„Der krasseste und unmittelbarste Titel von Jon Hassells „Power Spot“ war für mich ‚Miracle Steps‘. Was ist das für ein Lied? Auch wenn mir die Liner Notes sagen, dass dieser Track eine bearbeitete Trompete und Trommeln enthält, sehe ich nicht, dass diese Objekte diese Geräusche erzeugen. Ich höre eine Mischung aus Lemuren, Elefanten und Zugpfeifen, die neben den Ästen der Bäume, die auf die Erde fallen, zirpen.“ (Katie Gately)
From an old blog entry 2013: The summer of 1990 was tropical – in London. No rain, no fog, no shades of grey under a clear blue sky. We lived in the Pearl Hotel on West Cromwell Road. The photographer was a woman. We liked the special atmosphere in that old hotel with its sweet raga sounds flooding the entrance area. I thought Harold Budd’s masterpiece „The Pearl“ would be the icing on the cake. Breakfast was terrible, making love was fine. I even remember the two Indian restaurants between Earl‘s Court and South Kensington. Within seven days we met writer Peter Ackroyd (boring talk), the late master of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra, Simon Jeffes (such a kind encounter), and trumpet player Jon Hassell (nearly a lecture with windows to another world). We talked about his musical life, the ups and downs of his career, key moments, his time in Cologne with Stockhausen, his time in New York (and Hamilton, Ontario) with Brian Eno, and his then new album „City: Works of Fiction“. The album soundtracked my life in that week, unforgettable. By the way, the Pearl Hotel doesn’t exist any more. (Aftermath 2021: so many great albums. Before and after 1990. Life‘s company. Lifers.)