No Compromise

         

01 Backseat Blues
02 That's Alright
03 Talking with the Blues
04 No Creases
05 Cool Night Air
06 Voodoo Hounds from Hell
07 Twilight Cafe
08 Celebration
09 My Own Time
10 Pack My Bag
11 Produce Row
12 Cry To Me

Mick Clarke - Guitar / Vocals
Chris Sharley - Drums
Lou Martin - Keyboards
Mike Bramwell - Keyboards (tracks 3,4)
Mick Phillips - Bass
Dave Newman - Harp

Recorded at Elephant Recording Studio, London, January 1993
Engineer - Nick Robbins Produced by Mick Clarke and Nick Robbins
Executive Producer - Hans Pohle


Mick writes:

'No Compromise' was in some ways the 'peak' of the MC Band's recording career. We were a busy, tight band and everything was firing on all cylinders. We'd had some success in Germany with 'Steel and Fire' and 'Tell the Truth' and our German record company, Taxim, was ready for the next release.

So back to our favourite Elephant Studio in Wapping, East London. The day would often start with a lunchtime pint at the Prospect of Whitby.. a great old smuggler's pub on the Thames, just up the road from the studio. Then down to work with, originally, my whole working band at the time, including new drummer Chris Sharley.

Keyboard player Michael Bramwell was featured on some of the earlier recordings, but subsequently left the band, so I was happy to call on my old friend Lou Martin. Dangerous Dave was there once again on the harp and Mick Phillips was again on bass.

The standout track has to be 'Talking with the Blues' - described as 'a classic' by our executive producer Hans. It actually took a while to create. It was one of the first sessions, hence it has Michael on keys rather than Lou, but didn't feel quite right. It was only much later when I added a new rhythm guitar that it came together. Even then it wasn't first take. 'Play it like you're 19 years old' suggested engineer Nick Robbins. So I gave it a bit of punk and it all happened!

Another strong track was the slow instrumental 'Celebration' - a favourite of Austrian discoteques for some years! And the opening track 'Backseat Blues' was on rotation on Virgin Radio in the UK for about six weeks. I heard it everywhere I went.

The album had a working title of 'Twilight Cafe' but Hans felt that people would think it was a live album. We were having breakfast at a hotel in Hamburg when he showed up on his way to the distributors, East West. 'We must have a title today! We must compromise!'

'No Compromise'? So that was it. Still a popular album, and definitely the classic album of the time for the MC Band.