KORGIS HIT 'COULD HAVE BEEN RECORDED IN BATHROOM'
The first hit from 1980s band The Korgis "could have been recorded in the bathroom", the band members have said.
John Baker, James Warren and Al Steele were speaking as they were reunited at Camden Crescent in Bath, where most of their original demos and songs were recorded.
"A producer friend of ours [David Lord] had a studio in his top-floor flat here," said Mr Baker.
"We tried every room in David's flat to get the right vocal sound, the bathroom included," added Mr Warren. "So it may be that If I Had You, our first hit single, could have been recorded in the bathroom there."
The band is probably best known for their hit Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime, which was released in 1980.
The song got to number five in the top 40.
If I Had You reached number 13 in 1979.
But the bandmember's have not forgotten their roots.
"I think the great thing is we're still very local, we're still Bath-based," said Mr Baker.
"Bath is a very important place to us from a recording and musical journey point of view.
"It's where it all started."
Mr Baker had originally recorded with Roland Orzabal, who went on to form Tears for Fears.
'Top stars'
Mr Warren said their producer went on to attract a wave of new music from Bath.
"So many people, and mainly due to David Lord," he said.
"He went on to have a proper studio in Walcot Street in Bath. Lots of top stars came down there - Peter Gabriel, Kate Bush - people like that.
"[It was because] David was so good at what he does."
And the anonymity of the studio could also have been a draw.
"It was only people in the music business that knew it was here," said Mr Warren.
Mr Steele added Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime also had a big link to Peter Gabriel - having used his sampler for the song.
"State of the art sampler. The first sampler, it cost about £80,000 at the time," he said.
'Simplicity is key'
Mr Baker said: "There were lots of links between the bands that used this place.
"We'd often share equipment. People would say 'you know that guitar you left? Do you mind if I borrow it?'"
Everybody's Got To Learn Sometime has had an enduring life since its 1980 release.
The song has been covered multiple times, including by The Dream Academy and Yazz.
A version by Beck featured in the Jim Carrey film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Mr Steele said the lyrics helped its continued popularity: "We've tried to analyse it a couple of times and go 'what is it about it?'
"I think simplicity is the key. Perhaps, as well, lyrically it's ambiguous. Lots of people think it's a love song - but it wasn't really a love song.
"It's more philosophical. And maybe people pick up on that subconsciously.
"It means many different things to many different people."
2024-03-28T06:34:49Z dg43tfdfdgfd