count backwards from 10 (2004)
epic / crs records 5173692000

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the making of count backwards from 10

A 4+ minute mini-documentary on the making of Count Backwards from 10. Created by Paul Casserly, it features Leza Corban, Jordan Reyne, Mahinarangi Tocker, Fiona McDonald, Chris van de Geer, Andrew Dubber and more.

click here to view clip  [Running length 4:21]

Requires windows media player.

original press release
Count Backwards from 10 is album number 6 for the Strawpeople (8 if you include the 1997 remix album and the 2000 ‘best of’) and once again producer Paul Casserly has brought together an all-star cast of songwriters, vocalists and musicians to create a unique blend of moody electro-pop.

The album continues the successful Strawpeople formula: Gorgeous vocals over slinky electronic beats put together by this multi-talented musical co-op.

“It’s taken a while to whittle this album together, but I’m glad I’ve taken my time. It’s been a bit like building a boat on your front lawn: sometimes it sits for months with the plastic over it, but you’ve got to get it right, otherwise the bugger will sink the first day you take it out."  -Paul Casserly.

THE SINGERS
Pearl Runga. The middle sister from the family with the famous surname, Pearl is an extra extraordinary singer - this is the first time she has appeared on a Strawpeople album.

Fiona McDonald. She’s been singing with Strawpeople since album number 2, and has been the voice behind notable hits such as Trick With A Knife and Taller Than God. She’s also been a member of the much-loved Headless Chickens and has recently become a household name and face as a judge on the TV series NZ Idol. Fiona co-wrote and sings on three tracks. Running Away, You’re Still On My Mind and Rain.

Fiona says: “It was great working with Paul again, apart from the constant Idol cracks, you know, ‘That’s was a great preformance (sic) but you really need to work on the way you look.’ Or ‘That was truly, truly awful, a drunk chimpanzee would have made a better job of that!’”.

Casserly: “She’s always been difficult”.

Leza Corban. The voice behind Sweet Disorder (the APRA Silver Scroll-winning song from the platinum-selling Broadcast album) and Scared of Flying (from No New Messages) returns with another Strawpeople specialty: the cover-version. This time the Psychedelic Furs 1981 hit Love My Way gets the treatment.

Casserly says: "People are always telling me how much they love Leza’s voice on ‘Sweet Disorder’ and ‘Scared of Flying’ so I thought I could put up with her nagging one more time.”

Jordan Reyne. The singer/songwriter with a sideline in industrial music. Jordan wrote the words and sings a song, Wire, which featured in Auckland Theatre Company Play ‘The Shape Of Things’.

Casserly says: “I’ve been a fan since her debut release on Deepgrooves about 10 years ago. She contacted me and said she’d be into singing, I said ‘shit yes!’”.

Mahinarangi Tocker. One of the country’s most respected singer-songwriters and vocalists brings a new dimension to the album with the track Winter.

Casserly says: ”She’s such an amazing musician, I love her voice and drunkenly asked her to sing on the album at the APRA awards last year. She drunkenly said ‘yes!’”

THE PRODUCTION
The album was co-produced (with Casserly) and mixed by stellar* guitarist and producer Chris van de Geer. Chris has worked as an engineer and producer on albums by Tim Finn, Brian Bell, Stereogram, Bic Runga, Savant, and Carly Binding.

Featured musicians include Dan Sperber (guitar), Godfrey De Grut (keys), Max Stowers (bass), Joost Langeveld (keys/production), Dave Goodison (acoustic guitar), Ted Brown (acoustic guitar), Chris van de Geer (electric guitar) and Neil Watson (electric guitar).

Andrew Dubber (host of George FM’s Jazz Show) co-wrote and composed the track ‘The Andy Warhol Effect’.

The album was recorded over a period of 3 years at Pitt St Studios near K’rd in Auckland (now a bar) and a home studio in St Mary’s Bay.

THE ART
The cover artwork is by New Zealand artist Karl Maughan.
Casserly says: “He paints gardens like a genius and what’s more he does a superb pig on a spit".