Kevan Koya

 

A big thank you to David Grogan for all my cover designs.

 

DECADE OF DESTRUCTION 

The Decade of Destruction album was recorded sometime between 1981-1983 This album was very much me learning and experimenting with the craft of song writing and singing. The first song I wrote was called ‘Heaven Again’ soon followed by ‘Keep on Walking’ ‘Don’t Give into Your Heart’ ‘Children of the Berlin Wall’ and then a little later came the songs ‘Decade of Destruction’ ‘Suffering in Your Image’ ‘Believe in You’ ‘Love Talks’ ‘Angels in the Rain’ and Fight for Love.

During this time, I was a keyboard player in a band called ‘’My eyes my eyes’’ with Jim Bell being the sole song writer and front man of the band. Being one of the bands keyboard players and having to learn Jim’s songs, gave me an ideal apprenticeship, a wonderful opportunity to learn the craft of song writing. With being a backing vocalist in the band, not only did it help me to discover that I had a good singing voice, but it also gave me the opportunity to learn backing vocal arrangements and develop my singing technique. Over the years it became very apparent that it was crucial for me to be able to sing, enabling me to develop my songs, giving me the chance to express my own songs in a more personal way, if I hadn’t been able to sing, and had to rely on someone else to sing my songs, would have proved very difficult and restricting for me and I certainly wouldn’t have been able to achieve the body of work that I have done to this present day. 

It was also during this time that I had my first experience of being in a recording studio. Jim Bell recorded three of his songs at ICC studios in Eastbourne and I was there to assist with playing keyboards and piano. This was a wonderful chance for me to see and experience working in a studio. Another experience that would help shape my musical journey. 

All the songs recorded during this time were recorded in a very basic way, using a 4 track TASCAM cassette recorder. Jim Bell engineered the recording of these songs and did all the guitar arrangements. The songs ‘Decade of Destruction’ and ‘Suffering in My Image’ were also engineered on a 4 track TASCAM, by a well-known singer song writer called Mick Mepham. Mick also added the guitar parts to both these songs. The style of ‘Decade of Destruction’ and ‘Suffering in my Image’ are quite punky in genre. Even though these songs are very basically recorded, they still however stand-up in composition.

 

 

HELLO AMERICA 

The Hello America album was recorded sometime between 1987 -89. This was a small recording project of five songs, and it was the first time I had the opportunity to record my own songs, into what I call a ‘’proper’’ professional recording studio that was owned by Richard Thomas.  

Sometime in 1986-7 I was fortunate enough to meet a song writer called Jeff Daniels who had co-written the musical ‘Time’ with Dave Clerk. Jeff listened to several of my Tascam recordings and then called Richard Thomas (who’s studio was based in Hove Sussex) saying ‘’I have a talented song writer here with me, could I arrange for him to go into the studio to finish off two songs?’’ These two songs being ‘Love Talks’ and ‘Angel in the Rain’ . Richard’s Studio was very much a privately run studio, so it was as a wonderful privileged and opportunity for me to be able to spend some time with Richard to complete these two songs. 

After finishing these two songs ‘Love Talks’ and ‘Angels in the Rain’ I asked Richard if I could record with him a mini album called ‘Hello America’ (preciously titled Precious Years) and I was so pleased he said yes. This recording project became the springboard to me developing and progressing even more so, the craft of song writing and singing techniques, finding my own singing voice and style. It’s one thing singing along to songs by other recording artist, however singing along to your own material is quite a different ball game, something that took me a while to master. Getting to know your vocal range and selecting the right key to sing in is vital and can make or break a song. What I have found when singing my songs, is there is an element of acting involved when performing the song, being the narrator, making sure (or being aware) of making the vocals sound convincing in emotion and presentation. It really was a steep learning curve for me, and I embraced every moment. I knew I still had so much to learn about song writing, song arrangement and production. Also, one of the most essential parts of being a recording artist is being able to have a good knowledge and understanding of song mixing. Mixing is crucial in getting the right balance of sound and instrument levels. It’s always best to work from a foundation of drums and bass and then work everything around that. Sometimes the process of mixing a song isn’t always straight forward and can be a bit like solving a complexed puzzle to find the right formula, a process that took me some time to get the hang of and master. What I have learnt over the years, is that perseverance always pays off when it comes to mixing. What I have found that helps when struggling with a mix, is putting the song aside for a while and when you listen to it again, the faults tend to jump out. It’s very easy to get too close to a song.     

