|  e had recorded Stromboling with Tracie De Jong in 1995 but due to a series of screw-ups by the CD pressing plant and the subsequent trans-Tasman
dispute it still hadn't come out, so in mid-1996 we again made a deal with Radio New Zealand: they recorded two half hour programs of our music and we got to buy the rights to the tapes. That sort of arrangement went out the window shortly afterwards when the National Government cut funding to RNZ, showing their usual disregard for local arts.This was kind of a transitional album, the idea being to span the traditional and
modern. With that in mind there was an old song done in it's original style ( Throwin' Up My Hands), an old song we messed with (Downhearted Blues), and
our own songs in styles going from Delta blues ((It's All So) Joy Joy Happy Happy), to more modern (Living In Limbo
). We also finally recorded some instrumentals (G B Boogie, Sugar Rush & Penguin Glove ), as we always did the odd instrumental showcase live and people kept asking for them on CD.Once again Paul Higgins joined us on drums and did a splendid job, as did Anthony Pickard, a great singer who currently fronts Wellington band Slam. We felt really guilty about using a player as extraordinary as Grant Winterburn to play such a
backing roll on those two songs as he is about the most remarkable musician we've ever played with. His keyboard playing really has to be seen to be believed. We made a video for the Working Class Shuffle, directed by Derek on location at the Boatshed Studio. Amongst a gathering of friends and Tauranga musicians (for
the record: Andy Craw, John Michaelz, Mahara Tocker, Damian Forlong, Ricky Harris, Euan Laycock, Tim Mellalieu & Nigel Masters) it featured Grant dramatically leaping fully clothed into Nigel's swimming pool (he did it in a single take...). The video mix of the song was different, with Derek and Nigel adding extra guitar, drums, and hammond organ. The video is in the permanent collection of the National Film Archives in Wellington.
We had no idea who took the album cover picture and the ones in the booklet - they were given to us by a woman at the Bay Of Islands Jazz Festival and afterwards we couldn't figure out who she was. She thought that they hadn't come out properly and was most disappointed, but we loved the weird effect. We put a message to her in the booklet and a few months after it was released she got in touch and we thanked her properly.
Derek Jacombs - Vocals, Guitar
Grant Bullot - Harmonica, Washboard
Roger Bullot - Bass
Paul Higgins - Drums (1, 2, 3, 8, 12)
Grant Winterburn - Organ (2, 5)
Anthony Pickard - Backing vocals (1, 4, 5, 8)Produced by Neil Maddever & Derek Jacombs
Engineered by Neil Maddever & Andre Upston
Recorded at Broadcasting House, Wellington, mid-1996
Remastered by Frank Douglas
Cover design Derek Jacombs, Grant Bullot & Graeme Clark
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