When I started writing this I thought I knew what I was going to put down, but I was wrong. It's been quite interesting going through what's been been happening over the last few years.
I've definitely made a lot of changes to my musical output these last years. Performance has been the string that holds it all together. I haven't stopped singing live since 2004 and I think that's the thing I love the most. Along the way I think I've developed a distinct sound, no matter what I sing.
Since moving to Somerset, my main focus has been on singing jazz and writing and learning to program and record music. There's no way I could have created such a beautiful thing without Bob Earland's (Radiophonic Workshop, Clor) help but he has very much encouraged me to learn things for myself. Before I was writing and singing live on electronic dance tracks and writing lyrics, toplines and harmonies for other artists. With this album I feel I've come a step further in my achievements and have returned with a more musical approach to my work in general.
I've always written proper songs - even on the club tracks I released back in the 90s, I had more than my fair share of influence over the tunes. When I wrote Electric dreams in 2004 I had come out of quite a serious music/songwriting partnership that had laster over 4 years and taken a lot of time and energy. But, it didn't work out. I was devastated and I had needed to start over, or rather that's how it felt at the time. In reality it had simply set me up for the next thing.. and so it was with this album. The years spent in London and Berlin, travelling through clubs, parties and theatres all led me to where I am today.
When I began performing as Gene Serene everything was very fast and natural. However, the process behind this album, admittedly, has been quite complex and time consuming.
I first went to Berlin in 04, It was a game changer for me and I fell in love with the city. I still love it today. I fell in love with a Berliner, I even died there, on Weinmeisterstrasse - (hit by a taxi in 05). Luckily I came back. That was ten years ago! By the time I started throwing my 'Drop the Bomb parties in 08' I had been all over the place, the track I recorded with 'S'express' was coming out, I'd sung on Chris Lake's "Crazy" and I was working with Punx Soundcheck and on a project with Berlin producers Moses Schneider, and Ben Lauber who had in turn put me forward for a feature on Traumschmeire "The Front Row is not for the Fragile". In other words, I'd been MASSIVELY busy and the quality of the music I was involved with was getting higher and higher. I loved running parties, the first bomb party was simply an amazing event consisting of 4 performers, 4 djs. Fil OK and Anita Drink were my resident DJs and I had some brilliant guests and artists … they were mad, mad times, and it was during them I found out I was going to have a baby. Now that was a major turning point in every way, though I certainly didn't view it like that at the time.
Those days I rarely went on stage before midnight, and as a performer I would generally glue the live band to the DJ. I liked that role very much as I sat between that raw human energy and the electronic music I loved the most. My life was definitely lived at night at that time, and I remember one of the women who worked at the club screaming at me - "you won't be able to do all this when your baby's born!" She was pretty aggressive, almost bitter and I remember distinctly thinking "of course I will, I'll just carry on". I was naive I guess, but singing and making music is who I am.
When my daughter was born I returned to london, and at 7 days old she was diagnosed with the metabolic illness MCADD and I needed to take extra super care of her. They told me it was most critical while she was a baby and, while she wouldn't grow out of it, the "first four years are the worst". They explained that it would get easier as she grew bigger, stronger and could communicate better.
That year I calmed things right down and concentrated on what was important; learning how to care for my child and to let go of whatever else. I promised her the next four years of my life, I moved out of the city to Somerset and continued to sing where and when I could.
No doubt I hadn't really finished what I set out to do back there in the clubs of Berlin with the music I had made, but life steps in and lifestyles change.
I have kept my hand in, I give the odd "electro" performance - I have a single "believe" coming out next month, and I am happy about that - it's a good one. I'm sure there's a great compilation of all my old tracks that ought be released as an album really, but I am not in a hurry to do all that right now - I'm too busy enjoying my new creation, I am proud of what I have written and what I am doing with this album. I also have a live show to perform.
I consciously set out to write this new album with substance, meaning and emotion.
I wanted beautiful visual music that put pictures in your head, so I decided on a concept album that needs to be listened to from start to finish - and performed that way. Ultimately the show's live experience is another growing entity and I've only just started giving the first performances. Over time I have learned that translating these big ideas into reality also takes time (and money). I really feel its still growing, still becoming. I hope you can come see it.
The Polaris Experience will be performed live on 17th July at St Pancras Old Church.