NEWS

Samphire Records announce new ‘Retro’ series.
To celebrate 50 years of Colin Lloyd Tucker’s remarkable musical adventure, Samphire Records will be releasing/re-releasing some of its archive throughout 2024.
The first in this new ‘Retro’ series will be ‘On Stage 12/09/96‘ a live recording of C.L.T. and his band that is expected to appear on line towards the end of February.
Here’s the blurb.

Colin Lloyd Tucker – On Stage 12/09/96
Samphire Records: samRT029. Release expected Feb. 2024.

The battered old grey transit van gingerly makes its way onto the seaweed strewn Roman causeway. Ahead, a mile and a quarter of rocky track leads to a small island. The road is exposed at low tide, but not for long, the driver must hurry or be trapped.
He is to collect Colin Lloyd Tucker from his island home, along with his guitar, amp, and two-hundred-year-old Bell & Co. harmonium, a huge beast that is even heavier than it looks, and transport them sixty miles to London.

Their destination is ‘John Henrys’ a vast complex of rehearsal rooms in North London.
Here, Colin will be reunited with old friends and colleagues, Tim Broughton (drums), Andy Coughlan (bass), Neil Huckstepp (guitar), and Maggi Ronson (vocals) to rehearse and perform a new batch of songs under the title ‘Carson Robison & his Oxidol Pioneers
(The title has been changed for this issue to avoid any confusion with the real Carson Robison.)

 
Today they are in Studio 5, the largest room with a generous stage, state-of-the-art sound system, and lighting rigs. They will rehearse until mid-afternoon, when they will open the doors and perform for invited guests, two more performances will follow in the evening.
 
As they are setting up, they are joined by others who will contribute greatly to these shows.
Nautical photographer Den Phillips arrives with the wreck of an old wooden boat, big, chunky fishing nets, buoys, and an anchor.
Artist Peter Rodulfo arranges these items on the stage around the amplifiers and instruments, and the cold black space is transformed. A lobster is placed atop the aforementioned harmonium.
Paddy Bush arrives with a binaural head. A dummy head with microphones in its ear cavities. This is rigged up at the back of the room to capture the general ambience.
Engingeer Kenny Jones feeds this, along with signal from all the stage microphones to a digital multi-track tape machine.
 

All of the above happened many years ago. Sadly, over time, those tapes were lost, which meant that, in effect, these songs were lost too. Only two of these songs would turn up on later studio albums.
The day was, if not saved, reprieved by the discovery of a cassette copy of the first evening performance. This is what you hear here; the overall quality is very good, although there are a couple of moments when the sound drops out due to the tape, at some stage, getting mangled.
These are only very brief and do not detract from what is a unique and engaging show that could only have come from Colin Lloyd Tucker’s feral imagination.

More about On Stage here: http://colinlloydtucker.com/on-stage-12-09-96/

Colin will be issuing a new single on October 28th. 2023.

English Weather is a new song recorded at various locations including London and Chicago.

The bulk of the work however was done at Samphire Sound, Colin’s studio in the English countryside.

Colin comments “English folk love to talk about the weather, they are famous for it.

Not surprising really, in a land that can experience all four seasons in a single day.

Also, they are often reserved in their nature, so a bit of weather talk can help break the ice!”

The track has the following credits:

C.L.T. – piano (using Sibelius notation), lead guitar, bass guitar, recorders, harmoniums, tubular bell, percussion and vocals.

Sant Chavez – drums (Chicago)

Neil Huckstepp – additional guitars (London)

The single will be available from all streaming/download platforms.

English Weather marks the beginning of a new phase in Colin’s long and varied career. Part of a batch of new songs that will culminate in a new album expected to be released in the early summer of 2024 on the Samphire record label.

Here is some older news…

A FREE download now available from Bandcamp.

TA-DAH! is a new track and is yours to download free from: https://colinlloydtucker.bandcamp.com/

View lyric video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzwhOPAYYys

Juke Box compact disc now available

http://colinlloydtucker.com/juke-box/

New single featuring Maggi Ronson -‘Look, No Hands!’

Colin has linked up with long term collaborator Maggi Ronson for a new track ‘Look, No Hands!’. Maggi (sister of legendary Mick) has worked with Colin since the early 1980’s. He also co-produced Maggi’s solo album ‘Sweet Dreamer’ & the two are close friends..

