Pony is the debut studio album by the English psychedelic rock band Spratleys Japs. Released in 1999 on All My Eye and Betty Martin Music, the album was a side-project of Cardiacs frontman Tim Smith and his then-partner Joanne Spratley. Although other musicians are credited as playing on the album, it is believed that this was part of an elaborate fictional conceit, and that in fact Smith and Spratley were the only musicians to have been involved with the recording.
According to the history of the album presented on the All My Eye and Betty Martin website,[3] Pony was conceived as the result of an encounter between Spratley and a displaced American bar band called The Rev-Ups (Heidi Murphy, Mark Donovan and Viv Sherrif), in a dilapidated recording studio in The New Forest. Spratley subsequently introduced Smith to the band, and work began on recording an album in the Autumn of 1998. However, as there is no apparent evidence that the band nor the studio have ever existed, the veracity of this story is in doubt. A further reference was made to the alleged New Forest studio ("Sparrow Wars") on the 2007 album Yoni by Ginger Wildheart which was produced by Tim Smith, where Smith allegedly recorded a church organ for the track "Smile in Denial".
The sound of Pony was apparently inspired by a malfunctioning Mellotron that had been lent to Smith by Mellotron enthusiast Andy Thompson,[4] and the instrument in question features on nearly every track of the album.
Lyrical referencesedit
Pony shares a number of reference points with the contemporaneous Cardiacs album Guns, including many lyrics sourced from the famously mis-translated 19th century Portuguese-English phrasebook English as She Is Spoke. For example, the lyric of the song "Oh" is based entirely around text from the "Familiar Dialogues" chapter of the book, incorporating phrases such as "It seems me that the corn does push already", and "The field has by me a thousand charms".[5]
Labeledit
Pony was the first release through Smith's own label All My Eye and Betty Martin Music, and is catalogued as AME CD001. As the album was only distributed by direct mail order it was never sold in any retail outlets, and was historically exceedingly difficult to acquire due to Tim Smith's ill health.[6] However, two tracks, "Cabinet" and "Hazel", were included on the Org Records compilation album, Songs By Cardiacs And Affectionate Friends, released in 2002.
Pony is now once again available to order via the Cardiacs webstore
Track listingedit
All songs written by Tim Smith. Track 9 is not listed on the back of the CD due to a typographical error.
^Some sources indicate a release year of 1998.[1][2]
Referencesedit
^Mackenzie, Gary (1 February 2019). "Spratleys Japs". Prog. Retrieved 9 April 2023 – via PressReader.
^"Marc Riley, Spratleys Japs Live in Session". BBC Radio 6 Music. 4 February 2019. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
^. Anyware.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2012-02-13. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
^"Planet Mellotron Album Reviews: C2". Planetmellotron.com. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
^"English as she is spoke - Familiar Dialogues". Exclassics.com. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
^"Cardiacs Official Website". Cardiacs.com. Retrieved 2012-03-05.
External linksedit
April 10, 2024
pony, spratleys, japs, album, pony, debut, studio, album, english, psychedelic, rock, band, spratleys, japs, released, 1999, betty, martin, music, album, side, project, cardiacs, frontman, smith, then, partner, joanne, spratley, although, other, musicians, cre. Pony is the debut studio album by the English psychedelic rock band Spratleys Japs Released in 1999 on All My Eye and Betty Martin Music the album was a side project of Cardiacs frontman Tim Smith and his then partner Joanne Spratley Although other musicians are credited as playing on the album it is believed that this was part of an elaborate fictional conceit and that in fact Smith and Spratley were the only musicians to have been involved with the recording PonyStudio album by Spratleys JapsReleased1999 a RecordedAutumn Winter 1998StudioSparrow Wars The New Forest Hampshire EnglandGenrePsychedelic rock experimentalLength50 04LabelAll My Eye and Betty MartinProducerTim SmithSingles from Pony Hazel Released 1999 Contents 1 Recording 2 Lyrical references 3 Label 4 Track listing 5 Personnel 6 Notes 7 References 8 External linksRecording editAccording to the history of the album presented on the All My Eye and Betty Martin website 3 Pony was conceived as the result of an encounter between Spratley and a displaced American bar band called The Rev Ups Heidi Murphy Mark Donovan and Viv Sherrif in a dilapidated recording studio in The New Forest Spratley subsequently introduced Smith to the band and work began on recording an album in the Autumn of 1998 However as there is no apparent evidence that the band nor the studio have ever existed the veracity of this story is in doubt A further reference was made to the alleged New Forest studio Sparrow Wars on the 2007 album Yoni by Ginger Wildheart which was produced by Tim Smith where Smith allegedly recorded a church organ for the track Smile in Denial The sound of Pony was apparently inspired by a malfunctioning Mellotron that had been lent to Smith by Mellotron enthusiast Andy Thompson 4 and the instrument in question features on nearly every track of the album Lyrical references editPony shares a number of reference points with the contemporaneous Cardiacs album Guns including many lyrics sourced from the famously mis translated 19th century Portuguese English phrasebook English as She Is Spoke For example the lyric of the song Oh is based entirely around text from the Familiar Dialogues chapter of the book incorporating phrases such as It seems me that the corn does push already and The field has by me a thousand charms 5 Label editPony was the first release through Smith s own label All My Eye and Betty Martin Music and is catalogued as AME CD001 As the album was only distributed by direct mail order it was never sold in any retail outlets and was historically exceedingly difficult to acquire due to Tim Smith s ill health 6 However two tracks Cabinet and Hazel were included on the Org Records compilation album Songs By Cardiacs And Affectionate Friends released in 2002 Pony is now once again available to order via the Cardiacs webstoreTrack listing editAll songs written by Tim Smith Track 9 is not listed on the back of the CD due to a typographical error No TitleLength1 Burnt 0 532 Vessel 2 333 Fanny 6 234 Pony 3 505 Sparrows 1 546 Vine 2 577 Oh 8 098 Fear 2 499 Hazel 3 0010 Cabinet 10 5911 Pond 2 4912 Don t You Ail Flash the Sea to Steam 3 48Personnel editJoanne Spratley Vocals Flugelhorn Theremin Tim Smith Vocals Bass Guitar Piano Organ Heidi Murphy Synthesiser Mellotron Electronics Viv Sherrif Drums Organ Mark Donovan Guitars Andrew Dack Designer synthesisers Juliette Randall Designer electronics Nevergreen Symphonia Orchestral Parts on Oh Wendy Barry ConductorNotes edit Some sources indicate a release year of 1998 1 2 References edit Mackenzie Gary 1 February 2019 Spratleys Japs Prog Retrieved 9 April 2023 via PressReader Marc Riley Spratleys Japs Live in Session BBC Radio 6 Music 4 February 2019 Retrieved 9 April 2023 Spratleys Japs Anyware co uk Archived from the original on 2012 02 13 Retrieved 2012 03 05 Planet Mellotron Album Reviews C2 Planetmellotron com Retrieved 2012 03 05 English as she is spoke Familiar Dialogues Exclassics com Retrieved 2012 03 05 Cardiacs Official Website Cardiacs com Retrieved 2012 03 05 External links editSpratleys Japs homepage Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Pony Spratleys Japs album amp oldid 1210524744, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
