Think I'll try bumping this thread back to the top and see if any Sandy stories materialise... wish I had some personal memories of my own to do it with...

I always loved her songwriting, and for my money The Attic Tapes captured some of her best performances ever, because of their simplicity and clarity. Just Sandy and piano, without Trevor Lucas' glutinous overdubs that so often marred the commercial recordings. No pressures, this is just a demo, right? The fiercely self-critical Sandy in relaxed mode for once, maybe.

I know I've said this before in some thread or other, but: grab a listen to the demo version of Rising For The Moon which is just voice and her own piano accompaniment. It has an underlying intensity that I much prefer to the more light-hearted version on the finished album. The contrast in rhythms is striking, perhaps because she didn't have a drumkit and was working with only a metronome, or possibly because in the demo she was both playing an instrument AND singing. In any case, the solo effort is darker-toned, driven by a different beat, and for me this makes the song more poignant (especially when you read how torn she was over having to leave her not-always-faithful lover behind while she toured abroad and coped with the demands of her success.) Clinton Heylin's biog No More Sad Refrains is a must-read for anyone who has even a passing interest in this hugely talented and sorely-missed lady.