Michael Brook » Works » Duo » Michael Brook & Pieter Nooten: Sleeps with the Fishes

Sleeps with the Fishes (1987, 4AD) Several Times I Searching The Choice After The Call Finally II Instrumental Suddenly II Suddenly I Clouds Finally I Several Times II Equal Ways These Waves Time Several Times III

The first official Michael Brook production — which he engineered as well — was planned initially as a solo effort by the Dutch musician Pieter Nooten, a member of the band Clan of Xymox. Nooten’s group was signed to 4AD; the label’s founder, Ivo Wats-Russell,was a fan of Michael’s Hybrid album, and it was Ivo's thought to link Michael and Pieter on a specific project. (It was also a Watts-Russell decision to issue Sleeps With The Fishes with collaborative billing for both Nooten and Brook.) Beyond jump-starting Michael’s production career, the album led to his signing with 4AD as a solo artist.

The album was tracked at Blackwing Studios in the U.K., where many other 4AD artists had recorded, notably Ivo’s blue chip group, This Mortal Coil. Unfortunately, Sleeps With the Fishes never found its deserved audience, possibly owing to its appearance in an autumn release schedule dominated by, among other mega-titles, a new Michael Jackson lp.