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The Isca radio gig was the first one, and because of its rather easy going and informal intimate atmosphere, that was the one I enjoyed the most. That had been arranged by the D.J. Doug Parish. We didn't only just play four songs; this was also turned into an interview as well. Doug has been a staunch supporter of my work for some years now, and we writers and artists would never get anywhere without such support! Two days later it was another three song spot on the open mike at the Bradninch Folk Festival. This time in front of a live audience, and it was all conducted in a lovely pub atmosphere (in the garden of The White Lion)) on a brilliant sunny day. Once again Colin, who lives in the village, supported me. And we were applauded, rather boisterously, after each song. Then it was a mad dash down the road for my finale interview with Doug on an internet radio station. Thus ended a perfect weekend!
Kings Lynn
I made the journey to Pete's place in Kings Lynn on the train, dragging my trusty old Epiphone (33 years old and still serving me well!) with me. Now rather oddly, especially after my recent gigs in Devon, I was consumed with stage fright on this one! I guess because I was on my own, and one does feel somewhat vulnerable standing solitary in the spotlight! However, we all moved to a pub afterwards where, once the Guinness began to flow, I calmed down a bit. It was a different atmosphere altogether and I rattled off a couple of songs with no qualms whatsoever. Ah! The power of Guinness! It was there that I was privileged to meet a guy called Richard and his band. They were impressive and I was reminded so very much of my early days in Stonefield Tramp, and even later when I formed my own band New Morning. It's such a good feeling having a band of your own, maybe one day I'll be in a position to be able to do something about that. I certainly hope so anyway.
Red Sky Descending
Those two days at the FFG studio, with my producer David, were most useful, for I was able to catch up with all of the updates, and after a good listen to the vocals decided to re-record two of them. The recordings are taking shape and the 16 songs are now beginning to develop the texture and flavour of a fully fledged album. Since leaving the studio back in mid July there have been further updates with completed session work from Phil Beer from 'Show of Hands' and Pete Kiely from 'Stonefield Tramp.' That only leaves a couple of harmonica tracks from another 'Stonefield Tramp' man, Brian Balster and the mixing sessions can commence. This album has been a joy to work on and is well on schedule for a release date in early December.
St Paul's Cathedral
It was a privilege and an honour to be one of the lucky 2000 that managed to obtain tickets for the service at St Paul's Cathedral in London, on wednesday the 10th of September, to commemorate the end of Operation banner and to remember fallen comrades. Over 300,000 of us took part in that long and bitter campaign, and I sincerely hope that it is indeed the end of the conflict, and not just a lull! For I would hate to think that all of those service men and women who paid the finale price did not do so in vain!
Stonefield Tramp
Still no news on a release date! But as soon as I have any positive information it will be posted on this website. And now that I have got up to date with things, I shall bid you all farewell until the next time.
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News-May 2008.
Spring seems to have finally burst forth in all it's splendour, and how nice to actually feel warm again! We are currently enjoying lots of blue skies and sunshine, and may it ever remain so!
Gigs
During a weekend trip to Devon in June I shall be playing a few songs on Isca Radio on Friday evening the 6th. This will be for my good friend Doug Parish, who has very kindly offered to be 'mine host' for my wife and myself for this weekend. I'm looking forward to a few hikes across Exmoor! On Sunday the 8th I shall be appearing, in the garden of the White Lion pub in Bradninch, and performing a few songs with my friend Colin Wilson and his band 'The Boys From Melbourne Street'. That's going to be fun, especially with a few glasses of the Irish brew thrown in to calm the inevitable stage fright! See you all there! I also have a date, at an acoustic night at a pub called The Green Quay in Kings Lynn, with my good friend Pete Kiely from 'Stonefield Tramp' on the 14th.
Red Sky Descending
In July I shall be spending two days at David's FFG studio in Bredon mixing a few songs from my new album. Where I will also be joined by Brian Balster, yet another 'Stonefield Tramp' stalwart, who will be adding his touch of acoustic magic to some of my songs. So nice to be working on new material. Let us hope that this year's summer is a vast improvement on last years! Farewell for now.
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News-March 2008.
I think we can all agree that that was a very mild winter, although it is not quite over, and I may yet be made to eat those hastily uttered words of mine! Let us recap on the two current projects...
