Girl at beginning of Ladies & Gentlemen

[eturnbull01]

I've been dying to know, and can't seem to locate anywhere, who the girl is in the beginning of Ladies & Gentlemen that says "Ladies & Gentlemen, we're floating in space".

If anyone can tell me, you'd make my day!

Did a quick search through the forum and was unable to find anything like this question, but sorry if its been asked before...

[BzaInSpace]

Hi!

From the album credits, via discogs:

Organ [Vox Continental, Farfisa Compact], Keyboards [Roland D20], Piano, Vocals – Kate Radley

[jadams501]

Mrs. Richard ashcroft herself.

[eturnbull01]

.Bzainspace- hi! I knew Kate Radley did vocals on the track amongst others on the record but I wasn't under the impression it was her speaking at the beginning. I'd wondered that at first

Jadams501- where did you find that?

[runcible]

.Bzainspace- hi! I knew Kate Radley did vocals on the track amongst others on the record but I wasn't under the impression it was her speaking at the beginning. I'd wondered that at first

Jadams501- where did you find that?

This is actually pretty common knowledge...

[jadams501]

Brief nutshell, radley was attached to spaceman in the later years of sp3, and was in spiritualized for several years doing the droning keyboards. Opinions differ on her musical skills. At some point she broke up with j and then married ashcroft in 95. For whatever reason, the press did not pick up on that for a couple of years, but the story got huge tabloid coverage around the release of urban hymns and ladies and gents. Many have assumed that l & g must be about her but i personally think that's overblown.

[bunnyben]

.Bzainspace- hi! I knew Kate Radley did vocals on the track amongst others on the record but I wasn't under the impression it was her speaking at the beginning. I'd wondered that at first

Jadams501- where did you find that?

on one of the bonus discs from the reissue there are a series of naswerphone messages where ms radley repeats the refrain over and over- i assume the best one was used for the album

[eturnbull01]

Thanks so much everyone! I really appreciate the insight!

[radioshack]

I think the album is about the breakup. If not 100%, then a good majority. There were some songs like Stay With Me that were performed around 1993 on radios sessions (unless of course I'm wrong about the year, and I'm sure people will be quick correct me) which adds the some weight to the songs not all being about mrs ashcroft and the breakup. But if you're being a geek about the album (and generally I try not to, because it's his life and relationship, not mine), the tracklisting seems to support the idea of a loving relationship, the relationship ending, getting messed up after it's done, dealing with the come down and the moving on parts.

For me, it's the church bells and cacophony on No God.... that suggests the contrast of her getting married and him being left with the madness/meltdown to deal with. That to me sticks out more than any words or song title. Cool Waves offers some kind of acceptance and making peace with her leaving, but Cop Shoot Cop is him kinda jumping back into a final freakout again of dealing with the aftermath and any excess that goes along with it. Still messed up, but moved on from Broken Heart or Stay with Me etc....

What a half-assed analogy. But I don't believe him when he denies it's about what happened in any way. Still, a million times better than Alone With Everybody ......

[bunnyben]

all art is viewed through the prism of yourself therefore all art you encounter is made subjective by how you percieve it. for some it's about relationships, for others, fish and chips. fact is we'll never know

[toomilk]

Yeah radio, stop the speculation. You sound like a conspiracy theorist.

Also, Kate Radley did much more vocals on L&G than just the beginning telephone bit. She is audible (albeit barely there) on several other tracks: Come Together, I Think I'm In Love, Cop Shoot Cop...only ones I can think of off the top of my head. And we all remember 200 Bars, yes?

[They Transmit]

I remember watching them soundcheck at Newcastle Riverside and Mark Refoy and Mr Johnny M taking the piss out of her "vocal" on 200 bars...was pretty funny.