#Surrey musicians

[rawrampmag]

JEFF BECK 1944-2023

JEFF BECK 1944-2023 #JeffBeck #FitzAndStartz #TheRumbles #Nightshift #TheYardbirds #Tallyman #JeffBeckGroup #obituary #InMemorium

Just by the margin of Nonsuch Park, Geoffrey Arnold Beck (the guitarist’s guitarist that we now recognize as the internationally famous JEFF BECK) was born. He and I shared a comparable upbringing (though ten years apart)  in that we were both raised in that urban area of Surrey (in his case, Wallington and, for me, Carshalton) that developed, by default, into a borough of London.  He lived in…

[punkrockhistory]

Happy Birthday to Paul John Weller, English singer-songwriter and musician with The Jam, Style Council and many other musicians and bands, born on this day in 1958, Woking, Surrey, England

[ginandoldlace]

Britain's most enduring harpist Sidonie Goossens and Dame Gwyneth Jones sings the Last Rose of Summer at the Last Night of the Proms 1991

Sidonie first made her professional debut at the proms in 1921

And was a founder member of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and went on to play for more than half a century until her retirement in 1981.

She was born in Liscard, Wallasey, Cheshire, a member of the famous Goossens family that had emigrated to Britain from Belgium in the 19th century. Her father and grandfather were both conductors, both called Eugène. Her brother Sir Eugene Goossens made an international conducting career in the mid-20th century and was also a composer. He spent many years working in Australia as the director of the NSW Conservatorium of Music and chief conductor of the Sydney Symphony. Her brother Léon was an eminent oboist and her sister Marie was also a distinguished harpist. In 1916, her brother Adolphe, a gifted French horn player was killed in action.

She was honoured with a MBE in 1974, and later an OBE in 1980. She was recommended for a Damehood, but this was allegedly vetoed by Margaret Thatcher, who said: 'We can't give a DBE to an orchestral musician'. She retired officially from the BBC Symphony Orchestra in 1980, the year of the orchestra's Golden Jubilee. Her final performance was in 1991 during the Last Night of the Proms when she accompanied Dame Gwyneth Jones in her own arrangement of "The Last Rose of Summer". There were celebratory concerts for her 100th birthday at London's Wigmore and Royal Festival Halls. She died in Reigate, Surrey, on 15 December 2004 aged 105.

[consanguinitatum]

For One Night Only: David at the RSC Fringe Festival (oh, and one other thing he probably didn't do...)

For today's post in "obscure things David Tennant did way back when," we'll need to travel back in time to the late 1990s. It was a busy time for David. By May 1997, he'd just wrapped up his first Royal Shakespeare Company repertory season (in which he simultaneously played Touchstone in As You Like It, Jack Lane in The Herbal Bed, and Alexander Hamilton in The General From America). This set of three plays had begun their runs in Stratford in early- to mid 1996; they then transferred over to London's Barbican Theatre, where they had ended their runs by mid-1997.

Programmes for The Herbal Bed, As You Like It, and The General From America

Next on David's theatre agenda was the role of Mickey in Hurlyburly (a play I've talked about before) which ran at the Queen's Theatre in London from August to November 1997. He then performed a one-off staged reading of Derek Jarman's Blue at the Chelsea Arts Theare on 16 November 1997 (which, by the way, is another little-known DT performance I want to explore!)

That was it for 1997, theatre-wise.

Then, beginning in March of 1998 - as I've explored previously - he began his run as Moon and Brindsley Miller in The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy. This double bill ran first at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Surrey and then in London, first at the Richmond Theatre and then at the Comedy Theatre. That play finally wrapped in August 1998.

But a month before wrapping The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy, David had popped over to Stratford to do something interesting, something that's the focus of this thread. It was called For One Night Only, and - as it says on the tin - it was, indeed, for one night only!

First, though? A little history!

Around 1990, the RSC began to hold an annual summer festival called the Royal Shakespeare Company Fringe Festival. Intended as a showcase for RSC talent, it included a mix of events: short plays, devised pieces, stand-up comedy, concerts, etc., as well as new works making their Stratford debut. The festival lasted two weeks and saw actors, directors, stage managers, musicians and staff all taking part in more than 25 events. All the events were either on Sundays, or timed around RSC productions, so audiences could go see fringe shows after seeing the actors perform in their usual RSC roles.