The songs on this album are Hello America, Your destiny, It’s a New Day, Bright Light, and Precious Years. Initially I recorded these songs without any guitars, using only sample sounds, however I felt the songs lacked an organic feel and so a bit later I introduced these songs to Doug Scarratt (from the band Saxon) who then came into the studio to add guitar parts on each of these five songs.

 

 

BAD BOYS 

The Bad Boys album was recorded between 1989-1990. This album was a follow-on recording project to the ‘Hello America’ album, also recorded at Richard Thomas’ Holland Road Recording studio.

With wanting this album to be more guitar based, I brought in Doug Scarratt to add all the guitars parts. The songs listed on this album are:  True Love, Hold me Now, Bad Boys, He Understands (Short version) Can’t Stop, Crossing the Bridge and He Understands (Extended version). The title track on this album was recorded again in 1993, to be promoted by Jeff Daniels in Nashville America. I did feel a little apprehensive about this song going to Nashville, because my song writing genre was polls apart from what was happening in America and in some respects still is. This album is also very sample sound based, using keyboard sample drums. Songs that also followed were ‘Living Dream’ ‘Break Away’ ‘Now I have Found You’ ‘Never Before’ ‘Walking with the Ghosts’ ‘Keep Your Pride’ ‘Song for Andy’ ‘European Melody’ Where Rivers Flow’ and ‘The Magic of Iona’.   

After working on this album, I began to feel that these two albums ‘Hello America’ and ‘Bad Boys’ recorded with Richard lacked a certain feel. It became clear that I needed to progress my recording in a new direction, which would include working with session players to give my songs a more band feel and quality. I will always appreciate Richard’s kindness in giving me the time in his studio to help build up my ability as a song writer, to progress on to the next level of writing and recording.

 

 

STRANGER TO LOVE

The Stranger to Love album was recorded sometime between 1998-1999. This album was a real turning point for me, bring in other musicians to contribute with their own style of playing, adding a more organic band feel to my recordings. I initially spent six months rehearsing this album with a view to do some live performances, but unfortunately because of other commitments this didn’t happen. I recorded the songs ‘ Deeper’, ‘One More Day’, ‘Stranger to Love’, ‘It’s a Fools Game’ and ‘Angry at the World’ at Grove studio in Hove owned by Pete Varkala, however these songs were completed mixed and mastered at Kevin Staggs’ recording studio in Dyke Road Brighton. I was fortunate that Jim Bryan the bass guitarist, who was playing on this album, knew of the drummer, David Mattacks and so David came into Grove studio to play drums on the five songs listed above. It was a two-day drum session, coming back on the second day to finish off two songs. The keyboard player on this album was Chris Howlett and the guitarist was the wonderful Doug Scarratt and the female backing vocalist was Sharon Woolfe. A big thank you to Sharon for her contribution to this album.

This album does lend itself to having quite a rock feel with Doug Scarretts guitar work. This album covers varying topics of love, loneliness, isolation and climate issues and America.

 

 

THE ONLY LIVING THING ON MARS

The Only Living Thing on Mars alum was recorded sometime between 1999-2001. Searching for a studio to record this album, I approached Pete Varkala at Grove Studio in Hove. I was looking for someone to co-produce this album and I had a strong belief that Pete would be the right person. Doug Scarratt also recommended recording with Pete, a recommendation that couldn’t be ignored. With Doug Scarratt not being available at that time to play guitar on this album, meant I had to look for another guitarist. Jim Bryan the bass player who was also involved with the co-production of this album recommend a guitarist named Michael Casswell. I contacted Michael and he agreed to be involved with this recording project. 

