Music' and 'Ice Ice Baby'.

7

Two Fools to Fall

Morpeth Courthouse 22/02/89

Unreleased live recording

Written by Tony; sung by Stevie. Tony laid down a wicked rumbling bass and Debbie delivered a powerful clarinet line with a tone not heard on any of the other songs.

8

Part of It

Morpeth Courthouse 22/02/89

Unreleased live recording

Written by Tony; sung by Stevie. Tony said this was inspired by the band's trips from Kenton Bar to Carlisle for Friday night gigs at the Front Page club. They were long nights and we would literally watch the mist rise from the ground as we drove through the fells and Tony, who loved a pun would say, "If we'd come earlier, we'd have mist that."

9

On Her Trail

Newcastle All Saints Church 07/06/89

Tour cassette - July 1989

Written by Tony; sung by Stevie. Recorded acoustically in the All Saints Church. The venue had a great sound and we were aware it was used by the Northern Symphonia. Although the vocal is a little subdued on this recording, the woodwind sounds great and really shows how good Tony's arrangements were.

10

Fey Charms

Newcastle All Saints Church 07/06/89

Tour cassette - July 1989

Written by Tony; and sung by Stevie. (The notes from 'On Her Trail' also apply here.) This was the first song that Tony presented to the band.  Being so melodic, it was in stark contrast to Simon's songs, but we were happy to have it in the set.

11

Jean Harlow

New Media Workshop Studios 24/10/88

Tour cassette - July 1989

A traditional song arranged as an acapella number by Tony who delivers a beautiful lead vocal. There should have been a third verse but we didn't ever locate it, despite getting the Evening Chronicle to write a piece on the missing verse and launch an appeal. More recently an internet search has located the entire song and actually the two verses we use are very much an approximation of the original.

12

Systematic Guardians

Newcastle Broken Doll 14/02/91

Unreleased live recording

Written by Simon; sung by Stevie. Recorded at our favourite venue, the Broken Doll. This song had been in the set since 1987 and by now the band had got the hang of it! It's got a very solid groove.

16

Prats Rush In

Newcastle Broken Doll 09/11/89

Unreleased live recording

Written and sung by Simon with Stevie. This was an early version of the song with Steve Hillier on guitar and has a much better feel than we could achieve after he had left the band, which accounts for the song being dropped later. It's a shame it wasn't recorded in the studio like this as it has a nice flow to it.

17

Sex Romance

Rehearsal -December 1989

Unreleased live recording

Written and sung by Simon with Stevie. This song was written in the same week as 'Prats Rush In' and was on a similar 'look at me aren't I sensitive' theme. Again, it didn't stay in the set for long… not sure why. This rehearsal recording is the only record of it and this only exists because, Wendy, one of the regulars at our gigs specifically asked for a tape of it.

13

Unzima Lom

Edinburgh Wilkie House 23/05/89

Unreleased live recording

Written by Tony and sung by Stevie with everyone else on backing. This was a song that always lifted the set and would usually be placed midway to counter any lull. It was a head turner and always got the attention of an ambivalent crowd.

14

She's A Boy Girl

Edinburgh Wilkie House 23/05/89

Unreleased live recording

Written by Simon; sung by Stevie. Despite the chorus being very much to the point, the two instrumental breaks made it too disjointed - less so on this live version when we had a crowd of dancers to engage with. But a later attempt to capture it in the studio was time wasted.

15

He Can't She Can

Edinburgh Wilkie House 23/05/89

Unreleased live recording

Written by Tony; sung by Stevie. Tony was very shy but his lyrics revealed more about him over time and although he claims this one was about dancing, it certainly sounds like a metaphor for something a little more intimate!