Stonefield Tramp
Be patient, if you please, for we are nearly there! Yes, as I type these words, last minute checks are being done on the project's art work. I have also seen the proposed design of the T shirt and can now inform you that it is linked to the CD cover and the song 'Luna Bianca'.
Red Sky Descending
My own album project in David's FFG studio in Bredon is slowly taking shape. Kevin Brown, who last sessioned for me on the 'Beneath a Pale Moon' album, was in the studio on Wednesday January the 16th, laying down some guitar on one of the tracks. I recently bumped into Phil Beer at Hitchin Folk club on February the 24th. Always good to see Phil who has also been beavering away on my behalf on this album! Later on this year I expect to be rejoined by my two friends from Stonefield Tramp, Brian Balster and Pete Kiely, when they both add their input to this project. It's so nice to know that my songs are in such versatile and gifted hands! Thanks guys! I deeply appreciate all that you do for me.
A Long, Long War
I am pleased, and honoured, to be able to promote Ken's book on my website, and from the 1st of April you will be able to purchase this item from here. For those of us that took part in it, it was indeed a long, long war. And I'm sure there were times when we thought that it might never end! Thankfully it has. Check out the new 'Ulster Songbook' page on this website.
The Alamo
I recently had an e mail from Allen Wiener, from Washington, informing me that his book on Alamo related music is being published in October this year. I am pleased to be able to tell you that my Alamo song gets a mention! And that's all the news for now, until next time then, take it easy out there.
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News-November 2007.
There has been a fair amount of activity on
several fronts since the last News report
on this website. Let's begin with the Stonefield
Tramp update.
Stonefield
Tramp
It has now been decided that a hand finished
T shirt will be part of the package on the
first 500 copies of the vinyl and CD package
of the bands new album 'Full Circle'. Like
the vinyl album, each T shirt will be individually
numbered. Although Rob Van Spyk has yet to
make a finale decision on the actual numbers
of this limited edition project, rumour has
it that it will only be 1000 pressings. I
am also very pleased to announce that the
download website www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk
has chosen a song from this album to feature
on an album issued by them to celebrate autumn
and winter. The album is called 'All Souls
Arise' and the song is 'The Winter King' which
was written by, and features the vocal of,
Brian Balster. This is the first time Brian
has submitted a song for a Stonefield Tramp
album and everyone in the band are honoured
that this song has also been chosen to feature
in this compilation album by Woven Wheat Whispers.
You can find a link to the Woven Wheat Whispers
website on both the Home and Links page of
this, my website, where you will be able to
hear Brian's song in full.
New Projects Release
It is always nice to see a satisfactory conclusion
to a recording project and in the beginning
of October two new CD's were launched on my
website. They are my recent studio collaboration
with Letchworth band 'Alter Ego'. The album
'Beneath a Pale Moon' which has a distinct
country flavour to it. This is the collection
of songs that have been mixed and mastered
by my good friend Pete Kiely from Stonefield
Tramp, and a fine job he did too! Thanks Peter!
The second CD was my own 'Folk Flavoured'
version of my cherished 18 minute long song
'The Alamo.' Recorded, mixed and mastered
at the FFG studio in Bredon. Downloads for
both of these projects will soon be available
on the Woven Wheat Whispers website. Once
again I was joined in the studio on my Alamo
project by Brian Balster from Stonefield Tramp
and Phil Beer from Show of Hands. Gentlemen,
as always, you have done me proud! And I cannot
leave this subject without giving special
thanks to my two pals in the studio, David
Pick and Dave Draper. For, as I am sure you
can well imagine, the engineering and production
tasks were immense!
Barbados
A family trip to Barbados needed to be undertaken
as that was the location that my eldest daughter
Fiona had chosen to be married. And I have
to say that I thought she had chosen well,
both in her future husband and the wedding
location. It was so nice to be experiencing
that good old tropical atmosphere again and
it reminded me so much of the two years that
I had lived in Singapore/Malaya in the late
sixties. The wedding went off perfectly, despite
the weather! Oh yes, you can go all that way
and still get rain and grey sky! But, luckily,
there was a large enough break in the rain
to allow the ceremony to go forward without
a hitch and outdoors too! And, of all things,
the lady that took the photographs, was also
the photographer for the recent Tiger Woods
wedding. And I shall be installing some photos
into the Gallery shortly. I will say though
that it was very, very warm dressed up in
that suit! There was still a week to go afterwards
and a very relaxing time was had by all and
I finally got to get a decent tan! Going down
in the submarine to view coral reefs was good,
as was being able to witness a Turtle come
up onto the beach one night and lay its eggs.
