This records an early working of Passion and Pain before all parts and arrangements were finalised.
Pumping Iron comments upon the world of heavy exercising, bodybuilding and the whole culture around it. Grant says it was written as a song to be played in gyms and as an intense dance type piece.
Grant wrote the lyrics and melody lines and programmed bass and percussion parts along with some additional manual percussion and various keyboard phrases. Laurence fleshed out, wrote and played all other keyboard parts. The piece was recorded at Peter Ind’s Bass Clef studios in Hoxton, London. Grant wishes to thank Texan Ralph Wildman for his time and production particularly on both Pumping Iron and Passion and Pain.
The song is about searching for space to think. Through dealing with adversity and varied challenges, hope can shine through.
The writing process was that Grant brought the lyrics, melody lines and drum tracks to Laurence. On the recording Grant sings and plays a few keyboard phrases and Laurence plays all other keyboard parts against the programmed percussion tracks. The track was recorded at Porcupine Studios with Ted Taylor at the controls.