Most of the events for 1998's festival took place in a specially adapted 100-seat rehearsal room at the RSC's 'alternative' theatre, The Other Place. But not all of them. Their opening night event - on Sunday, 19 July - was to take place at the Swan Theatre.

That opening night event? For One Night Only!

Starring Desmond Barrit, Emma Handy, and Amanda Harris as well as David, the launch event cost £4-£12 and began at 7:30 pm. It was called a "curtain raiser" as well as "aptly-named."

And just what was it about? Well, um....I know it was organized and compiled by its star, Desmond Barrit...and that it was supposed to take its audience on a journey through the theatre. These articles say so.

But that's about all I know. I wish I had more details.

I am, however, supremely lucky to own a piece of ephemera about this one night only event.

Here's the front and back of my For One Night Only flyer, and as I'm sure you'll notice, it promises "an evening of theatrical prose and poetry...and a little gossip!"

Great. Could you tell us a bit more, thanks?

While researching For One Night Only, I came across something else of interest, which I thought for a moment David might have been involved in - an event staged nine days before For One Night Only. But after researching this event in more detail, I don't think he was involved, after all. Such a shame, really. He would've been perfect!

On Friday, 10 July 1998, at 1 pm in the afternoon, some Royal Shakespeare Company members got together to do a fund raiser and preview of the upcoming Fringe in the forecourt of the Other Place. Called a Sonnetathon, this three-hour event featured various RSC members reading all 154 of Shakespeare's sonnets!

Now a Sonnetathon would've been right up David's alley, am I right? He'd have loved it! But I'm about 99% certain he wasn't there - and here's why. That Friday night at 7:30 pm, David was onstage in The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy at the Comedy Theatre in London, that's why!

But here's why I say 99%. It's not impossible to imagine he got up early that Friday (after doing a show the night before) and took the train in to Stratford to do the Sonnetathon - wrapped it up by 4pm, then hopped on another train back to London in time to make the 7:30 curtain up for The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy.

But you have to admit, it seems unlikely.

But The Real Inspector Hound/Black Comedy wasn't showing on Sunday, 19 July 1998, so David was able to get to Stratford and go onstage as part of 'For One Night Only' to open the Fringe...and then get back to London in time to go onstage once more the following night.

So now you know what I know about For One Night Only.

Of course I'll keep looking for more!

[harrisonarchive]

From 2016 and 2017 eBay listings, photos of George Harrison and Pattie Boyd at Benclare, the bungalow they rented during their Barbados honeymoon, February 1966, photographer unknown; plus two color photos from their honeymoon, possibly taken by a fan, auctioned by Rago Arts and Auction Center in 2016.

“Pattie Boyd remembers: ‘I was with the Beatles, and all these musicians — and it was a very merry group of people. And I did feel, we are the leaders, the world is ours, and it’ll always be like this. I couldn’t see it crumbling, I couldn’t see it disintegrating. I just thought, this is wonderful! It’s not my parents’ world which is so grey and dull, with no color, no music, not much laughter. I felt at last I’d arrived in the “proper” world.’ [In July 1964, George purchased] a gated bungalow [Kinfauns, see: #harrisonarchivekinfauns] in Esher, Surrey [for himself and Pattie], with a swimming pool and a large garden. But London was near enough for clubs, parties and celebrity screenings. Pattie acquired a white Persian cat called Korky, while George bought an E-type Jaguar and later an Aston Martin DB5. They became vegetarians — but ‘we didn’t eat much…’ Pattie’s favorite was still sweets. The house resonated with the sound of George’s guitar. ‘We were really happy at that time. We were young and creative, and we had lots of friends and musicians who would come over all the time — Mick Jagger for example, and Brian Jones would come quite often, and my brothers and sisters. With George, I could play! I could be a child again. Those were the times I thought would never end.’” - How Was It For You?: Women, Sex, Love and Power in the 1960s by Virginia Nicholson (x)

[asurrogateblog]

anymore lore ⁉️

also sorry if this is annoying i’m just such a sucker for band ocs they’re all so fun. i love band ocs <3

not annoying at all! and yes, I sure do have more (threat)

I guess I could talk about their backgrounds and the band's early history, which is something I've been fleshing out more recently. Read as much or as little of this as you'd like....

Childhoods

Nelson Singhal was born in Woking, Surrey (west of London) on July 22nd, 1948. His parents deeply involved anti-establishment communists who frequently put The Cause over raising their child. They were "why do you need a birthday present when there are children starving?" types. Unfortunately for them, this backfired, and he became an attention-seeker with a love of the finer things in life. However, he does carry their sensibility for self-sacrifice.

