2017 Round-Up
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Four videos made for You Tube |
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2017 - 2018
Looking back & looking forward
For the last couple of months I been writing new material and planning the next album, Journey Part 1. I have found a studio and hope to start recording it in February or March.
Short Films
In 2017 I started making little films, mainly for fun and set up a new You Tube site for them. They're primarily a bit of visual fun and each one has a music soundtrack from my back catalogue. There's currently 17 different films to view.
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10/12/17 - I wrote a new song called, 'Panyan' - we share a big round number birthday next year. The lyrics are a mixture of our story, interspersed with some verses taken from the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, a twelfth century Persian mathematician, astronomer, and poet.
I played the song live at the Elephant and Castle just a few hours after composing it. Ro Bodley, who has a lovely warm Irish voice read the verses (after only one quick run through) and it sounded great. It gave me a real buzz.
21/11/17 - Hanging on:
Another new song and I gave it a first outing at the Blackboys, just a few hours after completing it. I still have some detail work to focus on, but am happy with the basic feel.
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11/11/17 - Journey Part 1 - Update:
I've now got five new songs (half an album) ready for recording and am exploring my options and wish list (musical arrangements, production ideas, studios etc) and sadly, the ever present conundrum - yes, how to fund it all!
I tried out 'Journey' and 'Routine' at Cross in Hand on Wednesday (8/11) and both songs were filmed by Ray.
I've built a new web page with just Ray's live recordings of the new songs.
The performances are very much warts and all and unplugged - but I find it an honest way to review the songs in their most raw (guitar, voice, no reverb etc) state, before even thinking about production ideas and taking them into the studio. x
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17/10/17 - 'Excuse me' is now on You Tube:
The closing song from the 'Dangerous Moonlight' EP has its own video. I covered my lounge floor with candles and in the process got wax everywhere! I wanted to create a serene mood, so the viewer can just relax and enjoy the song. The song features a fabulous four-part vocal harmony on the chorus by Dave Moore and some pretty acoustic guitar by C J Martin.
This is the final piece in the Dangerous Moonlight jigsaw, with each song now having its own distinct and different video. It's been a great project, but now it's time to work on the next venture, 'Journey'. x
15/10/17 - Journey:
Wrote a second new song, 'Routine' towards the next project and tried it out on a live audience later that day at the Green Man.
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09/10/17 - Update:
I am currently working on a video for 'Excuse me' and this will complete the 'Dangerous Moonlight' project, with each song then having its own video on You Tube. On Saturday (7/10) I wrote a new song, 'Another journey' and tried it out on an audience at the Elephant and Castle on Sunday (8/10). I've got another couple of songs on the drawing board and other unfinished projects left over from the 'Standing Room Only' album. So, plenty of exciting stuff for me to be working on. x
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05/09/17 - I'm taking a bit of a break from the local open mic scene and just doing the odd evening. I want to focus my energies on my next project, Journey Part 1, 2, 3 & 4. Lots of ideas and now for the hard work to make sense of them all and sort out the practicalities, not least the economic realities of recording a grand scale project. Wish me luck. x
20/07/17 - Dangerous moonlight on You Tube:
The third film featuring material from the Dangerous Moonlight EP. Footage shot in the studio when Dave did his vocal, plus some studio snaps and photos from the official launch party. Dave Moore on vocals, C J Martin on acoustic guitar.
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02/06/17 - Dangerous Moonlight:
Official release date
Visit albums to purchase on digipak CD and or iTunes
See Dangerous Moonlight to relive the Launch Party
See Live for more on the Dangerous Moonlight Launch Party
Photos on Facebook: Photos 1 - Photos 2
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Dangerous Moonlight will be officially released on CD & iTunes on Friday 2/06/17. To celebrate, we are holding a launch party at The Roebuck Inn, Laughton BN8 6BG. 7:00pm in the function room, with live music starting at 8:00pm. We have invited some friends to play a couple of songs each, before we go on and play the 4-songs featured on the EP. This is a public event and it's a great pub, so please join us. x
Dangerous Moonlight Launch Party Invite
| Performers
Frank Zerox
Natasha Norodien
The Hadlow Hillbillys
Lisa Jackson
John Oddie
Jayne Ingles
C J Martin & Dave Moore
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20/05/17 - Dangerous Moonlight:
I collected 100 copies of the EP on digipak CD and am very pleased with the finished artwork, which uses a painting for the cover by my late grandfather, P Holmes Martin and photos by Mark Eason (Eagu). Mark had done the photos on my previous three albums. You can see the original of the painting here and for the EP, it was flipped right-to-left and tweaked in a photo editor to create the desired effect.
Album cover photoshoot on Facebook
In 2012 I made a video featuring paintings by my grandfather.
