The man the 80's left behind
MILES
All I Ever Wanted
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2018)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Electric Guitar; Miles Wilkes, Mel Jones
Acoustic Guitar; Miles Wilkes
I wrote and started recording this song back in 2018. It was one of those times where it started off with me playing four notes on the piano and thinking; "Mmm, that sounds nice", and consequently built the rest of the song around that piano line.
Due to some neurological damage I'd incurred the previous year my hands were no longer able to play guitar as I used to. So, for me to produce the triplet rundown you hear on the electric guitar I had to use a bit of jiggery-pokery and play it in small sections to later join together.
Having finally completed the the bulk of the song, in early 2024, I sent it over to Mel Jones who complemented it, as he does so eloquently, with his electric rhythm and beautiful guitar solo.
The theme of All I Ever Wanted speaks for itself and is, very much, an expression of overwhelming desire.
All That I Want
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Acoustic/Electric Rhythm Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Electric Lead Guitar; Mel Jones
I wrote this towards the end of 1981. It was meant to be played by my band “Complex” but the band went there separate ways before I could introduce it to them. Rather unfortunate as I had big hopes for it at the time.
Originally called; A Love We Will See, it is strongly influenced by the Beatles mop top era. I also remember being fascinated by Neil Innes’s song writing/production skills for The Beatles spoof spin off: The Rutles. Looking back, I think that he may well have been an influence.
The melody has been stuck in my head for many decades and it's a great feeling to finally be able to actually hear it myself for the first time. Mel Jones adds a great piece of guitar work throughout the song and a cracking guitar solo that compliments the vibe beautifully.
Always Trying
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1985)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
This was the second song I wrote for Jan (after The One I Love's in Canada).
Originally written on guitar, I reproduced it in 2023 on piano thereby giving it a much improved romantic feel. Mel Jones has reintroduced both electric and acoustic guitar (at a far higher standard than I ever could) to complete the song to what you hear on this recording.
The Answer To My Song
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2024)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Acoustic Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Electric Guitar; Mel Jones
Mel Jones is the musician that I met when I about 14 years old. He was quite a few years younger than me but his dedication to the guitar was amazing. I always knew my limits as a guitarist but to me, Mel never had any limits. I would write a song with him in mind to create and play the lead breaks and advanced chord structures that don’t come to me as naturally. And to this day, I still write the songs with Mel in mind to add his unique contribution.
This song is about us growing up and doing our first gigs together and sharing a mutual interest in similar bands and styles and so cemented a friendship that has lasted to this day.
He’s one of the loveliest guys I know and without him I doubt any of the music I’ve made would have ever happened. For me there is an organic connection between me and Mel in the creation of the songs. He doesn’t just add the guitar work, he’s actually part of the song…the answer.
To accompany the song I put together a video using old photographs and video footage (along with a bit of AI) to attempt to encapsulate the many bands that we’ve played in together.
As Beautiful As You
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2013/2024)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Additional Guitar; Mel Jones
This song is actually made up of several different piano “bits” that I’ve come up with over the years. I produced the first section in around 2013 but it never really went anywhere. It wasn’t until I really started playing in around 2019 that I came up with a few other “bits” and strung them all together.
The lyrics tell the story of the feelings I have towards my past life and the frustrations of what I am now left with (health wise). This leads into the dream sequence in the chorus where I can imagine myself flying among the stars and being myself again.
Bread & Jam
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2022)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Written in 2022, this was the last song I wrote prior to releasing the "Bushbury Hill" album.
I’d only started playing the piano a couple of years before writing this, and I know that my mum would be very proud of me for doing so as she’d played piano her whole life.
So, having come up with a melody I wanted to dedicate a song to her. Bread and Jam is a list of snap shots throughout her ninety-year life from 1920 to 2009. I’ve tried to sum up what an incredible person she was. There’s so much I could have added to this song, I could have filled up an entire album and then some. I’ll just point out that she was the kindest person I’ve ever known and everybody loved her.
In addition to the song I've also made my first attempt at producing a video utilising several photographs, many of which I'd only recently discovered.
