Alison Hotel by The Maudlins

This was the second Maudlins album and probably the truest reflection of our sound as a three-piece. Songs like ‘The widow’, ‘Thought I’d ask’, ‘Glenalvon’, and ‘Simon’s theme’ were all staples in our lives set during 1988 and 1999 when the band was active in Adelaide.

These recordings unfortunately don’t do us much justice. I was using a different 4 track, borrowed from a friend, as the Fostex was on the verge of finally giving up the ghost. We used to record the backing tracks to a single track, playing altogether in one room, and on a few of these songs you can barely hear the bass. I tried around 2007 to find the original 4 track on which ‘Allison Hotel’ was recorded, but had no luck and was therefore unable to digitise them in the way that I have for recordings made with the Fostex. These versions have been taken from the original CD master, with some tracks removed that were (in my opinion) unlistenable because of poor writing, recording, or both.

The original version filled entire CD (as one did in those days), and included a cover of Syd Barrett’s ‘Lucy leave’ a rocking live favourite called ‘Supernatural’, plus various other solo songs and instrumentals jams with just George and myself.

Orphan Train Project is a musical journey that that began thirty years ago in the secluded hills above Adelaide, South Australia. First records were made on busted tape decks on a bedroom floor. Years passed. I lived in different places. All Orphan Train Project songs and recordings can be used under the Creative Commons Attribution licence.