The new track is now available from all streaming services. To have a listen go to our music page. https://colinlloydtucker.com/music/ May take a moment or two to load as there are many videos here!

The song will also be included on the forthcoming C.D. ‘Good Times Again’, a collection of Colin’s singles issued between 2020 and 2022, more on that…soon.

New album ‘terra incognita’ set for October release.

The release schedule is:

October 7th – C.D. Version. Beautifully presented with artwork by Peter Rodulfo and Vicky Phillips, sleeve notes & album lyrics. The C.D.s will be available from this site and also on Bandcamp.

October 21st – Digital release. The album becomes available from all streaming/download platforms.

‘terra incognita’ page here: https://colinlloydtucker.com/terra-incognita/

Single surprise:

Here Come the Good Times (Again)

August 19. 2022. sees the release of the latest in a line of ‘one off’ singles from C.L.T.

These are tracks that are not included on any album (except compilations).

Previous releases in this chain have included an Eno cover ‘Put a Straw Under Baby’, a 1950s style ballad ‘Space Cadet’ and the swing time ‘I’m so Happy I Could Cry’.

Now Colin explores neoclassical territory with Here Come the Good Times (Again).

Colin’s voice is to the fore accompanied by urgent, pulsating strings provided by members of his ever faithful ‘Loyal Sympathy Orchestra’. A steady beat is kept by drummer Santiago Chevez.

The single will be available from most streaming/download platforms from the above date

with a Facebook preview on the 18th Aug.

Album News Update

The long awaited new album, now titled Terra Incognita will be issued in the fall.

We will keep you posted on that one!

MAY 2022: Colin Lloyd Tucker writes…

My friend, the poet Richard Basset sent me a copy of the Reverend Baring-Gould’s novel Mehalah.

Written in the late 1800s this rather melodramatic tale centres around the feisty heroine Mehalah (known to all as ‘Glory’) and the wicked Elijah Rebow who is intent on stealing her away from her sweetheart, the hapless George de Witt.

Set among the saltings and marshes of England’s east coast that I call home, most of the locations remain much the same today as they were in Baring Gould’s time.

The Old Sun Inn Salcot features in the book.
This pub closed in the 1990s and is now a private house.

It is this book that informs my latest project ‘Salt Marsh Raga’. All being well I intend to issue it as an album later in the year.

The songs that make up Salt Marsh Raga follow a linear narrative, set in the mid 1800s and featuring two main characters, ‘the islander’ who narrates the story and his love ‘Gloria’.

The music uses the construction techniques employed in classical Indian ragas but this is not an attempt at writing a traditional raga, western scales and instruments are also used.

An autumn release is expected.

New single ‘I’m So Happy I Could Cry

July 30. 2021. from all streaming and download providers.

A brand new track that sees the return of Maggi Ronson (vocals) and Brian Neil (lead guitar). Go to music page to take a listen.

Ode Trip‘. CD only available from this site.

Read all about it HERE

New track ‘Guardian Angel’ available from April 02 2021

Samphire Records to issue taster from forthcoming album.

Guardian Angel is a seven minute ballad that closes Colin’s forthcoming album ‘Ode Trip‘.

It is being made available on all digital platforms from April 02 2021.

We are now taking orders for Ode Trip C.D. to be shipped on April 23 with a digital version to be issued in May.

Guardian Angel and it’s accompanying video will be available on our Music page from April 01 2021.

Click on cover image (below) to read Jack B’s review of Guardian Angel

Colin Lloyd Tucker – Guardian Angel Single to be issued April 2021

Yours online or to have and to hold…

Colin’s 2020 album limited edition C.D.

SORRY, SOLD OUT!

Digital release available from all online providers.

Reviews

Moonglow Man: it really is one mans opinion of moonlight..

Yvonne

..moments of funk, pop, some incredible acapella singing and even jazz enhanced by guest guitar virtuoso Brian Neil in a bewitching brew..the greatest undiscovered songwriter/craftsman of his generation..a maverick genius

Jack Boyce – Kurrent Music read full review


Info

You can download and stream much of Colin’s past work from all the usual suspects.

NOTE: All our CDs are limited pressings, when they are gone, they are gone & will not reappear in their current form.