You are what you Tweet... #openingceremony

Just in case you missed it... some great appearances in my tweetline:

@memorybanks: It's the taking part... Volunteeer actor Neil Smith reveals all: http://t.co/UYhNjYom #olympics

@kesterbrewin: Really spot on review of Olympic #OpeningCeremomy by @sarahlyall: http://t.co/AEzgXOtv < first sentence nails it.

@dpcmike: For those who'd like to understand the the Opening Ceremony a bit more… a superb & quick explanation! http://t.co/ghqWlZD2

@SimonGCutmore: Los Angeles Times review "it was bloody well wonderful.. part Charles Dickens, part Benny Hill". http://t.co/3R3C5k3J

@CityFaiths: Danny Boyle Olympics opening ceremony and Britains cultural landscape http://t.co/mqpsplax via @guardian - Good piece on amazing ceremony

@simonmayo: "Danny Boyle wins the Gold": The New Yorker's brilliant verdict on the humour & generosity of the opening ceremony http://t.co/84KrIIQV

@MartinWroe: 'Bespoke both destiny of Christian elect and pagan air of festival - elegiac, rejoicing.' #openingceremony http://t.co/v0vajpk5

@gtomlin: "A great empire, gone. Military might, ebbing. Sense of humor, very much intact" (Washington Post) #olympics

@dianabutlerbass: Beijing celebrated conformity; Britain celebrates creativity. #OpeningCeremony

@pmphillips: Danny Boyle: "Our show was the volunteers' show. If you want to judge us as an island, these people are the best of us" http://t.co/2iaKtO2W

@maggidawn: This is great: last para of Boyle's programme notes. http://t.co/Cj39Xnt4

@BBCBreaking: In pictures: The Olympic opening ceremony - the fireworks and the flames, David Beckham and Usain Bolt http://t.co/UOCZxcld #bbc2012

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We all had to start somewhere...

Along with many others I am indebted to this book which I was given with my first guitar. What a legacy Bert leaves, becoming more successful as the author of this guide than as a performer and above all for creating an initial introductory milestone for so many players.

Bert will be remembered for this book, whilst Jim Marshall will be remembered for effectively defining the rock guitar sound, both lives are to be celebrated...

PB

Dream on...!

Things aren't always the way they seem...

h/t Mike Friesen

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Out of the roof came forth sweetness...

Have lived below a colony of wild bees for the last five years who have kindly created all this honeycomb (4.5 cubic feet) ready for some seriously local honey to be extracted. East Mersea's bee man Peter Inson both supervised opening up the roof and safe removal of the bees which will now be under his care. He estimates this haul should produce around 80lbs of honey with a shelf life of ~4,000 years!

OK Go nail it yet again!

Breathtaking!

Offical blurb:

The new music video from OK Go, made in partnership with Chevrolet. OK Go set up over 1000 instruments over two miles of desert outside Los Angeles. A Chevy Sonic was outfitted with retractable pneumatic arms designed to play the instruments, and the band recorded this version of Needing/Getting, singing as they played the instrument array with the car. The video took 4 months of preparation and 4 days of shooting and recording. There are no ringers or stand-ins; Damian took stunt driving lessons. Each piano had the lowest octaves tuned to the same note so that they'd play the right note no matter where they were struck. For more information and behind-the-scenes footage, see http://www.LetsDoThis.com and http://www.okgo.net. Many thanks to Chevy for believing in and supporting such an insane and ambitious project, and to Gretsch for providing the guitars.

Director: Brian L. Perkins & Damian Kulash, Jr.
Director of Photography: Yon Thomas
Editor: Doug Walker
Producer: Luke Ricci

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Head Full Of Doubt / Road Full Of Promise

Lots to love about this video which interprets the song in both an abstract and complimentary way without resorting to literal imagery whilst still using a mainly 'traditional' approach... Also see how the video was put together here by artist Jason Mitcham who discusses the project with one of the The Avett Brothers founder members Scott Avett.

If the video above is unavailable in your country, try this link.

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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.

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We remember them - may angels lead you in

May angels lead you in,
Hear you me my friends,
On sleepless roads the sleepless go,
May angels lead you in.