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29/04/17 - Cry on You Tube:
The second film featuring material from the Dangerous Moonlight EP. A little homage to the 1941 film, Dangerous Moonlight. With Dave Moore on vocals, C J Martin on guitar and Joseph Jaum as the young pilot.
27/04/17 - Dangerous Moonlight - Film & Photoshoot:
We shot the film for 'Cry' at the Roebuck Inn in Laughton & Mark Eason did the photoshoot for the EP cover.
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21/04/17 - Unwanted Fruit on You Tube:
The first film featuring material from the Dangerous Moonlight EP. Apple blossom in my garden filmed from a bee's eye view.
20/04/17 - Dangerous Moonlight - Plans:
Dave and I met up at the Green Man to make plans for the EP artwork photoshoot and a film for the song, 'Cry' - plus, sort a release date, launch party and some live performances and we had a beer!
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13/04/17 - Dangerous Moonlight Live:
Dave and I played the four-songs live at the Uckfield Folk & Blues evening at the Ringles Cross Hotel in Uckfield. Click to view the four films shot for his You Tube site by Ray Whiteway-Roberts.
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03/04/17 - Dangerous Moonlight - Plans:
A few good friends have given it a listen and they have all been very positive with their feedback. Next up, it's time to sort the EP cover artwork, photoshoot, release date, CD production run, videos for You Tube, live performances and the launch party. Watch this space. x
30/03/17 - Dangerous Moonlight Session 6 - Final Mixing and Mastering:
A final run through, then it was time to sort reverbs, EQ, compression, stereo and all those other variables that can make or break a final mix. After five and a bit hours, it was done, final mix and mastering. I'll now get a few friends to lend me their ears and give it a critical listen and give me some feedback, but at this stage it sounds good to me.
20/03/17 - Dangerous Moonlight Session 5 - Mixing:
Bob and I went through the tracks with a fine-tooth comb, doing some pre-mixing and removing unwanted noise and generally tweaking things ready for the final mix. You'd think it would be an easy process with just a vocal and acoustic guitar to sort, but by its nature it's very exposed and there is nowhere to hide unwanted noise, or any imperfections in performance. I was pleased with the session and feel we have all done a really good job.
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15/03/17 - Dangerous Moonlight Session 4 :
Dave was in to do the lead vocals and he also did a four-part harmony on 'Excuse me'. A great session and a top job by Dave. It's now over to Bob and me to sort the detail and then mix and master the finished songs.
13/03/17 - Dangerous Moonlight Session 3 :
I was in to finish the guitar for 'Excuse me' in preperation for the vocals.
22 & 23/02/17 - Dangerous Moonlight Sessions 1 & 2 :
Back in Bob Melrose's studio to start the new project. We mapped each song and focused on recording my acoustic guitar parts that will form the backbone of each song. Recording is a tough discipline and it takes a while to tune and be able to play to the click track that dictates the tempo. A good start and it's great to be back in the studio and creating new songs.
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06/03/17 - Rehearsal:
A final get together with Dave before he goes into the studio to record the vocals.
20/02/17 - Rehearsal:
It's really coming together and tonight we finalised the keys, tempos and lyrics.
19/02/17 - Live Testing:
We gave three of the songs a further live outing at the Green Man and I feel we are now nearly ready to start recording them.
15/01/17 - Live Testing:
Dave and I were both at the Green Man and during the evening we got to perform all four of the new songs live together for the first time. It was a great evening and the feedback was very positive. I don't see myself as an anthem writer, but it was kind of cool when everyone joined in on 'Excuse me'.
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05, 09 & 23/01/17 - Dave and I started rehearsals:
We're looking at producing an acoustic four-song EP under the name, 'Dangerous Moonlight' and it will feature a stripped back acoustic sound. This is partly dictated by budget (ie I don't have one), but I really like the feel of the songs with Dave's vocal and my acoustic guitar. Time to sort some studio time and all the other stuff that goes with a new recording project.
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05/01/17 - Looking for the next project:
I've been thinking for some time about asking Dave Moore to do some lead vocals on a future recording. Dave has done some great BVs on several of my albums and has a lovely warm and rich voice. We had a chat and he's up for it. Now, I need to sort funding, some studio time and decide on the scope and ambition of the project. Here we go again!
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03/01/17 - A New Year: Today, I finished two new songs ('Dangerous moonlight' & 'Excuse me') which I've been working on for quite a while.
I'd composed two new songs ('Cry' & 'Unwanted fruit') towards the end of 2016 and had road tested them with a few live performances.
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2017 Diary: 2024 - 2023 - 2022 - 2021 - 2020
2019 - 2018 - 2017 - 2016 - 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012
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