just a short note to say that my blogging has now migrated to my space (brian b. langtry or brian langtry) where at least i know someone reads my sporadic musings - and there's music too bu yours truly so have a meander over.
see yah then!!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Christmas is coming
Hello again. Been a quiet couple of past months in which I got down to some song recording having experienced one of my dips in enthusiasm for writing theatre. Usual hassles after a tour - where's my dosh!!
Have been rehearsing with a Lonnie Donegan (gives ones' age away somewhat eh) tribute band - The Johnnie Lonegan Trio - and loving every minute of it. Playing bass is just what I needed and even the paucity of my guitar skills can manage this although I have to say that "Don't you rock me Daddio" has a very fast rolling bass which is something of a challenge but one to which I will rise. We made some preliminary recordings for marketing purposes last week and even though I say it myself they sound PDQ due in a large part to my 2 colleagues John on guitar and voice and Carl the amazing ans sympathetic drummer.
Have a few irons warm in a few fires but all awaiting comebacks. Read a piece in "Sound on Sound" by a TV music writer bemoaning the low status of the trade of
musician as far as peoducers and commissioning editors are concerned. Course this resonates loudly with me and I suspect it is exactly the same for creative artists of any genre - painting, photography, writer etc. All that seems to matter in my line of work is actors and directors the writer coming in ssomewhere behind the lighting technician. Not that I have anything but the best of appreciation for lighting guys but ikt is actually the writer who is the bedrock of the show and not the director who in almost every situation merely uses the ideas and stage directions of the writer to transform into a living experience. There is of course a skill in this but having done my fair share of directing hand on heart i can say that the creative process involved in directing pales into insignificance in terms of the conceptual and innovative process involved in the writing. In short the actors piggy back on the writer and the director piggybacks on both the writer and the actors. The producer smkikes a big fat cigar and huffs and puffs about his own creative abilities - bo***cks!
U tube video now almost finished and hope to post on time achedule mid January
Very pleased with a session I had in the week with a guy who gave me a grounding in "Cubebase" as I've been wanting to get to grips with software based recording for some time. Whether I will hibernate from my hard disk set up in the end remains to be seen but I am intending to use this method with my next project which is to make a CD recording of a particularly dramatic one act play of mine which I may have mentioned previously is based upon the Whitwick Mining Disaster of 1898 here in leicestershire.
Well enough for now -p toodloo.
Have been rehearsing with a Lonnie Donegan (gives ones' age away somewhat eh) tribute band - The Johnnie Lonegan Trio - and loving every minute of it. Playing bass is just what I needed and even the paucity of my guitar skills can manage this although I have to say that "Don't you rock me Daddio" has a very fast rolling bass which is something of a challenge but one to which I will rise. We made some preliminary recordings for marketing purposes last week and even though I say it myself they sound PDQ due in a large part to my 2 colleagues John on guitar and voice and Carl the amazing ans sympathetic drummer.
Have a few irons warm in a few fires but all awaiting comebacks. Read a piece in "Sound on Sound" by a TV music writer bemoaning the low status of the trade of
musician as far as peoducers and commissioning editors are concerned. Course this resonates loudly with me and I suspect it is exactly the same for creative artists of any genre - painting, photography, writer etc. All that seems to matter in my line of work is actors and directors the writer coming in ssomewhere behind the lighting technician. Not that I have anything but the best of appreciation for lighting guys but ikt is actually the writer who is the bedrock of the show and not the director who in almost every situation merely uses the ideas and stage directions of the writer to transform into a living experience. There is of course a skill in this but having done my fair share of directing hand on heart i can say that the creative process involved in directing pales into insignificance in terms of the conceptual and innovative process involved in the writing. In short the actors piggy back on the writer and the director piggybacks on both the writer and the actors. The producer smkikes a big fat cigar and huffs and puffs about his own creative abilities - bo***cks!
U tube video now almost finished and hope to post on time achedule mid January
Very pleased with a session I had in the week with a guy who gave me a grounding in "Cubebase" as I've been wanting to get to grips with software based recording for some time. Whether I will hibernate from my hard disk set up in the end remains to be seen but I am intending to use this method with my next project which is to make a CD recording of a particularly dramatic one act play of mine which I may have mentioned previously is based upon the Whitwick Mining Disaster of 1898 here in leicestershire.
