Alan Esdaile

Ricky Adelaide… This LP cover thing going on, can anyone remember this local chap great musician sadly no longer with us. Had a studio back of Catsfield went there few times was a really nice man ,,,, back in the day

Martin Stringer… I was in his band and spent many happy hours writing songs with him. Eventually I used to live in his house every weekend so we could work into the early hours. Very fond memories of Phil and Kevin Hoad. We had so.much fun.

Ricky Adelaide… Few credits on here of local musicians

Chris Cozens… Tape-Op – Mike Hedges!!! Whatever happened to him?

Phil Gill… Stallion enjoyed a brilliant relationship with Phil Cordell from 1975/76. He paid for studio time for us in two studios, and brought us into his home studio at Ninfield on several occasions. I remember at one of these sessions at his house he played us a rough mix of a song called “Bavarian Nights”, which later surfaced on his 1977 album “Born Again”, which I have. He was great to be around and we learned a lot from him in terms of studio techniques. He also very kindly lent me a Revox tape recorder so I could demo up some song ideas I had. I found him to be very creative and fun to be around and I guess we owe him some sort of acknowledgement. He’s referenced in the sleeve notes for our CD, “The Hard Life” and I’ve pasted below some paragraphs from that which may be of interest.
“With John (Wilde) on board, Stallion began making something of a reputation for themselves and, as a result, they appeared on the radar of producer and solo artist Phil Cordell. Promptly deciding they should have some
studio time with him in the producer’s seat, in July 1975, Cordell took them into the studio to cut an edited
version of their seven minute song “If Life Were Death”, proposing it as the follow up single to his
number one hit in Europe, “I Will Return”, which he had recorded under the pseudonym “Springwater”. It was the band’s first outing with a producer. Cordell’s techniques were certainly not wasted on them and his
production ideas were quickly assimilated and mentally stored for future use. His producer’s flair for
arrangements and overdubs, particularly keyboards, opened the band’s eyes to many new possibilities.
Cordell showed them how to double track the string sound, with the second track detuned slightly to give a
thicker, richer sound, a technique the band used in the studio thereafter to provide the Mellotron texture they
were seeking.  Bassist Phil Gill, then on his debut studio outing, was asked to lay down several overdubs
of 12 string acoustic guitar. He assumed Cordell was being sarcastic when, at the end of his first overdub,
he told him to go and do another take in the toilet. After the band stopped laughing, they realised that
Cordell was serious; the lavatory was tiled and provided a great natural reverb which brought the acoustic guitar to life, another trick noted and used again in later recordings. The time they spent with Cordell became something of a defining moment for the band, with the results serving to help crystallise their signature sound.”

Robert Searle… Phil, I recorded at Phil’s studio at Ninfield in the early 70s. I used to live in Ninfield and wasn’t too far from his place. He was a real nice guy and fun to be with.

Shaun Pont… Dan the Banjo Man. Radio Luxembourg Powerplay in 1973 and a number one in Europe that year.

Terry Pack… Kev Hoad introduced me to Phil around 1979/80. We met at The Merry Harrier(?) in Cowbeech with a view to doing something, but what actually resulted was a lot of talking and drinking!

Mike Waghorne… I remember him

Alan Pepper… Fascinating  Phil . What an interesting read . Thank you for sharing your memories . I didn’t know Phil was such a great fellow . All I knew was what I had heard about his Rare Earth records  – Great stuff  !!

Neil Stephen Partrick… Was he IN Rare Earth?

Alan Esdaile… No. Dan The Banjo Man singles were released on Rare Earth Records. His biggest hit, under the name Springwater was I Will Return.

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