Former Flag of Convenience bandmates Andy Couzens (guitar) and Chris Goodwin (drums) formed The High in 1989 with vocalist John Matthews and bassist Simon Davies. Couzens and Goodwin had also been in an early incarnation of The Stone Roses. The High drew on the Roses’ classic, ringing guitar-pop — albeit mostly without the dance beats — for their dominant sonic flavour. The High reformed in early 2015, with John Matthews and Andy Couzens the only original members; they were joined by Tony Meehan (bass), Jack Couzens (drums), and Richard Thomas (keyboards). The new line-up headlined at the Gigantic Festival in Manchester at the Academy 2 on 23 May 2015, as their comeback gig and have played a number of headline shows since. The band has also been writing and recording new material, and in June 2016 released their first single in 25 years, Kiss the Sun on their own label Thin Line Productions. In 2016, new drummer Jack Couzens left due to schedule clashes and was succeeded by Scott Parkinson. The High have recently appeared on Jon Savage’s compilation, Perfect Motion – Jon Savage’s Secret History of Second-Wave Psychedelia 1988-93.
James Martin Hannett – Martin Hannett – was an English record producer (born 31 May 1948 – died 18 April 1991). He is best known as the innovative in-house producer at Factory Records between 1978 and 1981, Martin Hannett was personally responsible for the ‘Factory sound’ of that era. Hannett produced nearly every band on the roster at the time: Joy Division, New Order, A Certain Ratio, Section 25, Durutti Column and OMD. Following internal financial conflicts Hannett left Factory in 1982, but would later return to produce Happy Mondays. Aside from Factory artists Hannett produced many other bands, including Buzzcocks, Magazine, U2 and John Cooper Clarke. After years of drug related problems, Hannett died in 1991 of heart failure. That same year Factory issued a compilation of Hannett’s finest production moments, since then there have been two further Hannett compilations.
For Record Store Day August 2020, The High released long their sought-after recordings The Martin Hannett Sessions, a collection of previously unreleased demos. Tape restoration and transfer (tracks: A2, B5) was by Greatbear Analogue & Digital Media, Ltd. The title was issued unsealed.
Tracklisting:
| A1 | This Is My World |
| A2 | Forget |
| A3 | Up And Down |
| A4 | A Minor Turn |
| A5 | Four Thirty |
| B1 | P.W.A. |
| B2 | Box Set Go |
| B3 | Blue Tourist |
| B4 | Mrs Watson |
| B5 | More… (Extended) |
