The Tully McCully Project - meticulous, manicured

NOT FOR PUBLICATION before 26/6/26

 It is a real surprise that Tully McCully, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer of countless artists has never released a Tully solo album - until now! The new record is titled Comedy Tragedy.

Tully is the frontman and bass player of McCully Workshop, the producer of Lesley Rae Dowling and Crocodile Harris, (and many others) who have topped the charts in his homeland over the last thirty years. He is known for his entertaining (even theatrical) live presence on stage. He is a talented mimic and possesses wonderful comedic timing. 

On this collection he plays all but one instrument and does all the male vocals, besides his work behind the desk of his famous Spaced Out Sound Studios in Cape Town, South Africa.

Recently he has been recording introspective music, notably his progrock collaboration with keyboard wizard Gordon Mackay, and his folk pop releases under the name of Jaspers's Acolytes.

Anyone who is a serious contemporary music fan from 1970s and 80s will know the impact of groups like Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers on producers and rock musos alike.  Their releases are genre expanding and their influence unmistakable in many performers who have come after them. Tully's new record is a nod in their direction.

I had been asking Tully to make me a solo album for the last five years. A record that he would eventually present under his own name as the artist credit. I argued that as a studio owner he does not have the limitation of production time. 

He told me had written songs over a number of years but they didn't fit into any of the then current projects. These were put on the back burner but not forgotten. In addition to the right songs he said if he did a solo album he needed someone on the same wavelength to bounce his musical ideas off. 

Phil Smiedt was a member of one of the early line-ups of McCully Workshop and is now a Nashville based session musician. He got to hear some of Tully's new songs and offered to contribute guitar parts. Smiedt is musician who worked with my Mountain Record label in the 1980s.   

I don't want to overplay the connection of the new tracks to those musically literate rock musicians of the past but it is undeniable. In the new tracks there are references to some of his past musical successes to be found as well. It is also logical that if Tully delivered an album under his own name he would be sure that it represented his musical inspirations.     

The new songs are personal and complex. The album is a complete work of art without an eye on hits or commercial compromise. It goes without saying that the productions are meticulously arranged, played and technically manicured.   I am proud to be releasing this album.

Paddy Lee-Thorp, Mountain Records 

 

Here some quotes from the artists >  

"From the first time I heard Steely Dan I was hooked on the production, lyrics and chord structures", says Tully. "I wrote many songs over the years but never recorded them. In the last year I decided to do a collection in that style, working closely with old band mate from the seventies Phil Smiedt. No one will ever come close to Steely Dan, but hopefully people will enjoy this collection."

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"I first met Tully in the early seventies at a studio in Cape Town after we had both performed at a music festival a few days before." Says Phil Smiedt. "When we met, he asked me to join his band McCully Workshop. I was surprised at first, explaining that I played acoustic guitar to which he replied 'then get an electric'. I hesitated for about two seconds and said 'ok!!'"

Phil went on to play with McCully Workshop for a few years in the seventies before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, losing contact with Tully until recently. 

"A few years ago we reacquainted through a mutual friend and during a catchup conversation Tully mentioned he was working on a new project and asked if I would like to throw down some guitar on a song, which I did. That led me to playing on all the songs and loving every minute of it, especially because it was unmistakably Tully and I remembered what a great talent he was and even more impressive today. So a heartfelt thanks to him for bringing me along for the ride."

 

 Listening link (after release) >