Sandra's Wedding

Today marks the first birthday of our record Pleasure Grounds.

The ideas for the eight tracks were initially conceived in lockdown (Not conceived like that, thankfully – just through sketches of songs sent as voice notes via Whatsapp. Plus we all know that a stork just delivers fully formed songs, anyway…) This then evolved into me visiting Joe’s house with my guitar dressed in full PPE and a hazmat suit when restrictions (remember those?) were beginning to ease. Eventually, all four of us were allowed into one room, and we started hammering the tracks into shape. We had a strict modus operandi to record a summer album – which, being Sandra’s Wedding, we obviously ended up putting out in October.

I’ve got super fond memories of making this record, for a few reasons. Firstly, it was scorchio. Secondly, we were finally allowed to see other human beings again, and riding the crest of the wave that England’s escapades in the Euros generated, and the whole country was convinced it was coming home.

Thirdly, and most importantly, we recorded the record on a boat in York. Not something I ever thought I’d type, but here we are. This was a temporary home for Young Thugs’ Studio and it was a unique and wonderful way to make music. It didn’t get off to the best start admittedly, when Joe threw his guts up after about an hour on the first morning we arrived, I did wonder if these sessions would be cursed, but we got back on track and, being the trooper he is, nailed all the songs immediately. I’m still not sure if he’s the first man to get seasick on a docked boat, or the combination of 34 degrees of heat plus fifteen pints while watching England beat Germany the night before was the cause of that one. Qui sais?

We rattled through the songs, which definitely came under the remit of “breezy” that was set out before hand, and for me, I think it’s easily the best batch of songs we’ve written…so far. As Joe was playing the acoustic demos, I just pretty much picked up a 12 string Rickenbacker and played the first thing that came to mind so they didn’t feel too laboured. They were fun to record, easy to work through, and hopefully the joy we had making these permeates through to you the listener (all two of you) when you give it a spin.

“When I Stall” is quintessential Sandra, while “Council Pop” is the band at its’ most experimental and a personal favourite of mine and Luke. I do think though, that a Sandra highlight – and I don’t want to speak for the band – but purely as a milestone and a piece of music, sits the title track. It’s probably the only song I’ve played on I don’t cringe at when I listen to it, which is saying something as listening to your own recordings as a musician is like looking at old baby photos. Your “Why did I wear those Crocs?” is a guitarists’ “Oh God, why did I play that chord?” But, with this track, I really love Joe’s lyrics and melody, and it’s just so damn uplifting. Anthony’s creamy trumpets lift the song, and it was a real honour to have The Poet Laureate Simon Armitage select this for airplay on BBC 6 Music while guesting on Guy Garvey’s show.

It’s still wild to me to think that something that starts as a germ of an idea in someone’s head can end up being transmitted across national radio a year or so later. Music is as near to magic as it gets, I believe, and maybe that’s what keeps you going in the darker moments when you’re driving home from a gig in an empty room or a show where you’re beating yourself up over a bunch of bum notes that you dropped across a bunch of songs. It’s frustrating, difficult and fatiguing to make, but songs can be intangible and amazing when they happen.

Anyway – if you’ve not dropped to sleep by this point, feel free to give Pleasure Grounds a spin on Spotify and have a beer on us to celebrate one year of our youngest.

For your own sakes take care.

Jonny