After a decade of playing together in both the US and UK, this is, bizarrely, the first time we've ever got a proper multitrack recording of anything we've done.

Weird fact 2 - Michael and I have never played together NOT on stage. Like, never. No jams, no studio time, no messing around at home. When we're not on stage, we're talking. Constantly. Touring with Michael is amongst the most enjoyable, hilarious and enriching experiences I've ever had as a musician. I've learned so much from him and from playing with him, and his presence is on pretty much everything I've done as a solo artist and collaborator.

So, this album was recorded in one of my favourite venues ever. Which isn't actually a venue. It's my friend's living room (don't look for it, it's not there any more etc.) in San Jose, and I've played there more than almost any other venue. Every time I've been to California for pretty much the last decade, I've played there. It's a beautiful, welcoming, safe, experimental space where beautiful, curious people come to hear whatever we bring to the party. As you can hear, sometimes it's gentle and melodic, sometimes it's metal to the point of comedy, sometimes it gets pretty out and atonal but then a pop song springs from within the complexity, and we're off in another direction. This recording brings me all kinds of happiness - I'm looking forward to doing more like this soon...