Touring with Queen, ELO, Van Halen and recording Der Kommissar with After The Fire

Yamaha CS-80 sustain options explained...

Spotify Preview and Island Boys purchase links...

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Café Musica - Island Boys EP out on 16-Aug-2019

will be available on all popular download and streaming services...

click here for the Apple iTunes pre-order offer of £2.49 for all 4 songs

with love...

My Yamaha CS-80 has come home!

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Part Two: The Yamaha CS-80 synthesiser basics explained:



Check out the original music especially composed on this very CS-80 for these videos:
Return of the CS-80
CS-80-f (inspired by 1980-f!)

My Yamaha CS80 reborn on its 40th birthday...

The Rubber Wellies - Pirate Song #TunesDay

Went to see The Rubber Wellies recently at the rather wonderful Folk at the Froize, a monthly or so event in darkest Suffolk which combines live music and delicious food, what could be better?!

I first caught the Wellies at the Greenbelt Festival, at which they will be appearing this year too, and I was hooked. Their song lyrics' apparent charm often camouflage hard hitting social justice messages and therefore their appeal is on multiple levels. The musicianship and relaxed stagecraft is impeccable and ideal for the intimate venue the Froize provides.

I strongly recommend you catch them before they become a distant spec on a massive stage!

P

After The Fire Spotify Chart (for statistics nerds)

Position	Title	Album	Label	12/09/2016
1	Der Kommissar	DK	CBS	1,003,100
2	1980-F	DK	CBS	91,113
3	One Rule For You	DK	CBS	22,792
4	Laser Love	DK	CBS	9,769
5	1984-F	AT2F	AA	8,849
6	Who's Gonna Love You?	DK	CBS	8,121
7	Joy	DK	CBS	7,247
8	Rich Boys	DK	CBS	6,486
9	Starflight	DK	CBS	6,391
10	Dancng in the Shadows	DK	CBS	4,890
11	Love will always make you cry	DK	CBS	4,627
12	Frozen Rivers	DK	CBS	4,578
13	Billy, Billy	DK	CBS	4,454
14	Sailing Ship	DK	CBS	3,411
15	Bright Lights	BBC	AA	2,218
16	Life in the City	BBC	AA	2,102
17	Dance of the Marionette	SoC	AA	1,896
18	Suspended Animation	BBC	AA	1,544
19	Cariba	AT2F	AA	1,470
20	A Little Sun, A Little Rain	BBC	AA	1,375
21	Back to the Light	SoC	AA	1,344
22	Now that I've Found	SoC	AA	1,308
23	Time to Think	BBC	AA	1,229
24	Step by Step	AT2F	AA	1,170
25	Signs of Change	SoC	AA	1,169
26	Like the Power of a Jet	BBC	AA	1,103
27	Pilgrim	SoC	AA	1,060
	ATF post 2005
28	Der Kommissar (re-recorded & remastered)	Single	AA/Cleo	362,551
29	Der Kommissar	OR	RMX	14,400
30	Sometimes	OR	RMX	2,781
31	1980-F	GB+	AA	1,942
32	One Rule For You	OR	RMX	1,710
33	Dungeon Ghyl	OR	RMX	1,497
34	High Fashion	OR	RMX	1,471
35	Laser Love	OR	RMX	1,212
36	Dancing in the Shadows	OR	RMX	1,129
37	You	OR	RMX	1,039

Label Key: CBS = CBS / Epic / Sony : AA = Angel Air Records : Cleo = Cleopatra : RMX = Roughmix

Over the weekend (10th Sept 2016) Der Kommissar went past 1 million plays - so a statistic like that gets me going! Certainly the songs that were singles do well, but there are notable absences that were popular live.

P 

It was thirty years ago...

As listed here: Billboard Charts from 30th April 1983

Although, technically, by 1983 After The Fire was no more we re-convened to film a video ready for the early days of MTV in the US. The first part was filmed in The Venue, Victoria, and then the crew re-created the scene on the top deck of a double decker bus. This was then driven around London during the early morning between 3:00am and 5:00am, I think it was February, with all and sundry getting very cold indeed! Ultimately the video was banned in the UK by the BBC for having the 'scary' tarantula spider. The irony was that when we were filming it was so cold the spider became ultra docile and the only way the owner could get it to stir was to heat the underside of the table with a blowtorch. Suffering for our art... (no animals or insects were harmed in the making of this video).

