BLINK OF AN EYE - RELEASE 27 JUNE 2025
Single available on all streaming platforms
There has been some great reviews of the first single. Vinyl District naming the band UK Artist of the week was a highlight!
A BAR CALLED PARADISE -RELEASE DATE 02 June 2025
Single available on all streaming platforms
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WEST END INTOXICA
Album available to stream on Spotify etc on 25th July 2025
The debut album track list is:
Sometimes
Pretty Face
A Bar called Paradise
Club Bongo International
You know you want to
Monica Intoxica
Blink of an eye
Dance Floor Therapy
Way Down
Top Of The World
Strung Out Memories
Beautiful Star
All songs written by Iain Fenwick (c)
WEST END INTOXICA
The story behind the album
The possibility of recording an album has been around for a number of years as the band became more active through "Roosterville" charity gigs , and a large back log of songs continued grow . At the end of 2023 the question of “if not now, when?” became impossible to ignore any longer. Rob Millis' Left Bank Studios was chosen at Christmas 2023 to record in the new year. The songs are a mixture of ones that the band has been playing live and a few cherry picked from the backlog. The album does have a theme if only accidental , as there are songs are about the passing of people and memories of how they and we were in those innocent halcyon times when we were first intoxicated by the lure of the City. Songs reflect the dark side to the city too, a comedown to every high and how people get lost along the way. The album ends on Beautiful Star which is a farewell to one of those people. A Bar called Paradise is about a current shooting in a bar and eye witness reports from the survivors. Club Bongo International is reminiscing about night buses back from London clubs where fight broke out over mob fashion (mods, punks, rude boys etc). Strung Out Memories is about growing up in West London and gang culture and broken promises between brothers and friends burnt by the temptations of power and greed.
Back to this album and why now, well it could be suggested that this is like a best of all the songs that Iain has written over the years, or that it has taken him this long to come up with a decent set of fresh songs. Neither theories are correct, as this is just a snap shot of some recent tunes with maybe 3 older ones. So not a songwriting renaissance or a late flowering either. It's about timing and feeling the moment, and wanting to share that experience of recording a new album with some great and talented friends. It's probably more mystical than we would like to admit or over think. Just like songwriting itself, being alert to the frequencies and catching germs of ideas that. are floating around us. Nailing down the song. That's maybe all that this Wounded Lovers album is, just capturing a moment in time.
There needs to be special mention to the other singers and musicians who are playing on the album:
Laurie Wright - Vocals
You may have noticed an upsurge of young Indie bands on the scene of late. Boys and Girls who are personally getting bands together to take on the stranglehold currently enjoyed by the music corporations. Laurie has been leading this charge and is blowing the roof off every gig he plays. He's about to release his 3rd album later in the year and its a cracker. So pleased that Laurie sings on A Bar Called Paradise.
Lucca Mae - Vocals
This rising star is currently touring the UK and Europe this year and you can hear why on the 4 tracks she contributes her voice to on this record. She came in for an evening and absolutely killed it. She understood and captured ther vibe of the lyrics and her voice is incredible. Lucca Mae has a brilliant song out now called “Wasted”, go hear it now!
Amit Rae Sharma
Mixed the album , Piano and sonics and all album related artwork - Amit's contribution to the album has been immense. He has produced a vibrant and exciting mix, and contributed sonics and piano. He's also produced the Artwork. Amit joined the mission during sticky moments. Choppy waters one might say, and it was his personality and talent that got us to the finish line. Amit's album “Bnju” is out this July and it is brilliant!
Eddie Philps - Lead guitar and B/V’s
Eddie has played a significant role in the making of this album. A killer solo on Blink Of An Eye and BV's on Top Of The World and Monica Intoxica were valuable enough, but he attended many sessions in a supportive and encouraging role and kept the enthusiasm going when the momentum dipped. He really made a significant contribution. Eddie of course is a great singer and instrumentalist, but moving on we hope he gets some of his own excellent songs out there, as they need to be heard.
