B i o g r a p h y (by Official Press)
Nicola was born in Paddington, London and now lives in the Westcountry. She inherited her ear for music from her father, a natural musician "he could pick out a tune on any instrument". Sitting beside him at the piano she learned how to improvise around a tune from an early age. His first job was working as a floor manager on "Ready Steady Go" so there were test pressings and white labels lying around the house and commercial radio constantly playing whenever he was around. Her parents divorced when she was very young and on the long car journeys between households she would make up stories and rhymes with her dad and sisters, instilling a love of words that continues to this day. On her 9th birthday she got her first guitar, taught herself a few chords and started making up songs. Her formative years in the industry were spent working as a backing vocalist for a variety of bands - doubling up on harmonica, accordion, electric & acoustic guitar, keyboard & percussion, she paid her dues gigging around London's live music circuit and got her first taste of working in studios. This experience led to writing and recording her own songs and becoming a regular solo performer on London's folk/acoustic circuit including the Half Moon in Putney, Acoustic Room at the Mean Fiddler, Waterman's Arts Centre & the legendary Bunjies folk clulb in the West End. She quickly secured a record contract with FBeat/Demon records and a publishing contract with Rough Trade Music and began performing at larger venues including the Guildford and Cambridge Folk Festivals and Phoenix Festival. Although on a very minimal budget and being relatively unknown, Nicola's talent attracted guest musicians Danny Thompson on bass (Kate Bush, David Sylvian) & Neil Conti on drums (David Bowie, Prefab Sprout) to play on her debut album "A Bowl of Chalk". However, as is often the case, when the A&R man who signed Nicola left the label shortly after the album's release, the label folded along with the promotional plans. Inspired by the music of Portishead and Massive attack at this time, Nicola sought a collaborator in the pages of Melody Maker. Her response to an advert placed by Chrysalis Music led to a meeting with Saul Freeman (ex-Thieves/McAlmont) and the formation of Mandalay. On completion of Mandalay's first demos they were fiercely courted by the majors but opted instead to sign to David Steele's independent Organic Records. The first single release "Flowers Bloom" got single of the week in Melody Maker. Shortly after this release, David Steele was asked to head up Richard Branson's new label V2 Records and took Mandalay with him. Mandalay's debut album "Empathy" was released to critical acclaim. Co-produced with Guy Sigsworth (Bjork, Madonna, Bebel Gilberto) it featured drummer and percussionist Steve Jansen (Japan) and the beautiful ethereal sounds of Jon Hassell on trumpet (Brian Eno, Harold Budd). Mandalay's live lineup included Andy Gangadeen on drums (massive attack, faithless) and they became a regular favourite at The Big Chill festivals. On hearing "Empathy", Madonna sited Mandalay as her favourite band and chose the first single "This Life" to be featured on the film soundrack for her film. "The Next Best Thing". "This Life" was also chosen to feature on the soundtrack to the hit British film "This Year's Love". Many other Mandalay songs were featured on cult TV series' including "La Femme Nikita", "Six Feet Under" and "CSI MIami". The third single "Beautiful" appeared on a number of chillout albums of the time including the world famous compilation series' "cafe del mar (vol 6)" and Hedkandi's "Serve Chilled". As a result Mandalay were invited to headline at the Cafe del mar 2oth anniversary celebrations in Ibiza in 2000. A sunset remix of "Beautiful" was recorded and mixed by Lenny Ibizarre, the leading chillout DJ/musician on the island. The song "Beautiful" went on to win a major advertising campaign (Estee Lauder, featuring Liz Hurley) and was chosen for the title track of German film "Der Eisbar". More recently "Beautiful" was covered by Sarah Brightman and released as the lead single for her hit album "Harem". Mandalay's 2nd album "Instinct" was co-produced with Andy Bradfield (Everything But the Girl, Future Sound of London, Bjork) and Yoad Nevo (Jem).
