I got stuck on a silly little musical phrase, noodling around with it on the piano, unable to let go of it and unable to really develop it into something more. I recorded myself playing a number of variations as I searched in vain for a deeper…

The mission is to go to the moon. How? Second song written for RPM12, had hoped to have more of the question and answer lyrics that you hear in part three on the album, but...

The moon is silent and has no interest in what happens on earth. Timeless. This was the first thing I wrote for RPM12. Really struggled with it.

Liftoff. Nuff said. My favourite track of RPM12. Played it to the people in the office and they were very kind.

The men on the moon missions were the first and only people to have seen the Earth for what it is, a bubble of air in space. Imagine... Had a mare with the lyrics on this. It's really hard not to accidentally nick stuff from Bowie.

The approach to the moon. This one was going to have lyrics around the second melody piece, but nothing fitted and I decided it was more appropriate to just have it as an instrumental.

Entering orbit. No one's ever seen before the backside of the moon. The moment of parting when the lunar crew leave the Command Module pilot and enter the Lunar Module. A three part song written over the whole of RPM12, the orbit piece at the…

Another one that didn't really have a home. I think it started out as a songfight idea from back in 2008 or so. Not sure I like this recording as much as the old one.

The Command Module pilot was the most isolated person in the history of mankind once his two crew mates had started their descent to the lunar surface. The spoken words start off as my own and then quote Michael Collins the Command Module pilot…

Each moon landing could only spend a short time on the surface before it was time to leave. Buzz Aldrin's words on the moon struck me as very descriptive so they became the title. To be fair, I let Neil Armstrong do much of the vocals on this…

The final part of any space flight is re-entry and splashdown (or landing if you're Russian). 4000 degrees of burning heat protected by just a heat shield. I was aiming for a mixture of fear and euphoria in this one. The final words are from Dave…

You shouldn't try to keep your secrets And then just run off to confess I'm sure you've got your own reasons To fight the movement to suppress Acting parts in your own theatre But going blind under the spotlight (Chorus) Even though it's all…

It's six in the morning but it feels like it's ten The pain in your head has returned once again It was your answer, your bounty, your prayer You consumed more than you were aware (Chorus) What goes up must come down Denial overcomes the doubt…

When you sat in all the cheap seats With the money that you paid I recall the optimism Then the contempt that you displayed I had nothing to say to you On the day you lied When they had to clear the harbour To drain the sewage that was there…

Walking through fields in winter Cold breath in the air The thorny gap where The path that leads to the river Crosses over the lea And then heads out to the sea When the fading light mutates into night And you can't go home because you've got…

So you feel like singing All your friends say you'll go far Be a star You'd cut your arm off for those yesses Sell your soul for just one more But what for You know it's only karaoke Fake plastic art It's OK you've got your mentors And they really…