“Forgiveness and Exile” press release & sleeve notes

Press Release:

This is Chris Connelly’s ninth solo album, and the follow up to 2007’s critically acclaimed ‘THE EPISODES’.

‘FORGIVENESS AND EXILE’ is again produced by Tim Kinsella and Ben Vida with Chris, and the musicians are the same jazz and improvisational band that played on ‘THE EPISODES’. This time, however, the album is strongly augmented with the addition of four of Chris’s oldest friends:


DAVID MILLER (FINI TRIBE)
SHIRLEY MANSON (GARBAGE)
DAVID TIBET (CURRENT 93)
And actress TORRI HIGGINSON (THE ENGLISH PATIENT, STARGATE ATLANTIS)

The album, apart from the opening song ‘ARRAN’, is basically one long piece divided into sections; an ever changing and evolving meditation on war, displaced peoples, families shattered by corrupt governments, wrongful imprisonments and torture.

This impressionistic view is characterised through improvisation, dramatic change in dynamics, disparate imagery, ruined landscapes and cities illustrated by Connelly’s poetry.

The subject matter here is of course extremely dark, and it has not been taken in any way lightly by its author, and in an attempt to move towards easing the plight of the millions of innocent victims the world over, all monies generated by Chris Connelly for this project will go directly to the MARJORIE KOVLER CENTER FOR THE TREATMENT OF SURVIVORS OF TORTURE, providing medical, mental health, emergency and other support services to help torture survivors overcome trauma so that they may start a new life.

Sleeve Notes:

CHRIS CONNELLY: FORGIVENESS & EXILE

PRODUCED BY BEN VIDA, TIM KINSELLA, CHRIS CONNELLY . ENGINEERED BY GRAEME GIBSON

THE BAND

CHRIS CONNELLY: vocals, pump organ, percussion, toy piano . BEN VIDA: guitar . ADAM VIDA: drums and percussion . TIM KINSELLA: guitar, organ . NATE KINSELLA: piano, guitar, percussion, drums . JOSH ABRAMS: bass, double bass, harmonium . JASON ADASIEWICZ: vibes, drums

ORATORS

CHRIS CONNELLY . SHIRLEY MANSON . TORRI HIGGINSON . DAVID TIBET . DAVID MILLER

Recorded at Four Deuces and Electrical Audio, Chicago . ‘The Wallet’ recorded at Semaphore, Chicago by Sanford Parker . Also in various locales: Los Angeles, Edinburgh and Hastings . Mastered by Denis Blackham at Skye Mastering

Sleeve: Paul Jackson . Photo of Chris – with special thanks to PAUL ELLEDGE

All tracks written by Chris Connelly except ‘No myths or stars’ – written, improvised and arranged by the band

Published by Spurburn BMI

Forgiveness & Exile is dedicated to the peoples of the world who have been separated from their loved ones, families and homelands by war, fascism and inhumanity; made to find refuge in foreign countries with no money or language skills, often after being tortured and imprisoned and suffering post-traumatic stress.

ALL PROCEEDS from this album go to the MARJORIE KOVLER CENTER, a centre in Chicago, Illinois which provides treatment and aid to survivors of torture, who now reside in the midwest of the USA.

Please be aware this is a global problem and find out if there is a centre for treatment of torture victims near you.

Thank you for helping!

My warmest thanks to the band and to Graeme again for making this album with me and bringing my visions to light.

Much love and thanks to Shirley Manson, Torri Higginson, David Miller and David Tibet for contributing to this project in such an amazing way.

Thanks also to: David Tibet . Andria Degens . Mark Logan . Sister Benedicta Wallace . Stephen Sowley . Sanford Parker . Angus and Shayna Connelly . Paul Elledge . The Barkers . Hugo Wilcken . Katie Alexander . Brad Langer . Frank Nardiello . Chris Bruce . my friends at Reckless Wicker Park

also…

to Harry, Jackie and Raven (life is not the same without you)