Just Like Starting Over

A couple of weeks ago we reconnected with Daniel Glatman who managed and helped to send the seriously successful boy band “Blue” into the stratosphere. He contacted us about a year after Ollie and I had begun our “Inspirational Coupling” (not my words I hasten to add ;) way back in the “Rocked on Klassix” days. I remember him setting up a meeting with EMI, but I think we were a little unsure of our direction at the time and we weren’t quite as pretty as Bond!

Time passed and I started experimenting with Soft Synthesizers, resulting in the jaw dropping sonic backdrops we now embrace.

So since having just parted company with the US Record label, we decided to give Daniel a call last week. He’s a really “Up” kind of guy – extremely spontaneous, and within a couple of hours had set up a meeting with DECCA Records. Pretty impressive I thought, except he’s just had to postpone till later next week - Doh! ……..After three?

”There’s No Business like Show Business –

There’s No Business I know……….and so on infinitum…..watch this space!

I MEET JEFF WAYNE – back stage after War of the Worlds (clothed only in a towel!)

Ollie had taken a short break from “OLIVER” in the West End which currently stars Omid Jilalliwhatshisface (the Iranian stand-up comedian / actor – The Mummy – Gladiator – Sky Captain etc. Our man with finely tuned G string (More of these low calibre jokes later) was leading the orchestra for the “War of the Worlds” tour. When the tour dates were released I noticed that the Trent FM Arena in Nottingham was on the list. Well it would seem rude not to attend  So off I toddled to the afternoon sound check, armed only with a stick of Wriggley’s chewing gum and a Manbag stuffed full of Deviations Project albums.

It’s quite a show, with an impressive array of session players including Chris Spedding on guitar and Herby Flowers on Bass. The “Rock Band” stage right and a full orchestra stage left. Justin Heywood strides manfully down the centre catwalk singing the main theme “The chances of anything coming from Mars” etc and Jennifer Ellison (Phantom of the Opera the movie - and spoof horror “The Cottage”) very prettily plays the Preacher’s wife. Richard Burton the narrator is represented by a huge digitally enhanced Hologram to the left of the stage and Ollie leading the orchestra just next to Jeff Wayne conducting.

The star of the show however, surely must be the colossal lazer blasting Tripod which lowers dramatically down from the ceiling and I have been reliably informed that on a good night apparently all three legs come down ; )

After the rehearsal I met Ollie for luke warm coffee and a strange selection of unidentifiable confections best described as unidentifiable. And while gnawing my way through something reminiscent of a diamond tipped rock cake, Mr Lewis casually informed me that he’d arranged a meet with Jeff after the show and to get the CDs ready!...........to be continued.

Postponed till Next WEEK (Bloody Hell, Now I’m doing it!)

“That Towel!!

Recording with Sephira

Reinventing “Ye Olde G stringe” Joke (AGAIN!)

Mr Bean’s old Oxbridge mate, funny man Griff Reece Jones taking over the role of Fagin mid December.

AND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

*ATTENTION ALL THUNDERHEADS*

Keith Harkin from Celtic Thunder recording in my Studio!

The following Blog has been Rated 12+ for the Following:

Infrequent/Mild Alcohol, Tobacco or reference to these

Infrequent/Mild Profanity or Crude Humour

Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes

Infrequent/Mild Mature/Suggestive Themes

Well that just about sums me up! How did they know?

This disclaimer came from the fabulous peeps at Apple, with my Dave Williams Music Application – I think they must have gotten hold of a copy of my horoscope!

So, cutting to the chase - Because of the financial collapse of the universe as we know it, Ollie and I decided to terminate our record contract and promote Deviations Project ourselves. To be fair, most of the success we achieved was in the United States through the “Barnes and Noble” stores, so we were never promoted much in the UK.

But Now…………We got BAR CODES -YAY!

After months of phone calls, emails, inquiries, letters, forms, forms and more forms…..we managed to drag our three precious babies, kicking and screaming, back into the digital world. We now have our debut album “Deviations Project” available on iTunes. “Adeste Fiddles” - our Christmas baby (not the Messiah, but a very naughty boy ;) and “Ivory Bow” should be up soon. All three albums are downloadable from iTunes, E*Music, Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster and LaLa.

In the mean time, here is preview to whet your Deviations appetites.

*FREE GIFT* for Christmas!!

We’re going to be giving away a free download for Christmas – (Yeah we’re just wild crazy guys!) A Wantonly Wistful Olde English Carol called” In the Bleak Mid Winter” – Check out Myspace / Facebook / Website for details.

It was originally intended for the “Adeste Fiddles” album but I ran out of time trying to meet the deadline. So beautiful it was, that I kept bursting into tears mixing down, my desk in danger of blowing a fuse as the hot tears streamed from the end of my nose onto the board ; )

Next week:

I MEET JEFF WAYNE – back stage after War of the Worlds (clothed only in a towel!)

And I'm NEVER Taking Them Off!

Well! ……(pause for dramatic effect)

GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL 2009 came and went with a blaze of lights, banners, towering sound systems, an unbelievable line up of performers and some amazing new toilets!

“One Poop – One Scoop” the legend read as I tentatively filled my mug with the pleasantly perfumed wood chippings. My upper lip curled as I stepped up and edged nervously through the cubicle door. I took a deep breath and emptied my mug into the “Ditch of Doom.” To my amazement, the magical shavings completely masked the awful aroma of “Glastopoo” – and what ever else lurked malevolently at the bottom of that hateful pit.

We now need to flash back a couple of months to explain what I was doing at this most magical of festivals.

The recession was becoming a reality and I was wondering what to do next. I’d been talking with “Sephira” for some time - sisters Joyce O’Leary (vocals and violin) & Ruth O’Leary (violin and vocals). They write, sing and play their own material and we’d been discussing working on some new material. They flew over last February for a few days to see if we could work together and we got on famously.

Time passed as the girls went back to America, touring with the arena blockbusting show “Celtic Thunder” and then early in May I received an email from Ruth …..and I quote “You can tell me to ‘Feck’ off if this sounds ridiculous, but we’re doing Glastonbury, do you want to play keyboards?”

I nearly fell out of bed (I was perusing the net on my iphone at the time *SMUG*  )

I gave the matter some serious thought for about half a second and replied “YES I WOULD!!”

….to be continued

Next week DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE

Also………….Ollie meets Omid Jilalliwhatshisface (Taking over from Mr Bean as Fagin in “OLIVER the Musical”

I’ve still got my GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL 2009 security wrist bands on ….

And I’m never taking them off!!