Amnesia

"Amnesia" is the fifth studio album by Richard Thompson, recorded and released in 1988. After Across a Crowded Room and Daring Adventures had not troubled the compilers of hit parades, Polydor declined their option to renew their contract with Thompson. Thompson's then manager Gary Stamler negotiated a deal with Capitol Records and Thompson cut his first album for his new label in 1988. This was a good time for Thompson to be at Capitol. The label was managed by Hale Milgrim at the time and Milgrim was a fan of Thompson and his work. Thus Capitol invested more money and effort into promoting Thompson than had been the case in the past and with other labels. Mitchell Froom was retained as producer, and the album was again recorded in Los Angeles with American session musicians providing most of the backing. Thompson still used British players to lend specifically British touches to some songs. In particular long-time collaborators John Kirkpatrick, Aly Bain and Philip Pickett are used, and members of the Fairey Engineering Band provide a brass backing to I Still Dream that owes more to the Salvation Army than it does to Memphis or any other American centre of music.