Before recording this album, I did record a song called ‘The Forgotten Ones’ and ‘Feel so Good’ . Doug Scarratt played acoustic guitar on ‘The Forgotten Ones’. ‘Feel so Good’ was a very much a club sounding track using sampled Keyboards and drums. I started the ‘’Mars’’ album by recording the songs ‘ I’m not Alive, I’m Not Dead’ (previously called Depression) and ‘ Electric Eyes’, songs that followed over time were ‘ The Only Living Thing on Mars’, ‘The Forgotten Ones remix’ ‘Cardboard City’, ‘I Know This Love is Real’ ‘New Town’ and ‘Is there another Earth? The song ‘ Please Don’t Cry’ that is on this album was recorded sometime later in 2003. Recording this album was an incredible pleasure and experience. Having Michael Casswell come into the studio and to see what he would contribute to each of the songs with his amazing guitar playing was breath-taking. Michael had a real rockstar presence in a down to earth sort of way, a very kind and considerate man who had the ability to play guitar on any music genre. Even if he was to add guitar to the ‘Happy Birthday’ song he would make it sound great! Nothing was too much trouble. It always excited me hearing the songs come to life in the studio from what Michael would contribute, from my initial sketches at home to fully produced pieces of work. For drums I brought in Ivan Pledge a very talented and gifted drummer who was recommended by Pete Varkala. I’m very appreciative to Pete Varkala for his engineering and co-producing and his musical ability and contribution to sometimes playing acoustic guitar and piano. Also thank you to Jim Bryan for playing bass guitar and co-producing.

The song ‘The Only Living Thing on Mars’ was later re-recorded in 2015. Michael added all the guitar parts. I felt the initial recording of this song which was done in 2000 didn’t quite do it justice. I slightly changed the arrangement of the song to make it more commercial and doing a new vocal take worked. This song centres on the realisation and fact that the beauty found on Earth doesn’t exist on Mars. The astronaut begins to realise this sobering fact and feels a longing miss for their family, friends, loved ones and the beauty that can be experience on Earth.

In 2003 this album was played on Joanne Goods Breakfast show, BBC Southern Counties radio. It was voted album of the week and for me it was a strange but wonderful experience hearing my songs being played on the radio. It was a very surreal moment.

 

FALLING SOUTH

This album was written in 2002-3 but was sadly to fall by the wayside. The songs that were to make up this album were: ‘Falling South’ ‘Play it Loud’ ‘It Doesn’t Bother Me’ ‘It’s No Surprise’ ‘Waiting for the Rain’ ‘Letting Go’ and ‘God Save America’. Unfortunately, during this time I became terribly side tracked from this album, by taking on a recording project for a Ugandan charity called ‘The Friends of Sanyu’ Ugandan children’s trust and so sadly these songs were put way down at the bottom of the musical to do list pile. With prolifically writing at that time, I was thinking of the next album project which was to be ‘Heavenly Mortals’ and so this album was derailed. Another factor which caused me terrible delays in recording was the lack of time and financial restriction. With working in a full-time job, recording had to be done mostly during the weekends and to obviously work around my financial budget, depending on what I could afford.   

The song that I wrote for ‘The Friends of Sanyu’ was called ‘Please Don’t Cry’ and a 11-minute instrumental piece to accompany a video. It was a very challenging project in more ways than one. I did do very basic recordings of these songs on a 16-track recording deck, at Jim Bryans Garden shed studio, but unfortunately that’s as far as these songs were taken and of course left buried in my music trunk. I am grateful to Jim Bryan for the 16-track recordings. However, in 2023 I did manage to complete the songs ‘God Save America’ and ‘It Doesn’t Bother Me’ so all was not lost. I tend to call this album my ghost album. It’s sort of there, but not quite.

 

 

HEAVENLY MORTALS

The Heavenly Mortals album was recorded between 2006 -2012. Recorded at Pete Varkala’s studio in Steyning Sussex. I would like to say a tremendous thank you to all the musicians who have played on this album, Michael Casswell guitars, (who I have dedicated this album to his memory) Phil Williams bass guitar, Tim Bye drums, Andy Ellis additional guitar, Richard Naiff piano, Richard Holmes piano on the song ‘Forever’ and Pete Varkala co-production and additional piano work.  The complete Heavenly Mortals album can be heard on YouTube, Spotify, and many other musical websites, as well as iTunes and Amazon. The track listing for this album is: ‘ The Gateway’ (poem) ‘Heavenly Mortals’ ‘Burning Shore’ ‘If Only You Knew’ ‘Invisible’ ‘Sail Away’ ‘Space Girl’ ‘Winter’s Sky’ and ‘Forever’.

