Mute Records Fan Blog

Kevin Westerberg on Facebook:RECOIL. Press Shoot for the ‘Bloodline’ album. The Worx Studios. King’s Cross. London. January 17, 1992. Unseen Photo by Kevin Westenberg. Two years after that first Depeche Mode mega shoot in 1990 Alan Wilder contacted me for another shoot. Turned out that while Alan was in the later years of being in Depeche Mode, he had a plan B. Alan formed this side project, Recoil. The band here was himself and singer Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb. Recoil began in 1986 as a two-track experimental EP. Simply entitled 1 + 2, this collection of primitive demos caught the attention of Mute Records label boss Daniel Miller and was inconspicuously released as a mini-album on 12″ vinyl. An album, Hydrology, soon followed in 1988 and both were eventually re-issued by Mute on CD as Hydrology plus 1 + 2. Wilder described the project at the time as “an antidote to Depeche Mode; a way to alleviate the frustrations of always working within a pop format.” Our shoot was for Recoil’s third album, ‘Bloodline’ released on April 14, 1992, which included the single “Faith Healer”. Ned Raggett at ‘AllMusic’ notes: “…in many ways, this was and remains Wilder’s most distinct Recoil album: a sharp combination of his ear for arrangements and notable guest singer turns. Wilder’s production skills became even more influential with time. Electro-clash was a decade off, but Nine Inch Nails’ own breakthrough was just around the corner, and the combination of pulsing energy and cold, brutal punch was perfectly evident throughout Bloodline.” Alan was in fact one of the first musicians I interacted with once moving to London in the early 80’s. Somehow, I ended up at Alan’s flat in NW London interviewing him for a magazine cover story. I had already taken Live Photo’s of the band very very early on at a gig either in London. Can’t remember which location. A few of these were used in this piece. Back to Recoil; I’ve not looked at this session for 30 years! My memories of the day seem somewhat inconsequential in hindsight. The early 90’s were the busiest and most exhausting daily of my career averaging 100 shoot days per year so this one sadly has been lost in the insanity. For whatever reason this stopped me from reviewing this job. So happy to have reviewed this session all over again and to have found this one. This is because I just saw in the music press that all the Recoil albums have now been re-released via Mute. Out now. Recoil. London. The Worx Studios.
January 17, 1992. Contact for print sales : kjwestenberg@hotmail.com
All Photos: ©Kevin Westenberg.

RECOIL. Press Shoot for the ‘Bloodline’ album. The Worx Studios. King’s Cross. London. January 17, 1992. Unseen Photo by Kevin Westenberg. Two years after that first Depeche Mode mega shoot in 1990 Alan Wilder contacted me for another shoot. Turned out that while Alan was in the later years of being in Depeche Mode, he had a plan B. Alan formed this side project, Recoil. The band here was himself and singer Douglas McCarthy from Nitzer Ebb. Recoil began in 1986 as a two-track experimental EP. Simply entitled 1 + 2, this collection of primitive demos caught the attention of Mute Records label boss Daniel Miller and was inconspicuously released as a mini-album on 12″ vinyl. An album, Hydrology, soon followed in 1988 and both were eventually re-issued by Mute on CD as Hydrology plus 1 + 2. Wilder described the project at the time as “an antidote to Depeche Mode; a way to alleviate the frustrations of always working within a pop format.” Our shoot was for Recoil’s third album, ‘Bloodline’ released on April 14, 1992, which included the single “Faith Healer”. Ned Raggett at ‘AllMusic’ notes: “…in many ways, this was and remains Wilder’s most distinct Recoil album: a sharp combination of his ear for arrangements and notable guest singer turns. Wilder’s production skills became even more influential with time. Electro-clash was a decade off, but Nine Inch Nails’ own breakthrough was just around the corner, and the combination of pulsing energy and cold, brutal punch was perfectly evident throughout Bloodline.” Alan was in fact one of the first musicians I interacted with once moving to London in the early 80’s. Somehow, I ended up at Alan’s flat in NW London interviewing him for a magazine cover story. I had already taken Live Photo’s of the band very very early on at a gig either in London. Can’t remember which location. A few of these were used in this piece. Back to Recoil; I’ve not looked at this session for 30 years! My memories of the day seem somewhat inconsequential in hindsight. The early 90’s were the busiest and most exhausting daily of my career averaging 100 shoot days per year so this one sadly has been lost in the insanity. For whatever reason this stopped me from reviewing this job. So happy to have reviewed this session all over again and to have found this one. This is because I just saw in the music press that all the Recoil albums have now been re-released via Mute. Out now. Recoil. London. The Worx Studios.
January 17, 1992. Contact for print sales : kjwestenberg@hotmail.com
All Photos: ©Kevin Westenberg.