FOOLISH SONGS BY PUNCHING HOLES
The name’s Bond. Come in. Please sit down. I’ve been expecting you. I need to tell you about a new digital EP on Falling A Records, Foolish Songs by Punching Holes. Out this year.
Having been a writer, keyboard player, sometime guitarist and singer in Punishment of Luxury, off and on, since 1977, some songs have been written over the years that don’t totally fit within the Punilux style, if there is one. Punching Holes has therefore existed, off and on, in various forms since 1980 as an outlet for ‘solo’ ventures, and some of these ideas are on this EP, recorded in the last six years, with the help of some highly talented people. Falling A Records has very kindly offered to release these songs as an EP on digital platforms, soon.
Stephen and Jimmy from Punilux have been hugely creative, hard-working and helpful on most of the tracks and have done an incredible job. As did Mark ‘Biz’ Taylor in his North Shields back yard for Here We Are. Most of the Geordie seagulls on that track were flying overhead, performing live on backing vocals while the main vocals were being recorded in the open air. We had to work outside. Lockdown rules – remember Partygate? - dictated in 2020 that no groups of people could gather indoors except a family living there. We overcame this obstacle. Other obstacles were financial. To record every track in a real studio was beyond our means but we did it where we could. The only exception is a film theme tune, The Laughing Sailor, engineered and produced by Matty Anderson in Gateshead College music studios.
A thousand thanks to Vicki for use of her house, Biz for his bass and his production, Steve for his bedroom, his ideas, his talent and his production skills, Jimmy for his bass wizardry and his ideas, Tim for his magical mix-mastering, James for his brilliant artwork and of course to Falling A. Records. We hope you enjoy listening to this EP. Warm wishes, Brian Bond.
FOOLISH SONGS TRACK LISTINGS
1. Fool - B. Bond: writer, main vocal, acoustic guitar, keyboards; Stephen Robson: arrangement, production, percussion, autoharp, backing vocals; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass. Recorded in Gateshead, 2023.
2. Here We Are – B. Bond: writer, vocals, acoustic guitar; Mark ‘Biz’ Taylor: bass, drum machine, production. Done in back yard of Biz’s North Shields home during lockdown, 2020.
3. Lola Run – B. Bond: writer, vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards; Stephen Robson: production, percussion, backing vocals; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass. Recorded in Gateshead, 2022.
4. The Laughing Sailor (instrumental) – B. Bond: writer, keyboards; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass, lead guitar, gong; recorded in Gateshead College, 2017. Produced by Matthew Anderson. Intended as theme tune for short film, The Laughing Sailor, never completed.
5: Burning Map – B. Bond: writer, vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards; Stephen Robson: arrangement, production, percussion, autoharp, keyboard effects; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass. Recorded in Gateshead, 2023.
All tracks in Foolish Songs were mixed and mastered by Tim Jones, in Penrith, 2023.
Artwork for Foolish Songs by James Jones.
The name’s Bond. Come in. Please sit down. I’ve been expecting you. I need to tell you about a new digital EP on Falling A Records, Foolish Songs by Punching Holes. Out this year.
Having been a writer, keyboard player, sometime guitarist and singer in Punishment of Luxury, off and on, since 1977, some songs have been written over the years that don’t totally fit within the Punilux style, if there is one. Punching Holes has therefore existed, off and on, in various forms since 1980 as an outlet for ‘solo’ ventures, and some of these ideas are on this EP, recorded in the last six years, with the help of some highly talented people. Falling A Records has very kindly offered to release these songs as an EP on digital platforms, soon.
Stephen and Jimmy from Punilux have been hugely creative, hard-working and helpful on most of the tracks and have done an incredible job. As did Mark ‘Biz’ Taylor in his North Shields back yard for Here We Are. Most of the Geordie seagulls on that track were flying overhead, performing live on backing vocals while the main vocals were being recorded in the open air. We had to work outside. Lockdown rules – remember Partygate? - dictated in 2020 that no groups of people could gather indoors except a family living there. We overcame this obstacle. Other obstacles were financial. To record every track in a real studio was beyond our means but we did it where we could. The only exception is a film theme tune, The Laughing Sailor, engineered and produced by Matty Anderson in Gateshead College music studios.
A thousand thanks to Vicki for use of her house, Biz for his bass and his production, Steve for his bedroom, his ideas, his talent and his production skills, Jimmy for his bass wizardry and his ideas, Tim for his magical mix-mastering, James for his brilliant artwork and of course to Falling A. Records. We hope you enjoy listening to this EP. Warm wishes, Brian Bond.
FOOLISH SONGS TRACK LISTINGS
1. Fool - B. Bond: writer, main vocal, acoustic guitar, keyboards; Stephen Robson: arrangement, production, percussion, autoharp, backing vocals; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass. Recorded in Gateshead, 2023.
2. Here We Are – B. Bond: writer, vocals, acoustic guitar; Mark ‘Biz’ Taylor: bass, drum machine, production. Done in back yard of Biz’s North Shields home during lockdown, 2020.
3. Lola Run – B. Bond: writer, vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards; Stephen Robson: production, percussion, backing vocals; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass. Recorded in Gateshead, 2022.
4. The Laughing Sailor (instrumental) – B. Bond: writer, keyboards; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass, lead guitar, gong; recorded in Gateshead College, 2017. Produced by Matthew Anderson. Intended as theme tune for short film, The Laughing Sailor, never completed.
5: Burning Map – B. Bond: writer, vocals, acoustic guitar, keyboards; Stephen Robson: arrangement, production, percussion, autoharp, keyboard effects; Jimmy Davis: arrangement, bass. Recorded in Gateshead, 2023.
All tracks in Foolish Songs were mixed and mastered by Tim Jones, in Penrith, 2023.
Artwork for Foolish Songs by James Jones.