Bushbury Hill
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2012)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Miles Wilkes
This is the first song that I've written where I've looked back on my life.
It starts with a summary of some of my best life experiences followed by the realisation that they can’t compare to the joy of growing up in my home parish of Bushbury. In it I’ve picked out small segments of my Northwood Park/Pendrill Road “playground” area. The banks adjacent to my house and playing curby etc. Being the best of days and Bushbury being my forever home. From this song I decided to make “Bushbury Hill” the fitting album title it is.
Creatures of the Storm
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1986)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Electric Guitar; Mel Jones
I wrote this around 1986. It’s about paranoia and being lost and frightened in one’s own mind. It was a fairly unusual way in which I wrote this as, other than the lyrics, I wrote it entirely in my head with no musical instrument around me. I knew the melody I wanted and the bass line I wanted and also the guitar lick I wanted. At the time I didn't have the means to record it or the output of a band to play it. It was too big a production to play on my own so it sat in my head for about twenty-five years until I could finally record it and actually play it to myself to listen to. It was a great feeling to actually hear it for the first time.
Once it was recorded I called on my old pal Mel Jones to add the guitar solo in the middle of the song which he did to great effect.
Dancing in the Disco Lights
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1984/2024)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Probably the cheesiest song title I’ve ever come up with but bare with me…
I came up with the melody and bass riff in my head. Influenced from the days I used to go to the disco’s at the local night spot: “The Staffordshire Volunteer” in Bushbury, or as we knew it: “The Vol”.
Since the 1980’s, I’d only ever had the first verse written down so when it came to recording it for this album I decided to dedicate the lyrics to the music and artists I would dance to at “The Vol”, during the late 1970’s/early 80’s. With Mel Jones’s super funky guitar work driving the song I’m hoping it’ll bring back a few memories to the people who were around at the time. Check out the lyrics and see how many song/artist references you can spot.
Day to Day
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2012)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Aditional Guitar; Mel Jones
I'd learned a finger style on the guitar which John Lennon used during 1968 on such Beatles classics as Dear Prudence, Julia and Happiness is a Warm Gun. Lennon, in turn, learned the style from Donavon while in Rishikesh.
Using this finger style, I developed a chord sequence and the basis of the song was complete. I wrote some lyrics, along with the melody and while recording it I decided to keep it fairly simple (less is more). However, no song is complete without Mel Jones's input so he added all of the additional guitar work you hear on this song.
Dreaming of You
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1985)
Executive Producer; Miles Wilkes (based on original production by Mel Jones 1990)
Producers; Miles Wilkes, Mel Jones
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Backing vocals; Jan Wilkes, Claire Wilkes
I wrote this around 1984, the title being self-explanatory.
Mel Jones had started recording from home long before I did and this was the first of a batch of three songs that he had originally produced/recorded for me in 1990.
The latest recording, as on the album "Bushbury Hill", is very much based on Mel’s original production and includes Mel’s guitar work throughout.
Mel and I had sung the original backing vocals on the 1990 recording but I felt it really needed the female touch. Therefore Jan Wilkes and Claire Wilkes kindly obliged and in so doing, complimented this recording greatly.
Eyes That Kill
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1987/2023)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Electric Guitar; Mel Jones
The melody, power chords, bass line and most of the lyrics have been stuck in my head for many years. It was inspired by a girl I was once aquatinted with who appeared a bit of a rock/punk chick. I don’t think I ever really had a conversation with her but she was unknowingly the inspiration for this song. I completed the missing lyrics in 2024 on a balcony overlooking the Med (very nice). It’s funny the things that go through your head when you’re on holiday.
As you can hear, Mel Jones adds a really cool guitar solo. Also, during the chorus when I sing: “eye’s that kill”, listen out for two notes Mel plays on the guitar overlaying my synth. Those two notes completely upped the dynamic for me. He's a clever lad.