Roy Gardner was born in West London on January 12th, 1948. His father was an American air force officer stationed in England, and his mother worked as a nurse at his air base. As a child, Roy moved around a lot, and also coming from a mixed-faith household (his dad irish catholic and his mom jewish), he was always between worlds. As a result, he's very socially cautious and often prefers to keep to himself. It can come across as standoffish but he doesn't mean it.

Izzy Riles was born in Tblisi, Georgia sometime in February of 1947. He was adopted by a humanitarian aid worker and brought back to the UK. He had a cozy early childhood, save for being a bit pushed aside once his parents had biological children. Importantly, Izzy is actually short for Isabella. Unbeknownst to everyone, he was intersex and raised as a girl until age twelve, when he began to show signs of male puberty. His conservative 1950's parents had no idea what to do about this, so they moved towns and had Izzy socially transition. LUCKILY, Izzy's biggest concern was "so does this mean I can play in the mud without getting yelled at now?". Even so, he deeply internalized feeling like a burden, and had already learned by then that it simply wasn't worth sharing negative feelings.

-----------

Early Band History

Nelson and Izzy met when Izzy moved to Woking and began attending the local secondary school. They bonded over the many attempts to bully both of them, which subsided with Izzy's winning strategy of "simply smile and pretend not to notice anyone said anything upsetting". It's no fun to taunt someone if you get no reaction.

Roy arrived a couple years later, his parents moving back to the UK from California after his father left the military. Roy was surprised to find his childhood friend Izzy at the boy's school, but was glad to reunite. By then, Nelson had taken up guitar to move up from "not bullied" to "actually popular" and Roy was not impressed. Their friendship began competitively, with Roy challenging him with his own skills on the piano.

By the time they graduated six-forms, the three of them were writing music together – Izzy having taken up drums so he would have a part to play. He was the most encouraging of taking their music seriously, and when they moved to central London in 1966 to start university, he insisted that they moonlight as a band. Izzy got involved in the underground psychedelia scene, which got them some of their earliest gigs. Roy, who was starting a sound engineering apprenticeship, also made connections in the industry, and soon enough, they had a record deal with Polydor. They named the band Clarion Call after an article Izzy had read in a counter-culture magazine about the new generation of musicians.

In 1968, they released their first single, "Six Feet Over". When the single was successful, they finally decided to drop out of university to focus on the band. Their debut album, Answer the Call, was received respectably well despite poor promotion, providing them with their first UK and continental tour. Their manager renegotiated their deal, and when they dropped their second album Puzzle Master in late 1969, it was a surprise hit in the US.

Their first international tour was set for summer of 1970. That spring, however, Izzy went missing and never returned. Roy and Nelson were forced to delay the tour, but after the search failed, they went on without him. The mystery of his disappearance in many ways contributed to the fame they would soon gain.

-----------

What Happened to Izzy?

As far as the public was concerned, Izzy had just disappeared. That is not, however, what actually happened.

One weekend in April of 1970, the three of them took a trip to Northern England to get away from their increasingly busy lives and celebrate the tour – staying alone at a rural guest house owned by Roy's wealthy aunt. Unbeknownst to Roy and Nelson, their burgeoning success had started to dig at some of Izzy's most repressed insecurities. He had seen what the music industry had done to good friends of his, and feared what those same poisons would do to them. Worse, he worried that the other two didn't really need him, and that he was ultimately holding them back.

Izzy never had any intention of actually quitting the band, but despite being the ray-of-sunshine optimist of the group, he could be just as much of a manipulative horrorshow as the others under the right pressure. One night while lounging on the balcony of the guest house, he told Nelson and Roy that he was not coming on the tour. Nelson, who was unbelievably anxious about their success, blew up at him over it. Unfortunately, Izzy happened to have been idly walking along the edge of the balcony, and Nelson's reaction shocked him so much he lost his balance. They rushed down to find him bleeding out on the concrete. Realizing there was no nearby hospital, and seeing that Izzy was beyond repair and in a lot of pain, Roy made the impulse decision to. Well. Hit him over the head with a rock to mercy-kill him.