Fact is, most days, we were accompanied by
a couple of them every time we went in the
sea. I must say returning to the normality
of the daily grind in the work place after
a holiday like that was not easy. My tan is
fading away already and May seems a very long
time off! Until the next time then, take it
easy out there!
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News-August 2007
Here we are, about half way through August,
and at long last a turn around in the weather!
And about time too! June and July were just
as patheticly devoid of sunshine and warmth
as was May! But for the last week or so it
has been much better. By now I normally have
a rather nice tan, not so this year and I
have spent the last week catching up with
things regarding the sunshine! It would be
nice to have a firm foundation for our family
trip to Barbados later this year. Well now,
that's enough of idle gossip, let's talk music!
Beneath a Pale Moon
Next week I shall be with my production people
at SRT in St Ives, near Cambridge, for the
mastering session for the new Album 'Beneath
a Pale Moon' and the new version of my 'Alamo'
song. My good friend Simon will be working
his usual magic and I am expecting to be able
to launch both new projects on this website
by the end of September.
Another Message from the White House
Yes indeed! That White House! Which was nice
to get, for it was confirmation that the specially
framed edition of the limited edition Alamo
print had safely made its way to the Presidents
ranch in Crawford, Texas. This time the card
was signed by both the President and the First
Lady, and I'd like to thank them both for
their kind acknowledgement of my gift.
Stonefield Tramp
The new album 'Full Circle' is now in its
finale stages of production. When released
it will be as a limited edition package of
a vinyl and cd copy of 2000 copies only. With
the cd version containing more songs than
the vinyl one. The cd is also being issued
with two slightly differant front covers,
one for the American market only, and the
other for the U.K. and the rest of the world.
I have no intention of explaining why this
is being done and, in any case, it will not
be all that long before you will be able to
find out for yourselves! Be patient now, for
the hour approaches!
FFG in Bredon
I have booked a date for a recording session
at the studio in Bredon this month in order
to lay down a new song that I have recently
written. I am rather proud of it, and certainly
intend to add it onto the new contemporary
album that I am working on with big David
and wee Dave.
Tewkesbury Floods
I regret to inform you all that my dear friend
Brian, a founder member of Stonefield Tramp
and a staunch companion in the recording studio
on many of my songs, was also a victim of
the recent devastating floods. He has lost
everything from the downstairs section of
his home and no doubt faces a long and expensive
struggle to regain his losses! I'm sure you
will all join me in wishing both him and his
wife Julia a swift return to normality from
their present dilemma.
A Live Performance
A rather rare thing for me! It occurred in
Stoke on Trent on Monday the 4th of June as
I attended one of my beloved former military
Boarding School reunions. That school being
Prince Rupert School in Wilhelmshaven in Germany.
I blame those pints of Beer that my good friend
Derek got for me after the main evenings sit
down dinner. It was rather late, and I was
feeling very relaxed, when, another dear friend,
Jenny pulled me into the bar where a couple
of the guys were fooling around with a guitar.
She leaned down and asked me if I was going
to play anything. I suddenly found myself
striding forward, I grabbed the guitar and
played 'Miss You' and 'Wild Blows the Wind.'
Jenny wanted me to do 'In a Wind Swept Cemetery'
as it is one of her favourites. However, as
no capo could be found, I had to let her down.
One of the other girls leaned over and asked
me if I wrote my own songs. I replied that
I did. She said 'Well, they are good ones.'
I don't get feedback like that very often
and it's so nice when it happens. I love those
reunions for, to me, they are a very important
link to what I refer to as my 'lost childhood.'
Jenny also declared herself to be my number
one fan, which rather took me by surprise,
and delight I may add! And for those of you
with a Sherlock Holmes tendancy, she is indeed
the Jenny in the gallery page of this website
and holding onto the earlier Alamo cd at the
Shrine itself in San Antonio, Texas.
And that is all for this time. I expect on
my next visit I may well have one or two tales
of Barbados to mention.
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