Hi and welcome to the latest newsletter!
I've been busy listening to all the rough mixes of the upcoming LP and what jumps out more than anything is the Rickenbacker 12-string sound - it's so characterful. It's always been a major part of the Squire sound; I was already using the azure blue 12-string live on stage in 1979! And in 1980, when we recorded My Mind Goes Round In Circles / Does Stephanie Know?, it was my main guitar, and has been ever since really. I rarely play a live date without it nearby, and on some tours - the 2023 Secret Affair tour springs to mind - it's all I used. On all the songs!
We've already covered Rickenbackers in previous fan club newsletters, and there are a couple of links below, straight to the pages, for those who probably won't be able to find them amongst the 160 previous posts.
But today I am reviving the subject because I'm focused on the opening track of the Smash album. And when it comes to signature sounds - something that jumps in with that sound of a 12-string Rickenbacker is always going to leave you with a strong impression.
There's nothing quite like the opening track of a new LP. It's the welcome mat, the first impression - the song that tells you where you're about to go.
For Smash, it was always going to be Slip Away.
It's the fastest song on the record, explosive from the start, and it connects many of the themes running through the album - London and Los Angeles, inside and outside, leaving and returning. The song lands like jumping onto an already fast-moving merry-go-round.
For recording aficionados, the guitar sound is captured by plugging directly into the tape machine — no amplifier, no pedals, no microphone. It's all strings! This is exacly what it was recorded with!
The track is the perfect opener for the LP. In the same way that The Life opens Get Smart, it's already decided you're coming for the ride. It sums up the recording session too - very direct, very fast, with the songs often running into each other and sharing riffs and motifs. Rather than a polished collection of whatever was available, it was written and recorded on the spot. When the tape ran out, I knew I had enough songs.
There's a recurring line in the song's pre-chorus - I don't need a train or a plane, or a wave goodbye. All I have to do is close my eyes… - which connects to everything on the record. It's a blur of constant motion. Indeed, if you've ever been on a fast-moving merry-go-round, closing your eyes won't stop the dizziness!
Here's a link to a longer post which includes the track at the bottom of the page.
Next week I'm actually going to slip away myself, following the LP's story from the other side, so the next newsletter is in two weeks' time.
The other side will always get you in the end!