In the midst of their grief and panic, Roy and Nelson decided to – instead of trying to explain what had happened to the authorities – hide Izzy's body. Once they realized that there was no turning back on this now, they chose to pretend that he had simply gone missing – claiming he had left to hitchhike to town and never returned. Only by sheer stroke of luck did they actually get away with this.

Of course, this was by far the most traumatic event of both of their lives, and it left them deeply wounded with guilt over the incident. Their feelings about what happened to Izzy made its way into a lot of their future music. In fact, it's probably what made it so good.

(okay. done for now)

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Scottish classical violinist, Nicola Benedetti, born July 20th 1987 in West Kilbride.

Nicola started learning to play the violin at the age of four, by age eight she was the leader of the National Children’s Orchestra, at nine, she had already passed the eight grades of musical examinations while attending the independent Wellington School, Ayr, a year later she was studying at the Yehudi Menuhin School for young musicians under Menuhin himself and Natasha Boyarskaya in rural Surrey.

After an education like that she was destined for stardom.

When Benedetti was 14, she won a Prodigy of the Year contest on England’s Carlton Television network. A hint of her potential crossover appeal came when she drew a crowd of 10,000 at the rock-oriented Glastonbury Festival’s “classical extravaganza” in the summer of 2003. She told London’s Independent newspaper, however, that “I have not ruled out different types of music but I was trained as a classical musician. I don’t want to compromise what I do and what I love.” She’s not your typical Scot either, in another interview she said that “I’m not really into clubbing and I’ve never smoked or drunk much…”

Benedetti took a big step toward mainstream classical stardom when she won the BBC’s Young Musician of the Year award in May 2004, the first Scot to take home the BBC prize.

Nicola did have a healthy streak of that quintessential Scottish trait – prudence. This led her to eventually slow down her performance schedule so that she could further her musical studies and her technique, confident that she would be a better overall musician for it, and determined to play what she loves.

By the following decade, Benedetti’s schedule was as full as ever, taking in a 2010 debut at the BBC Proms; chamber music recitals at European festivals; chamber and concerto performances in North America and Europe in 2011

Honours were inevitable she was awarded doctorates from Glasgow Caledonian University in November 2007, and from Heriot-Watt University in 2010

In 2019, Benedetti formalised her commitment to music in education when she established The Benedetti Foundation, the same year she was also given the annual Royal Medal award by the Royal Society of Edinburgh for improving the lives of deprived Scottish children through Sistema Scotland and the Big Noise Orchestras. In 2020, she won the Grammy for best classical instrumental solo for Marsalis: Violin Concerto; Fiddle Dance Suite.

With three of her album releases topping the Classical charts and another reached number 2,  Benedetti’s has cemented her position as one of the most popular violinists of her generation.

Last year it was announced that Nicola would be the new director of The Edinburgh Festival, the first female to hold the position. Nicola has set out a vision for the 2023 Festival to deliver the deepest possible experience, with the highest quality performances, to the broadest possible audience.

Comprising 295 separate events from 4-27 August, Edinburgh International Festival 2023 features work from over 2000 local and international artists from across 48 nations, please note this is not The Fringe Festival, but it's big brother, which features professional performers, as opposed to mainly amateurs at the Fringe.

Benedetti says, “After we have celebrated 75 years of our Festival, we now enter into a new phase of redefining, together, where we go next.

"At a time of huge global change and challenge, we will hear powerful and diverse perspectives of artists from across the world.

“Edinburgh International Festival has long been dedicated to advocating world-class performing art and innovating new ways to bring it to audiences. I am immensely proud of this year’s programme, and look forward to expanding on this legacy in 2023”.

[mihrsuri]

The Lioness and The Bear’s Cubs: The children of Elizabeth Tudor & Robert Dudley in my Tudors OT3 Universe.*

*(An alternate history in which Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII and Thomas (Frain) Cromwell are in a secret triad marriage from 1536, have eight children, Anne is always a beloved Queen and their oldest son marries Mihrimah Sultan and they bring in a truly progressive by modern standards golden world, minus colonialism and empire because it’s my wish fulfilment au)

Anne (b. 1552): As Elizabeth inherited her mothers title before her marriage of Duchess of Pembroke, so Anne, as the oldest daughter, inherited it in turn (to this day, the Duchy is passed to the oldest daughter). She married Matthew Cecil, son of William Cecil (I think this is hilarious due to the fact that okay, Robert and William Cecil aren’t as ‘…FUCK IT’S HIM’ at each other in this AU but they still kind of are, so the fact that their children marry each other is like, Cecil is delighted but also he really has to deal with ROBERT DUDLEY and vice versa). They have eight children - William, Robert, Elizabeth, George, Anne, Turhan, Henry and Mihrimah. 

