Snuff Share “One Of Those Days” & Announce Acoustic Album “Come & Have A Go If You Think You’re Rachmaininov”

Back in July 2022 Snuff ventured into the studio for the first time since lockdown. It was expected that the new album would take two weeks to record, but thanks to the focus of isolation and pent up frustration the whole thing was completed in little more than a week. The studio time had been paid for so what to do? On the daily commute the 185 bus would take Duncan Redmonds through the unfamiliar streets of South London from Lewisham to Perry Vale Studios. Undoubtedly bus journeys are,along with trains, the most contemplative of journeys and Duncan turned his mind to how best to use the unexpected windfall of extra studio time

Monkey Jungle by Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Max Roach had been on in the studio. Duncan remembered the stories of the ensemble just turning up and playing after the Duke had invited Mingus and Roach to play with him. He was also enthralled by the arguments and Mingus packing up his bass and storming out half way through the session, the Duke chasing him down the street before convincing him to return. Perhaps there could be a punk version of Monkey Jungle? Invite down some of the great and the good and record unrehearsed straight to tape. A few phone calls and the greatest UK punk and avant garde ensemble players were on hold.

However fate intervened. As The Boxer by Simon & Garfunkel came on his headphones Duncan, perched at the front of the top deck, had a birds eyes view of a typical South London bout of fisticuffs in the street. Divine inspiration? As the bus dropped him off outside Pat Collier‘s studio an alternative idea was forming. The band were instructed to unplug and pick up their acoustics. The dynamics of the recording were tested by a loose run through of the aforementioned Simon & Garfunkel classic and they were away

Initially covers were followed by selected cuts from the Snuff canon of classic songs. Musicians were then pulled in to add to the stripped down arrangements which slowly grew into a thing of beauty. Perhaps the ensemble idea will one day return, perhaps some of the practice covers will one day emerge from the shelf in the studio where they currently reside. In the meantime, Ladies & Gentlemen, 10 Past 12 Records will present the first Snuff acoustic record, Come On If You Think You’re Rachmaininov, on the 8th June and have released the lead single from the album, One Of Those Days. There will also be a ‘world premiere’ performance (acoustic of course) of the album at London’s The Lexington on June 11th.