From the song Hear You Me by Jimmy Eat World

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Greece in crisis, Captain Corelli time...

Colchester's Mercury Theatre has this incredible knack of running a production that has an uncanny amount of synchronicity to current affairs. And they've scored yet again with this intriguing depiction of Louis de Bernières novel 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', a collaboration between the Mercury and the Kote Marjanishvili Theatre of Tbilisi, Georgia. The play features both live action from a trim cast of five supplemented by a series of puppets playing both mini versions of the main on-stage characters and other parts.

What was no surprise was the compelling quality of the acting and the stage production, the latter not only providing stunning visual effects but also giving Health and Safety a scare with so much exposed naked flame! The puppetry really came into its own in the 2nd act, whereas in the first, whilst admiring the impressive technical skill, I found myself occasionally wondering what it added apart from the show stealing pet goat. As mentioned, in the 2nd part the interface between real and puppet action became an essential element, able to sensitively depict the harrowing scenes that are so distressing in the book (and film) without lessening any dramatic impact.

All the action is set on the Greek Island Cephallonia (Kefalonia) which suffered Italian and then German occupation during the 2nd World War. The characters are given more time to develop their personae than in the film and, one of leading actors, Mike Maran, is, indeed, credited for this excellent adaptation. He plays the long suffering Dr Iannis who opens the play with one of the most memorable scenes, as depicted above. Captain Corelli is cast as a bit of a buffoon! Having said that, Tony Casement plays him brilliantly, both as romeo and as the commander of his squad of loyal but slightly reluctant soldiers. Roger Delves-Boughton plays both Corelli's Quartermaster and the humorous British Spy, 'Roger', would you believe? Mr Bond, I presume?! Mandras, the local Greek fisherman was played by Gus Gallagher and Dr Iannis' precious daughter, Pelagia, was wonderfully brought to life by Natalie Kakhidze.

Although the music was all pre-recorded, it was specially written and provided some contrasting moments of joy and pathos. As a result I was relieved I could blame the smoke units for making my eyes water! The set design was sparse, mainly working with a set of moving risers and drapes. However, the lighting, sound effects, pyrotechnics and prop movements were seamlessly slick, providing amazing impact with iconic images via models and projections.

Another aspect that came over well, which the film failed to convey, was the subtle, yet effective, portrayal of the differences betwixt the Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches. In fact, religious imagery, practice and concepts were very evident throughout as part of life and death.

So, if you have read the book, you will definitely not be disappointed. If you've only seen the film, watching this will make you yearn to read the book and glean even more! Highly recommended...

Captain Corelli's Mandolin is on until 12th November - book tickets here

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Peter Gabriel talks New Blood orchestra

Peter Gabriel gives an overview of his recently released orchestral project, New Blood, and gives insight into the extensive creative process involved. I was privileged to attend the Hammersmith Apollo for the recording of the DVD, which I reviewed here. Have only been able to listen the previews because the deluxe edition I've ordered includes the DVD which has a release date of 24th October whilst the CD came out on 10th October - the extra wait is proving a tad trying...

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God's extraordinary symphony...

Rapping theology...

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Steve Jobs - just one more thing...

The genius of simplicity. Graphic created by Jonathan Mak Long, a 19-year-old designer living in Hong Kong, found right here. Thoughts and prayers for his very private family and close friends...

YouTube video of Steve Jobs' inspirational speech to Stanford University graduates in 2005.

Apple's own tribute.

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Back to the Start - Country meets Coldplay

A charming cover version of Coldplay's 'The Scientist' sung by Country Music megastar Willie Nelson as part of the soundtrack for a short film about farmers returning to a more sustainable way of working the land. The film is called: 'Back to the start' commissioned by the the Mexican (yum!) Grill chain Chipotle, official blurb here:

The film, by film-maker Johnny Kelly, depicts the life of a farmer as he slowly turns his family farm into an industrial animal factory before seeing the errors of his ways and opting for a more sustainable future. Both the film and the soundtrack were commissioned by Chipotle to emphasize the importance of developing a sustainable food system.