The first single from this album "Deep Love" was remixed by Nitin Sawhney and Mandalay went on to support Nitin on his UK/London dates. Performances at Ibza's chillout festivals followed including "Las Dallias" and "Dreamdaze" culminating in a headline performance at The Big Chill UK, Sanctuary Stage. A third album "Solace" followed, released exclusively in the US comprising a mix of tracks from Mandalay's two existing albums (both previously unavailable in the US) together with an 11 track remix album with contributions from Wagon Christ, Alex Reece and Charlie May. This marked the beginning of a growing success in America where "Solace" Soundscanned over 44,000 copies. By this time however problems were escalating within the Mandalay camp and disagreements on business rather than musical issues proved unresolvable. The duo split, sadly just as the US were becoming aware of them. During Mandalay's demise, Nicola's songwiring and vocal talents were sought by DJ Tiesto who chose her song "In My Memory" for his forthcoming album. With a deft remix from him, it became the title track and lead single for the album, the success of which led to a live performance by Nicola at the Dutch Music Awards in 2002. Sorting out all the post-Mandalay's business took it's toll and this, coupled with getting over a major house & location move, followed swiftly by a car accident whilst battling with Glandular Fever/Epstein Barr virus (!) all meant that Nicola's energies for making music were seriously depleted. During this time however she continued to be sought by artists/musicians/dj's contacting her via the internet and email with requests for possible collaborations and she found herself in the fortunate position of being able to choose who to work with ... and how ... and when ...... she began working on tracks from avant garde composers Hector Zazou, Ryuichi Sakomoto, Lenny Ibizarre and the underground artist & DJ Chris Brann (Wamdue Project, P'taah etc). The resulting album "Passive Aggressive" stands a collection of her favourite collaborations from this time and is the first release on her own label Tempted.
A Bowl of Chalk - 1993-06-23 -
Pick Up Your Coat My Mistake Surf On Shingle Saddest Day Writings I Hide Down To The Station What You See Is What You Get How Do You Feel Strange Times Queen Of The Blues Where Are You Now Maire
A Coeurs Vaillants Can you find the heart Everything Flowers for you In my memory Magic Heart Pictures of innocence Quarterbright You did a good thing
A Bowl of Chalk
*** Thanx a lot to Nicola Herself for these lyrics ! ***
Pick up your coat
Remember in the autumn when your mind was in a rage And you were standing centre stage and second to no one When promises of gold fell all around in disarray You had the sense to stay away and listen to no one Do you remember when I fell It's the way of the thing It wasn't as far as it felt so start believing me (Mary's gonna hold on) Pick up your coat it's getting late Why don't you know you've had your day Pick up your coat it's over Why don't you know I don't want you here Go now, go now, go now Every time I see you there's a secret that I keep Burns in my eyes and buried deep I never can tell you The best that I can do is swallow down this bitter pill Won't be a trace after the kill I never can see you Do you remember when I fell It's the way of the thing It wasn't as far as it felt so start believing me (Mary's gonna hold on) Pick up your coat it's getting late Why don't you know you've had your day Pick up your coat it's over Why don't you know I don't want you here Go now, go now, go now Come on sign and date the book Come on sign, ready or not Come on sign and date the book Come on sign, ready or not Do you remember when I fell It's the way of the thing It wasn't as far as it felt so start believing me (Mary's gonna hold on) Pick up your coat it's getting late Why don't you know you've had your day Pick up your coat it's over Why don't you know I don't want you here Pick up your coat Pick up your coat It's over yeah I don't want you here Why don't you know It' stime to go Get out of here Pick up your coat My Mistake
It's in the day It's summer though the drum beats in vain And my sunday overflows In double guilt all day And into grey In the rain for my Oh in the rain for my, my, my, my Oh in the rain for my, my, my, my mistake It's all over and done you may say Everyone has sad times you may say Cover down and slumber you may say But something's heavy in my breast And up in here won't let me rest Let me rest It's in my mind The way you hold my hand out of a crowd That you might disappear In double guilt all year And into grey In the rain for my Oh in the rain for my, my, my, my Oh in the rain for my, my, my, my mistake It's all over and done you may say Everyone has sad times you may say Cover down and slumber you may say But something's heavy in my breast And up in here won't let me rest Let me rest No, don't say goodbye It's all over and done you may say Everyone has sad times you may say Cover down and slumber you may say But something's heavy in my breast And up in here won't let me rest Let me rest Don't say goodbye Say goodbye, yeah yeah Don't say goodbye Say goodbye Surf on shingle Today it was my birthday And the postman never came My radio alarm was set at p.m. yet again As I walked out the door