Abbey Road Studios has announced the latest release in its Abbey Road ‘Lock-In’ series with The Clockworks and Bernard Butler collaborating on a new single ‘Mayday Mayday’. Recorded in Abbey Road Studios. Three in a one-day session with Grammy, BRIT & Mercury Prize winning producer Bernard Butler, ‘Mayday Mayday‘ is the first track they worked on together. The musical bond and strong friendship which formed from this one-off session resulted in Bernard producing the band’s highly anticipated debut album, Exit Strategy is set for release on 10th November.
Abbey Road’s ‘Lock-In’ series is designed to reveal the musical creative experience, offering a window into an otherwise closed process. Artists are invited into the studios for an unexpected collaboration, or to record a new interpretation of an existing song, using only the mix of vintage instruments and future tech provided by Abbey Road. Jane Weaver, Django Django x Denai Moore, Hak Baker and Fontaines D.C. have all released ‘Lock-In’ singles over the last two years with more to come in 2023.
Speaking of the track, singer James McGregor says:
“We played around with the arrangement for Mayday for a while and hadn’t settled on it when we met Bernard. It felt like the right song to do first with him as we knew it needed some work so it would give us a chance to see what he could do. He got us to play the song on just vocals and acoustic guitar and then introduce every element individually on top of that to see how it changed the feeling. It was all about making sure that the song was lean, clear and that nothing cluttered the essence of what it was. We recorded this track the day we met Bernard, and that was the first step of recording Exit Strategy.”
Speaking about the new release, Abbey Road’s Head of Brand & Communications, Mark Robertson said:
“Bernard joined us fresh from his Mercury nomination on For All Our Days that Tear the Heart with Jessie Buckley, which was the record that had initially appealed to The Clockworks. Bernard chose to come in ‘blind’, joining the band whose curiosity and musicality allows them to swap roles and instruments, experiment with our vintage gear and explore the limitless possibilities. A true collaboration in pursuit of the best outcome for the song, the recording combines the driving intensity that has become synonymous with The Clockworks, with more nuanced, emotive moments and some brilliant textures courtesy of Bernard’s production and mix. We’re thrilled that our Lock-In session was the starting point for a partnership between the band and Bernard on their debut album, and that Steve Lamacq chose to premiere the track yesterday.’
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