Freedom To Glide "Rain"

Country: UK
Sub Genre: Space Rock, Neo-Prog
Release date: November 11, 2013
Tracklist: 
1. Rain (part 1)
2. Anywhere Else But Here
3. Path Of Reason
4. Riders On A Wave
5. Price Of Freedom
6. LU2
7. Rain (part 2)
8. Angels and Stones
9. Wind and Gales - Rain (part 3)
10. When The Whistle Blows
11. Trying To Grow Young
12. Rain (part 4)
13. Home Again
14. One Hundred and Twenty
15. Not A Broken Man

Line-up: 
Pete Riley - keyboards, backing vocals and sound effects
Andy Nixon - lead vocal, guitars, fretless bass, keyboards, drums and drum programming
   With
Steve Bell - trumpet solo

Francesca Genco - additional vocals
Elation Community Voices choir

Description/Reviews: 

‘Rain part 1’ the title track of the album, was inspired by the story of CRL. Robert Wilson’s experience in WW1 and sowed the seed for the album which has evolved into a compelling and sometimes personal journey through a century of war and the consequences that affect us all. 

The album tackles the subject of war head-on from the tragedy and mindless loss of life in ‘Rain parts 1, 2, 3 & 4’, through to the, shall we say, 'questionable' relationships between certain corporations and governments in ‘Trough Of War’. 

A more personal view on WW1 in ‘When The Whistle Blows’ a song about Pete’s granddad, Robert Wilson who survived and returned from the WW1 trenches.

A poignant reminder of the world still at war even in the 21st century. ‘Sleep Under The Flag’ comes from a poem written by Pete about Wootton Basset ending with the words 'This nineteen year old hero, a fight for freedom he'll never see...'

Mark Twain once said "History doesn't repeat itself but does rhyme" and turned a cliche into something fresh again. 'Path Of Reason' is unashamedly inspired by that quote. 

'Price Of Freedom' follows the journey of Andy's Granddad in the 9th Battalion of the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, part of the ill fated 18th Division who's three month journey half way round the world took them to Singapore in February 1942 only to end up as Far East Prisoners of War and remained captive for three and a half years in hell. 

'LU2' is a simple piano & strings piece that imagines a prisoner of war in a Japanese labour camp, thinking of his wife and child thousands of miles away in the north east of England. 

Growing up in the 1970s and 80s the threat of nuclear war seemed ever present. The song 'Wind', partly inspired by Raymond Briggs' 'When The Wind Blows' reflects the feeling of hopelessness at that time 'We're just riders on a wave that break... on a tide that takes.' 

Media/Samples 
Rain (Part 1)
Bandcamp

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