I left the keys on the inside It wasn't 'til I came home in the cold and dark I realised No money in the meter for the gas to light the fire I see you Surf on shingle Ice down the back of the neck, yeah Water and earth Rebirth, rebirth, rebirth I met a friend last night and left my wallet on the bar In multi-storey car parks I can never find my car "Wash in wash out" it said and now I'm permanently red I fancied toast this morning but I hadn't any bread And if I had any sense I would've spent today in bed I see you Surf on shingle Ice down the back of the neck, yeah Water and earth Rebirth, rebirth, rebirth No money in the meter for the gas to light the fire I see you Surf on shingle Ice down the back of the neck, yeah Water and earth Rebirth, rebirth, rebirth Saddest day And daddy's home I'm in my room I'm trading thought for reason You want my heart You want my love You don't want talk of treason You call for more What for You don't need the pain See the falling rain Echoes in my heart The sound Everyone will fall This is for the saddest day by far that I ever saw You're in the game It's everything You can't afford not to lose And so you came And now you've seen You don't want choice but you choose And you want more What for You don't need the pain See the falling rain Echoes in my heart The sound Everyone will fall This is for the saddest day by far that I ever saw I saw you sitting in your car Around the corner after dark I saw your car Everyone will fall I'll never find it in my heart I'll never find it in my head I never will forgive you wish I could forget you I don't need the pain See the falling rain Echoes in my heart The sound Everyone will fall This is for the saddest day by far that I ever saw Writings I hide Baby relies On the eyes of her heart And the soul that you say Isn't mine Takes to her day With a vow that she's made For the wine and the water besides I've been through believing And now I'm deceiving you I'm not ashamed if I lie The twist in my side Maybe I wouldn't buy If I knew other ways to survive Oh, the writings I hide Oh, you said I would I knew I might Oh, the writings that I hide Been through that hardening inside Through the tears and the lies We could always pretend Never mind baby the water was fine Never mind And you still need a friend He knows and he calls when the wind blows inside And I don't know which way I should go I've been through believing And now I'm deceiving you Baby I know that eyes dry Oh, the writings I hide Oh, you said I would I knew I might Oh, the writings that I hide I've been through believing And now I'm deceiving you You said I would anyway But baby it sickens My heart beats in my mouth And I don't know which way to go Down to the station Someone took me down to the station Put a razor in my hand You took me down to the station We watched the rocks turn to sand And I want it for myself And it's overdue by now But I never really knew Just what you had in mind And I don't know why I want you so much I want you so much I want you I want you so much I want you so much I want you Maybe you didn't know I was sleeping Took me by surprise You didn't know I was keeping A silver bullet by my side And I want it for myself And it's overdue by now But I never really knew Just what you had in mind And I don't know why I want you so much I want you so much I want you I want you so much I want you so much I want you I'm amazed to see Hmm, I'm amazed Amazed, amazed to see All I could've been Yeah this is what I could've been I want you so much I want you so much I want you I want you so much I want you so much I want you Hmm, down to the station Our love was in vein Down to the station What you see is what you get I wasn't taught to weather the storm I wasn't born to keep my hands by my side And sit thinking about my life You say you know this love is all wrong So just when did you become the truth and the light No I'm not thinking about his wife You're cold comfort I don't mind saying You're dead right it's the price I pay yeah You're no comfort to me this time I know you're dead right What you see is what you get The hurting hasn't started yet You think he'll leave this time for sure And you can handle more and more So Sunday's find you on your own The children need their father home So what's the big deal anyway All of these years I've listened to you All of that time is this the best you can do You're seeing me in a dark grey light Don't make me say what I've never said Don't give me cause to say something I'd regret You could be helping me feel all right But you're cold comfort I don't mind saying You're dead right it's the price I pay yeah You're no comfort to me this time I know you're dead right What you see is what you get The hurting hasn't started yet You think he'll leave this time for sure And you can handle more and more So Sunday's find you on your own The children need their father home So what's the big deal anyway All of these years I've listened to you Don't wanna get in a fight now, girl Alright, alright... What you see is what you get The hurting hasn't started yet You think he'll leave this time for sure And you can handle more and more So Sunday's find you on your own The children need their father home So what's the big deal anyway What you see is what you get How do you feel It's been a restless