I bought @gomeztheband's Bring It On on release in 1998, then 20 years later was asked to write sleeves notes for its reissue. What really struck me, that wasn't stressed at the time, is the majority of the album was made on a 4-track in a garage. #timstwitterlisteningparty

So that means, so many of its intricate elements were made by recording four things together, bouncing it down to one track, and going again. It's not only an art in its own right, but it reveals an amazing shared musical vision between @gomeztheband
#timstwitterlisteningparty

“The way we did those demos and recorded the first album and the way people record music now, it’s a different artform completely,” @ianballmusic said when we did the notes. #TimsTwitterListeningParty

The band's first manager, Stephen Fellows – who was in Comsat Angels – was working in a record shop when Ian have him @gomeztheband's demo, the rump of Bring It On.
His reaction is lovely and makes it clear how ready those demos were [read below] #timstwitterlisteningparty

The band's eventual label Hut (which they signed to after a bidding war, which included Madonna's Maverick) – and David Boyd, who ran it, in particular – felt the same about those demos... #timstwitterlisteningparty

As @ianballmusic said: “The guys at the label were so into the demo that they were crazy - or brave - enough to release it as was. The 4-track became the sound of our band. At least 6 tracks on the album are basically the four-track tapes we made.” #timstwitterlisteningparty

So the demos became the album. They were augmented & more was recorded at @parrststudios with Ken Nelson: "I loved their sense that anything was possible. They’d have an idea and would look to me to make it work. We learnt so much from each other." #TimsTwitterListeningParty

Reggie Pedro did Bring It On's cover. @DavidBowieReal was a fan, as Paul Blackburn recalled: "We did @BBCLater with Bowie. Our artwork was a backdrop & Jools asked ‘Anything you’ve loved lately?’ He pointed at the artwork and said: ‘Yeah, that!’” #timstwitterlisteningparty

Bowie wasn't @gomeztheband's only admirer. John Lee Hooker gave them a @QMagazine Award via video in 1998. He said of Bring It On: "I’ve dun listen through this record time and again and I can’t find no defect whatsoever."
The @MercuryPrize also agreed #TimsTwitterListeningParty

Not bad for an album that featured noises from broken toys and was made largely on a 4-track tape recorder in a Southport garage that also housed an E-Type on blocks. Bring It On indeed @gomeztheband
#TimsTwitterListeningParty