John Villiers - Perpetual Motion

Perpetual Motion:

John Villiers writes about his latest ITR release, Perpetual Motion:

“Another year, another new album! This time last year I thought I’d be able to concentrate on the ‘missing’ 12-string instrumantal album I’ve been promising for so long. But no! Once again, it’s been shelved for greater things…

“Perpetual Motion just turned up and after minimal knocking on the door, settled down on the sofa and dictated how the next six months would go. I just let it gestate and let the songs take me where they wanted – there’s even a pirate song on this one!

“Influences don’t really change, it’s just the angle that you view them from that alter the perspective and so it proves once again. Escaping the ravages of COVID changed the way I approached the songs, especially the singing – but also the way that the ideas came together.

“Lyrically, it explores the quiet desperation that often governs our lives, fleeing from crisis to crisis; laments to past lovers and friends, mental anguish and the state of the world all make their apprearances. In short, the usual concerns of our times…

“Musically, I’ve taken a straighter line through my blues influences than previously – especially for the opportunity to acknowledge the formative direction influence they have had on me through the years. I didn’t want to make it purely a blues project, there are many people out there already doing an excellent job on that score and besides, I’ve never really done any one thing to the exclusion of anything else, ever – it’s always been about the blend of styles when they are combined that I enjoy.

“The last album was a chance to blow the dust off the songwriting, as opposed to the instrumental offerings that preceded it, and Perpetual Motion has given me the template to go out and start playing live again…

“Also, recording the album has given me the chance to work with old friends and new musicians – something that I didn’t think likely with the enforced isolation that the pandemic brought about: Peter Terry drove way across town to come and put down his excellent piano on a couple of tunes. Barbara Morhle turned up, just when I’d given up hope of finding an accordion player to help define Row Boys Row!. Working once again with Norm Boyd, now resident in a Sydney suburb in  Australia was a welcome re-run of our previous times in a band. Mates for decades, we had to wait awhile for the internet to allow us to record together, but soon come, in the end. And of course, Tom Cambata, whose drumming skills have already enhanced previous recordings, took time off from his busy schedule to provide the congas that you hear.

“Don’t forget to check out Dan Whaley’s Out of Limits radio show on 103.8FM or better yet, if you’re not in his broadcast area, listen to the replay on Mixcloud  to hear his excellent selection of tunes (https://www.mixcloud.com/dan-whaley2/out-of-limits-30012022/)”