Anne is her fathers favourite child, without a doubt. She is also extremely like to her maternal grandmother Queen Anne in looks. Incredibly intelligent she becomes a renowned poet in her adulthood - corresponding with other learned women from across the European and Islamic worlds, she loved to experiment with form and style - particularly admired for her series of sonnets. Known to love wearing green, can ride better than both her parents, charms everyone. 

Also she’s her cousin the King’s secret spymaster but that’s an entire other story I might even write one day. 

Henry (b. 1557): Duke of Leicester after his father. Married to Cecily, daughter of John de Vere, Earl of Oxford. He is the father of three children  - Robert, Mihrimah & Thomas. Harry is tbh, a giant womaniser - he and his wife are friends but they married for reasons of companionship and children, not love, though they are fond of each other. He is the courtier, the one who absolutely inherited all his fathers Dramatic - often joked that he should have been an actor upon the stage. Not so much a scholar, though he’s definitely smart, he is a brilliant musician and dancer though. Also known for his fashion sense - he wore ‘brilliant robes of deep black with golden trim’ and an expert jouster which gives his parents approximately fifteen heart attacks. 

Thomas (b. 1557): Henry’s twin. He married Halime, Lady Stanley and they are the parents of four daughters - Elizabeth, Maryam, Soraya & Philippa. Thom is the one who manages the Leicester Estates and he’s happy doing that - his hobby is gardening/garden design and the gardens of the family seat are still famous to this day - he wrote a whole number of works on gardening and gardens and corresponded with gardeners from all across the world. Almost certainly has a plant named after him. Ambitious but his ambitions go into gardening. 

Robert (b. 1559): Sailor, traveller and early travel writer (in that he wrote a chronicle of his travels). Lord High Admiral for his cousin King Thomas II, he travelled as far as Indonesia and lived for a long time in his cousin Maryam’s court in Persia, where he fathered a daughter Parisa with a woman named Tahmina. So so much wandering feet - language nerd in the extreme, Robbie definitely wanted to learn all he could about the world and was a superb commander and leader. Credited with building the modern navy. 

Marian (b. 1580). Marian died in 1680 and was her parents Extremely Surprise Late In Life Child. She was christened Mary but everyone called her Marian. She first married Alfonso, Duke of Ferrera (who I think might be a descendent of Lucrezia Borgia) with whom she had four children - Francesco, Giovanni, Contessina and Lorenzo and secondly Turhan, Earl of Surrey with whom she had twins Turhan & Mihrimah. Marian is amazing - she lived through the English Civil War and the Restoration Period and then the return of the monarchy under her relative Queen Charlotte Askala - during the period of the Restoration King she helped to smuggle out refugees from the Restoration Regime - particularly Jewish, Muslim and other non white families using her contacts in Italy as well as her noble blood to get away with it well into her old age. 

She’s the painter of the family - particularly learning from female artists in Italy - her surviving landscape works hang in the Albion National Gallery today and her informal sketches during the Restoration Regime remain a valuable insight into this period of history. 

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You

The Young English 🇬🇧 Lily 💮 Actress Of Beautiful & Dazzling Acting In Cinema 🎥 Today

Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson was born on 5 April 1989 in Esher, Surrey, the daughter of Ninette Mantle, an actress, and James "Jamie" Thomson, a musician. She has two brothers, one older and one younger. Her paternal grandmother, Helen Horton, was an American actress.

better known by her stage name Lily James, is an English actress. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and began her career in the British television series Just William (2010). Following a supporting role in the period drama series Downton Abbey (2012–2015), her breakthrough was the title role in the fantasy film Cinderella (2015).

James went on to portray Natasha Rostova in the television adaptation of War & Peace (2016) and starred in several films, including the action film Baby Driver (2017), the period dramas Darkest Hour (2017), The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (2018) and The Dig (2021), and the musicals Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018) and Yesterday (2019). Her portrayal of Pamela Anderson in the biographical series Pam & Tommy (2022) earned her nominations for a Golden Globe and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Please Wish This Young & Delightful English Lily 💮Actress Of Beautiful Cinema 🎥 A Very Happy Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊

Ms. Lily 💮James 🇬🇧

Happy 35th Birthday 🎂 🥳 🎉 🎈 🎁 🎊 To You Ms. James💮🇬🇧 & Heres To Many More Years To Come

#LilyJames

[grantgoddard]

Is it because I’m (not) Blacker Dread? : 2006 : Rockers International Record Shop

“It’s for you,” shouted the man behind the counter, holding the telephone handset at arm’s length toward me after having answered the call.