Well enough for now -p toodloo.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
hello Mr Blog
Well hello Mr. Blog - I say this greeting as no one else looks like visiting so I don't want the virtual alogerithms to get lonely, depressed or feel neglected. Am I talking about Mr. Blog or myself? Gawd knows!
Jolly old John Sergeant has lost none of his political nous - nice coupe mate. I expect that all those years rubbing shoulders with the teflon t**ts we call politicians has paid off rather handsomely. Wodner what his fee for an after dinner speech costs now?
The Eva Cassidy Story tour has now finished and we will begin the process (me and the producer) of renegotiating the about to expire performance licence. This may (will) become a little fractious but I have little doubt we will come to some accomodation at some point.
It is all rather disappointing that no one seems to pay me a virtual visit and I have set up a c omplementary blog on my space ---- site for those on the network is my space Brian B. Langtry. few tunes on there also.
Talking ot tunes have been busy writing and recording for my new "record" (still struggling with CD never mind MP3) and all progressing admirably. Been trying to dig up money to fund a CD recording of a play originally written for Radio 4 but never broadcast which tells the painful story of The Great Whitwick Pit Disaster (Whitwick is near Coalville in Leicestershire) of 1898 where 35 miners lost their lives in the County's worst mining accident. True to form nobody showing any interest so will go ahead self funding as it is a project I feel strongly about and it will give me something to do for the next 6 months.
No movement with the West End project but met with the producer 3 weeks ago and seems things are still crawling forward. Mate of mine asked me to play bass with him and his son in a Lonnie Donnegan tribute act. Should be an interesting ride on the Midnight Special all the way to The Big Grand Coolee Dam stopping off on route to Pick a Bale of Cotton and having a drink with Tom Dooley! Good stuff.
Anyway meeting an avid Eva fan tonight for a pint sao see yah soon(ish).
Jolly old John Sergeant has lost none of his political nous - nice coupe mate. I expect that all those years rubbing shoulders with the teflon t**ts we call politicians has paid off rather handsomely. Wodner what his fee for an after dinner speech costs now?
The Eva Cassidy Story tour has now finished and we will begin the process (me and the producer) of renegotiating the about to expire performance licence. This may (will) become a little fractious but I have little doubt we will come to some accomodation at some point.
It is all rather disappointing that no one seems to pay me a virtual visit and I have set up a c omplementary blog on my space ---- site for those on the network is my space Brian B. Langtry. few tunes on there also.
Talking ot tunes have been busy writing and recording for my new "record" (still struggling with CD never mind MP3) and all progressing admirably. Been trying to dig up money to fund a CD recording of a play originally written for Radio 4 but never broadcast which tells the painful story of The Great Whitwick Pit Disaster (Whitwick is near Coalville in Leicestershire) of 1898 where 35 miners lost their lives in the County's worst mining accident. True to form nobody showing any interest so will go ahead self funding as it is a project I feel strongly about and it will give me something to do for the next 6 months.
No movement with the West End project but met with the producer 3 weeks ago and seems things are still crawling forward. Mate of mine asked me to play bass with him and his son in a Lonnie Donnegan tribute act. Should be an interesting ride on the Midnight Special all the way to The Big Grand Coolee Dam stopping off on route to Pick a Bale of Cotton and having a drink with Tom Dooley! Good stuff.
Anyway meeting an avid Eva fan tonight for a pint sao see yah soon(ish).
Friday, October 17, 2008
eureka
Well I never. Good oldRio Ferndinand (he of the "oh I forgot to go for my dope test 3 times") has now, after 3 years cogitation, arrived at the conclusion that the England soccer time sufferred in the Euro Championship as a result of the celebrity circus and 'wag' mania. Boy oh boy that's insight for you!In another 3 years maybe he'll grow a further chromosome to attach to the other pair!
Don't you just hate this celebrity (euphemism for deadbeat) stuff. Why don't we just cart them off to some deserted shore and let them get on with 'dressing each other naked', 'espousing that 'they'r worth it', and poncing around in perfectly good jeans (well at £200 a shot they should be) with the a*se ripped out.
Have spent some time joining myspace and have uploaded my first batch of songs. Am enjoying the music stuff and it's once again coming to the resue of the blight of 'playwright overload.'
Eva Cassidy Story looking great and am off to Peterborough tomorrow to catch up. It's a satisfying feeling watching something you created take place - it would now be nice to get some of the owed money off the producer though!!
