Tag Archives: The Manor

Queen: A Day At The Races

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On December 10, 1976, “EMI” label released “A Day at the Races”, the fifth Queen studio album.  It was recorded at the “Sarm East”, “The Manor” and “Wessex Studios”, and was produced by Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon. This was  the second band’s album that took  its name from  Marx Brothers movie (the previous was “A Night at the Opera). In 2006, in “BBC” pool “A Day at the Races” was voted the 67th greatest album of all time. The album was certified Platinum in Canada by “Music Canada”; Platinum in Poland by “ZPAV”, and Platinum in the US by the “RIIA”.

Personnel:

  • Freddie Mercury- lead and backing vocals, piano
  • Brian May- lead and backing vocals, electric, slide and acoustic guitars, plastic piano and harmonium
  • Roger Taylor- lead and backing vocals, drums, percussion, timpani, rhythm guitar, gong
  • John Deacon- bass guitar, acoustic guitar
  • Mike Stone – additional vocals
  • Richard Gray – design

Track listing:

  1. Tie Your Mother Down – Brian May
  2. You Take My Breath Away – Freddie Mercury
  3. Long Away – Brian May
  4. The Millionaire Waltz – Freddie Mercury
  5. You and I – John Deacon
  6. Somebody to Love – Freddie Mercury
  7. White Man – Brian May
  8. Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy – Freddie Mercury
  9. Drowse – Roger Taylor
  10. Teo Torriatte – Brian May

XTC: Mummer

XTC_Mummer

On August 30, 1983, “Virgin” label released “Mummer”, the sixth XTC album. It was recorded September–December 1982 at “The Manor”, Oxfordshire, and “Genetic Studios”, Berkshire, and was produced by Steve Nye, Andy Partridge, Colin Moulding, Dave Gregory, Terry Chambers and Bob Sargeant. This was Terry Chambers last album with XTC, he quit the band during the recording sessions.

Personnel:

  • Andy Partridge- vocals, guitar
  • Colin Moulding- vocals, bass
  • Dave Gregory- vocals, guitar, keyboard, piano
  • Terry Chambers– drums
  • Peter Phipps- drums
  • Steve Nye- mini-korg, mellotron
  • Gavin Wrightand,  Nigel Warren-Green – strings

Track listing:

All tracks by Andy Partridge, except where noted.

  1. Beating of Hearts
  2. Wonderland – Colin Moulding
  3. Love on a Farmboy’s Wages
  4. Great Fire
  5. Deliver Us from the Elements – Colin Moulding
  6. Human Alchemy
  7. Ladybird
  8. In Loving Memory of a Name – Colin Moulding
  9. Me and the Wind
  10. Funk Pop a Roll