"Constellations (A Trip Through the Stars)"

Completed in six days across August and September of 2008, the new line-up of The Ill-Fitting Garibaldis' spent a final session (5th Sep) layering last instrument overdubs to (Also Known As) Constellations and in one-sitting recording most of the vocal tracks, alongside starting/finishing lyrics. God created the world in six days - not that impressive when compared with our achievement.

I had written the music for "Constellations" several years previous, intending it to open a soon-abandoned album concept, "Censor This...". These lyrics were rush-written during the final recording session and interestingly revisited in 2012 when Steve Wicked, Rob Heart and I sat down to finish off the appropriately titled, Orion (Constellation XIII).

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Constellations (A Trip Through The Stars)

Constellations, a voyage through time

Orion calls, a journey of the mind

Up and coming, born for the stage

The uproar of the crowd, this is our age

The trip begins, ten days too soon

The crew is lost, we’re unprepared

Take a wrong turn, lost in Orion

Me, Julie and Dave – my pet bear

"An Exploration into Space & Time (the Vegetable Song)"

A revolutionary track in The Ill-Fitting Garibaldis' catalogue and a personal favourite from 2008's (Also Known As) Constellations.  My diary reveals the song was recorded September 3rd - a hugely enjoyable session, it being my first time participating in a one-on-one writing session with the bass legend, Robert Heart.  The song cements his introduction to the band, hinting at the grand scale of songwriting we would embrace on the likes of 2011's Hope And Monet, showing the possibilities of developing the improvisation always at the heart of The Garibaldis.  Finding myself in a band with Steve Wicked and Robert Heart is all the proof I needed to confirm the existence of Almighty Saviour Him/Her/Itself.  Peace be upon him/her/it.

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An Exploration Into Time & Space (The Vegetable Song)

An exploration into time and space

Vegetables survive as the only race

Dressed as carrot I storm their base

The turnips defend armed with mace

An underground war fought by garlic

Mayonnaise dressing holds the barrier

The city walls made of bricks

Cannot hold back our army of hicks

With the hillbillies we unite

Our spaceship lands, we doth fight

Vegetable armies control the land

Our main weapon a frying pan

Got some oil, ready to cook

But I’ll to refer to my recipe book

I glance the pages as the aubergine marches

It’s too late, they stab me millions of times I’m dying I’m dying I’m dying…