Use and Ornament (Quartermass, 2013)
The UK progressive rock scene has produced a really diverse set of recordings this year. Regal Worm is one of the most unique. It’s hard to describe, but it’s a sometimes zany mix of improvisatory music, psychedelia, Canterbury elements, folk, and symphonic progressive rock with tasteful vintage mellotron. The captivating album cover and odd songs titles give a really good hint at where the music is heading.
Regal Worm is the one-man band progressive rock project of English musician Jarrod Gosling. He’s best known for his electronic pop band I Monster and other acts like Henry Fool (who released an excellent new album earlier this year) and Skywatchers.
Most of the pieces revolve around the sounds of the saxophone, keyboards, sound effects and occasional vocals. Use and Ornament was recorded in Jarrod’s “Pig View” studio. He used vintage musical instruments, including his prized Mellotron M400.
Song ‘Apple Witch’ from Use and Ornament:
Jarrod Gosling plays Mellotron M400, analog synthesizers, Hammond L122/T500 organs, Leslie 770, Philips Philicorda, Jarlsberg organ, CRB Diamond 600 organ, Rhodes piano, Rickenbacker 4001/Fender Precision bass guitars, Danelectro/Epiphone and Simon & Patrick electric and acoustic guitars, WEM amplification, Rogers drums, percussion, voice, bowed saw, glockenspiels, visuals, accordion, wind instruments, mandolin, stylophone, mouth organ, toy piano, home made devices, and effects.
About Jarrod Gosling
The first musical scene that he got into was the Two-Tone movement/reggae after which he grew hair and got into hard rock/heavy metal; bands like Iron Maiden, Rainbow, Judas Priest, Deep Purple, etc. During the rest of the 1980s, Jarrod listened primarily to hair metal, melodic poodle perm metal and shifted through a number of bands as a bass player.
After getting bored of heavy metal, Jarrod switched to keyboards (a Korg DW600) and went off to college at which he became interested in indie and dance music. The early WARP label (from Sheffield) was a big influence and around 1990, Jarrod met Dean Honer who was also into the same music. Together they decided to get together and make some electronic noise. I Monster was born.
Gosling and Honer co-produced two tracks on Moby’s ‘Play‘ album and then made their first album, which included the original version of hit single “Daydream In Blue’.
A reworked Daydream in Blue hit the UK Top 20 in 2001. Goslig and Honer went on to remix artists such as The Divine Comedy, Pulp, Feeder and Goldfrapp. One track from the second I Monster album ‘Neveroddoreven‘ was used as the main title theme to the cult movie ‘Shaun Of The Dead’ and at that time their music was being used all over TV in shows, films and adverts. ‘Daydream In Blue’ was sampled in its entirety by US rapper Lupe Fiasco, which Gosling and Honer also co-produced and which went on to win a Grammy.
Around 2010, Goslig and Honer started a side project called Skywatchers, which featured Colchester-based singer songwriter Kevin Pearce. Skywatchers sound is described as a little folkier and more proggy than I Monster. In 2011 Gosling co-produced the Human League album ‘Credo‘ with Honer, managing to get his old DW6000 synth and his mellotron as well.
Later in 2011, Gosling decided to take the plunge and make a progressive album. Progressive rock, since the early 90s had become his absolute passion and so one man band Regal Worm was born and produced the first album ‘Use And Ornament.’
The album will be available from regalworm.bandcamp.com/album/use-and-ornament