the songs and recordings of after the fire

The song starts with a long instrumental section, beginning with a rising series of slow moog chords from silence (suggesting 'dawn'), then bass and drums. A change of pace occurs after 4:20 when Banks sings for a short passage, and a lightly strummed electric guitar is introduced. Then the songs returns to the previous instumental passage, but which this time, bizzarely, changes into a section of the 1812 Overture, followed by a faster tempo instrumental passage, which breaks momentarily into into chaotic feedback, before the end.

The mostly instrumental song begins with a long passage played on a church organ. When performed live, this entailed Banks playing the organ, then rushing down to his keyboards for the next section, when a drum roll introduced the drums and bass, and moog if Banks made it. A change of pace finds the song in an up-tempo section that originated in Unanimity's Suite, and which, in later years, would find itself in Now That I've Found (being the section that leads up to the lyric 'OK, I' ). Here, however, it diverges into a slower passage that builds up to a minor climax, then drops pace to a different, calmer mood. Another change, and the moog ascends in rising chords sequences from silence, becoming more dramatic before, again, entering the 'OK, I' section this time Banks sings the lyrics as in Now That I've Found finishing at "This love is the greatest thing". An electric guitar plucks the melody again, then the song diverges into a section lead by the electric guitar to the end.

The song was recorded in the 1972 sessions, in mono. The beginning section on the church organ, however, was recorded seperately at Harold Park Baptist Church, and spliced onto the studio section.

Another mostly instrumental song, and the only complete song to bridge the gap from ATF I to ATF II, being performed live up to 1977. Consequently, it was the only live song in which Banks took the exclusive role of lead vocals. It was also recorded in the 1972 sessions, in mono.

Recorded at Theatre Projects in 1974, this gentle song was never performed live. Beginning with swishing beach surf sounds, an acoustic guitar enters with a simple plucked melody, followed by Piercy. The first part of the song is reminiscent of an Ishmeal & Andy song, but eventually keyboards are introduced and the song ends with a more 'ATF' instrumental feel.

A magnificent song, recorded at Theatre Projects, in 1974, and performed live up to 1977.

Very little is known about this song. It has, thus far, escaped being recorded either live or in the studio. Hopefully something will turn up one day. It was certainly performed at Greenbelt '76, where the lyric

"Here on my island,
it's nice when the sun shines."

was ironic given the event's appalling weather, and appreciated by the crowd. Piercy also sang these words during a 'folk-humour' moment during the rehearsals for the Sept 99 reunion gig.