Forever
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Backing vocals; Jan Wilkes, Mel Jones
I wrote this in 1981 originally as a guitar based piece. By the end of 1982 my band at the time; "Beat X", had started playing it live at various places with Jan Stewart (as she was back then) singing the backing vocals. Once Mel Jones teamed back up with me again in 1983 he produced a harmony to the backing vocals making it quite a special little song to play live.
I've recorded a couple of other versions of this song since then but the version you hear now is far closer to the original concept.
Originally played on guitar, I reproduced this version on piano which is exactly what I feel that the song needed.
Mel Jones has also enhanced this recording with his skilful guitar creativity along with sharing the mic, once again, with Jan Wilkes to reproduce the original backing vocal from the early 1980's live performances.
Going Away to Texas
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Executive Producer; Miles Wilkes (original production by Mel Jones 2008)
Producers; Miles Wilkes & Mel Jones
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Bass Guitar; Mel Jones
Percussion; Mel Jones
This was the first song that I was really proud of when I wrote it back in 1980/81. I wrote it on my old “Antoria J200" guitar (which I still have to this day). The lyrics follow the journey of a man who’s flying out to Texas to see his love. Why Texas…? not a clue.
This recording was mostly produced by Mel Jones in 2008. I've since added a new vocal along with some additional effects and final mixing but this is essentially Mel's production.
The Great Marine Machine
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1997/2023)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
I started writing this during the mid 1990's on my old Pentium 486 computer using "Cakewalk 3" software. I got as far as recording an electronic version of the bass line and the Caribbean style melody.
However, it wasn't until March 2023, during a cruise around the Caribbean, that I finally got around to writing the lyrics allowing me to record a more acceptable version of the song later that year.
Mel Jones, once again, completed it (as only Mel Jones can), with his own guitar creation.
I also complimented the song myself with a video of me acting daft on the cruise for your enjoyment (at my own expense of course).
Heavenly
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1977)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar solo; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
At around the age of fourteen, Heavenly was one of the first songs I'd written. Although being short and sweet, Heavenly went on to become one of the more popular songs that we'd go on to play live during the 1980's. One of the main reasons was probably due to me pushing it as I wrote (and was very proud of) the guitar solo. Mel Jones was always the main guitarist in the band but the solo in Heavenly was my claim to fame.
I got around to recording the song in around 2012 but was never happy with my production. Originally it was intended to be on my first album; "Bushbury Hill", but I left it off in favour of the newly written; Bread & Jam.
I persevered with the production throughout 2023 for the new album and finally sent it to Mel Jones in case he had any ideas to improve it as I didn't really want to ditch it completely. Mel chose to turn it into a "slow jazz" number and added the beautifully played additional guitar pieces.
As soon as I heard this version I loved it and went about stripping back all of the original tracks I'd previously laid down. Having re-recorded the vocals with three part harmony, the only part remaining of the original recording was my guitar solo, now greatly enhanced by Mel's guitar input. Having now added the double bass and brush drums I'm more than happy to release it on the album.
Home
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2026)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Mandolin; Mel Jones
Written and recorded beginning at about 9:30pm on 26th March 2026. I know this because I was driving back home listening to Paul McCartneys brand new single: Days We Left Behind. I’d been wanting to write a less personal follow up to my song Bushbury Hill for some time and McCartneys influence just triggered a melody in my head while I was driving. I was also looking for the twelfth song for my album.
I came straight in, grabbed my guitar and a scrap of paper and knocked out the first two verses. Then straight into the studio to record it till around 3am.
This is a very unusually quick process, especially for me. I was so pleased with the outcome I decided to change the name of the album from its working title “Colour To My Pictures” to “Home”.
The song was completed over the next few days and is about the place where I grew up, and still live, in the north of Wolverhampton called Bushbury. As an adult, I would often go for walks around the parish nurturing many happy memories. All of the places named in the song were part of my childhood playground where me and my friends would play out until the street lights came on. Happy memories.
As I came to finalise the production, I handed it over to Mel Jones who, once again, added the final touch, this time, on mandolin.