And we were SO broke!

P

Motif Matters

Here is an example of a musical element that now resides in my composer's toolbox. This is by no means a finished product, just a better quality version of an idea on real piano that I recorded onto my iPhone to capture the inspiration. On the iPhone I tend to use Voice Memos or, if I can lay my hands on it at the time, the Blue Microphones Blue Mikey 2.0 iPhone/iPod Recorder. Then the next stage was to re-record using the Avid / Digidesign ProTools LE (version 7.4.2), two tracks of Nord Stage in real time. Having create an instrumental mix I then 'heard' this soprano vocal part in my head during playback, so promptly added that and re-mixed as above...

Sometimes these 'sketches' are absorbed into complete pieces, such as those included in the collection entitled Sotto Voce on Bandcamp.

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Former CBS record label mates convention....

Had an unexpected reunion with former CBS records labelmate John Cooper Clarke, still strutting his stuff as the definitive punk poet... On the right (my left in the photo) is one of my son's craft stalls (Sam's Wood) with his wooden creations displayed in the Essex town of Wivenhoe, where JCC now resides.

We reminisced about the various shared acquaintances and personalities from those days, compared notes on our life stories since being 'signed' and generally put the world to rights. Have to say his detailed memory from those heady days is impressive, he hasn't aged a bit ;-)

Here is one of my favourite examples of his work:

I wrote the songs that nearly made
The bottom line of the hit parade
Almost anthems, shoulda been hits
Songs like... Puttin' on the Ritz
Some enchanted afternoon
Twenty-four hours to Levenshulme
Dancin' in the daylight, singin' in the smog
You ain't nothin' but a hedgehog
So close and yet so far
Do you remember they way we are
I'd like to get you on a speedboat to china
From an idea by George Steiner
Ain't no blag - uncle's got a brand new jag
Ain't no slouch - mama's got a brand new couch
She ain't heavy, she's my sister
Not to leave out twist and whisper
Brand new leapordskin pillbox glove
Baby you and me we got a greasy kind of love

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Does my bum look big in this?!

I recall it was all a tad stressful as our Ivor had already legged it home to watch the transmission when a technical problem was identified and we were put on standby to re-record.... Fortunately all was well!

P

Making me loud and proud - 1980-f

It is always a brilliant feeling when you hear someone perform your music! I love this exuberant performance, the conductor keeping it vigorous and everyone having a ball, lovely...

Just in case you're wondering, this is what the original sounded like, 1980-f from After The Fire.

P

Fats Domino v Café Musica mashup...

Part of the joy of playing acoustically is the re-discovery of pieces you probably would never consider in an 'amplified' band line-up. Here buddy James and yours truly give Fats Domino's piece 'Be My Guest' the Café Musica treatment at our first ever house gig a few days ago...

And here we play our version of After The Fire's punk anthem 'Time to Think', from ATF's Laser Love album, originally released in 1979.

P

Peter Gabriel - Thought for Sunday

The story behind the song 'In Your Eyes' in the build up to the release of his New Blood CD where Peter Gabriel's songs have been re-interpreted with orchestral arrangements. Peter talks about ambiguity in love songs, of hearing a spiritual 'layer' in addition to the literal interpretation. The topic of 'Redeeming Culture' has been tackled in a number of previous posts including:

• We might as well be strangers - A song from Keane interpreted as the topic of the nativity
• Hymns and Spiritual songs - Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood 'In the presence of the Lord' 
• Music is a Voice of God - Billy Preston and Mary J Blige 'taking it to church' 
• Redemptive Rock and Spiritual Songs - 30 Seconds To Mars music, lyrics and engagement 
• Art, Music and falling short on GodPod - "There's got to be a better song to sing than this?" 
• Redeeming Culture - a video explaining the thinking behind curating mainstream music for church services of worship

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Ten Years After...