P h/t Mike Todd

Chords for Contemplation...

Been privileged to have been asked by Tim Abbott to compose and produce some music for CYO, a Colchester based organisation that provides resources to support Sanctum, who visit schools and create spiritual spaces that give students an opportunity to contemplate.

The four pieces are instrumental versions without the voiceover yet retaining the same title as each of the 'spaces' they were written for.

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OK Go show All Is Not Lost...

The latest epic video from Pop Combo OK Go who pretty much came to fame because of their energetic treadmill routine for the song 'Here It Goes Again', one of my all time favourite pop videos. Since then there visual creativity blossomed with the creation of a 'Rube Goldberg Machine' for 'This Too Shall Pass'.

A bonus in the latest creation is you can have your own message included as part of the end sequence:

Try it out for yourself right here!

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If I ever lose my faith in you...

Sounds like Sting was on a mission penning this highly prophetic masterpiece way back in 1993...

You could say I lost my faith in science and progress
You could say I lost my belief in the holy church
You could say I lost my sense of direction
You could say all of this and worse but

If I ever lose my faith in you
There'd be nothing left for me to do...

(great song, shame about the video...)

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Rupert Murdoch and the Bible...

The Bible Industry. From Geez magazine, Fall 2009. Credit: Darryl Brown and Aiden Enns.

Seems some Christibods are in a bit of a panic as this article by Canadian author Will Braun first published in Geez Magazine receives greater coverage having been re-run in Sojo.net. Not only are Zondervan the biggest publishers of the Holy Bible they also carry books by leading authors like Rob Bell and Shane Claiborne, who will both speak at the Greenbelt Festival this year. It is Shane Claiborne's wisdom that puts things in candid perspective in these couple of paragraphs:

The Zondervan advantage
'I want to have the broadest readership possible,' Claiborne says by phone, 'I don’t want to be someone who just speaks to the choir.' He says smaller publishers have their advantages but the books he has written for them cost 'two or three times' more than what they would if Zondervan published them.

To judge, or not to judge
The ongoing News Corp scandal concerns him. 'The current issues ... in England raise all kinds of ethical questions,' he tells me, 'and I would hope that a company whose mission is explicitly Christian, as Zondervan’s is, would take the opportunity to bear witness and to speak into the culture which is so terribly fallen.'

Claiborne is not sure if he will write for Zondervan again. He doesn’t rule it out.
There’s good and bad in each of us, he says, 'we are called to work on the log in our own eye, and I’m sure as heck trying to work on the compromises that I make so that those are minimal when it comes to integrity.'

Whilst this must be a dilemma for Claiborne, he is a great voice in the very media everyone is apoplectic about, for example, I blogged about his article in lads mag Esquire here. To conclude buying from Zondervan is contributing directly to the devil incarnate, we'd should also stop using the Interweb, oh yes, and stop going to church!

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A Musical Missionary?

This little gem I picked up from Shane Hipps' Twitter stream. Shane is now partnering Rob Bell at Mars Hill, I first came across him as the author of one of my favourite books Flickering Pixels. Formerly he was at Trinity Mennonite Church in Phoenix, Arizona, a church I was privileged to offer some musical advice to recently...

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Ticket to ride... extremely!

Watching this is almost as convincing as one of those roller coaster simulators! Just hope wasn't disqualified for riding through the tapes a couple of times (or splatting the dog!)? I couldn't help noticing the pin-striped suit the competitor is wearing, too!

P h/t Pat Kirby

Let everything that hath breath...

Saturday night's alright for music! The official launch of the new 'Friends of West Mersea Parish Church' was both an inspiration and a privilege to be part of...

Setlist for Café Musica:

Help - The Beatles
Blowin' in the wind - Bob Dylan
You - Rob Halligan
Time to think - After The Fire
Are we alright? - Show of Hands
Harvest home - Traditional

With a little help from my friends - The Beatles
Forever young - Bob Dylan
Every breath you take - The Police
Railroad man - The Eels
Still haven't found - U2
Blackberry blossom - Traditional

Do you wanna dance? - Bobby Freeman

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