Hot Lips Lizzy
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1976)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Bass Guitar; Mel Jones
Backing Vocals; Mel Jones, Aaron Wilkes, Ross Wilkes, Brian Wilkes
This is one of the very first songs that I ever wrote. I must have been around thirteen years old. It’s a little bluesy/rocky piece that took over forty years to finally get a live performance back in 2013. I just hadn’t put the chord structures together during my teens and so the song remained sat on a shelf in my head and became overlooked until I started recording it around 2012. The backing vocal response was always going to be a big part of the song requiring an all male compliment. So Mel, along with my two younger sons; Aaron and Ross, plus my brother Brian, kindly offered their services.
At the end of the take, Brian made a little "Muttly style laugh" which I thought was great, so I, of course, left it in the final mix.
I Don't Need You Anymore
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1983)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
This is a story about a man whose girlfriend preferred “another guy” and he’s trying to play it cool when in reality its driving him crazy.
It was originally called "You don't need me anymore". I changed the title due to the the realisation that it was a rather sad song lyrically but with quite an upbeat tempo. Renaming it; I Don’t Need YOU Anymore has given it a bit of a sarcastic charm. This song was originally a popular rocky little song played by my band; "Beat X" from around 1984 onwards. I've now reproduced it on piano to give it a rather different flavour.
I’m Free
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
This is an early song that I used to play with my band; Complex that never made it past 1981. Since then I’d never really thought about it until Mel Jones reminded me during the early stages of putting this third album together.
It appears that when I wrote it, all those years ago, I’d unintentionally knocked out the potential of what could become a Ska track. Back in 1981, this was emphasised by Mel’s Ska tempo’d guitar licks. It wasn’t until he suggested this as an idea that I got around to finally recording this full on Ska.
Mel reproduced his 1980’s guitar lick beautifully also adding a new solo to the piece and I went about doing my best at a Ska style bass line. Mel also managed to source a Ska drum track to give it more of an authentic feel.
Impossible Dreamer
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1983)
Executive Producer; Miles Wilkes (based on original production by Mel Jones 1990)
Producers; Miles Wilkes, Mel Jones
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
This is one of three songs on the Bushbury Hill album based on an original production that Mel Jones made for me back in 1990. It was always meant to be heavy on guitar work and I would probably have written it with Mel Jones in mind to play it.
Although I didn’t start out as a bass player several of my songs have been written around bass riffs that I’ve come up with over the years. This was probably one of the first of this kind, written at home on the guitar around 1983/84, this song never got played live until many years later. It was my first attempt at writing a rock song and is lyrically based upon a story of a relationship where one partner needs a lot more out of life than the other can offer.
Knights Rolling By
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1997/2023)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Additional Vocals; Mollie Wilkes (aka; my dog)
This was accidentally written in around 1997 while trying to produce songs on an old Pentium PC using the computer software; “Cakewalk”.
I just typed in some notes and I must say, I was very pleased with the effect that I got out of it. I’d always said that if I’d ever write a musical it would be in relation to the story of King Arthur. The tempo of the song reminded me of men on horseback riding through the fields of ancient Britain, thus the “tongue in cheek’ title; Knights Rolling By.
Fast forward to 2023 and I decided to reproduce the track using modern gear only this time I felt it needed lyrics to make it a little more palatable. In writing them I was drawn to giving it a comedic style. I’ve always been a fan of Monty Python and, of course, they already had their own King Arthur story: “The Holy Grail”. Also, one of the very first songs that I, as a kid, learn’t the lyrics to (and still know them), is Benny Hill’s “Ernie (The Fastest Milkman in the West)”. With these in mind, I crafted the song to suit.
In summary, the production of this track remains very faithful to its 1990’s origins plus it now has a lyrical overtone in tribute to both Monty Python and The Holy Grail and Benny Hills Ernie.
When I forwarded this to Mel Jones I honestly thought he was going to throw it back at me but instead his guitar work transformed the song by giving it an even more urgent feel to it. I adjusted the song to suit the guitar line making sound better than ever.
Last but not least, I can’t end without paying tribute to my beautiful little Cavachon; Mollie, who gave up her time to add her vocals to the farm animals section at the end of the song. Rest assured, her commission, including doggie treats and belly tickles, have been fully administered.
