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Riot Act

by Weird Decibels

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Weekend 02:40
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Razorwire 04:25
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about

It doesn't break down rock boundaries but it is a solid fifth from Weird Decibels

Riot Act first of the 'lodge ' recordings. Turn it up!

After many years of recording at Derek’s flat, using his leccy and filling his blue bin with empties it was time to try a new approach to recording. Why not record a rock record in a remote valley in the Highlands of Scotland? Cannich didn't know what was coming...
The idea we had was to hire a holiday lodge or cottage for a week and lay down the album. Riot Act was recorded in 2007 and was to be the first of the 'Acts' with Quiet Act to follow a year later. The songs ebbed and flowed into existence, it was not a hard album to write. It didn't have us reaching new musical heights but the songs were solid.
Sky is Falling, Home Sweet Home, Weekend All Over My Face and title track Riot Act all became band favourites. There are other notable tracks. Sound of the Night was a fantastic song to play but recorded it did not shine as it should have, It'll All Work Out builds beautifully and Only Had A Shandy is rampant nonsense.
The cottage was so remote our neighbours were a mile away. It was perfect. The week turned out to be one of the finest seven days in Weird Decibels many years. A band on form, close friends sitting around a fire drinking beer into the small hours getting up the next day to lay tracks. The laughs were incredible, Derek with his jaunt up to the top of a hill near the lodge, stripped naked chanting 'I'm at the top of the hill!' with Greg in stitches. Lard bombs killing all wildlife within in 20 metres. Barbecues until the sun rose (Derek is unequalled in catering) I could go on. You get a taste of the laughs at the end of Only Had A Shandy, we were all pissed and recorded the end of one of the best nights (BBQ night).
The album was the first to use our new Tascam 24 track. We had a few new mics as well but sound engineering inexperience and a steep learning curve hampered the sound in some ways. We chose the wrong room for recording the drums, and it took an age to mix the kit due to the poor quality of the recording. However a bit of hard work, some mastering from Paul Tonner and the album, finally sounded fine.
The album artwork was to be one of our more iconic covers. Poor Derek had to punch a few walls to get the right amount of blood on the knuckles. Our good friend Kevin Byrne took some fine photographs of the band fighting themselves outside the Three Kings in Shieldhill.
We did not extensively gig the album, certainly not as much as One More Solo. It wasn't long before Riot Act blended into the background of Weird history. Its a good album, it was an absolute joy to record and we've booked lodges in remote parts of Scotland to record ever since.
Fun? It was a Riot.

credits

released January 1, 2007

Paul Henry Smith Vocals Guitar
Stewart McCairney Guitars Vocals
Greg McSorley Bass
Derek Menmuir Drums Vocals
Recorded and Mixed by Pablo77
Mastered by Paul Tonner
Photographs by Kevin Byrne

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Weird Decibels Falkirk, UK

Weird Decibels career now spans over two decades from the post grunge landscape of the 90's through to the uncertain times we live in today.

With a growing collection of albums, live records and rare recordings Weird Decibels have placed it all here just for you.

Their latest LP 'February', released on the 21st of February, a mere 25 years since they penned their first song.
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