Bloodline (album)
Encyclopedia
Bloodline is the second Recoil
studio album, released April 14, 1992. It was recorded at Konk Studio, in London
, during sessions that lasted from January to March 1991, being mixed late that same year. The album was produced by Alan Wilder, engineered by Steve Lyon
, and assisted by Dave Eringa
.
Bloodline was Alan Wilder's third Recoil release.
After completing Depeche Mode
's most successful album, Violator
, and subsequent World Violation Tour
(with Nitzer Ebb
as the support act), Wilder co-produced Nitzer's 1991 album Ebbhead
. This cemented both a good personal and working relationship with Nitzer lead singer Douglas McCarthy
. After completing the Nitzer Ebb album, Wilder went to work on his solo project, and McCarthy returned the favor by performing on the Recoil album.
Wilder recruited guest vocalists for the first time: Moby
, Toni Halliday
(from the band Curve
), and Douglas McCarthy, helping produce a significant move forward. It also marked the first Recoil single, a cover of the Alex Harvey
song "Faith Healer".
The album is also notable for the track "Electro
Blues
for Bukka White
", which introduced the idea of taking very old recordings and setting them in a new electronic setting. Moby, who did vocals on this album, arguably used this inspiration for his breakthrough 1999 album, Play
. Moby used several old field recordings by Alan Lomax
, much as Wilder used an old recording of White's "Shake 'Em on Down
".
Recoil (band)
Recoil is a musical project created by former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder. Essentially a solo venture, Recoil began whilst Wilder was still in Depeche Mode as an outlet for his experimental, less pop-oriented compositions...
studio album, released April 14, 1992. It was recorded at Konk Studio, in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, during sessions that lasted from January to March 1991, being mixed late that same year. The album was produced by Alan Wilder, engineered by Steve Lyon
Steve Lyon
Steve Lyon is a professional ice hockey player who played three games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Pittsburgh Penguins.- References :...
, and assisted by Dave Eringa
Dave Eringa
Dave Eringa is an English record producer from Essex who has engineered, mixed, produced, and played on albums by such bands as Manic Street Preachers, Ocean Colour Scene, Idlewild, 3 Colours Red, South and Johnny Boy...
.
Bloodline was Alan Wilder's third Recoil release.
After completing Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode
Depeche Mode are an English electronic music band formed in 1980 in Basildon, Essex. The group's original line-up consisted of Dave Gahan , Martin Gore , Andy Fletcher and Vince Clarke...
's most successful album, Violator
Violator (album)
Violator is the seventh studio album by the English electronic group Depeche Mode, released by Mute Records on 19 March 1990.Preceded by the hit singles "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the Silence" , Violator propelled the band into international stardom. The album yielded two further hit singles,...
, and subsequent World Violation Tour
World Violation Tour
World Violation Tour was a 1990 concert tour by English electronic group Depeche Mode in support of the act's seventh studio album, Violator, which was released in March 1990. It was estimated that by the end of the tour, Depeche Mode had toured to 1.2 million fans.-Tour details:The band rehearsed...
(with Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb
Nitzer Ebb is a British EBM group formed in 1982 by Essex school friends Vaughan "Bon" Harris , Douglas McCarthy , and David Gooday .-Band name:...
as the support act), Wilder co-produced Nitzer's 1991 album Ebbhead
Ebbhead
Ebbhead is the fourth album of the British EBM group Nitzer Ebb. Co-produced by Depeche Mode's Alan Wilder in collaboration with Flood, it was released by Mute Records on .-Track listing:# "Reasons" – 4:17# "Lakeside Drive" – 3:59...
. This cemented both a good personal and working relationship with Nitzer lead singer Douglas McCarthy
Douglas McCarthy
Douglas John McCarthy is the vocalist of Chelmsford, Essex-based EBM band Nitzer Ebb.Apart from writing and performing with Nitzer Ebb, McCarthy has also appeared on recordings by Recoil and has released material in collaboration with DJ Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy...
. After completing the Nitzer Ebb album, Wilder went to work on his solo project, and McCarthy returned the favor by performing on the Recoil album.
Wilder recruited guest vocalists for the first time: Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, Toni Halliday
Toni Halliday
Antoinette "Toni" Halliday is an English musician best known as the lead vocalist, lyricist, and occasional guitarist of the band Curve.-Early life and career:...
(from the band Curve
Curve (band)
Curve was an English music group formed in 1990 chiefly around the collaboration of singer/songwriter Toni Halliday and bassist/guitarist/programmer Dean Garcia.-History:...
), and Douglas McCarthy, helping produce a significant move forward. It also marked the first Recoil single, a cover of the Alex Harvey
Alex Harvey (musician)
Alex Harvey was a Scottish rock musician. With The Sensational Alex Harvey Band, he built a reputation as an exciting live performer during the 1970s glam rock era.-Biography:...
song "Faith Healer".
The album is also notable for the track "Electro
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
Blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
for Bukka White
Bukka White
Booker T. Washington White , better known as Bukka White, was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. "Bukka" was not a nickname, but a phonetic misspelling of White's given name Booker, by his second record label .-Biography:Born between Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi, White was the...