The Lazy Unicorn
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1973)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Acoustic Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Lead Guitar; Mel Jones
The Lazy Unicorn is, by far, the very first song that I ever wrote. I’ve estimated it to around 1973 when I was ten years old but it may have been earlier. I know I didn’t start playing the guitar until early 1974 when I was eleven and that I wrote it before I knew anything about the guitar.
I actually remember writing it, I was lying in bed at home, probably bored.
The first part of the melody was ripped off from the tune for; Lord of the Dance”. Unfortunately I’ve had to tweak it for this recording due to copyright reasons but as you listen to it you can still sing along to its original melody.
What fascinates me about this song is the fact that I’ve remembered it word for word after all these years.
The lyrics are exactly what that ten year old boy wrote back in 1973 apart from one line in the second verse. The line “come with me or you won’t get fed” was originally: “come with me or else you’ll be dead”. I only changed it for this recording to make it a little more palatable. I hope I did the right thing amending it after all this time. I obviously thought “come with me or else you’ll be dead” was pretty cool when I was ten. I must have been going through a rough patch at school.
Anyway, I recorded the acoustic guitar part back in around 2012 and Mel Jones added a loverly little guitar solo for this 2026 release of this simple little ditty.
Live Forever
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2014)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Acoustic Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Electric Guitar; Mel Jones
Backing Vocals; Ross Wilkes
The focus of this song is not intended to be political. It's about my belief that we ALL live on forever beyond our mortal coil. Once there we see each other for who we all really are, warts and all. So, if you've been bad or good, honest or dishonest, EVERYBODY gets to see you for who you really are and there's nowhere to hide from the judgment you'll recieve..."you're living with it forever".
I thought the production of this song was relatively complete having asked my son, Ross Wilkes to add a vocal to the "La, la, la" section. Then I handed it to Mel Jones who put the icing on the cake by adding some great electric guitar work making it what you hear today.
Loneliness
(from the album Home)
by Miles & Queeny Wilkes (c. 1941 & 2025)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
In August 1941 WW2 was in full swing and my dad, Alf, was away fighting in Port Said in Egypt. He and my mum, Queeny, had not long been married and my mum was left at home working several jobs to; “keep the home fires burning”.
She was a big fan of the poet; Patience Strong and in her spare time would herself write her own poems/letters to reflect the experiences that she was living through during those years.
I had no idea that these poems and letters of my mums existed until long after her death, in 2009, while going through her old artefacts. This find gave me the idea of maybe one day, adding a melody to one of them and record it as a legacy to her. One such poem was called “Loneliness” and in 2025 I sat at the piano to see what I could come up with.
I’m sure she wouldn’t mind and I’m personally honoured to have her lyrics used along side my melody.
As Always Mel Jones added warmth to the track with his own style of guitar work. It’s taken 85 years to get there so I hope you enjoy it.
Merry Christmas 2U
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2023)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Backing Vocals; Chloe Williams, Jan Wilkes, Claire Wilkes, Oliver Wilkes, Valery Williams
Out of all the standard Christmas pop songs I'd always considered Slade's; "Merry Christmas Everybody" to be the best, setting the bar for future songs to come. I thought that if ever I wrote a Christmas song I would want it to be in a similar upbeat part style.
I wrote the song in March 2023 in, of all places, the sunny Caribbean.
Mel Jones once again added the guitar structure and I got the girls in my family and my grandson to add the backing vocals in the chorus.
Special shout out to Chloe Williams who added the adlib vocals towards the end of the song.
Modern Transfer
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Executive Producer; Miles Wilkes (based on original production by Mel Jones 2008)
Producers; Miles Wilkes, Mel Jones
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Bass Guitar; Mel Jones
Drums; Mel Jones
I wrote this when I was around seventeen. However, it was the 13-year-old Mel Jones who came up with the lead guitar hook to this. In my opinion it’s what makes this song drive and became a favourite with my band; "Complex" from around 1981.
