OK boys and girls, quick musical history lesson coming up. Stay with me, it’s kinda fascinating.
Why were singles traditionally 3 minutes long? Our dear friend Wikipedia says “A combination of technical factors combined with the 10 inch diameter of standard discs limited the duration of recording available on each side of a disc to around three minutes. These manufacturing limits in turn exerted a direct effect on the composition of music, as songwriters and performers increasingly tailored their output to fit the new medium. The 3-minute single remained the standard into the 1960s”. So now we know (where’s a pub quiz when you need one?).
Incredible to think that in this day and age of digital then, most songs are still set to this traditional length. Some of my favourite songs over the years though (including: “Dominion/Mother Russia” – Sisters Of Mercy, “Hey Jude” – The Beatles, “Light My Fire” – The Doors, “Heroin” – The Velvet Underground, “Blue Monday” – New Order, “Beach Side Property” – Modest Mouse) have all been around 7 minutes. I’ve just discovered a new one to add to the list, “Racing Races” by Flashguns.
Flashguns, a rock band from London formed in 2007, is Sam, Olly and Giles and they produce good old guitar and vocal driven rock, backed with a solid drum sound. They’ve got their debut album ‘Passions of A Different Kind’ lined up for release in the Summer of this year and are preparing for that with this glorious 7 minute epic.
They tell that the song was recorded in a dilapidated barn in the bleak winter of rural Somerset and that fits this slow burning number. Soaked with mood and attitude it has Sam’s beautiful vocals drifting over it all. It’s the kind of song I could imagine Jim Morrison doing and occasionally Sam sounds a little like he’s channelling him. I absolutely love it and have lost count of how many times I’ve played it. I’ve also included one of the other tracks from the album that shows they’re capable of producing a traditional song too and dammit, it’s just as good!
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