Yesterday (Sunday 11th Sept 2011) I was privileged to musically assist my buddy Rob Halligan at one of the events happening on the 10th anniversary of 9/11. Because of the extra security in Grosvenor Square for the BBC live transmission of the afternoon memorial ceremony meant I landed up having to be between the inner 'secure' area and the great outside. So I was only able to watch, from a distance, over the hedge or through the door of one of the BBC outside broadcast trucks whilst being unable to traverse either security cordon. Ironically this restriction then enabled a wider perspective on what was happening all around the square, both being able to witness the various protests and 'unrest' along with hobnobbing with the police and media personnel. At times there were some unusual juxtapositions, for example there was one period when what protestors were shouting through a megaphone blended with very audible music from the Radio 2 Hyde Park concert whilst the Thoresby Colliery Welfare Band brass band deftly played Sir Edward Elgar's sublime 'Nimrod' as the guests were gathering.

Prior to the service Rob was on the media interview 'treadmill', his responses encompassing the virtues of grace, forgiveness, hope and redemption giving the broadcasters an opportunity to explore a sea change in thinking partly fueled by a sense of 9/11 'replay' fatigue. And all this under the shadow of the massive eagle atop the foreboding American embassy to the West. Even the programmes presenter, David Dimbleby, felt some optimism replacing the usual entrenched views when chairing an intriguing Questiontime on 9/11 the preceding week.

Another of the concerns expressed by various commentators is that the repeated showing of films of from that day would inflict pain on grieving relatives all over again. However, whilst sharing one of those precious cuppa moments with Rob yesterday he said that it isn't the footage that gets to him, it is often music that's the trigger to bereavement symptoms. Some songs, some bands and even music that is not Rob's taste all have a powerful effect. Nowadays when there is such a close correlation of news footage and a typical Hollywood blockbuster perhaps we actually become inured to reality once it is repeated so many times?

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Freddie Mercury Google Doodle

Remembering Freddie on his birthdate, who would have been 65 years old today. A rock genius... am privileged to have worked with both Queen and Freddie.

An official tribute and insight (with a smattering of rude words!) to planet Freddie here.

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If music be the food of love...

[ Click for Rob's download page ] [ Click for lyrics & chord chart ]

[ Click for After The Fire's live version of You recorded in 2008 ]

Here we go again! A MEME request has arrived from Graham Peacock, author of one of my regular blog reads, diggingalot, which means it would be rude not to respond! Although, I have to say, I was going to leave this particular debate alone for a while, despite having lots to say on the matter and much more than I will be able to here!

However, this does give me an opportunity, as I have been so warmly invited, to spell out a handful of things that seriously bug me! Graham's MEME asks for 'Your best contemporary worship song ever' but let's get some things straight first:

1. There is NO SUCH THING as Christian Music, CCM or whatever...
2. There is NO SUCH THING as Worship Music...
3. There is NO SUCH THING as Sacred Music...
4. There is NO SUCH THING as Secular Music...
5. Music itself is NOT Worship - although music can be worshipful...
6. Music IS often Spiritual - more on this in a future post...
7. There IS such a thing as a priority to care for the sick, the oppressed, the poor, the downtrodden and the immigrant...

Let's emphasise this with is an important quote in Rob Bell's book Velvet Elvis:

Something can be labeled 'Christian' and not be true or good. It is possible for music to be labeled Christian and be terrible music. Just because it is a Christian book by a Christian author and it was purchased in a Christian bookstore doesn't mean it is all true or good or beautiful. A Christian political group puts me in an awkward position: What if I disagree with them? Am I less of a Christian? What if I am convinced the 'Christian' thing to do is to vote the exact opposite?

'Christian' (the word) is a great noun but a poor adjective.

Another issue with using 'Christian' and 'Worship' as adjectives coupled with the word music has meant that both new commercial opportunities and new genres have arisen over the years. These have led to sub-standard product being peddled to churches and Christians in preference to most mainstream music on the grounds the former is more sanctified. It is not! It is simply not as good as the mainstream equivalent, often a poor quality sound-alike!

