A unique collection of songs recorded at Middle Farm across 3 days in December 2024. Only 8 copies available!
"Arriving at Middle Farm Studios for the tired artist is akin to what you hope coming home at Christmas will be like as a burnt out student, or eating a hot stew when you’ve been out all day in the mud and rain on a country walk.
You board your train at Paddington, the city fades away to layers of green patchwork fields and eventually, the sea. Reams of boats and shipwrecks can be seen when the tide is out and the red cliffs jut out like mythical totems. Disembarking at Newton Abbot you are driven a short distance though winding country lanes flanked by tall hedges.
On arrival impressive red pines greet you, next the grand old house in pistachio green and finally the horse-shoe of old stone barns that house the studios. Annie, the lady of the manor may be wandering the grounds with her ancient giant schnauzer dogs, whilst her husband Richard tends to his red and pink geraniums in a uniform of Carhartt dungarees. It is an act of precision care and organised chaos that encapsulates the spirit of the place.
In this physical journey, arrival and greeting, is the spirit of the Middle Farm Sessions that Pete has brought about. You leave what is making you weary behind for a while and are reminded how enjoyable the journey is. This can be hard to remember as an artist in a world where outcome is seen as everything.
How can you unstick a stuck artist? What do they need? Likelihood is there is fear and isolation. What’s the opposite of fear? Safety, and play. What’s the opposite of isolation? Community, friendship. OK, well surely those are all achievable things.
Pete’s idea was to get a group of ten or so musicians and songwriters, put us all up for three days, make meals, make fun, make conversation and make music together. We’d all bring a song (or write one while we’re there) and each have 3 hours of studio time to play the song to the group, arrange, rehearse and record it live to tape. No pressure!
And we did it. Laughter, tears, frustration, heartache, doubt, jealousy, it all came out and was laid on the table. During the time we recorded these songs it was Christmas, there were fires, decorations, games and Christmas dinner.
It was a feat of pure joy, love of music and a decision from everyone taking part to be kind, courageous and generous in their participation. Everybody left refreshed and empowered. It was an exercise in belief and a way of remembering why we do it at all.
Elanor Moss