Growing up in Bushbury, I had seen the odd gang of lads hanging around and, at times, had been involved with them. Many of them would just be out having a laugh. I imagined what would go through the mind of some lonely old soul, on his way back from the pub, coming face to face with a gang of lads but being perceived by this, “lonely old soul” as out to get him on a dark winters evening. He’d be petrified and might well head for a streetlight so that any passers-by could see what was going on and help him. The “streetlight” that inspired me (don't ask me why) sits halfway along Cromwell Road in Bushbury at the bottom of “the ally”.
The album recording is layered on top of an original production that Mel Jones made for me from 2008 and features Mel playing his newly added and resurrected guitar work plus the drum and bass tracks that he also put down during production.
Never B
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1986)
Executive Producer; Miles Wilkes (based on original production by Mel Jones 1990)
Producers; Miles Wilkes, Mel Jones
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
Bass Guitar; Mel Jones
Originally called; I Could Never Stay With You Again, it’s a story about a man who has had a rough time with a girl in the past but now she wants him back.
I wrote this around 1985/86 and was originally intended to sound similar to George Michael’s, Careless Whispers but it has clearly changed over the years.
This is one of three songs on the Bushbury Hill album based on an original production that Mel Jones did for me back in 1990.
I started the new album recording as an 80’s style synth version. This was later enhanced by Mel reproducing and enhancing his original 90's version over the top. The combination is what you'll hear on this album.
Number One
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1984)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones, Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Backing vocals; Chloe Williams, Claire Wilkes
Another old song I wrote back in the mid 1980's. I'd always wanted to produce a song with that early 1950/60's "Rock n Roll" feel that I've always been very fond of.
I wrote the lyrics down at the time but once learn't, I stored them along with the melody in my head, never to be heard again, until I finally recorded them in 2023.
As it has never, as of yet, been played live I had to establish the key and produce the "Rock n Roll" vibe using my Rckenbacker 330 for the rhythm guitar to drive the song along. I then added the bass line (the idea of which I "pinched" off Mel Jones).
I always knew the backing vocals I wanted so I called on my talented family members, Claire and Chloe to add their part as they did so perfectly.
Then, of course, came the icing on the cake where Mel Jones added all of the remaining guitar parts to finish the job.
Having initially been in doubt, I finally added the piano part to complete the song.
The One I Love's in Canada
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1982)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Flute; Miles Wilkes
This is my song to (my girlfriend at the time) Jan and written in the spring 1982. During the early days of our dating, she had to take an urgent trip to Canada with her mum for five weeks. It is basically about my loneliness at the time and how the days dragged on. On the day I wrote it, Mel Jones was on his way to my house to have a jam. It was the fastest song I’d ever written, taking around 15 minutes while waiting on Mel to walk down. I’m a bit proud of that fact. I clearly remember writing it sitting next to the phone in my hallway at home.
Reaching Out
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1983)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
I recall writing this at work while hanging around waiting to be told what to do having just completed my apprenticeship. I recall that I wrote it back to back with I Don't Need You Anymore. I'd already worked out the base line which was a twist on my bass line for Impossible Dreamer.
I've produced two or three different recordings of this song over the years but never managed to get the right guitar sound that I envisioned. Having produced what I could, of this recording, to an acceptable level I passed it on to Mel Jones who, as per usual, complemented it perfectly with his unique guitar stile making the song what it is today.
Round The Wrekin
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2023)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Acoustic Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Banjo; Mel Jones
Lap Steel Guitar; Mel Jones
Harmonica; Dave Copson
Backing Vocals; Aaron Wilkes, Ross Wilkes, Jack Critchlow
“Round the Wrekin” is a local saying that I’ve often heard over the years. It comes from the fact that wherever you are in Bushbury (where I live), you can see a large hill that protrudes from the landscape about twenty miles to the west called the The Wrekin. If someone sent you on a “wild goose chase” they may well say that they’ve sent you round the Wrekin.
I thought it would be a great title for a song. I noticed, after writing the chorus, that it had that country/blue grass vibe to it. So I completed the lyrics in 2024/5 with that in mind.