I recall Francis Schaeffer said something along the lines of 'you can have good art with good message, bad art with a good message, good art with a bad message and finally bad art with a bad message'. My opinion (yes, opinion!) is the stuff described as 'Christian Music' and 'Worship Music' falls into the latter category. Why don't we see the image of the Creator in so much of the mainstream music / art that is there ready made to utilise in church?

In a service of divine worship music needs to enhance, encourage and engage the congregation. It should not be an opportunity to proselytise, pander to personal preferences or perform for performance's sake. Music must be an integrated element of the liturgy, whatever style the latter follows. Even worse, this type of music is all too often delivered in such an inappropriate, mind numbing, ear bleeding and indecipherable form that still doesn't hide its naffness! Of course, worship does not necessarily take place within a church anyway, it can and, perhaps, should, happen everywhere... that's a debate.

Although I do not think such a thing as 'contemporary worship music' exists I will just mention contemporary hymns. I do concede that songwriter Stuart Townend has created some moving hymnody, (good art, good message), for example, 'How Deep The Father's Love', which is distinctly different from the usual modern churchy fare.

Having said all that, I have made a suggestion above, simply entitled 'You', which is a song that readily engages me in worship. It is by my buddy Rob Halligan, singer / songwriter extrordinaire and also the lead singist in After The Fire. It spells out grandness, it quotes the good book, it employs poetic imagery, it evokes discipleship and even a personal response but not as a simpering request to cuddle up to Jesus. It is just at home in the set list when we play a full on mainstream concert or in a liturgical church service, thereby breaking any divide between the sacred and secular.

I know this only just scratches the surface, my plea is to leave the veil of the Temple riven.

PB

Candlemas Rocker Service...

Clearly Archdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley has the gift of prophecy as the posting on Saturday 29th; 'Middle Age Rocker Service' was somewhat matched by the real thing this Sunday. In many ways 'Middle Aged' is on the gracious side for After The Fire (ATF) and our extra team of acoustic musicians (no Fender Squier but we did have a genuine Dobro) in our nine piece ensemble. Also whilst our repertoire, although ambitious and not quite as adventurous as Voodoo Chile, I must gently point out we did not actually play 'Joy' during the offertory this time...!

Here is the list of spiritual songs we played that formed the Musical Liturgy:

Sometimes - After The Fire
Help - The Beatles
How Deep the Father's Love - Hymn
Ride Back Home - John Mellencamp
Are We Alright - Steve Knightley/Show of Hands
When the Trumpet of the Lord shall Sound - Hymn
I'll Fly Away - Hymn
Dark Side, I'm not an Angel - After The Fire
Time To Think - After The Fire
Meet Me - Rob Halligan
Laser Love - After The Fire
Jesus! What a Friend for sinners - Hymn
Did Trouble Me - Susan M. Werner / Tom Jones
You - Rob Halligan
Here is Love - Hymn

If doubts overcome, then check it out! Download the whole order of service sheet here!

ATF return to the full rock edition later this month, with US made Strats, February 26th, Rock for Fairtrade, Burgess Hill and then a Water project fundraiser here on Mersea Island on 19th March.

P

The shuffling first fifteen meme...

 

1) Turn on your MP3 player or music player on your computer.
2) Go to SHUFFLE songs mode.
3) Write down the first 15 songs that come up–song title and artist–NO editing/cheating, please.

1. The boy with no name – Travis
2. Are we alright? - Show of Hands
3. Bring 'em all in - Mike Scott
4. He never said - Martyn Joseph
5. Blood red sky - Seth Lakeman
6. Why does my heart feel so bad? - Moby
7. Superhuman touch - Athlete
8. I grieve - Peter Gabriel
9. Black swan song - Athlete
10. Also Sprach Zarathustra - 2001 Space Odyssey
11. Chasing cars - Snow Patrol
12. You (Live 2008) - After The Fire
13. Somebody told me - The Killers
14. '40' - U2
15. Walking into battle with the Lord - Chumbawamba

I supposed I am slightly puzzled this list is relatively contemporary yet my overall library is substantially more varied Intriguing that over 50% are bands that have played at the Greenbelt Festival over the years...

Thanks for the tag Phil, if you haven't been tagged yet, go for it anyway (that's you, that is!).