CLOCKWORK FLOWERS
1. Green Griffons (Instrumental)
2. Habit The Rabbit
3. I Am Crying
4. Moonlight In The Sky
5. God's Gardens
6. I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet
7. Wishing You Were Here
8. Going Going Gone
9. Timeless Beauty
10. Clockwork Flowers
CLOCKWORK FLOWERS
(Originally recorded & mixed 2013 - 2015)
Re-mixed & mastered 2022 - 2023
As part of the band's 20th anniversary celebration, we decided to release this previously unreleased self-titled original album 'Clockwork Flowers' includes 2 co-written songs with a British psych legend late Keith Law (Velvett Fogg/Jardine) which we recorded and mixed between 2013 - 2015, and then re-mixed/mastered between 2022 - 2023. This is the 3rd original album after another unreleased original album 'Wonderland' (2009 - 2011) and an official bootleg mini-album '2013 Demos', however this is the 1st original album after Clockwork Flowers went ELECTRIC!
Everything started when Keith Law asked John to write the music to his lyrics in 2013. "This was my first-ever co-written project and I chose 'Moonlight In The Sky' from his vast collection of lyrics. I don't know why but I just got this Eddie Cochran sort of R&R vibe from the lyrics." - John Bliss.
So, John made a simple demo (acoustic guitar and vocal) of 'Moonlight In The Sky' and sent it to Keith. Keith really loved the demo and he immediately wrote new lyrics dedicated to us entitled 'Clockwork Flowers' on Anthea's birthday (without knowing her birthday)! The lyrics were truly wonderful and so blissful…then he said "The music is up to you, John!" So John wrote the song in few days and recorded 2 demo versions, one with acoustic guitar and another one with keyboards and sent 2 demo versions to Keith and wondering which one (acoustic guitar version or keyboard version) he would go for…and he said "I like the second demo more (keyboard one), as I guess it sounds psych and reminiscence of The Beatles, Sgt. Pepper album, which was the definitive album in my life…" However, he suggested John to amalgamate the guitar with the keyboards, and the two demo's will become one…wow, man! This is the final version of the song 'Clockwork Flowers'…
Then we started rehearsing these 2 songs for the recording sessions. First of all, Anthea started practicing the drums for the first time! and John bought a cheap 1960's electric guitar and so on... That was the beginning of the 2nd incarnation of Clockwork Flowers that means we went ELECTRIC! after having played for 8 years as a psychedelic acoustic duo. Also we stopped playing in public and stopped selling/sharing our music in Japan in 2012...Keith's timing was just perfect.
Now having spent 6 months, we finally recorded and mixed these 2 songs in 2014 with very limited recording equipment and instruments in very poor condition. Everything was recorded on MacBook Leopard 2006 (not even Pro!) in our tiny studio flat aka Great Bliss Studio (except drums - recorded at our local rehearsal studio) with one microphone as we only had one microphone at that time. Incidentally, the last song we recorded as an 'acoustic duo' was 'Within' The Night' which is a cover song of Velvett Fogg (written by Keith Law). So, obviously we dedicate these 2 songs to late Keith Law…
After we completed these 2 songs and just thought we should record more songs to make an album as we stopped playing in public so that we can focus to prepare and practice for the recording sessions...luckily, we got many songs to choose from. Initially, we used a working title 'The Continuing Story of Wonderland' which then became 'Electric Wonderland' because the concept of this album is like part 2 of previously unreleased album 'Wonderland' and we actually went ELECTRIC! However, considering this special co-written song 'Clockwork Flowers', we decided to entitle this album 'CLOCKWORK FLOWERS' eventually.
The album includes songs John wrote in Avebury (England), Dharamsala (India), Tokyo (Japan) and 2 co-written songs with Keith Law. The 1st track 'Green Griffons' which is an instrumental track was written in the Himalayas entitled after the band's previous name 'The Green Griffons'. 'Habit The Rabbit' and 'I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet' were written in Tokyo to continue the story of a song 'Good Morning, Lord Kitchener' from 'Wonderland' that was written in the Himalayas. 'God's Gardens' and 'Timeless Beauty' were written in Avebury in 1996 just before we left England to the Himalayas. These 2 songs were part of an unfinished project '12 Grand Aspects of Heaven' which John was working on at that time. In addition, 'I Am Crying' and 'Wishing You Were Here' were written in the Himalayas. 'Going Going Gone' was written in Tokyo and 2 demo versions of the song were included in '2013 Demos' along with 'Habit The Rabbit' and 'I Was Lord Kitchener's Valet'.
We completed this album 'CLOCKWORK FLOWERS' (including artwork) in January 2015. Although we received a brilliant review of the album from 'The Strange Brew' in the UK, we just didn't feel like releasing the album anytime soon because of our own past experiences. Whatever we created or achieved in the past and no matter how much effort we put in, they all became meaningless and pointless in a day or two here in Japan. To us, it was quite obvious that if we release the album in this horrible situation, it will be rotten within a day! So we decided to wait till the right time comes. Didn't realise it takes 10 years though.
This year 2025 is the band's 20th anniversary and we needed something special. Fortunately, we had re-mixed/mastered and finalised this album 'CLOCKWORK FLOWERS' in 2023. We both thought that it's time to release the album on this special occasion. Despite the fact that we recorded the album more than 10 years ago in very poor condition, we still feel some kind of 'MAGIC' throughout the album. Hope you can feel it too!
Clockwork Flowers
All songs written by John Bliss except track 4. Moonlight In The Sky and track 10. Clockwork Flowers by Keith Law (words)/John Bliss (music)
Recorded and mixed at Great Bliss Studio, Tokyo 2013-2015
Re-mixed/mastered at Great Bliss Studio, Tokyo 2022-2023
Produced and engineered by John Bliss
Artwork by Anthea Bliss
John Bliss performs vocals, guitars, keyboards and bass
Anthea Bliss performs drums and percussion
AN INTRODUCTION TO CLOCKWORK FLOWERS