A COUNTY band have launched an album that has been 20 years in the making, recorded in “essentially a garden shed”.

Mike Cullen, originally from Haddington and now living in Prestonpans, has released his first original music album with his band Big Wave.

The group faced several hurdles, including limited opportunities to have all seven members together, resulting in the album taking two decades to create.

Mike produced, mixed and recorded most of the collection, titled The Heat Death of the Universe, alongside a 30-year career as a writer.

He said: “I had to go and learn to do everything myself. I had to learn to become a recording engineer and a mixing engineer. I basically taught myself online how to do it.

“Each one was like doing a degree.”

The drums and bass were recorded in a studio in Edinburgh, and then everything else was recorded in what Mike described as “essentially a garden shed”.

Typically used as an office in the garden of his house in Prestonpans, the shed is where Mike does most of his writing – including the lyrics for all 11 songs on the album.

The band members, most of whom live in Haddington, have busy lives, and getting together to record or practise has been difficult.

Mike said: “Everybody was just volunteering and doing it free – they just liked the songs and wanted to do it.

“It took a very long time to do.

“You can’t get these guys in a room together for any length of time.

“So here we are now, 20 years later, released finally – it’s been great to get it off my back!”

The band launched their new album with a gig at The Railway in Haddington in June.

Rehearsing for the gig once again proved tricky, as the band were unable to practise together, and so they did the launch as a four-piece, featuring two guitars, bass and drums.

Following a successful gig and release of the album, Mike is hoping to put together a tour later this year.

The Heat Death of the Universe can be purchased as a CD or on several music streaming platforms via bigwavemusic.uk/heres-the-album