Edwyn Collins BBC Mastertapes Session LIVE @ Maida Vale Studios

In February 2005, Grace Maxwell returned home to find her partner Edwyn Collins lying unconscious, having suffered two devastating brain haemorrhages. Left on the brink of death, doctors weren’t hopeful of a recovery and Edwyn had to spend six months in hospital, having lost all movement in his right side and suffering from a condition which meant he was unable to use or understand language. “Initially, I was only able to say yes or no” Collins explains, “And – much to his annoyance – ‘Grace Maxwell’”, his partner adds, with a giggle. It was with the help of Grace, their son Will, and an expansive team of therapists that Edwyn was able to make a miraculous recovery and, with colossal effort, was able to teach himself to speak and read again, re-remember forgotten memories and re-learn talents he had once been famous for. Despite still not being able to use his right arm, the beloved Scot – who started his career in post-punk group ‘Orange Juice’ – is now able to not only walk and talk, but is also capable of writing brilliant (‘but perhaps slightly simpler’ he clarifies) songs once more.

Accompanied by Grace and his band of talented musicians, Edwyn has come to the famous Maida Vale studio to talk to Radio 4’s John Wilson about the recording of his pivotal album ‘Gorgeous George’ and his inspirational recovery over the last eight years. The evening starts with a compelling rendition of a track from the new album ‘Understated’, which Edwyn has self-produced alongside long time studio partner, Seb Lewsley. In need of help to get in and out of his chair, his right hand constantly clenched, and despite still struggling with speech, Collins is able to belt out the song impressively alongside Carwyn Ellis and James Walbourne on guitars and Sean Read on keys.

John Wilson recalls the last time he spoke to Edwyn, in 2007, when thoughts of ever being able to record another album were non-existent, and dwells on how far the musician has progressed in the last six years. Wilson does remember, however, that – at the time – there was a song in the pipeline – “Yes” replies Collins, “I started writing ‘Searching for the Truth’ whilst still in hospital… Very simple, it was, but effective nonetheless”.  This song was then included on his emotional seventh album ‘Losing Sleep’ (2010). Nevertheless, Grace recalls how it was a long process, Edwyn discovering the desire to write again:  “I was worried he had lost his desire for music” she remembers, as he adds how the desire to create music initially deserted him… that is, until Grace decided to trigger old memories by bringing a compilation CD of his favourite songs into the hospital for him to listen to. “I just cried and cried” recalls Collins, “I just sat in the bed and cried”. “I was so happy to see those tears” Grace recollects… “Cheers, Grace!’ retorts Edwyn, but she continues: “It was reassuring and heart-warming to see that he still had his emotional connection to the music”.

This toing and froing of conversation between Collins and his partner becomes characteristic of the evening’s discussion, and I can’t help but find their witty banter and bickering endearing. Whilst Maxwell repeatedly describes pre-stroke Edwyn as ‘acerbic’ and ‘arrogant’, Collins ripostes by frequently exclaiming “But what about yooou?!’ and using words such as ‘evil’ to describe his partner – “It’s like an episode of Mr and Mrs” observes Wilson, aptly. However, despite the constant jibes and reproaches, the couple’s closeness is evident; as is Collins’ gratitude for all that Grace has done for him, although she jokingly claims that she was merely doing her job as his manager. However, I’m sure that learning how to strum the guitar from behind her partner as he forms the chords with his working left-hand was not part of the job description…

It seems that Collins has never had a problem being critical of others, as is evident from the opening track of 1994’s Gorgeous George: ‘Campaign for Real Rock’. Edwyn laboriously remembers that this song was aimed at American journalist, Lester Bangs – ‘‘In a T-shirt that reads ‘Disco Sucks’ yes, here he comes, the not-so-young pretender to the throne’, and admits he was expressing contempt for the way the music industry was going at the time. Similarly, the album’s title track ‘Gorgeous George’ was apparently written with a specific past acquaintance of Edwyn’s in mind…

However, it seems that since his mind-altering experience, Collins has mellowed. One particularly moving moment of the evening is during discussion of the song ‘Low Expectations’ from the Gorgeous George album. Collins explains how this song was initially directed at Grace, in relation to the difficult situation they were in at the time – ‘…which is not to say you’re bored, or that you shouldn’t want for more, it’s just your expectations should be lower’.  However, as he delivers the beautifully moving song, the new, added resonance of Collins’ lyrics is strikingly apparent – as his expectations of life, since suffering two strokes, ‘should be lower’. And both Collins and Maxwell confirm that this is true, as he his personality has changed considerably over the last eight years – as opposed to once being ‘acerbic’ and critical, he is now a lot more optimistic and accepting of others, or – in Edwyn’s words: “Before my strokes I was very intelligent, now I’m just… Dim”.  And he certainly seems endearingly modest these days, as one fan describes him as an inspiration, his response is simply ‘No, no I’m not… I’ll do my job, you do yours”, which prompts characteristic giggles from his partner, and his own charming chuckle.

Another track that, despite being written prior to the strokes, now seems to have particular significance is ‘Home Again’. Collins was in the process of writing the album prior to his accident, though then wasn’t able to release it until he had recovered, in 2007. Grace explains that on first hearing the lyrics of the song, she felt an indescribable sense of foreboding – ‘It was like listening to his epitaph being read out’ she remembers, referring to the lyrics filled with descriptions of childhood memories and melancholy reflections. “I wasn’t in a good way, when I wrote it” explains Edywn “I was taking 8 Solpadine a day because of constant headaches…” Grace had finally booked a doctor’s appointment for Collins when she came home to find him on the floor, having suffered a double brain hemorrhage. It is therefore hard to hold back tears when listening to Edwyn and his band perform this song after listening to these heart breaking revelations – the whole song, in fact, seems like a reflection on his horrific experience and monumental recovery – ‘I’m home again… I started searching for my soul again and there was nothing I could find’.

The session ends with an extraordinarily impressive rendition of probably the most famous song from 1994’s Gorgeous George – ‘Girl Like You’. Full of five syllable words, and long sentences – ‘I hope to god I’m talking metaphorically, hope that I’m talking allegorically…’ Collins admits it was one of the trickier songs to re-learn: “Why did I have to write such complex lyrics? Now I keep them much… simpler’.

I could go on for reams about this Mastertapes session, which was expertly hosted by John Wilson, as I discovered so many things, felt so much and witnessed plenty of poignant and expertly delivered music. The whole session was incredibly moving, tear-jerking, interesting and comical, and I found the experience to be undeniably affecting. And, despite the fact that he may simply be ‘doing his job’, I find Edwyn Collins’ story of recovery and determination to be pretty inspiring.

Mari Lane