Anyway onwards and upwards as they say.
toodle ooo!
Don't you just hate this celebrity (euphemism for deadbeat) stuff. Why don't we just cart them off to some deserted shore and let them get on with 'dressing each other naked', 'espousing that 'they'r worth it', and poncing around in perfectly good jeans (well at £200 a shot they should be) with the a*se ripped out.
Have spent some time joining myspace and have uploaded my first batch of songs. Am enjoying the music stuff and it's once again coming to the resue of the blight of 'playwright overload.'
Eva Cassidy Story looking great and am off to Peterborough tomorrow to catch up. It's a satisfying feeling watching something you created take place - it would now be nice to get some of the owed money off the producer though!!
Anyway onwards and upwards as they say.
toodle ooo!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
it's along way to norwich
"It's a long way to Norwich" Could that just be a song title? Naah doesn't quite cut it like Tipperary does it? Rather like 'the Wolverhampton Linesman' or 'By the time i get to Swindon'. Have to keep working on that.
Eva went terrific in Norwich -1200 people on their feet at the end was a very satisfying sight. The guys did well and are as i write in the lovely island of Jersey for 3 days. Have fun guys.
Can TV get any worse i ask myself. the short answer is 'yes it can'. Everything is an imitation of the current 'big' thing. Isn't everyone p****d off with dramas about relationships going astray, dysfunctional families, 3rd rate comedy shows - thank god for the re runs of Frasier and the Simpsons - good on you Bart!
CD is coming on well and i'm recording with the very talented Tracey Dare at the weekend who is adding a duet part to a couple of numbers. I find music very therapeutic after the trials and frustrations of the theatre business. Waiting for responses from producers is like 'waiting for godo' to the power 100.
"oneactplays" going well this year after a somewhat lean 2007 and am working on launching a new site - twoactplays - to feature full length stuff aimed at the amateur market whilst retaining "leglessproductions" for the pro stuff. Also about to start filing for the u-tube video of "Big Mack" a song Johnny Cash would almost certainly have recorded were the great man still with us.
anyway almost time to get in the car and mosey on down to dorset so see yah!!
Eva went terrific in Norwich -1200 people on their feet at the end was a very satisfying sight. The guys did well and are as i write in the lovely island of Jersey for 3 days. Have fun guys.
Can TV get any worse i ask myself. the short answer is 'yes it can'. Everything is an imitation of the current 'big' thing. Isn't everyone p****d off with dramas about relationships going astray, dysfunctional families, 3rd rate comedy shows - thank god for the re runs of Frasier and the Simpsons - good on you Bart!
CD is coming on well and i'm recording with the very talented Tracey Dare at the weekend who is adding a duet part to a couple of numbers. I find music very therapeutic after the trials and frustrations of the theatre business. Waiting for responses from producers is like 'waiting for godo' to the power 100.
"oneactplays" going well this year after a somewhat lean 2007 and am working on launching a new site - twoactplays - to feature full length stuff aimed at the amateur market whilst retaining "leglessproductions" for the pro stuff. Also about to start filing for the u-tube video of "Big Mack" a song Johnny Cash would almost certainly have recorded were the great man still with us.
anyway almost time to get in the car and mosey on down to dorset so see yah!!
Friday, September 19, 2008
On the Road Again
Well The Eva Cassidy Story is on tour again having kicked off at Manchester Opera House Monday last and as we speak wending it's way around Scotland. Am going to see the show Monday next in Llandudno - I tend to like to see it at theatres I've never visited before - and I rather fancy a trip up The Great Orme which will be something I haven't done since I was a wee boy - well in truth I was never a wee boy having been born and raised in grow bags. My parents didn't half enjoy their gardening - only joking before you call the services to report a case of child abuse. In fact the only garden we had measured about three feet by 18 inches the pride and joy being the privet hedge my brother and I were reluctantly detailed to cut through the growing period which seemed to be 12 months of the year.
The new guitar is brilliant and I've been brushing up my jazz chords dipping into all those old standards "Bill Bailey" "Fly me to the Moon" "Blue Moon"etc...NICE!!!!!