The ‘Heavenly Mortals’ album has been for me, a very lengthy recording project, purely because of financial limitations and so it had to be completed in financial bite sized chunks. If I had a been a recording artist signed up to a record label, this album could have been finished in a matter of months or even weeks. The first sketches I did for this album were done in 2005 and these songs were: Heavenly Mortals, Space girl, I Believe in You, Burning Shore, and The Gateway (poem) which then paved the way for other songs to follow. The recording of this album started in 2006 and was completed around 2012 and was soon followed by ‘The Black Wish Hounds’ album, which I wanted to be a contrasting album to ‘Heavenly Mortals’ in feel and subject matter. Unfortunately, the song ‘I Believe in You’ didn’t quite make it onto this album. I did do a basic recording of this song in 2005 with Richard Naiff playing piano and Andy Ellis guitars, but I should have taken this song into Pete Varkala’s studio for a full-on production. It’s a delightful song, but sadly slipped the net. 

There are several ideas that I had which formulate the essence of the ‘’Heavenly Mortals’’ album. One of those ideas being that Heavenly Mortals represent all those people who give so much in our society in helping others, in a selfless giving way, such as: Nurses, doctors, fire fighters, paramedics, etc. 

One evening, while I was walking along a beach in my hometown, the sky made such a spectacle, displaying a glorious sunset. The sky was ablaze with light and colour, as Corpuscular rays could be seen touching the surface of the sea like spotlights hitting the surface of a stage. Being so moved and inspired by what I saw, I instantly came up with the first two lines of a poem called ‘The Gateway’ which are: ‘’As the sky, changes in colour and the sun falls behind a silky vail’’. Now taking my initial idea for this album one step further, so that Heavenly Mortals would also represent otherworldly beings, ‘’Angels’’. These beings crossing between their world and ours, through the suns corpuscular rays that break through the clouds. These otherworldly beings, still having the same selfless quality as those people who give so much in society. This album is my tribute to all that’s good in life and the things that can flow from that. It also mirrors my strong faith in God and Jesus Christ.

 

 

THE BLACK WISH HOUNDS

The Black Wish Hounds album was recorded between 2016- 23 . Recorded at Pete Varkala’s studio in Steyning. The first three songs recorded were ‘The Black Wish Hounds’, ‘Pulling me Under’ and ‘Searching for UFOS’. Then over-time other songs would be completed such as ‘Angel’ and ‘Harvest Moon’. The track listing for this album is ‘The Black Wish Hounds’ ‘Pulling Me Under’ ‘Give This Love a Chance’ ‘Searching for UFOS’ ‘Angel’ ‘It Doesn’t Bother me’ ‘Harvest Moon’ ‘Falling Like the Snow’ ‘Down to Earth’. There is one more song that I would like to add to this album called ‘Haunted House’ which will feature Doug Scarratt playing guitar. The song ‘It doesn’t Bother me’ features Richard Durrant (An English guitarist and composer) playing wonder classical Spanish sounding guitar, which works so well for this song and I’m grateful for his contribution. 

2016 was to be one of the saddest years for me with the death of Michael Casswell. I was devastated. It was a crushing blow. In March 2016 Michael recorded the guitar parts to three songs: ‘The Black Wish Hounds’ ‘Pulling me Under’ and ‘Searching for UFOS’ and sadly this would be my last recording project with Michael, who passed away on the 30 September 2016. I’m grateful for all that Michael has contributed to my songs over the years and all he contributed to the ‘Heavenly Mortals’ album and so I felt it was fitting that the ‘Heavenly Mortals’ album became my dedication to him.  

In 2023 Doug Scarratt played guitar on the song ‘Angel’ and other songs that I have written for an album called ‘Risen’ . I’m grateful for all that Dougie has contributed to my music over the years. 

