Bolton Iron Maiden drummer/vocalist Paul TJ O’Neill returns with another of his ‘Storicals.’  With Days In Glass Cages, Paul tells an insightful ‘Bugs Life’ story and channels a host of 70s icons in the process.

A BUSY FELLER

Remember Paul TJ O’Neill?  The former drummer and vocalist in The Bolton Iron Maiden (BIM for short) has featured regularly in these pages over the years – perhaps most notably in relation to his album Puppet Master – The Rise and Rise of Slick Dandy, one of At The Barrier’s 2020 Albums of the Year.  Puppet Master… was what Paul has tagged as a ‘Storical’ – that’s an album that comes with a story in an accompanying booklet.  It’s a concept album that has the ‘concept’ thoroughly explained in writing.

BIM were, by general acknowledgement, THE top band on Bolton’s thriving music scene between 1969 and 1976, when the band broke up.  And ‘thriving’ is not an over-statement.  It was a scene that featured the early efforts of such durable and highly regarded musicians as Rick Pilkington (Blackheart Orchestra) and Mark Radcliffe, as well as providing the birthplace for the nascent Buzzcocks.

Paul has been a busy feller just lately.  His ceilidh band, Frog On A Bike are currently in the thick of a round of festival bookings – they performed at Cambridge Folk Festival back in July – and he also managed to mark the 50th anniversary of the passing of legendary BIM guitarist Ian Boulton Smith by reconvening Bolton Iron Maiden for a one-off festival gig.

AN INSIGHTFUL ‘BUG’S LIFE’ ADVENTURE

But, perhaps the most exciting Paul TJ O’Neill news of this frantic summer has been the release of a new album – and, yes, it’s another ‘Sporacle.’

Days in Glass Cages has had an unusually long gestation.  Paul wrote the story and the accompanying songs as long ago as the late 1980s, so it’s been a ‘work in progress’ for quite a number of years…  But, finally, with the help of his loyal friends: Colin Medlock (guitar), Andy Herbert (bass), Nick Hill (trumpet), Sheila Taylor (vocals) and, of course, his daughters Victoria and Rachel on backing vocals, Paul has, at last, been able to realise his vision.

The Days In Glass Cages story can, perhaps, be most concisely described as an insightful Bugs’ Life adventure.  The story recounts the tribulations of a group of insects, held in a goldfish bowl (the ‘Glass Cage’) in a laboratory.  They’re being studied by a scientist – Professor Phillip Markham – and his team, and Markham is convinced that he is on the verge of discovering a way to communicate with the insects.  Perils and adventure inevitably follow for both insect and human characters; you’ll have to acquire and absorb the album to learn more…

HERE COME THE CARDINAL BEETLES

There’s a definite 70s feel to much of Paul’s music on Days In Glass Cages.  The Who, Genesis, Deaf School: their influences can be detected throughout the album.  There are also strains of Tamla Motown and Stax soul influences and – this one took me by surprise – a few splashes of sun-kissed reggae.  What’s not to like…?

Days In Glass Cages is a long album.  It demands to be listened to in a single sitting, with the excellent 10-page accompanying booklet placed readily to hand.  That way, the listener is able to follow the charming story (spoiler – the insects escape captivity and live happily ever after) whilst enjoying Paul’s absorbing, well structured and well-produced music.  A a track-by-track commentary isn’t necessary – life’s too short, for you and for me – but a few selected highlights should provide a feel for what’s on offer on this excellent album.

The album really gets down to business with third track, Anything I Can Do, the song that introduces star characters, the cardinal beetles, Aaron and Elytra.  It’s a light, poppy number and Sheila’s vocals are outstanding as she brings the beetles into the story and explains that they’re the intelligent ones who understand the predicament that the insects are in.

GUARDIAN ANGEL

The mysterious Black Butterfly is a constant presence in the story.  In fact, she represents the character of the insects’ guardian angel, and she’s introduced by a short piano tune, before the significance of her presence becomes clear with the vivid Black Butterfly song.  Acoustic guitars dominate and Colin adds electrified highlights on a joyful, rocky song.  Paul gives his vocals everything he’s got as he tells of the insects’ pleas to the Black Butterfly to help them escape.