Off to my local Am. Dram tonight to see "Whip it up" a satirical comedy by Steve Thompson. I saw the original performance starring "I don't believe it" Richard Wilson at The Bush Theatre in Shepherds Bush, We had been auditioning for my play The Billie Holiday Story" (it was where I first met Rain Pryor (daughter of comic Richard Pryor) who eventually took the role - and damn good she was too! It later transferred to The West End for a short run and rather surprisingly is now released to the amateur market. Still it's a cracker and I'm looking forward to it- my local is The Venture Theatre Ashby de la Zouch a lovely little space and not a bad pint to boot.
Well things to do so I'll say toodle ooo - sadly (no visitors) to myself. Ah well such is life. see you.
The new guitar is brilliant and I've been brushing up my jazz chords dipping into all those old standards "Bill Bailey" "Fly me to the Moon" "Blue Moon"etc...NICE!!!!!
Off to my local Am. Dram tonight to see "Whip it up" a satirical comedy by Steve Thompson. I saw the original performance starring "I don't believe it" Richard Wilson at The Bush Theatre in Shepherds Bush, We had been auditioning for my play The Billie Holiday Story" (it was where I first met Rain Pryor (daughter of comic Richard Pryor) who eventually took the role - and damn good she was too! It later transferred to The West End for a short run and rather surprisingly is now released to the amateur market. Still it's a cracker and I'm looking forward to it- my local is The Venture Theatre Ashby de la Zouch a lovely little space and not a bad pint to boot.
Well things to do so I'll say toodle ooo - sadly (no visitors) to myself. Ah well such is life. see you.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
wondrous sounds
Purchased a wonderful new guitar a couple of weeks back. I've been looking for a quality hand made english instrument and came across a couple of A1 reviews for Brook Guitars. Investigation told me that the waiting time from order to delivery was 12-14 months which speaks volumes for quality but hey how can any self respeting musician (and I use the term loosely) wait for that length of time to get their hands on a collection of stuck together wooden bits which will provide hours of drooling. Not this one anyrate! The company have only 3 dealers and I visited Intersound of Dursely where I was warmly welcomed and provided with coffee and lashings of muso bon hommie. I tried 5 or 6 of the Brook models and another 4/5 of high quality alternatives but hey when those magical sound waves that are emitted from the Brook Tamar (they're made in Devon and all models are named after Devon rivers) meander around the shop and into your lugholes there's no going back, no way - handed over my hard won lukka and exited shop door grinning from ear to ear. I swear my playing has improved ninefold - joke.
In just over 10 days the rehearsals start for the next tour of my musical play "The Eva Cassidy Story" and I'm very much looking forward to that and the ensuing tour. For tour details www.theatre-productions.com Also had a productive meeting last week with a London company for an imminent deal on a new musical play for launch Aug 09 and a West End debut in early 09. Hey not bad for an old timer who's only been writing for 7 years - well someone even if its youra truly has to give me a pat on the head and a rub of the ego right?
Another piece of good news today my childhood team - as they say in Lancashire there are 2 teams in Manchester, Manchester City and Manchester City reserves(god bless their little cotton socks) scraped through their Eufa qualifier and into the tournament proper. Big stroke boys but not in the bath! Also tonight had the unfortunate experience of listening to the most doleful and boring, he of the turnip head variety, commentating on the Villa match. I used to think Mark Lawrenson was bad but stone me he is brilliant compared to this guy. He was so bad I can't at this moment in time recall his name which speaks volumes for his incompetance and my encroaching dementia!! Was it Gordon Taylor?
See ya soon.
In just over 10 days the rehearsals start for the next tour of my musical play "The Eva Cassidy Story" and I'm very much looking forward to that and the ensuing tour. For tour details www.theatre-productions.com Also had a productive meeting last week with a London company for an imminent deal on a new musical play for launch Aug 09 and a West End debut in early 09. Hey not bad for an old timer who's only been writing for 7 years - well someone even if its youra truly has to give me a pat on the head and a rub of the ego right?
Another piece of good news today my childhood team - as they say in Lancashire there are 2 teams in Manchester, Manchester City and Manchester City reserves(god bless their little cotton socks) scraped through their Eufa qualifier and into the tournament proper. Big stroke boys but not in the bath! Also tonight had the unfortunate experience of listening to the most doleful and boring, he of the turnip head variety, commentating on the Villa match. I used to think Mark Lawrenson was bad but stone me he is brilliant compared to this guy. He was so bad I can't at this moment in time recall his name which speaks volumes for his incompetance and my encroaching dementia!! Was it Gordon Taylor?
See ya soon.
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