Our Song of the Day comes via a video premiere from Phil King for The Wreckage, the beautiful and moving title track from his forthcoming new album due out on 16 April 2016. The video was filmed at the hauntingly remote Dungeness.
Phil shared this with us about the song and video:
This song was quite a challenge to finish. It felt like I had to drive it out of me. I had been messing around with the guitar pattern for a while waiting for a lyrical idea to present itself.
I was, and still am really occupied with the ideas of acceptance, and letting go. Of dwelling on the routes not taken, doors left unopened. Each choice made is at the expense of one or more alternatives, and it is hard not to ask yourself ‘What if…’
These words from TS Eliot’s Four Quartets spoke to me and I returned to them often
Footfalls echo in the memory
Down the passage which we did not take
Towards the door we never openedI was in my friend Jon’s studio in Cardiff one day and he was playing his pedal steel, and we just jammed over the guitar part of this song. It sat so well over the changes, and he is such a sympathetic player, i knew I wanted that sound on the recording. Ruth had played accordion live with me on this song a couple of times and I loved it, but I wasn’t sure how that would work with the steel. When I heard everything together I was completely sold.
I had never been to Dungeness before, but had heard about it, and seen images. I wanted somewhere open, barren, stark. It is unlike anywhere else I have been in the UK. The abandoned buildings, boats, machinery and tracks are like ghosts of some past industry. We were really lucky with the weather too, I love the blank grey sky.
The thread in the video is a reference to the Greek Fates (Moirai). The 3 woman, who weave, measure and cut the thread that relates to the life of each person.
I’ve seen Phil perform live a number of times now and I encourage you to catch one of his upcoming live shows:
Live Dates
13 Apr: St Georges, Bristol (Album Launch) Ticket Link
19 Apr: The Forge, Camden Ticket Link
21 Apr: The Prince Albert, Stroud
27 Apr: The Cheese and Grain, Frome
30 Apr: Salisbury Arts Centre
06 May: The Maltings, St Albans
07 May: Bocabar, Glastonbury
12 May: ORT Cafe, Birmingham
17 Jun: The Farnham Maltings
24 Jun: Schtumm, Box, Wiltshire
30 Jun: Chapel Arts Centre, Bath