Background Info
The Spirits of the Sea album grew from a concept developed whilst recording the Crabchurch Conspiracy.
The Idea of telling the tale by making a double album, one which would contain stomping biting songs and the other that would be a live mix of song and short tales of the greatest names of those Pirates who sailed the Deadly Seas,
All narrations told in the Pirates Keep Tavern
Taloch an Josh set to work writing new songs, material that would sound firm to the period but in a way that could pump a party and satisfy a listening ear.
Josh dug out his Harmonica and Taloch blew the seaweed out of his Melodica, they tuned the mandolin and re strung the old Bouzouki and the composing began.
Renowned Historian and Author Mark Vine, went to work collecting from the four corners of the earth real life history and then transferred these into short story like dialogue to be acted out. The next thing was to find the right voices to do this.
It was decided that the best way was to use as much real situation as possible and so the setting of album two is a small sea side port of which gather in a local boozer a crew of ragged Pirates, who spend their time telling each other story’s of their famous predecessors whilst drinking smoking and womanising.
And so that is what was created and the live banter and crowd have left us with an over all image of an age past but far from forgotten.
During the Video shoot the Pirates called the Poole Buccaneers organised by Steve Howl and added to by a few others provided a brilliant voice that has been used through album two.
Sound effects were recorded locally by Radio DJ and celebrity Mr Dave Gauldan from Wessex FM and added to the scene, Dave also honoured us by delivering two excellent narrations one of William Fly, the other the most famous Black beard.
To add even further finery to the album we welcomed our very special and talented celebrity and star Mr Alistair Chisholm, the Town Crier of Dorset’s capital Dorchester.
Alistair a professional of the arts retold the tale of Ned Lowe one of the deadliest Pirates to ever sail the deadly seas, as well as the telling of Dorset’s Henry Strangways, commonly known as the gentleman Pirate.
Dug within the skulduggery and banter of the small cider house are the additional “arrs and grunts” made by Capn Faloch and the Duke O Swarvington, Peggy and able seaman Soar-throat Limpet.
Finishing with a short account of Dorset’s most famous of all Pirates, Harry Paye,
and told by one of Harry’s direct descendents, retired school teacher Mr Bob Paye.
We thought this was a great way of concluding that part of the Album.
Why Pirates?
Since the early Dolmen and long before the band started Taloch always enjoyed the Pirate theme, so in many ways this is a return to a time of music which signifies a particular honesty a return to ones musical roots one could say.
“The Pirate world of which we sing and in a strange way celebrate is that of a bygone age, a time of hardship and where by a completely separate set of rules applied not just here in Europe but around the entire world.
Nostalgia is a wonderful thing and it is those few spirited souls of the re-enactment world that maintain a living history for all to venture and enjoy.
These days groups of Pirates and related groups put on brilliant displays, they enchant and entertain young and old, providing a bit of escapism from the fast plastic world of which we now live.
Plus they do more than a fair share of charity raising for their communities etc..
There is nothing better from my point of view than sitting round in some old bar or round a camp fire dressed in vintage clothing, surrounded by a great bunch of folk stamping me foot and sing songs that all can join in with.
Its all escapism and although it might be said we live in a fantasy which may be true, but our world is full of the realest people you’d ever wish to meet”
Taloch
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