In the mid eighties Steve Somerset had moved to London and was working as part of the creative team for Kevin Godley and Lol Creme at their video production company Medialab. He was living in Ealing near a green space called Haven Green and thought The Haven Green sounded like the name of a late sixties band; he even came up with a title for their album ‘To Whom It May Concern’. It was an idea he always kept on the back burner, so fast forward through many jobs, bands, projects and flats to 2021 when he found himself sitting on a sofa in Highgate writing a song called ‘Journey To The Stars’ . Immediately he thought “this sounds like The Haven Green". He recorded the song the next day and the following day wrote two more songs. The material just poured out and within three weeks he had recorded the whole album.
It all happened very quickly but looking back now he thinks the main themes of the album are hope and new beginnings which of course, coming out of the pandemic, made perfect sense. These are themes which chime with the sentiments of much of the music of the sixties to which The Haven Green knowingly and lovingly tip their hats.
Bio:
Worked for Kevin Godley and Lol Creme at Medialab. Worked on videos for INXS, Sting, Rush, Thompson Twins, Howard Jones as well as Band Aid, Fashion Aid and Artists Against Apartheid.
Produced The Wish List an album commemorating fifty years of The M.S. Society featured music by Justin Hayward, Stephen Duffy, XTC, Steve Hogarth and more.
Wrote and Recorded four albums under the name The Shadow Kabinet .
Praise for The Shadow Kabinet
“Steve Somerset, for he is The Shadow Kabinet, created a Sgt Pepper in miniature. And very good it is too.” - Pop Junkies
“His ragged juvenile lead tones, as ineffably English as the sort of Sunday teas no one eats anymore. The great trash alchemist, the man with the rock ‘n’ roll gazetteer in his pocket, trailing melody in his wake like a faint perfumed mist.” Mark Hudson music critic
Worked with Dave Gregory on music for television.
Formed The Blues Ghosts 2012-15
Released the live album Bootlegged In Barnes.
credits
released April 22, 2022
Written, Performed and Produced by Steve Somerset
Recorded at Turn Again Studios, Highgate, London between August and September 2021
CD Mastering by Henry Smithson
Guitar Guru: Chris Tate
Steve would like to thank Dave Gregory, James Graham, Alberto Repetti, Clive Marks, Jeanne-Louise Hirsch, Mordecai Smyth and A.K. for their support and encouragement.
This album is dedicated to Francis Palmer; a guiding light for me to follow.
Mega Dodo are pioneering the most significant and in terms of progression and originality, forward thinking psychedelic rebirth since the early 80s.
Dave Thompson: Goldmine Magazine
supported by 18 fans who also own “To Whom It May Concern”
Just played the Supernatural track as a taster before setting down for a full session and wow, its fantastic, much better than i imagined. This is a straight link to the 60s and the music of my youth. Custard Flux, you rock. Thank you. COLIN STUART LORIMER