13-Oct-1996
- Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Simon Jones
personally delivers some Verve equipment to Olympic Studios, including his bass
guitar, on which the electrics were somewhat rusted - cue maintenance
department.
14-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
The first
session commencesat Olympic Studio 1 and lasts until 8th November. The band
recorded 17 backing tracks from which 7 made it to the album.
17-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
The Drugs
Don't Work backing track is cut. Vocal captured first take.
18-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Sonnet
backing track is cut.
22-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
One Day
backing track is cut (got it first take).
23-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Velvet
Morning and Lucky Man backing tracks cut.
Velvet Morning - Richard had bought a broken megaphone from a car boot sale.
After 3 days in the maintenance intensive care unit, a microphone implant was
performed. After a successful post-op recovery, it made it onto the album.
Lucky Man
was a first take vocal.
25-Oct-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Bitter Sweet
Symphony and This Time backing tracks cut.
This Time had an original working title of "Discordant".
09-Nov-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Six days of
overdubs in Olympic Studio 2. Session ends 14th November.
25-Nov-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Overdubs.
Session ends for Christmas on 20th December.
02-Dec-1996 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
On this day
and 3rd December, strings were recorded in three sessions of three hours. When
down to an eight piece (from twenty two), there was a bit of spare time on the
second day and Richard asked Wil Malone to listen to Bitter Sweet Symphony as he
had an idea for it. Wil scored out two different string arrangements on the
spot. They were later chopped up and looped.
05-Jan-1997 - Nick rejoins
Richard
phones Nick to ask him to rejoin the fold. They have not spoken since the split.
Nick agrees and The Verve are in full effect once more.
06-Jan-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Monitor
mixes were done (Olympic Studio 2) for three days as Nick was about to re-join
the band.
21-Feb-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Between this
date and 16th March the band were back in Olympic Studio 2 where Nick recorded
guitar overdubs, the lads did some new takes of existing songs and some new,
untried songs were cut.
01-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Space & Time
cut.
06-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
The Rolling
People cut.
10-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Come On cut.
11-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Three Steps
cut. It's working title was 'Randy California'.
17-Mar-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
The band
arrived at Metropolis Studio B for sessions that lasted until 11th May.
They recorded overdubs on The Rolling People, Space & Time and Come On, vocals
on those three and This Time and overdubs on New York (unreleased). Recorded and
mixed So Sister and Echo Bass, completed Lord I Guess I'll Never Know and
Country Song and mixed all album tracks except Catching The Butterfly, Neon
Wilderness and Weeping Willow.
24-May-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
26th May
until 4th June - the big jam session at Olympic Studio 2. Many tracks cut
including Weeping Willow, Catching The Butterfly, Stamped & The Longest Day and
others.
26-May-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Cut Weeping
Willow.
28-May-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Cut Catching
The Butterfly.
16-Jun-1997 - Bitter Sweet Symphony is released
The first
release from the The Verve as a five piece. It goes straight into the UK top 40
at number 2 and stays on the chart for over two months before being temporarily
deleted because there is a version (the James Lavelle remix) on the next single
and chart rules dictate that the same song cannot be present on two different
chart releases. Bitter Sweet Symphony becomes a worldwide smash.
23-Jun-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Back to
Metropolis Studio B. Recalled The Rolling People and Come On to get better
mixes, more mixing on Sonnet, overdubs on Lucky Man, overdubs and mixing of
Catching The Butterfly and Weeping Willow. Recorded and mixed Neon Wilderness
and Deep Freeze.
B-sides for The Drugs Don't Work: finished Stamped, The Crab and Three Steps.
04-Aug-1997 - Urban Hymns Recording Sessions
Urban Hyms sessions completed.