| September 1983 - Julian anonymously forwarded a tape of his songs
to Tony Stratton Smith, head of U.K.-based Charisma Records. Immediately
impressed by both the quality of Julian's writing and his strong
performance, Stratton Smith signs Julian to the label. In the U.S., Atlantic
Records Chairman, Ahmet Ertegun, was equally taken by Julian's clear musical
gifts and signs him for North America.
October 1983 - Julian and two of his friends, Justin Clayton and
Carlton Morales, take up temporary residence at the remote Manor de Valotte,
a French chateau near Nevers. Julian said, "There's nobody
around. It's just fields, no towns, nothing. Just an old barn, a horses
stable, where we started to work. A horses stable with a carpet on the
floor, and that was it! Most of the songs were in tune form, no vocal ideas
at all. Half the songs were already written on the piano in little bits and
bobs a year or two before that. I'd just been playing around with them, and
going to Valotte was the opportunity to fix them up. There were no
distractions whatsoever." The trio worked at Valotte for three
months, writing songs and making demo tapes. |