Mel Jones specifically called me during his recording process of this venting his frustration at recording the banjo part on it instead of his go-to guitar but persevered regardless. I knew he'd smash it with ease. He also recorded a lap steel guitar part (an instrument that I didn’t even know he possessed) to great effect.
Dave Copson is an incredible guitarist and all round musician and plays guitar in my band; The Bushbury Beat. Turns out that he’s also a skilled harmonica player so his contribution to this song was a no brainer. I love the way he finishes off the song and subsequently the "Home" album.
It wasn’t originally meant to be the albums finale but as I started recording, it became obvious that the original album finale would need to be put off for a future recording.
So take your partners, here we go…
Suzie
(from the album Home)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1977)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Electric Guitar; Mel Jones
Backing Vocals; Jan Wilkes
Suzie was the 5th song I wrote way back when I was around 14 years old. It originally went by a different name but I thought Suzie sounded a little more rock n roll.
It became one of the songs that I would later perform with my band Complex during 1980/81.
I decided to drive this version using the piano and a bass line I’d pinched off Mel Jones back in 2021. Jan Wilkes joined in on backing vocals and Mel, as usual, reprised his guitar part to great effect for this cute little Rock n Roller.
That Knowing Look
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 2023)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Piano; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
By 2023 I'd been playing the piano for about three years learning a few Beatle tunes along the way. One day, while feeling a little tired I'd started playing "Let it Be" but got it wrong. With a bit of enhancement, what I'd played was the opening to a new song. I liked it because it had McCartney's "Maybe I'm Amazed" feel to it.
And so "That Knowing Look" took shape.
I hadn't intended it, but a couple of sources suggested it sounded a little "musical theatre" but I can live with that. Once again Mel Jones added all of the guitar work to the track including a great effect on the solo.
There's Times
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
One of many I wrote in 1980/81 but never got played beyond my front door. I recall Mel Jones and I used to jam with it but never got around to taking it any further.
A simple little song that I "synthed up" for this recording (originally written on guitar) to give it that early 1980's feel. And, as was always intended, Mel finally got to add his own guitar creation to it.
Wolverhampton
(from the album Complex)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Producer; Miles Wilkes
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Bass Guitar; Miles Wilkes
Mandoli; Mel Jones
Ukelele; Mel Jones
I remember writing this while on holiday in Rhyl with some freinds and had to write the melody in my head as I didn't have my guitar with me. I didn't write it because I was home sick, I actually wanted to write a song about my home town. The original lyrics I'd written down for the verses are long gone but I remembered the melody and the words for the chorus (after all the word "Wolverhampton" is pretty easy to remember).
Towards the end of 2023 I realised that I needed a finale song to complete my new album ; "Complex", so I went about re-writing four new verses.
I also had to amend the chorus line as it was originally; "Deep in the heart of the BLACK COUNTRY". Without sounding too political, back in 1981 I didn't realise that Wolverhampton wasn't exactly deep in the heart of the "Black Country" at all, so I amended it to "deep in the heart of this GREAT COUNTRY"...meaning England. I thought that would also go down well with the footy fans.
Instead of his usual guitar performance, Mel Jones added the finishing touches to the song utilising both the Ukulele and Mandolin to compliment the accordion effect that I'd added.
You're Mine
(from the album Bushbury Hill)
by Miles Wilkes (c. 1981)
Executive Producer; Miles Wilkes (original production by Mel Jones 2008)
Producer; Mel Jones
Vocals; Miles Wilkes
Guitar; Mel Jones
This was written about my own insecurities of being a teenager and my need to “possess” the love of the woman of my dreams.
I originally wrote this song as an upbeat pop song and we often played it live back in the early days of my band; "Complex". The young Mel Jones created a lead guitar part that played throughout the entire song giving it that upbeat feel to it. Many, many years later in 2008, Mel reproduced the entire song as the beautiful guitar piece that you hear on this recording.
I have only made minor additions to Mel's production on this piece plus added a new vocal. This entire track is essentially Mel's 2008 production.