funny kind of year I've been resting up on my bed Trying to get things clear But a scene like that With your eyes on fire Will you let me know How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel Well the rest are fine But they don't understand And the rest don't meet the rise in me oh no Not the ones I've had Oh will you see my face Will your eyes meet mine Will you let me know How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel Oh maybe when our hearts are healed Maybe when the storm is over in my head Oh will you see my face Will your eyes meet mine Will you let me know How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel How do you feel Can this be real How do you feel Strange times Her mouth is full of smiling words Her eyes are careful where they fall And as I look across at you You watch the ceiling, then the floor And if I wasn't taught to mind my manners I would climb up on the table I would scream for your independence From her hand My god these are strange times At times I don't know my own mind Strange times These are strange times At times I don't know my own mind Strange times Change to times She doesn't see the child in you She only feels the shame She only wants the best for you As others do And butter wouldn't melt in her mouth no Not in her delicate mouth No, no Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth My god these are strange times At times I don't know my own mind Strange times These are strange times At times I don't know my own mind Strange times Change to times He was a strong man His colours fill the room He lives and breathes in you And butter wouldn't melt in her mouth no Not in her delicate mouth No, no Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth My god these are strange times At times I don't know my own mind Strange times These are strange times At times I don't know my own mind Strange times Change to times Queen of the blues I knew there was something weird about you when I met you I knew of the things that you wanted but I wouldn't let you Then one day when I was sad you said "what can you lose" You said you had a remedy guaranteed and ready to soothe And I followed on behind you The queen of the blues I told you my heart was too tender, you wouldn't listen I wanted to take it all back but nothing was saved And then when I was sad I thought what can I lose I said give me your remedy I'm tired and I need to be soothed And I followed on behind you The queen of the blues I open my eyes and the skies Over the western isles Will be full of stars tonight But here in my London home it's cloudy Oh and I don't sleep soundly It's a misery of mine And the hunger when I dream It falls nothing short of desire Nothing short of it Yes I know you already said But in my dream I find out you're in love with me, yeah And I still need your remedy and I need to be soothed, yeah And I followed on behind you The queen of the blues The queen of the blues Where are we now Fool for love you're making me sad In a normal world with a raven inside It's all forlorn, the man is untied And it won't go right the way that you say The waters flood my islands and at dawn I rise You know that I want to stay high So where are we now How do we fair What have we done this year There must be more out there Which is the right road Are we a part of it What was the chance we missed Where to go now Fool for love you're driving me mad You know it's eye for eye And the wave I descend Is four foot high You've got to be blind You know it's easier the harder you try The waters flood my islands and at dawn I rise You know that I want to stay high So where are we now How do we fair What have we done this year There must be more out there Which is the right road Are we a part of it What was the chance we missed Where to go now Whether I go Or whether I stay here If I should go it's All for the best I know So where are we now How do we fair What have we done this year There must be more out there Which is the right road Are we a part of it What was the chance we missed Where to go now Maire Maire You've said it all before Before my eyes You still stand unsure I know you, Maire You'll set it up for more If I believe my bones Oh if I believe my bones Maire Take what you need Before your heart Turns all to stone Wintertime Maire You stand alone All you need But I will be here All you need But I still be here Although I've seen Many better days in my life Although I've seen Other women fall and rise in a day You brought me rain Maire Fallen again Before my eyes In love with your game Think of me Maire Nothing's as sure as the ground Beneath your feet But the ground Beneath your feet Maire
Passive Aggressive
You Will Feel Like This ( Lenny Ibizarre ) Give me your hand give me some more time I will awaken into your world All i know And when i do we will be as one And when i know we will be as one All i know Someone should say you will feel like this Someone should say it will be like this We slow danced and you hold me close Been so long, feels so good I don't know what i'm feeling now Guess i'm scared Gonna take a little time All or Nothing ( Chris Brann ) I'll be fine So i said, i might be wrong The whitest lie and then Will i fall Will i shed a tear Will i shine Will i still believe in your love Here's the thing It's all the same I can't go on this way While i still believe in your love I'll be strong Stayed single for so long Know what i found I belong All or nothing Moving into a New Space
