ABOUT OUR MUSIC..
In 1996 they started writing their 1st Album 'PHENOMENAL SOUL' an EP of 5 songs. The artwork of the album was dedicated by a young and spectacular artist Sonny Au, that met Ashley & Juanita at the beginning of their journey and painted/airbrushed two canvases for the Album, they named it 'Phenomenal Soul' because they believed a child's soul is the most purist soul and this was inspired by their seven beautiful children, Shane, Ashleena, Peter, Sinamoe, Jasmine, Nature & Samson, and how much their struggle to not be with them was heart-breaking. They blended that of missing their children and their new love for each other and the strain of past relationships all into this CD. They didn't have much money to produce this album and they we're helped by a lot of Friends who believed that they would make wonderful music together.
* SOUL FOOD - Was the first song on the album. Az Kirwin had just got brand new recording equipment set up in his lounge room and, they started recording straight away. A song written about a young woman living in hard times not being heard, Thinking about where her life was taking her and being stuck in the rut to many times, and ending up with a person she doesn't love, wishing and believing that her soul mate is out their somewhere, she needed Soul Food.
* Next was PRECIOUS YOU ARE - a song for their children. They we're given some free recording time in Greviller Studio's, Brisbane Australia by their two close friends Jack King & Helen Poesi also two great song writers. This song is everything about a new born baby and the innocence & beauty they give when they are in your arms. The musicians that came to help them record this song: Kevin 'Doc' Shilling on Drums.
* IMPACT OF REALITY - recorded first in a garage by a Engineer/Producer Tim Autoclass from Brisbane, Australia. The song was written about a young teenager trying to deal with the realities of the world, desperate for answers and too be heard.
* COME OUT OF THE RAIN - was written when Ashley & Juanita we're waiting for their friends to get home, sitting on the front door step getting soaked in the Rain, & being in love, recording artists were: Drums Kevin 'Doc' Shillings, Sax: Neil Wickham, Percussion: Keith K.C, Sax: Gus McKinstrow, Keys: Ross Nixon
*SPECIAL MOMENTS - was the last song off the E.P a Love Song between Ashley & Juanita, Ross Nixon played keys
Fingerprint thanks every one who helped them with this album you are part of our Journey and our Growth. To our children you have and always will be our Inspirations..
Ashley & Juanita then began recording single songs anywhere and everywhere they could and they called the album the 'GROWTH ALBUM' from 1996-2006
* BY MYSELF - was written about a friend who had just broken up with her boyfriend, recorded in the back room in Beachmere, Brisbane on Cool Edit Pro.
*I FELT LUCKY THEN - written about the pokie machines in Brisbane, they spent many nights working in a Casino and saw first hand how the evil gambling machines were, how they could woo anybody who was willing, giving the person false hope for expanding their pay packet.
*One night Ashley & Juanita finished a gig at H.Q McCarthers in Brisbane, they were walking past this night club where they were drawn in by the solid drum beat, simple & punchy the club was full of people who were dressed for success, cool & chic which is where this song RHYTHM IN FLIGHT was inspired.
* With a brand new drum machine where you could play the beat on pads they came up with ECSTASY well you can guess what that was about!
* After a gig at the Brisbane Casino they packed their gear up in their van and left their bag leaning up against a pole with all their belongings in it, they drove off, by morning time they realized it was left behind and never saw those possessions again, whilst sitting outside having coffee and bumming out, in Eight Mile Plains caravan park, a guitarist friend 'Burney' from Indonesia came over and sparked up a jam, the three of them then wrote this song called IM IN LOVE WITH YOU. Recorded in the Caravan artists were: Ross Nixon on Keys, Neil Wickham on Sax.
* They wanted to use a live drummer on a few songs and met John Barnes a famous drummer around town with a simple pulse beat and a friend Peter Heiderich offered them his loft/studio in a milk factory in West End, Brisbane to record in. They had a dead line because they wanted to make these songs part of the album they were taking to Sweden for their first Tour of Europe set up by a crazy bus driver/blues lover Harry Miller. NO MORE is from past relationships, being hurt too many times and having the courage to say 'No More'!
* HAPPINESS AT NO PRICE speaks for itself, A jazz felt blues type style
*CANT TAKE IT is a song about being fed up of being hurt. A blues feel song, vocals were recorded with a instrument mic 57
* TAKE ME BACK TO A BETTER PLACE was written about New Horizons, Soul Rejuvenation
* Next was the album KEEP IT REAL inspired by trying to live off music, coming up against everyday struggles, and everyday people that made their lives a little bit harder to survive They used to go to Brisbane Train Station, busking two to three days a week starting round 6:30am finishing up around lunch. The album cover was taken in the train station tunnel by Bill Collins, but the recordings were not recorded in the train station, it was extremely hard to record in their due to no power. There are four songs on this album that are already on another album: Cant take it - I felt lucky then - Happiness at no price - No more, were added onto the Growth Album they were originally off this album Keep it Real, but they tried to re-record different versions.
*ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM - Driving in the car to a gig 12hours up the road was were this song was inspired. North of Queensland where the weather gets smoldering hot, with no air-con, window down, hot breeze blowing on your face, arm out the window, where you feel free too yell out real loud, and no one will hear you and feeling satisfied after that.
*KEPT ON WALKING - Looking at your struggles and realizing their not struggles their learning curves, The Strength to Carry in any situation.
*PUPPET ON A STRING - This world is full of people wanting to tell you what you should and shouldnt do, some are right and some are just down right unhappy with their lives they feel the need too pull your strings
*BLUES SINGING WOMAN - Im a blues singing woman, Ill sing you the truth
2006 was when Ashley & Juanita started recording TAKE YOUR TIME Album, an All Bluesy Feel. They met Andy Robertson who had a label called Heartbeat Vynyl where he had a studio set up in his backyard, many nights of tiring recording they finished the album in 6 months ready for their next tour of Europe in 2006 in September. They toured Sweden, Copenhagen, Germany & Greece, with this Album.
*KEEP IT REAL - This song was suppose to be on the Keep it Real Album, they ran out of time, juggling bread & butter gigs and recording etc, so they decided to Take their Time with this number. Keep it Real was inspired of long nights of gigs and trying to remain focused on the goal at hand, trying Not to rely on anyone for anything, realizing that if you want to get things done you have to do it yourself.
*FLY HIGH - Was written in the National Forest of Peachchester, near Glasshouse Mountains in Qld Australia, one night it was so peaceful they were sitting on the veranda listening to the bull frogs and crickets sing their night songs which is where Fly High was inspired. It was written in 1998 and they have recorded many versions of it.
*TIME IS A HEALER - You can always right a great blues song, on a miserable day.
*WHISTLN WIND - Round 3am on Brampton Island off Mackay, QLD Australia The Whitsundays they were inspired to write this song, the wind was howling through the channel, it was so loud when they woke the trees were making images on the white walls of their apartment.
*DOWN TO THE GROUND - Blues type feel, the name speaks for itself
*BLUES SINGING WOMAN - Im a blues singing woman is Juanita with her deep tones, and piecing highs this woman is a blues singing woman
*THE PARTY SONG - An up beat blues/rock tempo to tap your feet too
*ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM - were added to this album because they tried re-recording these with a different version
*KEPT ON WALKING - were added to this album because they tried re-recording these with a different version
*HAPPINESS AT NO PRICE - were added to this album because they tried re-recording these with a different version
TEWEHE NGA - was written by a lady from New Zealand Barney Nicholas and gifted it too Ashley & Juanita, she asked if they could compose the music for the lyrics and they came up with a beautiful version of this song, it is written and sung in the Maori language (national tongue) of NZ, maori mythology, explains the parting of the land and sky Papatuanuku and Ranginui, the version of this song was recorded Live on the Tropics of Capricorn, Australia
TIMELESS MEMORIES - written on the balcony at Noddys Landing a balcony right on the Tropics of Capricorn off Gladstone, QLD The Great Barrier Reef it was written by Ashley, Juanita, Al Hollis, Ingrid Hollis, and Chris Small, inspired one night of getting together with friends and all playing a part in this track.
With a NEW Album on the way Fingerprint have been keeping busy with trying to KEEP IT REAL in Abu Dhabi - U.A.E whilst juggling five nights at Sheraton Khalidiyah they have been trying to finish their long awaited album COLORFUL LIFE. They started recording Colorful Life in 2009 on Brampton Island, when the finance crunch hit Australia they too were laid off, but had the chance to stay on Brampton Island for a month, they started working on this album straight away in their hotel room with their equipment set up in the corner.
Then they were invited to use a friends house in Bellina, NSW that was situated right on the river banks, they stayed their for 1 week and landed another contract back in Abu Dhabi at the Hilton Hemmingways, so they moved once again and set up studio in another hotel room which was up stairs from a Night club, Lebanese club, & a Jazz Bar, because of all the noise they never got much done...So, now their at another hotel and have better access to bar in the morning before the cleaners start working and the Album is still going strong! They dont know when it will be finished but you will be the first to know, besides it is called Colorful Life and the journey they are making with this Album it surely is going to be very Colorful. This is the first album they have had full control of and they feel very positive that it is going to be the start of a fantastic journey of song writing and producing.
