Thanks for posting that
Moosetication.
Of course it was during my time with The Waterboys that I met Karl Wallinger - the man behind World Party.
Digressing, there's a story to go along with 'The Whole Of The Moon'.
Mike Scott reluctantly hired me to play with The Waterboys after Karl recommended me.
In those days I was regarded as being too good (would you believe
), as it was only five years since punk and musicians with rough edges were still regarded as the best, or at least the hippest.
After four years at music school I had fewer rough edges than most.
Anyway, I had a love - hate (more hate) relationship with Scott (the main man behind The Waterboys).
For the 'This Is The Sea' album sessions, we got together in a studio outside London.
The first week was devoted to a single song. Scott was obsessing about the bass drum part. We would record a really good take and Scott would scrap it, only to request a slight change of the bass drum part for a single section of the song. I actually think there were a lot of other psychological issues going on which had nothing to do with me, or my bass drum.
In the end, after about three weeks, we had recorded three songs which would end up on the album.
Many weeks later I got a phone call asking if I could get myself to a studio in Liverpool rather urgently.
I had to bundle my kit single-handedly onto a train for the four hour trip north.
Someone met me, helped me to the studio and we set up the drums ready to record.
It turned out Scott had written a 'throwaway' song that Karl and the record company had insisted he record.
I think Scott really did regard 'The Whole Of The Moon' as a throwaway, because the atmosphere was much lighter at this session. I practiced the song a couple of times, then we recorded the take. Everyone was pleased, but I think I remember asking if I could 'drop in' and re-do the last chorus and outro, just to get the feeling and order of fills right.
I was back in London by the end of the day.
Everyone was excited about this 'throwaway' song. The record company released it as the first single and it became The Waterboys biggest hit by far.
Mike Scott didn't even credit me on the album, it was as if
no one had played drums.
Recording 'The Whole Of The Moon' was the only time Scott let me play what I wanted to play and didn't meddle so much. In the end it took me one and a half takes to achieve what the song required.
I played a few Waterboys shows in the UK when 'This Is The Sea' was released. We toured America for about two months supporting U2 and after that both Karl and I left the band.