( Sounds from the Ground ) The time will come when you will know that All of this illusion Will be no illusion for you And you will see I never loved you and you think you know me You never knew me Moving freely like my conscience Time is healing Moving into a new space In my movie My projection is healing for me Moving into a new space So call me up and tell me what you've been doing Or don't call me, don't tell me what you've been doing Whatever game you play you never knew me And you think you know me And if i keep myself here whenever calm eludes me I know these strong emotions will hold no power for me Let me grow surely, steadily, with you or without you Heart ( Chris Brann ) You look so small Can you hear me here's my heart Can you see me here's my heart All through the years you have been there What can I do what can I say Can you hear me Here's my heart I Forgive Me
( Sounds from the Ground ) Listen to me Far as i can see you're a lot like me And since i thought you knew Just to tell a soul Thought it wouldn't be it shouldn't be a sin Forgive me For thinking i ever did you wrong i forgive me For thinking i ever did you harm i forgive me Listen to you Silence is in me and i meant no harm And since i know you well Just a little thing like this shouldn't be it shouldn't be a sin Forgive me When you find what you need i won't be there Caught up in the world i'm trying Cloudy Skies & Rain
( Lenny Ibizarre ) Cloudy skies and rain is forecast Dreaming of a summer home Someone's shoulder close to mine I will do my best Here I am dreaming of a summer home Time is a funny thing it changes everything Love is a funny thing it changes everything Here I am
Feel Need a word to be forgiving Need a hand to take you down to size You're there with the world on your shoulders Beded down, you know it's a lie Feel How I How I Feel How I How I feel Hard to live in your confines Hard to give when everything's untied Hard to know the thoughts that you keep Underneath all that rhetoric Feel How I How I Feel How I How I feel... You know how I feel You know how I feel You know how I feel...
Ordinary Day
( Lenny Ibizarre ) Across the common Leaves sway I walk across the common Children play An ordinary day I feel the ground beneath my feet solid I feel the air circulate around me Across the common children play She's got a check blanket underneath her body She's got suntan lotion Feels no pain An ordinary day Across the common I pray Baby cries Hasn't got the sweet he wanted Mother smiles Just an ordinary day Surrender
( Hector Zazou )
Funny how the news can hollow out and tell a different story Funny how a day can turn around In another world i would awake into another morning In another place i will begin And all that i hope for is some day i will be free And all that i hope for is one day i will forgive me Unless we surrender Just to follow you to call it love was everything made easy All the faces you and i assumed In principle i do believe in mother nature healing what has been In principle i do believe it, inbetween the waking and the dream Because
( Michael J. Ade ) Because I'm thinking of the curve of your face Petal confetti showers the cars This time of year can make you feel senseless You're chasing old flames hungering new love You shouldn't be ashamed Because I'm imagining everything's free I'm noticing you noticing me How sad is that? Morning
( Hector Zazou ) It's early for the year Birds are singing Wake up This spring morning You will be walking by the sea I saw her ring there in that sunlit room Tried it on my finger, i don't know why This lovely sky bringing me morning You will be walking by the sea And i pray god don't let this be This lovely morning You will be walking by the sea
Non Albums Tracks
A Coeurs Vaillants
(Quaterbright EP) Empty your head And free yourself The past is done All this talking is A means to mask all this Empty your head The past is done A coeurs vaillants rien D'impossible And oh what love can do Oh what love can do Empty your mind Allow yourself A day unknown All this fighting is A means to mask all of this Empty your mind The past is done A coeurs vaillants Rien d'impossible And oh what love can do Oh what love can do Ah c'est la vie... A coeurs vaillants Rien d'impossible Oh what love can do
Can you find the heart I got a sneaking suspicion Everything comes to she who waits I got a premonition Everything comes to she who waits Can you find the heart to tell me your intention Can you find the will to tell me You're forgiven
Everything (Passive Agressive bonus track) Wonderful, accident, wonderful... All will end in peace All will take its course Lest you feel foolhardy Know you'll feel remorse She believed she was everything She believed she would overcome All will end in tears All is emptiness Said yourself and maybe All is for the best She believed she was everything She believed she would overcome She believed, she believed she was everything to you She was everything to you Said yourself and maybe All is for the best All is, all is for the best She believed she was everything She believed she would overcome She believed, she believed she was everything to you Wonderful, accident, wonderful...
