Sink: Grandma’s Kitchen
January 9th, 2007 by Ed
My man, Andy Sandall, has asked to hear Grandma’s Kitchen by Sink. Interesting choice indeed because there are several different versions of the song floating around and a couple of interesting stories as well, but there isn’t time for all of that now.
Since Andy’s long been exiled to the distant shores of New Joisey it’s only fair to grant his wish, so here (I hope) is the version of the song that Andy asked for plus an earlier demo recording we did in 1988.
Yes, that is Tommy Stupid playing drums on the 1988 version. He was never a full time member of Sink, but he recorded this demo with us and played a few gigs that year after our original drummer, Pete, left the band. The 1988 version is faster and more tinny, also check out the crazy snare towards the end, “More gated reverb, Vicar?” 
I think I played the slide solo on this version, but John Ruscoe wrote it and taught it to me so he may well have played it, but something tells me it was me. He certainly played the slide on the 1990 version as he had joined the band by then.
There was yet another version of Grandma’s Kitchen (I think) that we recorded for the first album, Another Love Triangle, but it never made it on. If I can dig that up I’ll add it to this post. What the hell, I’ll even add the Perfect Daze cover version too at some point.
BTW, the spoken intro the the 1990 version was added from a live cassette for inclusion on the Sink DVD that I put together last year….more on that some other time.
- Download the 1990 version (4.65MB)
Recorded as part of the Vega-Tables album sessions.
Ed: vocals & guitars - John Ruscoe: Guitars Paul: Bass - James Kermack: drums - Laurence Bell: vocals
- Download the 1988 demo version (2.97MB)
Recorded in North London (with Marty from the Stupids engineering).
Laurence Bell: vocals - Ed: b. vox & guitars - Tom Withers: drums & vocals - Paul: bass
Posted in Sink |
January 9th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
Perfect! What a great song, and just as good as I remember it. Still one of my favourites to play when trying out guitars in guitars shops too. Tommy’s drumming on that demo is incredible…
The Perfect Daze version is up on their MySpace page right now, but this little article seems to answer which version was the original and which was the cover, which I’d always wondered.
I keep going back and listening to Vega-Tables now, btw - if ever there was an album way ahead of its time, that must be it. With ten years to mature, it makes a lot of sense in the context of what came before and after it, especially how it fits into the arrival of Big Ray (who I’m expecting a song by to appear on here soon!)
January 11th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Andy, glad you liked it mister. I’ll do a ‘Behind The Song’ at some point about Grandma’s Kitchen, but yeah, I wrote it and it’s a girl song in case there was any doubt
Glad PD have it on their MySpace site. I need to go hear that. Do you have a link for me? Does anyone?
Ta also for the kind words re ‘Vega-Tables’….ahead of its time eh? That must be why no-one bought it. Chuckle!
January 13th, 2007 at 1:26 am
OK, I’ve just listened to the 1988 version again and there’s no way I played that slide solo. Must have been John.
January 14th, 2007 at 2:37 am
http://www.myspace.com/perfectdaze
In case you hadn’t worked it out.
Personally the Vega-tables album makes a lot more sense viewed as the first Big Ray album, rather than the last Sink album…
January 22nd, 2007 at 4:50 am
Ed, Just to let you know that I was rocking out to my sink album just today down the motorway when I realised that it must be almost 20 years since I saw you live at the first gig I ever went to. I remember it vividly - I was underage drinking courtesy of my mates older brother. There was SNUFF, SINK and WAT TYLER at the Fulham Greyhound. Good times. My CD is knackered though - It got taken out in a hurricaine when I was living in Bermuda. Never the same since. I still have my old vinyl though too - In my mums attick in Sidcup.
I digress. Just remeber that even though your songs were recorded a long time ago there is probably some idiot ragging it down the QEW highway just outside Toronto with it blaring and singing away with a big grin on his face. Keep touching peoples lives.
Canadian tour?
Pete
January 22nd, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Nice one, Pete. Thanks for the message; great story. If you’re into downloading MP3’s come back in a few weeks because I should have most of the Sink CDs online here for you to grab and burn onto CD….sounds like yours needs a rest.
Obviously I’d never condone underage drinking
July 21st, 2007 at 9:04 am
Hi Ed,
I’ve been re-visiting my vinyl collection and was listening to the “Don’t Burn The Hook” EP so I sought you out… i was surprised to find such a treasure trove of mp3s and photos! Nice work.
I saw Sink a handful of times in Huddersfield (and maybe Leeds), I guess in 89 or 90.
Thanks for the tunes - keep ‘em coming!