Here Jim's guide to each track on the album:

Popartglory

The song Popartglory came about when Wattie sent me some real street lyrics. I was inspired to write a funky bass line using a a slap bass sound and a quiet keyboard chorus where the words get more gentle. A few drum samples and the song was complete. Kenny added some marvelous organ which really beefed up the sound. A friend of mine, Budgie, was visiting at the time and I got him to sing the last line. I just hit the repeat echo and it sounded really dub-like, giving the song an added dimension. Later I added loads of Wattie-inspired heavy guitar and mad sequenced sounds just to add a madness to the whole thing.

Soul Children

Soul Children started off with a simple stomping soul riff which i then added some borrowed samples of backing vocals and brass stabs. I sang a hoarse rant over the top. More dreamy freeform stuff. Kenny took my stomp bass line and put some gospel piano over the top and some wonderful high-pitched synthesizer glissandos. Wattie added some steam-roller guitar and the result was intoxicating.

Daddy Dog

Daddy Dog was another set of street lyrics which Wattie had sent me. These ones were really cool. A call to arms for people to stick up for themselves. I wrote this pseudo drum'n'bass sci-fi atmospheric tune to back it all up. My wife, Gemma, spoke the words on the demo and the whole thing sounded futuristic and groovy. Wattie sent me loads of guitar ideas and I spent days editing them into a brilliant rock clash. Kenny added a sublime organ part and that was that.

We had originally wanted to get the great Scottish trade unionist Jimmy Reid to do the vocal. We had this vision of him in a 1970's car coat and big sideburns looking cool on the artwork. But instead we asked the current maverick of the left Tommy Sheridan to give it a try. He was keen. He loved the words and, because his voice is the strongest on the left in the media at the moment, we had all the press and TV present when we recorded it. The song sounded really strong. We would have liked a quick single out after all the publicity. But there were delays and it skulked out in July 2001 to get no notice.

Freefall

Freefall started off as a riff which I added some mad synth bits and screamed madly about the effect of a neglected world partying while the ozone layer at the poles opens up letting us scorch. My sister had been to visit me and I got her to sing some songs for me. One of them was a tune called Blackwater Side. I used these as introductory and break sections for the songs and, fortunately it worked, as if by magic. Kenny added strings to add to the atmosphere.

Midnight and I

Midnight and I is probably the only real 'song' on the album. I didn't want any songs on the album. But when Wattie let me hear this completed song, I was transfixed. He sang it and it sounded like a Neil Young classic to me. Kenny added piano and then begged me to remove it later, claiming it was too 'Elton John'. He needn't have worried. I began to develop my own ideas for the song. Wattie had sent me some fantastic guitar riffs for it and I edited them to the arrangement. I doubled up on those myself and worked out a laid back, hip-hop beat, which Tom turned into a brilliant beat of his own. Kenny was inspired and added loads of atmospheric keyboard pads and over the top of it all. I did the low vocal after a full day's rehearsals when my voice was all cracked and gravelly. Tom sang the high, angelic vocal which added the icing on the cake.

Bloored CCR

Bloored CCR started off on Veritas as a simple riff-lead tune with a strong beat and my best Percy Plant impersonation. Wattie had sent me the riff and I added the beats and noises. But this was a real group effort on the sound. Martin added a fat bass sound, Wattie did his heaviest guitar sound yet and Kenny played the coolest synth solo since the 1970's. This was our Led Zeppelin sound...

Running Ahead

Running Ahead started life as a scratched hip-hop sound with a few of my raps. Gradually the song became a rocker. I came up with this running bassline which sounded jazzy, yet heavy. Kenny locked himself away for a few hours and added all the detail in between with big synth sounds. I overdubbed some punk rock guitar chords and Wattie added searing notes over the top. Altogether a noisy one. Tom whistled his way through some parts to add comedy the song.

On a Saturday

On a Saturday was my answer to all the Can I was listening to. I just had this Holgar Czukay type bass line and rapped a freeform lyric over the top. Kenny added this Velvet's screechy organ. I wanted to make it last for 10 minutes but he said that a minute and a half was all that he would play. Fair enough! I'll get him to do it live one day - just wait.

Ken's Korubo

Kenny wrote loads of keyboards bits for the b-side of Daddy Dog 'Korubo' which didn't quite suit. But they sounded cool on their own, so I just added some guitar and some real vocals from a political meeting about crime and the police.

Keepin' Hold

Keepin' Hold was another sampled riff. I just grabbed this northern soul riff and started singing a new tune over it and added more instruments like mouth organ and synths. Wattie sent me lyrics and they fitted perfectly. Kenny added sequenced keyboards and organ. Wattie played some melodic riffs and the whole song sounded like it had a Motown feel, you know that stomp in the beat which makes you want to dance!

Angel

Wattie sent me these fantastic lyrics which I immediately started to sing in my head. I pressed record and just sang all the lyrics in a single take. I added everything else on top of the singing. An unusual way to do things, but it seemed to work. It has a kind of New Order feel to it - maybe that's the way they write their stuff! The strings swirl and the bass pumps to make a big sound. Wattie added some well-placed guitar to bring out the dynamics and a helter-skelter break.

2001 - A Mink Odyssey

2001 - A Mink Odyssey started off life on Veritas as Toy Story. I had written it years before. But it was far too ambient for the Minks really. But Wattie and Kenny loved it as it was, so we decided to add it. Wattie added the most sublime guitar he has ever played on this track extending its atmosphere. He came to my house, jammed along with it while looking out across the hills in Dunoon. He didn't know I was recording him and it is probably why it sounds so relaxed. Something happens when that red light goes on which makes people tense up. Sneaky, but worth it in this case.

Redsky

Redsky was just an electronic beat and noises that I had. Coincidentally Wattie had just sent me this guitar riff using an acoustic 6 string. The key was pretty close and when I added it it was like magic. I had this sample of my daughter and her granny on an answerphone message which i looped throughout the song. Wattie wrote loads of lyrics which we eventually trimmed down to a mantra - Nothing is left, nothing is here, nothing is sacred, nothing is REAL. This was placed at the end and Gemma, Wattie, Kenny and Tom spoke them. Kenny added some wonderful synth riffs and Tom the live drums and the song was the obvious closing tune.