Needless Alley by Jon Wilks

I took my time with this album. Lots of time. Some of these songs began decades ago, others are only a few months old, but once they started to gather, they seemed to belong together. They came from different places — late-night memories, unfinished scraps, overheard lines, old friendships, familiar streets — but gradually they settled into something that felt whole. If you're looking for a thread, maybe it’s the way we carry the past with us, whether we mean to or not. For me, the album is a patchwork of memories. This is what you'd find if you rummaged around in my head for an afternoon.

Tracklist

1.	Could You Be the One?	3:59

2.	Gotta Keep an Eye on My Lover	3:54
3.	Strung Out on the Line (ft. Ellie Gowers)	4:25

4.	Montagu Whaler	3:37
5.	You'll Do Right By Me	2:56
6.	Needless Alley	3:11
7.	Song For a Friend	5:09
8.	All On a Solstice Night	4:46
9.	Mine is the Sun	4:09
10.	Willow	2:53

Credits

releases September 29, 2025

All songs written by Jon Wilks, except:
Strung Out on the Line – written by Ellie Gowers and Jon Wilks
Montagu Whaler – written by Nigel "Bernie" Bruen

Produced by Joe Sartin & Jon Wilks
Engineered and mixed by Albert Hansell
Mastered by Nick Cooke
Recorded at:
• Wildgoose Studios
• Whitebird Farm
• West Cottage
• Studio 131

Artwork by Alex Merry
Photography by Jon Nice & Kai Wilks
Design by Darren Evans

Ellie Gowers is published by Groove Bound Songs/ Bucks Music Group Ltd

Musicians
Rich Davies – bass
Lukas Drinkwater – double bass
Tamsin Elliott – accordion and Irish whistle
Ellie Gowers – vocals (Strung Out On the Line)
Nick Hart – viola da gamba
Albert Hansell – melodeon
Laurence Hunt – drums and percussion
Jon Nice – keyboards; electric guitar (Could You Be the One?)
Jackie Oates – backing vocals (Could You Be the One?)
Joe Sartin – backing vocals (Could You Be the One?)
Kai Wilks – electric rhythm guitar (Mine Is the Sun)
Jon Wilks – vocals; acoustic and electric guitars; bass and piano (Needless Alley); organ (You’ll Do Right By Me)

Instruments
Jon Wilks plays a custom Fylde Falstaff, a 1962 Martin 000-18, and a Swannell IA electric guitar.

With huge thanks to our Executive Producer, Andrew Green, and his fellow Kickstarter supporters:
Richard Banks, John Beha, Stuart Biggs, Benjamin Chubb, Denis and Wendy Canning, James Finch, Chris Green, Mike Green, Guy Haslam, Jon Hollis, Chris Holmes, Mark Kerrison, Em Kuntze, Nathan Lee, Peter Lord, Stephen McNamara, David McLean, Caroline Mumford, Ellen Rawson, Mark Woodman, Nigel Wood, Nick Wilsdon, Warren Wigutow

Extra special thanks go to Emi, Hana and Kai, Mum & Rob, my agent, Claire P, and to Ellie G, Angeline M, Joe F, Jackie O, Jim M, Rasheed R, and Alex M for listening and encouraging so much and so often. Also to the Grizzly Folk and the Wildgoose boys for making this album glow with the warmth of kinship. To Doug and Sue Bailey for having us at their beautiful studio, and to Sherry Neyhus for her encouragement and wisdom.

Your support made this album possible. Thank you.

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