The Company Of Wolves

How long have I been howling about The Wolfmen now ? Oh, almost one full year - and in a years worth hearing the singles, flips sides and Myspace oddities I've never become numb-eared to any of Wolfies tunes.

I finally got my paws on the album a couple of weeks ago and it is wall-to-wall wallop all the way, not so much an album more a bespoke collection of killer could-be singles and potential heavyweight hits (staggeringly several tracks were recorded live in the studio) - It's as close you'll get to Slade stomping through The Supremes songbook , The Sonics singing 'Sugar Sugar' or 'Here Come The Warm Jets' re-jigged by Georgio Moroder with splashes and swatches of Roxy, solo Bryan Ferry, T Rex and the Sex Pistols all glazed with an electro pop gloss - but don't just take my word for it. How about an exclusive track by track guide from the Wolf-gang themselves....


Needles In The Camel's Eye

Chris Constantinou
We both love the song (<em>'Needles' is the opening track from Eno's 'Here Come The Warm Jets'</em>). We were trying to come up with something based around it and thought bollox - let's just do it. We did a decent demo, then worked with Chris Hughes (ex-Ants drummer) who put the drums on - Steve Musters and finally Alan Moulder mixed it.

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While London Sleeps

Marco Pirroni
Another tune left over from our 'Jack the ripper" musical idea (which
we stole from Spinal Tap), the title's also stolen from the Rin Tin Tin silent movie which'll come as a surprise to Chris as I told him I thought of it.

CC
Lyrically and vocally it's a mixture of stuff - I think it's pretty obvious what it's about :-) I get to play harp at the end - we have 3 demo versions of this, all totally different!

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Love Is A Dog

CC
Another one started at mine and Marco's , then worked on with Steve
Musters at Raezor and finally mixed by Alan Moulder ..
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Up All Nighter



MP
You will find this hard to believe, but this started as our take on
Northern Soul, it didn't end up as anything that you could have played
at Wigan Casino but these things happen in the creative process. But maybe we will get round to finishing the Wolfmen 20 great lost soul classics album one day.

CC
This one started off as a demo from me and Marco's place - we worked on it at Chris Hughes studio who put the drums on it ...
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Better Days



MP
I frown heavily on songs with an optimistic feel and on positive thinking in general,but I like this and it's going to be our next single.

CC
I had these lyrics for years, and even used to play a version of this with Jackie Onassid ...but this has been totally transformed into a new song and BRILLIANCE by Marco ! The guys in the band did a great job with it ... check the surf video out on youtube .. Recorded live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it ..
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Buzz Me Kate



MP
I'm told I know who this is about...but I honestly have no idea ask Chris

CC
Hmm .... I think it's obvious what this is about lyrically. Recorded live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it ..



Jackie Says



Chris Constantinou
Lyrically inspired by a Jack the Ripper thing - a sort of love song that Jack may have sung, and a chance to play harmonica, which I hadn't played since school. Killer Marco guitar riffs on this one! And great drums by Swizzy aka Daniel Strittmatter.
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Cecilie



CC
This is obviously a love song! Yes! And I got a chance to play flute on it too which was fun. We were trying to get the feel of 'Crosstown Traffic' on the chorus riff so I used a kazoo along with some distorted high vox doubling the guitar riff. Groove-wise we were trying to get 'Crosstown Traffic' and 'Fool's Gold' ... probably came out nothing like that, but I really like this song a lot.
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Wak This Bass



CC
Lyrics were inspired by a manager who was driving me f***ing mad !! Ha ha ha - I love the vibe of this one - and it's so good to play live. Re the harp solo - I was thinking of 'Groovin' With Mr. Bloe' (the 70's harp instrumental) . Recorded this live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it. Great drumming by swizzy.
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If You Talk Like That



CC
Started off at me and Marco's - Dave Ruffy and partner worked
on it. Again lyrics inspired by certain types of annoying music biz
people :-)

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Je T'aime Madame



Marco Pirroni
After a trip to Paris and a visit to a big record shop on the Champs-Elysees we noticed that everything sung in French sounds cool and also that all songs in French contain the word "fumée" espiacally the works of Alain Bashung

CC
Lyrics are inspired by strolls down to St Paul's from my flat at the Angel on Sundays - recorded this live at Raezor and Steve Musters mixed it ..

To check out all the dates, details and some extra tracks - beam on over to...The Wolfmen's Myspace site


A super-duper soul salute goes out to Marco and Chris for all their help with putting this together and providing the A's to my Q's