DC, the devil’s cock horse, is the story’s ‘Del Boy’ character and he makes his appearance with Learn From Experience, when he gathers the insects around him to urge them to escape.  His address is delivered to a delightful burst of pulsing, surging reggae.  Paul’s drumbeat catches the zeitgeist exactly and he sings like I’ve never heard him do before, on this compulsive foot-tapper.

THE PSYCHOPATHIC SON

Attention is diverted away from the insects’ dilemma and is focused, instead, on the inter-personal conflicts between the laboratory staff for the rock Saturday and Sunday.  It’s here, more than anywhere else, that I’m reminded of Deaf School in their mid-seventies Second Honeymoon pomp, as Paul and Sheila (as the male and female laboratory assistants) come face-to-face in a dramatic vocal conflict.  But Prof Marham steps in to demand that the arguing pair return to their study of the insects, and frustration sets in as it dawns on the Professor that his efforts to communicate with them are not bearing fruit.  Communication is a song with a grand, dramatic theme, driven along by Paul’s drumrolls and swishes of hi-hat.  Colin plays a gritty guitar lick and the keyboards make a BIG sound, as the Professor’s frustrations build to a climax, when he declares: “Sometimes it drives me insane!”

Enter Colin, the Professor’s psychopathic son, whose mission in life is to wreck the laboratory and kill all the insects.  His theme song, Lookin’ Around For Something To Kill is an out-and-out punk number, awash with sharp, choppy guitars and crisp drums (even if Paul’s vocals probably owe more to Ray Davies than to John Lydon…).  And the lyrics are hilarious, culminating in Colin’s declaration: “Oh – I LOVE to kil!”

SPIDER REGGAE

As the story progresses, the hated and feared Zygillia the spider makes her unwelcome presence felt.  At first, it seems that she may thwart the insects’ plans for freedom, but Corky the grasshopper manages to evade her clutches and reaches the door to the garden.  His escape is celebrated with Sunlight From Heaven, a bright, clean rock song, with another dash of reggae thrown in for good measure.  Paul’s vocals are equally bright and Nick’s trumpet adds to the sunshine.  Colin chips in with a trilling guitar solo and the overall effect recalls The Beatles, circa the White Album.

Guest vocalist Steve Matthews joins Paul’s ensemble for the wistful Live My Life Alone and he delivers a strong, soulful vocal.  Cardinal beetle Eyltra has been extracted from the bowl by Professor Marham, who intends to dissect him, in the furtherance of his study, and the other insects are distraught.  Those emotions come over in Steve’s vocals but the song also has a nice, elegiac ‘summer of love’ feel to it.

The dreaded spider, Zygillia, is still (literally) hanging around but Bertie the bombardier beetle has an idea.  He squirts her with his potent secretion, blinding her and the rest of the insects embark upon their long-awaited escape, as Aaron advises them to Take It or Leave It.  Paul’s lyrics celebrate the opportunity of freedom that Bertie’s action has provided and he sings them to a thumping rhythm, soaring, twinkling keyboards and Colin’s sublime guitar fills.  The Who and Genesis come indelibly to mind…

FREEDOM!

The march to freedom is soundtracked by Paul’s atmospheric glockenspiel, with The Hero’s March.  His drumbeat combines nicely with Andy’s loping bassline and the caution felt by the escaping insects, and the growing belief that freedom is at hand, come over clearly in the music.  And that sense of freedom evolves into one of euphoria as the insects spy the garden and the friends there, waiting for them.  Paul channels Tamla soul as he sings the lyrics to Look For a Reason.  Victoria’s and Rachel’s backing vocals are soft and soothing as the insects cry “Let’s celebrate our freedom!”

And, so to the happy ending.  Paul Thompson steps up to play piano on Freedom, the album’s finale.  The insects are back in their garden home and their homecoming is celebrated with a punchy, heartfelt closing anthem.  “We’ve Freedom, everybody survived,” sing the ensemble.  “We’ve got freedom – it’s good to be alive.”

Days In Glass Cases is a heartwarming story, soundtracked to a fantastic set of songs – and it can be purchased from Paul at: https://paultjoneill.com/

Final note:  After completing the recording Days In Glass Cages, Paul learned that trumpeter – and Paul’s great friend – Nick Hill had passed away.  At The Barrier joins Paul and his friends in passing our condolences to Nick’s family.

Listen to Sunlight From Heaven – a track from the album – below:

Paul TJ O’Neill: Website

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