", which introduced the idea of taking very old recordings and setting them in a new electronic setting. Moby, who did vocals on this album, arguably used this inspiration for his breakthrough 1999 album, Play
Play (Moby album)
Play is the fifth studio album by American electronica musician Moby, released on May 17, 1999 on V2 Records. While some of Moby's earlier work garnered critical and commercial success within the electronic dance music scene, Play was both a critical success and a commercial phenomenon...
. Moby used several old field recordings by Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax
Alan Lomax was an American folklorist and ethnomusicologist. He was one of the great field collectors of folk music of the 20th century, recording thousands of songs in the United States, Great Britain, Ireland, the Caribbean, Italy, and Spain.In his later career, Lomax advanced his theories of...
, much as Wilder used an old recording of White's "Shake 'Em on Down
Shake 'Em on Down
"Shake 'Em on Down" is a country-style blues song recorded by Bukka White in 1937. It is his best-known song and "became part of the repertoire of Chicago blues".-Background:...
".
Track listing
All music written by Alan Wilder except Faith Healer (Alex Harvey and Hugh McKenna)- "Faith Healer" (Vocals: Douglas McCarthyDouglas McCarthyDouglas John McCarthy is the vocalist of Chelmsford, Essex-based EBM band Nitzer Ebb.Apart from writing and performing with Nitzer Ebb, McCarthy has also appeared on recordings by Recoil and has released material in collaboration with DJ Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy...
) - "Electro Blues for Bukka White" (Words: Bukka WhiteBukka WhiteBooker T. Washington White , better known as Bukka White, was an American Delta blues guitarist and singer. "Bukka" was not a nickname, but a phonetic misspelling of White's given name Booker, by his second record label .-Biography:Born between Aberdeen and Houston, Mississippi, White was the...
) - "The Defector" (instrumental)
- "Edge To Life" (Words: Toni HallidayToni HallidayAntoinette "Toni" Halliday is an English musician best known as the lead vocalist, lyricist, and occasional guitarist of the band Curve.-Early life and career:...
) - "Curse" (Words: R. HallMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
) - "Bloodline" (Words: Toni HallidayToni HallidayAntoinette "Toni" Halliday is an English musician best known as the lead vocalist, lyricist, and occasional guitarist of the band Curve.-Early life and career:...
) - "Freeze" (instrumental)
7" (MUTE 110) (UK)
- "Faith Healer (LP Version)" – Mixed by Wilder and Lyon
- "Faith Healer (Healed Mix)" – Remixed by LFO
12" and CD (12 MUTE 110 / CD MUTE 110) (UK)
- "Faith Healer (LP Version)" – Mixed by Wilder and Lyon
- "Faith Healer (Trance Mix)" – Mixed by Wilder and Lyon
- "Faith Healer (Conspiracy Theory)" – Remixed by Daniel Miller and Philipp Erb, Engineered by Mike Bigwood
- "Faith Healer (Disbeliever Mix)" – Remixed by LFO
- "Faith Healer (Deformity)" – Mixed by Wilder and Lyon
- "Faith Healer (Barracuda Mix)" – Additional production and mix by MobyMobyRichard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
(Listed as Richard Hall) - "Faith Healer (Conspiracy (Double Bullet) Theory)" – Remixed by Miller and Erb, Engineered by Bigwood
Credits and personnel
- Alan Wilder–Production, Instruments
- Douglas McCarthyDouglas McCarthyDouglas John McCarthy is the vocalist of Chelmsford, Essex-based EBM band Nitzer Ebb.Apart from writing and performing with Nitzer Ebb, McCarthy has also appeared on recordings by Recoil and has released material in collaboration with DJ Terence Fixmer as Fixmer/McCarthy...
–Lead vocals on "Faith Healer" - Toni Halliday–Lead vocals on "Edge To Life" and "Bloodline"
- Moby–RapRappingRapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
on Curse - Bukka White–Vocals taken from the track "Shake 'Em On Down" and used for "Electro-Blues for Bukka White"
- Jimmy HughesJimmy HughesJames "Jimmy" Hughes was an English footballer.-Career:Hughes was a regular in the Army and served in the Second Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers...
–Bass Guitar on "Edge To Life" - Steve Lyon–Engineering
- Dave Eringa–Engineering assistant
- Martin Atkins, T + CP Associates–Sleeve photography and design
Trivia
- Diamanda GalásDiamanda GalásDiamanda Galás is an American avant-garde composer, vocalist, pianist, organist, performance artist and painter.Galás has been described as "capable of the most unnerving vocal terror", with her three and a half octave vocal range. She often screams, hisses and growls...
appears on the album, reciting The Lord's Prayer between two of the tracks. - Samples of Anthony HopkinsAnthony HopkinsSir Philip Anthony Hopkins, KBE , best known as Anthony Hopkins, is a Welsh actor of film, stage and television...
' voice from The Silence of the Lambs are used throughout "The Defector". - "The Defector" is Alan's tribute to one of his favorite bands, KraftwerkKraftwerkKraftwerk is an influential electronic music band from Düsseldorf, Germany. The group was formed by Ralf Hütter and Florian Schneider in 1970, and was fronted by them until Schneider's departure in 2008...
.