THE WAY WE LIVE

THE WAY WE LIVE

Genres: Progressive rock, rock, 70s, folk, UK

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About THE WAY WE LIVE

The Way We Live were an English rock group formed in 1966 in Rochdale, Lancashire. Emerging from the British beat and psychedelic rock scenes of the late 1960s, the band is chiefly remembered for recording the 1971 album A Candle for Judith, after which the group adopted the name Tractor. Their music blended psychedelic rock, progressive rock, and blues influences, and the band developed a small but lasting reputation within the British underground rock scene. The group originated as a school band at Balderstone School in Rochdale and initially performed as a local beat group during the mid-1960s. Early lineups included guitarist and vocalist Jim Milne, drummer Steve Clayton, bassist Michael “Slim” Batsch, and vocalist Alan Burgess. Over time the lineup condensed, with Milne and Clayton becoming the central creative partnership. The band collaborated with sound engineer John Brierley, who constructed homemade recording equipment and helped the group develop a distinctive studio-oriented sound. A demo tape recorded by the band attracted the attention of influential BBC Radio 1 DJ John Peel, who co-ran the independent label Dandelion Records with music executive Clive Selwood. Impressed by the group’s recordings, Selwood signed them to the label. The band recorded their debut album in London in a short studio session, completing the material in only a few days. Released in January 1971, A Candle for Judith—named after Clayton’s girlfriend, later his wife—received positive critical attention in the British music press and was praised for its musicianship and emotional intensity. Following the album’s release, John Peel encouraged the band to adopt a new name. According to the group, Peel suggested the name “Tractor” after noticing a tractor in a field near his home in Suffolk. Under the new name, the band continued recording and performing, with their first post-name-change release being the single “Stoney Glory” for Dandelion Records. Although The Way We Live existed only briefly under that name, the project occupies an important place in the early history of Tractor. The album A Candle for Judith later gained cult status among collectors of British psychedelic and progressive rock, and the recordings have been reissued in expanded editions in subsequent decades. The work remains notable for its raw production, experimental approach, and the intense guitar playing of Jim Milne, which John Peel once described as among the most compelling he had heard.

Taken from Last.fm

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