Kevin Hewick & New Order - 'A Piece of Fate'

(Finger off that trigger, Detweiler. )

Okay. 'Haystack' by Kevin Hewick & New Order has been well and truly discussed in the 'Last Great Long-Lost First-Ever Recording by New Order' thread and on kevinhewick.com

But...(and forgive me if you NOOL vets have been here before too)....

...is there anyone out there/in here who has a copy of the OTHER song recorded in that first post-JD studio session?

It was another Hewick song - 'A Piece of Fate'. And, as far as I know, as far as Kevin himself knows, this recording is genuinely lost forever.

Or is it?

Anyone out there ever heard it?

No, sadly, as this would be an important part of the history. I have heard and liked "No Miracle" though - how much was the song changed from "A Piece Of Fate" ?

We sort of had a discussion about this on another thread. Kevin said that although he wasn't given any official recordings of the session, he did have his own tape recorder running throughout. He wasn't sure if he still had the tape but said he'd look. I guess nothing turned up.

Which is a shame, as any record of such an important period of the band's history is something we should all salivate at the prospect of. It would be a major scoop if it surfaced now, after all this time.

Originally posted by Old Blue Which is a shame, as any record of such an important period of the band's history is something we should all salivate at the prospect of. It would be a major scoop if it surfaced now, after all this time.

Absolutely true. Those early days of New Order's existence are so badly documented that any addition to the puzzle (in addition to Haystack, the poor-quality Western Works demos, and the Sept '80 live tapes) would be a godsend.

I found this reference to A Piece Of Fate (& Haystack) in an email I had from Kevin himself a while back. It does sound like the recording is lost. Unless any of you out there know different?

"It was before the time of burning a quick CD of a rough mix,or downloading it onto a computer.I didn't even get a rough mix tape after.The first time I heard "Haystack" as a "finished" item out of the studio was when I PAID for a copy of the original "From Brussels with love"tape at Rough Trade's shop in London 6 months later! What I did do was run a mono cassette player as we went along - discreetly in case they objected! Much of it was hard to decipher studio chat, tune up's, false starts etc. At one point Hook,Morris and I on guitar do a jam(!) and an instrumental "Transmission"which Peter stopped in case it upset Bernard who'd left the room for a few minutes - Graveyard was in the basement of a house so maybe he'd popped upstairs or something. "A Piece of Fate" is there, raw as raw..this is where Bernard did his "Boredom" bit. I don't remember the version working very well. Even if I ever find it among the boxes and boxes of unmarked cassettes shoved in my loft,and my parents loft ."

Also...

Check out the 'Kevin Hewick & New Order' article at http://www.kevinhewick.com for more on this recording session. There's some great stuff there. (Maybe even leave Kev a supportive message on his board while you're there?)

Originally posted by Detweiler 3.63 No, sadly, as this would be an important part of the history. I have heard and liked "No Miracle" though - how much was the song changed from "A Piece Of Fate" ?

Good question. Don't know how different 'No Miracle' is from 'A Piece of Fate'. I'll have to query Kevin on that. Where did you hear 'No Miracle' by the way? I think Kevin only 'released' it on a very limited-edition cassette - 'In An Open-Air Surgery'. I think.

I did see him play 'No Miracle' live a year or so ago though. It was very powerful. Would love to hear New Order backing him on an early version of it. Damn! Has NO-ONE got a recording of the track? Barney? Hooky? Stephen? Tony? Any of you out there? You couldn't dig around your attic's could you?

I'll have a look but i'm not promising anything

I emailed Kevin himself about 'A Piece Of Fate'. He was happy to shed some more light on the song/session. Some great stuff here that I don't think he's ever shared before.

"I re-wrote "A piece of fate" into "No Miracle" in 1993. It's the same song but with a much improved lyric.It was always one of my favourites from the Factory era but the original words were a bit clunky but it seemed too good a melody to waste.Through the 90s until quite recently I often opened my live sets with it in its "No Miracle" form, often introducing it as the song of mine that I'd like to be played at my funeral! No doubt to the disgust of the Hewick-haters on the NO online site the lost version features only Stephen on drums, Peter on bass and me on guitar and vocals - how's that for a power trio! Bernard only contributed his now-infamous "Boredom" guitar solo that was repaced by one by me. In fact I also struggled and Hooky suggested we all have a go in turn so PETER was about to try to do a lead guitar overdub but I got one down we thought was ok - at the time. As I recall it was too fast, rather indie rock-lite and did them, me or the song itself little justice. I recall not liking my vocal on it. If I still have a copy it will be my rough mono cassette I had running in a bag so they couldn't see it. Theres 2 C90s worth I think.....But it's mostly studio tedium, tune ups, chat, fiddling with drum levels etc.."

(Kevin Hewick, email)

"But it's mostly studio tedium, tune ups, chat, fiddling with drum levels etc.."

Please can we get a copy of this online?

It would be very interesting to hear the tapes I should imagine. Anyway I don't think anybody on here actually hates you Kevin.

Originally posted by Jamie Fairlie "But it's mostly studio tedium, tune ups, chat, fiddling with drum levels etc.." Please can we get a copy of this online?

Yeah, it would really brighten up our sorry lives!! No seriously, it would be totally fascinating to be able to eavesdrop on that very first recording session after the tragic events of May 18th (oops, I almost wrote: to hear Kevin hanging out with the rest of the band in the studio)

Originally posted by gary knight to the disgust of the Hewick-haters on the NO online site

Kevin, i think you have the wrong end of the stick, no one on here 'hates' you (even Timmy), we are just a bit jealous at times :)

I hate everyone apart from DoN

bah the other thread is locked.

basically if you can't take critisiscm (sorry for spelling am drunk) you shouldn't be in a creative medium. Or you could end up J-low if you do get a hit.

or you can throw a hissy fit like george michael.

hell if this board was banned from writing about songs they hate there wouldn't be much else

Originally posted by Spotnick > Originally posted by Mr Ben> bah the other thread is locked.> > basically if you can't take critisiscm (sorry for spelling am drunk) you shouldn't be in a creative medium. Or you could end up J-low if you do get a hit.> > or you can throw a hissy fit like george michael.> > hell if this board was banned from writing about songs they hate there wouldn't be much else

But some level of discussion should be taken off this site, personal attacks among other things.

Hey, I could do with hearing A Piece of Fate too. Hope it aint gone forever - I tell you what Kevin - send me your boxes of tapes and I will find it for you!

Do you really think KH and GK came here looking for trouble, Jeff? I don't think so.

Also why should he put up a profile, is it compulsory?

Is someone paying Hewick's boyfriend to bore the pants off everyone? Bloody hell fire.

Originally posted by James Stephen Barnes Is someone paying Hewick's boyfriend to bore the pants off everyone? Bloody hell fire.

Nice one, Jimbo. I don't mean to add fuel to the fire, but drop it already, people.