Claire Ten Grotenhuis - Vocals
Claire sang BV's on Strung Out Memories, but her co Lead Vocal on Way Down is an absolute triumph! Expect more contributions from Claire in the future….
Rob Millis - Co Producer & Keys
Legendary master of the Keys, Rob is a forthright producer who can write ,sing and play a mean guitar and does so regularly live. He has other projects up his sleeve, and one that might attract legal interest involves an adaptation of the infamous Stones In The Park documentary. “1,2,3,4,5….That's a Harp, that means something!”. Make it happen Rob!
Sam Scarrott- lead guitar
Music lover in West London will be aware of his skills as a singer and guitarist. For the solo on A Bar Called Paradise he was the first choice for the blistering solo. He handled this request with aplomb as you can hear. Expect to see Sam manning the PA and making a guest appearance at the Twickenham High Tide Festival on July 27th.
Andy Bones - Sax
Andy has guested on many Wounded Lovers performances adding great solos to their set. Primarily a Jazz player , Andy has added both colourful and moody tones to the album. Moody and reflective ones on Monica Intoxica , ska style on Club Bongo International and fully blown americana on Way Down!
Nathan Thomas - French Horn
Nathan was seen playing his French Horn with a talented act called Cain and Able Band and was invited to add his sound to two of the major tunes on the album. The results were bang on the money. Hopefully we will see Nathan appearing with the Wounded's again soon!
- SOMETIMES - The track features Rick Jassi on Bass, Paul Miles on Drums ,Iain Fenwick on Guitars and vocals (known for this piece as the Wounded 3) and Amit Rai Sharma on sonics. This is an abrasive opener and features great drums and bass from Paul and Rick. The song is about instinctively knowing when its time to get the hell out of a situation, and has an almost a horror story feel to it. Of course we sometimes want to get the hell out of West London, but it keeps dragging us back! Recorded The Left Bank Studios on 24/5/24,01/07/24,10/07/24, 06/08/24, with further overdubs at Rooster Studios on 14/10/ 24.
- PRETTY FACE - Described as a Britpop style tune this features the Wounded 3 plus Rob Millis on piano. It has nods to the Fab 4 in the twists and turns of the tune that talks about a couple escaping their lives of trouble and vitriol as they step inside the narrators mind. The initial backing track was scrapped and the version you hear was recorded at Left Bank Studios on 24/5, 04/06, 11/06,10/07 and 16/07/24. There's an alternative mix made by Amit Rae Sharma that needs to be heard that is more guitar heavy.
- A BAR CALLED PARADISE - The first big production number on the album. featuring the Wounded 3 plus vocals from Laurie Wright and Lucca Mae. Amit Rae Sharma played some beautiful piano and Rob Millis added more on the choruses plus some percussion. Nathan Thomas added French Horn and Sam Scarrott played the scorching solo. Iain added harmonica and percussion. This is a song about a brutal shooting in a bar and the lyrics reflect the post shooting eye witness accounts of the horrific event. Recorded at Left Bank Studios on 24/5, o5/06, 11/06 and 10/07/24. Amit's piano recorded post Twickenham recordings from his home in Taiwan.
- CLUB BONGO INTERNATIONAL - Recorded by the Wounded 3 plus Rob Millis on piano and Andy Bones on Sax. Here's one where like “Sometimes” Rick Jassi really shines and drives the song forward on Bass. Oddly title refers to a nightclub in Middlesborough however the lyric is all about growing up in West London in the narrators late teens and memories of heading back home on tubes and night buses following eventful and often violent nights around the Soho or Camden night clubs. Recorded at Left Bank Studios on 09/02, 13/02, 19/02, 06/03, 14/03, 08/05, 04/06 and 01/07.
- YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO - No guests on this one, just the Wounded 3. A song about a relationship where the fella after the first year of the Covid Pandemic describes how strongly he still feels about his partner and how he would be proud to be with her right to the ultimate end. The first attempt at tracking this on 09/02 was scrapped.but recoding resumes at Left Bank Studios on 24/05, o4 + 05/06, 01 + 10 + 16/07 and 06/08/24
- MONICA INTOXICA - Eddie Philps provides sweet B/V's and Andy Bones his Sax to compliment the Wounded 3 on this song reflecting on a past flame who sadly got in with the wrong crowd and passed away before her time. This one features some great B/V's by Paul Miles. Recorded at Left Bank Studios on 09/0213/02, 19/02, 04/04 and 08/05. Further recording at Rooster Studios (Guitar intro) on 14/10/24.
- BLINK OF AN EYE - Definitely an out and out rocker! The Wounded 3 are supplemented by some stella contributions from Eddie Philps on lead “Firebird” guitar, Andy Bones on Sax and Lucca Mae on BV's. A song that looks at the complexities of relationships against the bigger picture of the passing of time in a blink of an eye. We lost Joe Strummer in the blink of an eye! Recorded at Left Bank Studios on 09 + 19/02, 14+ 20/03, and 08/05.
- DANCE FLOOR THERAPY - The Wounded 3 with Lucca Mae on BV's. A funky number with many riffs. A tune about the night after a sleazy 1970's NYC night club encounter where the couple just want the drummer to rise above is nerves and play the way they know he can! There's reference to Bowie, living under his shadow as we all do of course. The drums and bass really keep this moving and Amit Rae Sharma really mixed this to kick hard, and we thank him for it. Recorded at Left Bank Studios on 09/02 +13/02, 14 + 20/03, 08/05 and 05/06.
- WAY DOWN - What started as a folk acoustic song then morphed into an almost Americana epic via rehearsals at Orange Hill Studios in Brentford and local gigs. Supplementing the Wounded 3 are Andy Bones on Sax and Rob Millis on Hammond. Both great performances. Special thanks to Claire Ten Grotenhuis 0n vocals for a beautiful and stirring vocal! This was recorded at Left Bank on 09 +13 +19/02, 09 +13/03, 05/04, 04 + 05/06 and 16/07/24.
- TOP OF THE WORLD - The initial tracking of this song was scrapped and re recorded. However we decided to use the initial recording and edit out parts we didn't like from it. The first version really had the best dynamics.and feel (Rob was right all along). Like a lot of the tracks on this album the drums are really natural and impressive, and that's Paul Miles doing what he does best without using a click track and going for feel. Its a song simply about the death of a Dame and a dream about following him up into the space and looking down on the earth and being underwhelmed by the experience! See what happens when you write your kooky dreams down to remember them! Recorded at Left Bank on 09/02, 11/06, 01 +10/07/24.
- STRUNG OUT MEMORIES - Another folky acoustic number that morphed at Orange Hill Studios. Recorded by the Wounded 3 with Rob Millis on Hammond and Claire Ten Grotenhuis on BV's. Like Club Bongo International this deals with tthe narrators teenage life in West London and the falling out of two brothers. Where the greed of one led to a life long falling out and regret. It's a tune for sure though, and there was plans for a Cello but maybe another time? Recorded oat Left Bank on 24/05, 04/06, 10 + 16/07/24.
- BEAUTIFUL STAR - The finale. The Wounded 3 have never played this live so took special care at rehearsals to get this arrangement and tempo spot on. Some really impressive contributions from Rob Millis on piano, Nathan Thomas on French Horn and Lucca Mae on Vocals. Amit Rae Sharma also adds a sweet piano motif to this track. Paul Miles makes a fab vocal contribution to this track, and it is worth mentioning that the high pitched chorus BV's are all Iain! This song touches on passing into another life but in a joyful way, the realisation that the person lost in the vastness remains beautiful and even reachable if you can adjust your mind to that possibility. It's a pretty psychedelic thought to end the album on! Recorded at Left Bank on 24/05, 04 + 5/06, 01 + 10/07/24.
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