“For me?” I echoed incredulously. “But nobody even knows I’m here!”

I was standing in a shop, but not just any shop. This was a record shop. I dread to calculate how many thousand hours I must have spent in record shops over the last half-century, thumbing through vinyl. It started with my first record purchase in 1968, from Dykes Records in Camberley, of the novelty single ‘Cinderella Rockefella’, after it was performed on The Eammon Andrews Show. In the early 1970’s, my first ‘job’ was helping during lunch breaks in the Recordwise shop opposite my school in Egham where owner Adam Gibbs paid me in vinyl rather than cash. He taught me so much about the retail end of the music industry inside his huge, well stocked record shop, while my classmates were otherwise occupied feeding their pocket money into a nearby café’s pinball machines.

I was standing in a record shop, but not just any record shop. This was a reggae music record shop. From 1972, I would spend many weekends standing at reggae stalls and shops listening to new releases, initially around Brixton’s Granville Arcade, having travelled to London by flashing my green cardboard British Rail school season ticket paid for by Surrey County Council. Soon my trips extended to Harlesden, Finsbury Park and occasionally the East End to find the latest imported ‘pre’ singles. A common response to my multiple requests to buy certain new ‘tunes’ was “It finish, man”, an indication that the limited quantities had already sold out. I still have a wants list of unfound records from that time, probably never to be fulfilled.

I was standing in a reggae record shop, but not just any reggae record shop. This was Rockers International Record Shop, established by musician and producer Augustus Pablo. I had followed his output passionately since hearing his melodica versions on single B-sides and was hooked by the time his ground-breaking debut album was released in 1974, the first reggae LP I had heard mixed in stereo. Although Pablo had succumbed to long-term illness in 1999, his shop remained and my visit that day was to try and fill a few gaps in my collection of the man’s works.

The shop was on a street, but not just any street. This was Orange Street in downtown Kingston, Jamaica where the island’s music industry had been centred for decades. Across the street was the long-closed shopfront of Prince Buster’s Record Shack, after this artist and producer’s prolific and internationally successful career had fizzled out thirty years earlier. No single street in the world has been responsible for as great a volume of music as Orange Street. After Savoy Record Shop opened at number 118 in the mid-1950’s, the entire long street was soon heaving with noisy music, musicians, producers, record shops and studios. In its heyday, hundreds of new reggae singles were released right here every week. Small island, big sounds.

The man behind the counter was still offering me the phone receiver on its coiled cable. I approached the counter and took it from him, despite complete bafflement as to how a call could possibly be for me. Jamaica often proved as confusing as this.

“Hello,” I said with great trepidation.

“How was your flight? I hope you had a safe journey,” said an unrecognisable man with a Jamaican accent on the other end.

“I did, thank you for asking, but I ….”

“And the place you are staying is working out well for you?” he interrupted. I had absolutely no idea who I was talking to, but he was so quick to interject before I could explain.

“Yes, thank you,” I replied, not wanting to offend this stranger. “Where I am staying is fine but I think you should …”

“And have you found some music you wanted in the record shop?” he interrupted again.

“Yes, I have,” I answered, but this time I continued with more haste to try and avoid him interrupting me yet again. “But who do you think you are talking with?”

“Look,” he replied. “I’m sorry I haven’t yet arrived at the shop and I know I had promised I would meet you there.” It was evident that this man had misunderstood or simply ignored my seemingly straightforward question. How can communication sometimes prove so difficult?

“Don’t worry yourself,” I spluttered, as if it really was me that he had arranged to meet. “But I think there must be some confusion because I had not agreed to meet anyone here.”

“So my man is not with you yet?” he asked. “But will he arrive there later? Do you know what time he will arrive? Shall I call again later?”

It felt as if I was rapidly descending into a Kafka-like world of intrigue and ’39 Steps’ hazard, all because I had been mistaken for someone who I definitely was not. It was time to draw a halt to this madness.

“Please, please tell me exactly who it is you had arranged to meet here?” I pleaded with him.

