Writing me ditty’s

It’s funny how some things come together all at once, bit like buses. The first few months of 2019  have definitely been about songwriting and producing (admittedly writing with Access All Areas started back in September, but intensified in getting the show, Winged up & on in 2019). In particular, writing songs for others, which I have realised I love to do. So this blog is a bit of a sharing. A sharing of these songs.

In this period of time, I have found within myself a different style of song writing that has given me permission to explore and try new sounds, melodies & structures outside my comfort zone/usual style I guess. As always I continue to learn loads and always feel that one day I’ll learn to do it all “properly”, ‘Properly’ in the context of the playing & recording and in how I admire those who do all this well.

As I’m self taught, I always feel a bit inferior to those who’ve studied and know what they are doing. I do to an extent but…to use the proper  technique, starting point, language, use of tools in the right way. I know I’m professional, work hard and not too bad at what I do, but blimey do I always want to do it all so much better! I value holding  close Jenny Sealeys adage “we are here, we are in this moment, it’s the right place, find/feel that moment. So I try….

Listening to my self doubt around the notion that tere is such a thing as  “properly” (in my heart I believe of course there isn’t such a thing as one proper way, but many many different ways). With my self coaching head on, I can hear how I would say to another me, What is proper? of course the response would be believe in your way, there is no real ‘proper’ and if it works for you then it is the way. Then I stop beating myself up, overcome whichever problem I’ve technically encountered and enjoy the creative discipline until the next fekk up.

The tingle of..oh this sounds ok….even nice, drives me on. Of course then a different kind of nervousness comes about. What will those listening think?

I love artists who don’t care about what others think on their creation (even though I suspect they do a bit..?), but im still very much about wanting everyone to be happy/enjoy what is being shared.

So I get stuck in, check out for reassurance with friends, that that thought of “is this the best way”. Im so lucky that friends always return that reassurance with, thats a great way, fine, or try this…and so I create a few songs.

They are what they are, a marker to indicate a bit of where I am now, not perfect, but hopefully ok, could be better, but ok, the best I can now and not final, finished, they can always improve and change with age and new learning & time.

Funny when I started this blog, I just wanted to share a collection of songs  I’ve written that despite all of the above, i have enjoyed, loved, worked hard to create & shared.

I’ve loved working with some new companies to me.Circumference on the titled “delicate’ R&D, working with Access All Areas has been a very special time to me as they created/wrote/influenced each piece and they allowed & trusted in me. The songs we created had a place amongst a beautiful narrative, theatrical design & visuals, but mainly the experience was about being surrounded by beautiful people.

And then last week working with OCHI around R&D exploring the story of Medea, gave me even more opportunities to create, try, & share. Another weird coincidence, what is it with me & greek mythological stories?

So a few songs shared that I’ve written for these brilliant pieces of theatre. If any of you read this…Now I know what Ive done I can now do the songs again only differeny, gear 4 into 5, but I’m happy I gave it me best with these, where they are…for now xx

You can here them all & more on me soundcloud

(Sorry me blog turned into one of those YouTube instruction videos that goes on n on n on….so heres a track created yesterday, for me, for fun, nuffing serious, just experimentation).

Enjoy Sausages x Apologies for typos, will correct soonest x

R2Bcheeerfuuuull: Day 66, Allo London

So here we are….flippin London Hackney Empire.

I have to be honest, I started the day mostly in the bathroom. Nervous, not cause it was London, but nervous cause I didn’t want nerves to ruin me day!A sausage sanger set me right and we walked down Hackney Road onto Mare Street and then a very long walk down to the Pire.The sun was out n Ackney waz looking very good indeed.

Saw me phizzog on the side of a wall and I guessed this must be it. This was confirmed by a few passers by who said “hey that’s that fella up thereon that poster”, first time that’s ever happened to me.

The Empires got history. Charlie C (The Chaplin that is), Mr Laural and of course Ian have all rocked this place. Even the house stage manager had gigged the Blockheads, West Endies, Jesus and the 12 apostles! So it was a big day, we did sound check which I smiled all the way through. I even had an asparagus tart for lunch, which was well more poncey than I usually ave, but flip it,I’m living the dream (I did have a sausage roll as back up…neither tart or roll got finished as I forgot, I’ve lost all ability to eat properly or sleep properly.

