NOTES

Although Virginia had been mulling over an album of songs under the working title of She Sat Down And Cried, she was also keen to pursue a separate instrumental project.

From Gardens Where We Feel Secure had been conceived as a record that invoked the feeling of a summer day. A press release at the time summed up the album: "The music itself is dreamy and soothing and features subtle sounds from animals and foliage intermingled with some piano, flute, guitar, xylophone and clarinet."

Between April and June 1982, Virginia and co-producer Russell Webb spent several weeks in the Moulsford and South Stoke countryside conducting field recordings on a portable Uher tape machine. This included church bells, bird song and the sound of lambs, all designed to enhance the atmosphere of a summer day.

The album was put together swiftly, with music added to the field recordings at Edwin Astley's 8-track converted garage studio at the Astley family home in the village of Moulsford. Virginia performed on piano and flute with Russell on acoustic and electric guitar. Jo Wells added clarinet to 'Hiding In The Ha Ha'. Virginia's nieces, Emma and Aminta Townshend added backing vocals.

During production, a lot of tape manipulation was used, which meant that some segments were sped up, slowed down or even reversed.

The album had originally been scheduled to be released on Liverpool's Zoo label. WEA later showed interest, but label boss Rob Dickins wanted Virginia to re-record the entire album, which would have been a daunting task due to the tape effects used.

Instead, Virginia self-financed the production of the album and released it on her own Happy Valley label, distributing it via Rough Trade.

Some of the influences for track titles came from WH Auden, particularly from his poem 'A Summer Night' (‘From Gardens Where We Feel Secure’ and ‘Out On The Lawn I Lie In Bed’ are actually lines from the poem).

‘When The Fields Were On Fire’ was influenced by an actual incident in Virginia's life involving the countryside practice of burning the stubble. Her mother had a dream that the burning was out of control, resulting in fire engines rushing to the scene. At the moment she recalled this dream, an actual fire engine could be heard rushing past.

'When The Fields Were On Fire' originally appeared on the compilation cassette Meridians Two released in May 1983.

'A Summer Long Since Past' and 'It's Too Hot To Sleep' originally featured as the B-side to the 12" release of the single 'Love's A Lonely Place To Be' in January 1983.

‘With My Eyes Wide Open, I’m Dreaming’ was performed live at some early concerts, but suggestions that the album be performed as a whole would have been technically too difficult due to the tape overdubs and effects.

A companion album that would reflect a winter theme was also considered by Virginia. Songs such as 'Melt The Snow' and 'The Bell Of New York' (which appeared as an untitled track on the 1985 Melt The Snow EP) were recorded with that concept in mind, although the idea never materialised into a finished album. A third concept of a more industrial/city-themed album was also under consideration.

TRIVIA

Happy Valley was Virginia's own label. The album was licenced to Rough Trade records for distribution.

Russell Webb was also a member of The Skids and The Armoury Show.

Jo Wells is better known as being part of synth-pop outfit Kissing the Pink.

Edwin 'Ted' Astley (Virginia's father) was an established film and television composer. He's best known for British TV themes and scores, including the main themes for The Saint, Danger Man, Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased) and Department S.

'A Summer Long Since Past' was titled 'A Summer Long Since Passed' when it originally featured as the B-side to 'Love's A Lonely Place To Be'.