Umphrey’s London Session set was made up on the day

By Martin Kielty
( Prog )
published

Frontman Brendan Bayliss believes 12-hour studio marathon was better for not being overthought

Umphrey’s McGee didn’t settle upon a tracklist for their London Session album until the day came to record it, says frontman Brendan Bayliss.

And he believes the results are all the better for not having been overthought.

The band managed to secure a 12-hour slot at Abbey Road Studios last year to lay down the album, which was released in April.

Bayliss tells Songfacts: “We had to acknowledge the time constraints. We went in hoping to get five songs done. We knew we had to work with songs we already knew – we couldn’t really try to write or arrange much in the moment.”

A list of ideas had been emailed between the band members, but he reports: “We really didn’t talk much about it until the night before. And even the day of, things changed.”

The sessions resulted in the launch of a 10-track album, including a cover of the Beatles’ I Want You (She’s So Heavy). Bayliss previously recalled how, the moment they arrived in Abbey Road’s iconic Studio Two, they asked to be shown the corner of the room used most by the Fab Four.

London Session tracklist

  1. Bad Friday

  2. Rocker Part 2

  3. No Diablo

  4. Cut The Cable

  5. Out Of Order

  6. Glory

  7. Plunger

  8. Comma Later

  9. Eat

  10. I Want You (She’s So Heavy)

Martin Kielty
Freelance Online News Contributor

Not only is one-time online news editor Martin an established rock journalist and drummer, but he’s also penned several books on music history, including SAHB Story: The Tale of the Sensational Alex Harvey Band, a band he once managed, and the best-selling Apollo Memories about the history of the legendary and infamous Glasgow Apollo. Martin has written for Classic Rock and Prog and at one time had written more articles for Louder than anyone else (we think he's second now). He’s appeared on TV and when not delving intro all things music, can be found travelling along the UK’s vast canal network.