We are using 3/4qtrs of Status Quo’s rig in this show, the other quarters in me dressing room, so the sound rocks, big time. The theatre holds 1300 and when our lovely crowd got in, we all ‘ad it.  There’s a big rake (slope not gardening tool) on the stage which has created a few new challenges for Gaz & I at ‘Ackney.  It almost beat me tonight when I lost all position on Wake Up, flying towards the Bar Phone, luckily all the others are Pro’s n me lully Jude covered it beautifully by thrusting on the floor like it was all meant to be…..which it was of course!

Bar confusion at the end, but we still got plenty in. Fanks to me many lully friends for comin and joining the fun tonight.

bed now sausages.

xx

R6BC: day 43, I’m comin huurm!

Ok, travel day today, it’s few days of time so sorry this is short but…………….Hull n shows n shots n fun n frolics have taken their toll…so in a nutshell, Chinese Laundry Retro Shop, spent too much on nice gear, taxi train, power stations, pickles in-accessing my needs wiv bubbles, bizarre first class waiting room toilet moment at Kings Cross, taxi, home, cuppa, phoned loved ones, quick blog, bed….hibernation, next blog when I come round in the next few days.

Sleeeeeeeeeeeeeep sausages, it’s been a blast and there’s more to come.

RtoBC: Day 41, 2 a day keeps the Dr away

Oooh two lovely shows today, friends in the growing audiences and lots of fun n shenanigans. This blog is short n sweet not because there’s not lots to say, but because I’m completely jiggered. Eeeer went to Nandos wiv the gang..what’s that all about……….Nandoooos?

It’s been great here in Hull, Trucks a great venue, lully people, nice places to frequent, although after the bad head of the night before I stayed away from Propoganda last night even though I love it there too, £1 a shot is the equivalent of a sign reading bad head mornings bought here, especially with ‘Teccy Dan’ buying a tray full of shots on each visit to the bar. So I was kinda sensible for one night, mainly cause I’d given it my all in the two shows and didn’t want another head.

You see, that’s me job, largin it up with the lemons. Each of those songs are pretty physical, I mean, you have to do them properly (technique-wise) in order to give every ounce of breath to the tunes, that’s what they deserve and what I feel I have to do every night (and matinee). ‘avin achy neck n shoulders after a gig is the sign I’ve given it all and last night I had those signs everywhere all pointing to the middle of me neck.  It’s not a bad achy, it’s a good achy, if that makes sense.

A JD n coke and then I was finished, so staying away from Propoganda was a good move me finks!

Keep Truckin sausages x

R2BC: Day 40, Down n dirty in the Truck

I had a fairly relaxed day, which was lucky considering the previous nights shenanigans. Had a walk through town n had a lovely lunch with the lovely Spicer, ’twas a lovely few hours.

Show time was a groovy affair, we are in the main house and we are sharing the space with the studio theatre, obviously we are pretty loud n a little bit naughty too, so we were hoping the sound bleed isn’t too bad and we have to keep quite once off stage to the dressing rooms.  When the adrenaline is pumping that’s a hard task, but we can behave you know……..just for a minute or two anyway.

It was lovely to meet a few friends after.  I can’t really express how much it means to me to have the support of mates, whilst on tour you can feel like you are out of the loop a bit, so having mates come and see the show and have a beer or two after just puts the icing on the cake.

Two shows on Saturday so………….

Early to bed sausages x

R2BC: day 39, Propoganda ministers wohoho madness,I call it gladness.

First show day in Hull began with sound and tec time. First song n blew a speaker, rock n roll eh. Well in a way, but it did mean spending the rest of tec feeling like I was singing in another room with the sound travelling back to me a few days later.  The good thing about technical disasters is knowing you are in good hands and our sound & tec crew are top banana, so by showtime all was hunky-dory & the show rocked with some lovely audience moments and encores to follow.

Earlier I went into KCFM Radio to do an interview and as a result the gang are comin in to join the rockin, nice.

The end of the night turned a bit messy hitting a little bar/club for a dance n drinkey, drinkey drink.  Oooh shots.

