Skin On The Wheel Of Time finds Bo Diddley’s spirit peeking through the door. The story of the recording of this song is worth telling. Towards the end of their New York sessions the band asked Billie to record the vocals for ‘Skin’ and got behind their instruments. Billie, however, had no intention of doing so. She was tired, jetlagged and proclaimed that she didn’t like the song. When the band cooed and prodded she finally gave in and agreed to sing ‘this damn song once and once only, and never again’. Pissed off, she recorded it in one take and without any rehearsal. The cries of ‘I don’t like it’ and ‘come back’ at the end reflect the mood she was in and the fact that the musicians were leaving the room at the end, laughing about Billie’s antics.
from
The Soul Tapes,
released May 13, 2016
‘The Soul Tapes’ was produced by Jon Tiven and Billie Ray Martin. Recorded at Studio 900 Broadway, NYC. Engineered by Joe Johnson.
Additional vocals and instruments recorded at Hackney Road Studios, London. Engineered by Steve Honest. Mixed by Billie Ray Martin and Steve Honest at Hackney Road Studios, London.
Guitar by Jon Tiven. Bass by Sally Tiven. Drums by Simon Kirke except ‘One Way Street’ by Francesco Lucidi. Piano by Mark Berman except ‘One Way Street’ by Jon Tiven. Organ by Felix Huber except ‘Strongheaded Woman’ by Mark Berman. Harmonica on ‘Skin On The Wheel Of Time’ by Mason Casey.
All songs written by Billie Ray Martin, Jon Tiven and Sally Tiven except ‘Your Ghost Is Right Behind Me’ written by Billie Ray Martin and Melvin Duffy, ‘That’s How Strong My Love Is’ written by Roosevelt Jamison, ‘One Way Street’ written by Ann Peebles and Don Bryant.
Billie Ray Martin published by Billie Ray Martin (PRS, GEMA, BMI). Jon Tiven published by Uncontrolled Compositions (BMI). Sally Tiven published by Full Rate Music (ASCAP). Melvin Duffy published by Copyright Control. Roosevelt Jamison published by Three Wise Boys Music/Rise Music. Ann Peebles published by Irving Music/Warner Chappell. Don Bryant published by Irving Music/Warner Chappell.
Special thanks to Paul Brewer at Sweet Feet Music, Sophie Nicole Ellision, Caesar Gergess, Steve Honest, Antonio Lerario, Philip Marshall, Mark Moore, Mark Robertson, Bradford Shellhammer and everyone else who’s been so kind, helping and supporting me each day. I’m humbled and grateful.
Photography by Joern Hartmann. Designed in January 2016 by Philip Marshall.