The idea for ‘The Black Wish Hounds’ album came about from me having to walk up and down a country lane called ‘Mouse Lane’ to get to Pete’s studio, which is situated in the village of Steyning in Sussex, nestled on the South Downs. During the winter months, having to walk down this very dark lane with only a key-ring torch to light the way, it was very easy to feel spooked, seeing only the dark silhouetted shapes of trees and shadows. It certainly ignited my imagination and creative ideas, and this album ‘The Black Wish Hounds’ began to take shape because of these dramatic surroundings. 

The fictional ideas I had for this album was based on ancient British folklores, the Black Dog (ghost dog) also known as the Black Shuck, or Hell Hounds. These black dogs have reportedly been seen during electrical storms, walking on ancient pathways, crossroads, or places of execution, and in folklore representing a coming death. I imagined what it would be like to encounter one of these “Black Shuck Hounds’’ with glowing red eyes. It would be a terrifying experience and ‘Mouse Lane’ certainly lends itself to being a perfect setting to come face to face with one of these ‘Black Wish Hounds’. I have slightly tailored the story of these Hounds, making them helpful spiritual guides, leading lost souls along lay lines and pathways,’ to where they need to make their final transition to either Heaven, or if very unfortunate, to Hell. This album does have a slightly darker feel, compared to the other albums I have written and particularly the song ‘Pulling me Under’ highlights this, which is a song about suicide. This darker aspect of this album I wanted to be a contrast from the ‘’Heavenly Mortals’’ album, but there is no intention of promoting evil or any of the darker subjects in this album, just me putting into writing a sadder aspect to life and emotions. 

This album also captures my love of the British countryside and village life. Farming the land, bringing to the table folklore, Harvest Moons, the beautiful rolling South Downs, the change of seasons and of course including the weather and dramatic skies. ‘Harvest Moon’’ is my tribute to all the farmers who work the land over the centuries maintaining the beautiful Sussex landscape, in such a remarkable way. It’s good that the South Downs are protected by the National Trust so that it can be enjoyed by generations to come. Great walks!  

 

 

RISEN

This EP ‘Risen’ was mostly written during the pandemic in 2020 and is very much an expression of my faith. Before 2016 I had no intensions of writing Christian based songs, in fact I didn’t think I could. It was a subject that I felt I didn’t have enough experience or knowledge to write about. I was more comfortable to write about everyday life experiences, just the ordinary rock pop stuff, fictional and nonfictional, but something happened in 2016 that completely changed that mindset, altering my views on Christianity and Cristian song writing. 

If I was to tell you that in April 2016 my life was filled with the Holy Spirit, having an undeniable encounter with Jesus Christ, then understandably for any nonbeliever it must be very hard to grasp such a statement, but that is exactly what happened. My life was changed for the better and through my faith and being a songwriter, so too were my views on what I could and should write about. 

INCANDESCENT COMPILATION ALBUM

The Incandescent album is a compilation album, bringing together a collective body of work which encapsulates my song writing journey. There was a moment when I overheard someone in discussion with a friend who was a songwriter saying: ‘’what is the point of writing songs when there is no financial reward’’ the answer is very simple, the reward is in the satisfaction and pleasure that song writing can bring and for me that has been immeasurable. Money doesn’t always bring pleasure or happiness, but the memories and satisfaction that song writing has brought me over the years certainly outweighed any financial gain. Okay it must be wonderful to be paid for what you love doing, but I have no regrets about what I have done musically and the joy and satisfaction that it has given me and the wonderful memories and privilege of meeting and working with such talented and respected musicians.  

The songs that make up this album are: ‘Heavenly Mortals’ ‘Space Girl’ ‘Sail Away’ (album version) ‘Invisible’ ‘Winter’s Sky’ ‘The Black Wish Hounds’ Pulling Me Under’ ‘Give This Love a Chance’ ‘Searching for UFOS’ ‘It Doesn’t Bother Me’ ‘Angel’ ‘Harvest Moon’ ‘Falling Like the Snow’ ‘Down to Earth’ ‘Haunted House’ ‘God Save America’ Bonus track ‘Throw the Rose’. 

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