THE GIRL WHO LAUGHED TOO MUCH

Track listing:

1. Doing Fine (3:05)
2. Baby's Got New Clothes (4:37)
3. Not The Final World (4:38)
4. Hanging Rock (3:54)
5. Columbus Returns (4:48)
6. If You Were To Go (3:55)
7. The Girl Who Laughed Too Much (5:42)
8. Minnie Pearl (5:13)
9. Shine (5:27)
10. Park Lane (3:51)

About the album

This is 'How to make a record in a week'. There were three days of recording, one day of overdubs, and the lot was pulled into shape in three days by the remarkable mixing talent of Tony Cohen.

Rich: "This was absolutely blinding. I've heard a few other people say that your first album is the special one, and this certainly was for me. It's the record I've used as the benchmark for everything else I've done since. I love it. I was so proud of it when it was finished, I just wanted to play it to everyone. I still think it's ace. It sounds just as it was too - we were up for it, and that's what it sounds like.

There were some great moments, from the first session in London when we knocked over five songs completely in a 24-hour lockout at this old studio in Camden that used to be owned by Bobby Blue. We had a six-foot-plus Frenchie behind the desk called Francois Deschamps. He was brilliant, and also 'ably assisted' by Robin, whose entire job involved lying on the couch and rolling the fattest spliffs at regular intervals.

Every now and again Robin would surface, pass another monster around and come up with stuff like: 'This one is like snow falling on mountains gentlemen'. Then he'd ease himself back down into the most comfortable position while Mr Deschamps totally nailed it.

Come the second half of this record we were in the safe hands of recording engineer extraordinaire Howard 'Fingers' Bargroff. Fingers used to be the house engineer at Trevor Horn's Sarm Studios in East London and is a fella who could drink Ollie Reed under the table and still work the dials like the master he is.

Howard was assistant engineer when Frankie Goes to Hollywood recorded Relax and worked on the classic Grace Jones stuff such as Slave to the Rhythm among a heap of other amazing credits. He managed to get us into Sarm East on the sly for one cracking day of magic. It draws something out of you when you're singing into the most brilliant plate reverb known to mankind while sat on Grace Jones' seat smack bang in the middle of Ripper territory.

We were running late getting things down, which meant three live takes in quick succession to finish the album before we scarpered - Columbus Returns, Minnie Pearl and Not The Final World. I wouldn't change a thing on them. Sombreros waving to Fingers for pulling them off like he did, for sure. That was amazing work sir.   

Recording this album was a cracker and remains one of the sweetest and most productive things I've ever been involved in."

The songs

A diverse collection, ranging from the pop killers Hanging Rock and Baby's Got New Clothes to the Dylanesque Not The Final World. Columbus Returns, a live duet with Penny Lister, is another standout.

Reviews

"Whether it's the jostling '60s feel of Doing Fine or the cradle tenderness of Baby's Got New Clothes, it's all richly layered in hypnotic guitars and captivating musical arrangements." Rolling Stone - 4*

"The Girl Who Laughed Too Much is an interesting, sometimes brilliant confection. As with a lot of Antipodean artists the musical facts of life begin with The Byrds and The Beatles, but the verve, intelligence and oblique angle of Webb's attack make something original of these traditional elements." Mojo

"It's an excellent singer-songwriter record, reminding of Dylan, Grant McLennan and Pete Wells. Down beat with country edges and epic pop qualities." Jeff Jenkins, In-Press

Credits

All songs by Rich Webb

Produced by Rich Webb, Dave Webb and Simon Fellows. Mixed by Tony Cohen at Sing Sing, Melbourne. Mastered by Don Bartley at 301, Sydney. Recordings engineered in London by Francois Deschamps and Howard Bargroff.

Rich: vocals, guitars; Simon Fellows: bass, double bass, backing vocals; Dave Webb: drums, percussion; Penny Lister: vocals; Anna Piecarski & Jenny Oates: backing vocals; Charlie Wilde: lead guitar; Ian Gant: lead guitar; Tim Johnston: Hammond; Jon Webb: sax; Gordo: stomps.