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In
early 1983,
Tim and drummer Geoff Law began work on what was to become
the first Tim Burness solo album, Burnessence.
Funded by a timely inheritance and recorded with engineer Jon
Bidgood above a flower shop in rural Berkshire, the album covered
a wide range of musical styles, with Tim playing all instruments
except drums. The obvious progressive rock influences of Steve Hillage
and Steve Hackett were present on tracks such as Breathe The Air
and Total Annihilation, while other tracks such as Love Or Confusion
were more difficult to categorise. Tim now views the album as full
of excellent ideas, but essentially under-produced and with weak
vocals. Having made the album with Nuclear Records (300
copies pressed) Tim decided to put a band together to promote it.
Bassist Keith Hastings was recommended by Jon Bidgood to
Tim, Geoff had previously played together in several projects with
keyboard player Alf Wright (one of them with Tim on bass),
and on 12th October 1983 Burnessence the band played their first
gig at the Elgiva Hall, Chesham.
With Tim now living back in Buckinghamshire, early 1984 saw extensive
local gigging around the High Wycombe/Amersham/ Slough area, culminating
in a major headliner at the Fulcrum Centre, Slough on 6th April.
Two coachloads of supporters travelled to the gig from Chesham.
Soon after this, Geoff and Alf decided to leave the band to pursue
their own musical directions. With a studio already booked in London
to begin new recording, Tim called on old friend, drummer and violinist
Paul Morris (then with his own band The Real Macabre) to
help out, with the keyboard duties being shared between Tim and
Keith. Recorded during July and August 1984, again with engineer
Jon Bidgood, second album I Am You Are Me was more of a band
effort than the first Burnessence album had been. Influences on
the music included Marillion and Killing Joke, both popular at that
time.
Tracks such as Poppadom Rock and Momentum were well produced and
benefited from the powerful influence of Paul's drumming, but on
other tracks some musical subtlety was lost due to Geoff and Alf's
missing contributions to the band sound that had evolved over the
previous year. A handful of gigs followed the album's release, with
Rick Avory on keyboards and Paul as temporary members. Many
frustrating months later, after auditioning countless potential
drummers, Martin Smith (keyboards) and Gareth Miller
(drums, and probably the best Orson Welles impersonator in the world)
eventually completed the new line up with Keith and Tim. |
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Miller, Burness, Smith, Hastings
1985
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The
third version of Burnessence made its debut on 4th May 1985,
supporting Wheel Of Change (a band consisting of the brothers
of Howard Jones, then at his commercial peak). This marked
the start of several months of extensive gigging, the band
branching out beyond Buckinghamshire and Berkshire venues
to do gigs as far afield as Birmingham, Bristol, London, Guildford
and Gravesend. The band also began to do supports for some
of the then "new wave" of progressive rock bands,
including particularly memorable gigs with I.Q. in Bristol
and Solstice in Windsor. New tracks such as the Police-influenced
All Through Your Life and the band composition S.N.A.F.U.
had improved the live set, and reviews and interviews in English
and European fanzines also helped the growing interest in
the band. Towards the end of the year Martin was replaced
by Simon Vockings (ex-Karma, the first band to be fronted
by Porcupine Tree main man Steven Wilson) and Burnessence
mark 4 narrowly missed a support slot at the infamous Marquee
club, something that Tim regrets to this day! Gigs continued
into 1986, venues including Kingston and Oxford Polytechnics.
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this time however, several factors were conspiring to end
further gigs and recording, even though there was still much
underground interest. Without further financial backing, management
or other support Tim reluctantly decided to call it a day.
On March 2nd 1986 Burnessence made their last appearance,
supporting E.M.I. act Pallas at Queensway Hall, Dunstable.
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Final Burnessence gig Dunstable
1986
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