*** Thanx a lot to Jose from the forum for this one ***
Flowers for you
( A bowl full of chalk EP )
Don’t say You don’t say what you mean When I try to speak you just walk away Don’t say You don’t say what you mean When I try to speak you just walk away Here are some flowers for you Can you tell the petals from the thorns Don’t cry You don’t cry for me Every time I look you glance the other way You don’t cry for me You don’t cry for me Here are some flowers for you Can you tell the petals from the thorns Here are some flowers for you Can you tell the petals from the thorns Don’t say You don’t say a word Once your friendly smile now just your look of dismay Don’t say You don’t say a word Here are some flowers for you Can you tell the petals from the thorns Here are some flowers for you Can you tell the petals from the thorns In my memory
( DJ Tiesto )
That Summer we talked endlessly Always about everything Fusion - nothing new for you I felt heady under Elm Cool breezes - heavenly Face me, it's easy in my memory Hold me, i'll remember you We argue constantly Disagree about everything Distance - nothing new for me I feel uneasy under this thing And thoughts weigh heavily And darkness falls in my eyes And days are far from rosy now And if i ask for the sky Will you still shelter me when the sky falls
Magic Heart (Quaterbright EP) My mind has been busy Complicating things Ignoring the treasure within So good at berating Believing that you can heal me That you can heal me Can you just Stand still for once And just listen You'll hear the sound Of cars passing Wind in trees Your magic heart beating Beating, beating Your magic heart Magic heart beating
Pictures of innocence
And the eyes try to get you they star from the wall Pictures of innocence, a hundred and one or more But close to home Pictures of innocence are rising and rising Why does my heart seem to fear Building our palaces here It’s all inside, inside out And they slept in the autumn with fingers and thumbs Pictures of innocence and beating, and beating the drums For making the rain Pictures of innocence are falling and falling down Why does my heart seem to fear Building our palaces here It’s all inside out But the truth is coming out now about the hunger The hunger Did you notice your fifteen minutes of fame Make any difference to your sky To your sky You just pray for the rain Pictures of innocence are fading and fading Why does my heart seem to fear Building our palaces here It’s all inside out Like we’re too busy to feel the hunger The hunger
Quarterbright (Quaterbright EP) All day I have been mooning over you I have been thinking I'm a fool Yes, I am older, should be wiser but I am a sucker for your love The moon's a quarter bright low in the sky And underneath this city's light The stars are out and shining up above me In the name of love I would go anywhere with you tonight In your sweet company I rest And time flows like the river soft and deep Easily The world's a warm cocoon to revel in Long as it lasts for me I'm in Although I know already memories Are bringing back to me my sense Still I would go anywhere with you tonight
You did a good thing ( Sleepthief Collaboration ) She was your childhood friend All of her heart you gave her And thought the times have changed her She'll always be home Losing yourself you did a good thing Truth never hurt you did a good thing In spite of yourself you did a good thing Truth will be told you did a good thing I'm still here She was your childhood sweetheart So understand All of this trouble you feel Time can't take her from you The time won't take her from you She'll always be home Losing yourself you did a good thing Truth never hurt you did a good thing In spite of yourself you did a good thing Truth will be told you did a good thing I'm still here You did a good good thing And I'll miss you for the longest time Our lovely view was the best I've known Tears on my face have fallen so So long there can be no harder way