Fireflake

Description

Fireflake is the debut album by the British singer, songwriter, and keyboardist Adrian Snell, released in the UK on Dovetail Records in 1975. The album was recorded at Grosvenor Studios in Birmingham, England; with John Patry producing. Adrian Snell was only 21 years old at that point.

In September 1972 Adrian enrolled at Leeds College of Music studying jazz, switching to classical music studies in 1974. In addition to investigating compositional technique Adrian also began to take singing seriously. In 1974 he met up with Phil Thomson, the Midlands-based poet and lyricist who was to play a key role in the development of Adrian’s music over the next 16 years. In the summer 1975 Adrian began recording his debut album. The release of Fireflake by MGO’s Dove Records created an immediate impact on the insular British Christian music scene, and the British gospel magazine Buzz predicted that “Adrian will be a really influential personality and that ‘Fireflake’ will be a runaway best seller.”

I had begun performing at the age of 21, I think. I had gone to music college and there was the burden already growing in me that I would not only sing my songs to myself, I wanted people to hear them. I guess that lies in the heart of every singer/songwriter. Even if you fear the public attention or you fear the process of being on stage, wondering how people will react, there is a need there as well. And that was growing in me. So I started to do some concerts. I had a couple of friends and colleagues around the country who believed in me and my music and they said “we’ll set up some concerts for you.” I would do these things, and at one of these concerts I was performing with a recording duo called Malcolm & Alwyn. I came backstage after my bits and I remember sitting down with them both, and they said “You need to think about the recording side of your work. We’re associated with this record company and we’re very happy to support you if you feel this might be the right stage for it,” and this is how it begun. A meeting was set up with as a result of that concert, and there began my recording career, all those years ago. – Adrian Snell, 2019

Long-standing British ccm keyboardist and guitarist whose early LPs have some nice artsy melodic poprock and soothing orchestral folk alongside gentle piano ballads. Fireflake introduces Snell’s stirring from-the-heart style through gorgeous acoustic ballads like «My Soul Alive» and «Making Me Real». Titles like «This Is the Time to Stay», «Gethsemane» and «Simon Carry My Cross» reveal his classical piano influences via their lyrical romantic and impressionistic beauty. Some might even call a few of his compositions “progressive” or “art rock”, «Song for John», the powerful «Judas Song» and the reveting instrumental «Golgotha» being prime examples. The songs on side two collectively make up “The Passion“, culminating with the resurrection in «Jesus – Alive». Snell’s music is very mellow but has an endearing symphonic presence that can be quite uplifting. Produced by John Pantry. [Ken Scott, The Archivist, 4th Edition]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-early-years/1483315548)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “I Was A Stranger” – 4:43
A2. “Song For John” – 6:10
A3. “My Soul Alive” – 4:30
A4. “This Is The Time To Say” – 5:12
A5. “Making Me Real” – 4:25

Side Two
B1. “Gethsemane” – 4:25
B2. “Judas Song” – 3:45
B3. “Simon Carry My Cross” – 5:50
B4. “Golgotha” – 2:45
B5. “Jesus – Alive!” – 4:00

Note: Some tracks from this album were included in the 3CD set The Early Years 1975 – 1981, released on the DUtch REcord COmpany DURECO in 1994. Comprises tracks from five of Adrian’s first albums Fireflake (1975), Goodbye October (1976), Listen to the Peace (1978), Something new under the Sun (1979) and Cut (1981). All tracks were digitally remastered.

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