Be ware shots sausages x

R2BC, day 38 – Adventures in a fish tank.

After reading about William Wilberforce I went for a walk round the docks and headed to The Deep where I spent most of the day in a huge fish tank looking at………….well, fish n that.  Big ones,  frightening ones, small ones, glowing ones, jelly ones, poisonous ones, cute ones, flat ones, horse ones, shark ones n ants that aren’t really fish ones at all but got themselves into their own exhibition tank about the Amazon n that. Then we went in a lift that took us 10m up n down in a fish tank which was attenboroughtastic.

After finding Nemo, which I did,  I had haddock fish cakes (in honour of The Haddock himself) and felt very guilty about the whole choice of lunch as a result.

Off for beers n footy soon in order to get into shape for rockin Hull over the next few days, listen out for us on KCFM sometime tomorrow.

Keep fishin sausages.

R2BC: Day 37- It takes a lot longer to get up Norff…….

As the word tour suggests, there is a lot of travelling around, and as access means different things to everyone else we started the day doing a little mechanics.  We took my driving bar off my chair so I could get into the more likely available twin ramped cabs, mainly cause with the frame, i ground on the ramps.  Now they would be easy peazy.

Headed off to Kings Cross where Tim (bubbles) & I met with Pickles & four cans of Guinness. Bumped into Adam and his lully lady then we headed up Norff to the lovely Hull. This was all after being called Miss Dunstan a number of times whilst confirming my assistance arrangements, “This is Miss Dunstan for the 13.50”. I wouldn’t mind but I hadn’t shaved and I put on my deepest voice & the real Miss Dunstan is lully n that.

Got to Hull easy and was all excited to try my new easy access wheels into a cab when I was reminded that even though access can be varied certain drivers hold the same “can’t be arsed attitudes” to getting the ramps out,so the first cab driver said I wouldn’t get on his ramps…the other drivers had a go at him which was a bit of a laff, then I got in the next cab (same ramps) no problems.

Got to the hotel and me room is lully, I’ve even got a balcony over-looking the Marina which is nice.  We had a little adventure into town, a nibble at the theatre n a few beers ready for the next days adventures.  Had a bubble party too.

Eeee sausages.

R2BC: Day 33 (on 34), Show 13 on a Friday.

Slept a lot today as a result of yesterdays shenanigans.  Exhausted, stiff & a bit achy, which equals two good shows. In an interview once Ian Dury talked about how if he had a good gig the back of his neck, shoulders n backs of his arms would ache.  Same here, neck n back get as stiff as a board , all signs of a top gig.  Weird though it sounds, these pains put a smile on me face as they are the remnants of good time ‘avin it large .

The lovely Jenny Agutter was in last night which was lovely but she missed her turn in ‘Human Buckeroo’.  And rumours are that a lovely Blockhead who lives down here now might be popping in tonight (day 34).  Last show in Truro tonight and it’s gonna be a scorcher. I’m spendin the day with gentle exercises to loosen up & I’ve sent Basher out to enjoy the beautiful scenery on my behalf and to hunt down the elusive Pasty of Cornwall…..still haven’t found or had one,sort it out Basher!

Rugby time now sausages so…..come the day and come the hour, come the power and the glory……..shoulder to Shoulder….come on Irish Sausages!

R4BC: day 32, Trurotastic!

2 shows today and they were just amazing.  If honest, we were a little (only a little though, cause I’d be ‘appy playing to one man/woman and their dog) worried as ticket sales have been a bit slower here, but they are picking up and we needn’t have worried.  The audience for both shows have just been fantastic.  All our matinees have been top banana so far and today was no exception. We got on telly, you can see it here for the next 18hrs (from the time of this post) and we are getting a bit of a buzz around Truro Town now.

Two shows in a day is completely jiggering and the body (neck and shoulders in particular) from belting it are beating me up now, although the voice is holding up nicely…phew. Lully Fish n chips today n a bite our Judes birfday cake (appy birfday me lovely x) have kept me going wiv a couple of Satsumas along the way.
So to bed Sausages, we’ve got adventures in Truro ahead tomorrow….and another show, bring yer aunt Mabel, she’ll love it.

xx