Laudate Pueri!

Getting ready for Saturday's concert. The sackbuts and cornetts are coming ...

I'm trying to get into my Latin meanings of these psalms. Dixit Dominus is so fierce and warlike. My favourite is Nisi Domini. What a great concept that is to sing, 'unless the lord [does so and so]' because the lines are so full of opposites, it gets very complex emotionally, and that complexity really goes with Monteverdi's wonderful music.

In contrast to this intricate emotion it's great to let go in our highly accomplished group on the simple praise songs - 'Lauda Jerusalem!' That one ends the first half. It's going to be magnificent.

Delia Derbyshire - Pauline Sewards

The very lovely poet Pauline Sewards who I am so proud to call a friend and I share a mutual interest - in Delia Derbyshire and the BBC Radiophonic workshop. Pauline has written a beautiful poem about her, and she's kindly allowed me to post it here. Thanks Pauline.

Delia Derbyshire

We are in one of those places that isn’t quite anywhere -
the hard shoulder of the M62
Retuning the radio,
the sound comes through
in querulous spikes -
the voice of Delia Derbyshire
syncopates the night

She did her work back in the sixties,
a Sasooned and mini-skirted Goddess of Geeks,
only years later got credit due
she was with Oram and Grainger
in the Radiophonic workshop
but Delia wrote the music to Dr Who

Images of outer space
inside the eyelids of your inner space
evoke those long ago
Saturday egg and chip teatimes when
Delia’s multi phased sonic innovations
reeled us in to the tingling
Science fiction comfort zone.
Fractal patterns breaking
in a world where identity slips
and time trips over and over

She was the Queen of synaesthesia
if you can have synaesthesia in black and white

And now we are stuck in this car
on the highway,
if we could see through the fog
to the other side of the motorway
we‘d be watching our younger selves
coming the other way

Is it interference in between stations?
Or does the voice of Delia Derbyshire
syncopate the night?

The Shepherd

Hey! It's sounding good! Wonder what Matt will think when I play it him tonight.

I like this studio malarkey it's like cooking.

William Blake remix

I thought it was time I put my money where my mouth is and had a go at doing a William Blake album remix myself. So I am engaging with The Shepherd. At least it's an excuse to learn a bit more about Sony Acid. I've managed to stretch a time loop today. It's all an adventure. I'm going to put some doo wop vocals beneath the line.

Friday night in Brighton and a headmaster

Had a lovely trip to Brighton Friday evening to play upstairs at the Three and Ten club. It was hosted by the lovely Jonny Fluffypunk who has a brilliant moustache and is terribly genial. I really like his material.

Also met the whimsical and delightful Project Adorno who did a very beautiful number about Germaine Greer, one of my great heroines. They had a lovely mask of her and one of the duo did a nice dance wearing it. They are smart boys with nice hair and suits. However, they live in Surrey, so John Citizen's idea that they would give me a lift home wasn't a good one.

Fortunately I got the ten past eleven train back to London, and on it met a delightful headmaster of an independent school. I showed him a proof print of the cover of my forthcoming poetry collection which seemed to impress, and gave him a copy of my CD. Apparently he makes stained glass and plays the cello. It was a gorgeous and unexpected late night transport encounter.

CocoRosie

Not sure what I really make of CocoRosie. I like the experimentation and playfulness though, and I'm always interested in two voice stuff. They say this is important to their sound. I'm looking forward to doing some two voice experiments with Matt as our duo gets going. It's already sounding good last rehearsal, strumming together on the boat, singing in unison and harmony.

This is a nice picture of the two sisters fully clothed in the bath. It's a popular look for the 'quirky'. I don't have a bath, and neither does Matt so perhaps we could take a picture of ourselves in the shower. But I don't think that would advertise the music very well.

Sydenham Radio

Thurs eve I went to Sydenham to do Ashley Cowan's Open Mic show ... was excellent. Did three songs and lovely Ashley videoed us which was nice. I'll try and get the link sorted.

My good friend Daren Callow was also on the show. He says he'll do a Blake remix. Must remember to send him some tracks. At this rate I'll have to do some new ones.