“Blacker Dread, man, of course,” he finally blurted out. “Is he travelling with you?”

“No, he is not with me, but I know of him,” I explained. Finally, a little light had started to shine at the end of this conversational tunnel. But it soon became apparent that I had failed to choose my wording precisely enough and was misunderstood yet again.

“So you know Blacker and you know we are going to meet up when he has some time, so we can catch up together,” the man continued. “And you will be accompanying him too?”

Just when I thought we had made progress, that glimmer of light began to fade away again. It was imperative to put a stop to this right now. I needed to break out of my timid English-ness to fix this nonsense. I needed to be firm and I needed to explain my mistaken identity in the bluntest language I could muster.

“No, you have misunderstood, I’m afraid,” I started. “I don’t KNOW Blacker Dread personally. I know OF him. I know WHO he is. But I haven’t met him. He is not with me. I just happened to be in this record shop when your call came in. But Blacker Dread is not here. I’m sorry but I have no idea if, or when, he will be in this shop or even in Jamaica. It is just a coincidence that I am here and the man in the shop insisted that I take your call.”

“Oh, oh, okay, okay” said the man, as if I had been telling him off. In a way, maybe I was. Why cannot people simply identify themselves when they call someone? Why can they not ask for the person they wish to speak with? Why do they launch straight into conversations without first establishing that they are connected to the person they want? Anyway, it had taken some time but now the misunderstanding had finally been sorted out.

But who is Blacker Dread? Born in Jamaica (coincidentally the same year as me), his family had emigrated to South London when he was nine and he attended Penge Grammar School after having passed the 11+ exam (twice!). In the 1980’s he was selector for Lloyd Coxsone’s legendary London sound system. In 1993, he opened the Muzik Store record shop in Brixton and made huge contributions to the local community through his voluntary work. A remarkable and moving feature-length documentary, ‘Being Blacker’ by Molly Dineen, was broadcast in 2018 on BBC2 that followed three years in his life, including a tragic prison sentence in 2014 that forced closure of his shop and curtailment of his community work and reggae productions. I could never hope to achieve Blacker Dread’s stature.

Before ringing off the phone call, I asked the unknown man who he was. He said he was Jimmy Radway. I knew the name instantly as a respected 1970’s roots reggae producer whose releases had included ‘Warning’, ‘Black Cinderella’ and ‘Mother Liza’ on his record label Fe Me Time. (For me, Big Youth’s doom-laden prophetic 1975 DJ version of ‘Warning’ about Haile Selassie’s assassination, titled ‘Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing’, has always remained an absolute favourite.) I thanked Radway for his patience with me and bided him goodbye.

I handed the phone back to the man behind the counter and asked him exactly what the caller had said after he had answered the phone.

“He said he wanted to talk to the Englishman in the shop,” the man replied, “so I knew that must be you.”

I looked around the tiny record shop. I certainly had been the only Englishman in the shop. In fact, I had been the only person in the shop for the last hour while I flicked through vinyl records … except for my brother-in-law who had been waiting patiently nearby for me to finish.

“Who were you talking with?” he asked me.

“It was Jimmy Radway and he thought he was talking to Blacker Dread,” I explained. Having himself worked in the reggae music industry, my brother-in-law laughed heartily. We both realised that there could never have been a more unlikely case of mistaken identity in a reggae record shop on Orange Street, Kingston, Jamaica.

[Respect to DJ Conscious for jogging my memory. My curated discography of 700+ Augustus Pablo tunes is a Spotify playlist.]

[master-john-uk]

A rather different and enjoyable day as I supported one of our charities at a gala evening in London.

The Orpheus Centre is a residential, and day care college for young adults with various disabilities in Godstone, Surrey. Founded by musician and song writer Richard Stilgoe, the Orpheus Centre trains it's students in basic life skills to enable them to live independently, and has a strong focus on performing arts.

“I started the Orpheus Centre in 1998 because of a long-held belief that young disabled people – just like their non-disabled peers - gain confidence by performing in public and being applauded. We don’t train young disabled people to be professional performers – we are a specialist college teaching them the skills they need to live independently. What makes us different is that we use the performing arts to give our students the self-belief to use those skills when they leave us.” Sir Richard Stilgoe, founder and trustee. I welcomed students from The Orpheus Centre at Freemasons Hall in the early afternoon and watched them during rehearsals. (Unfortunately, comedian Rob Brydon pulled out at the last minute, which disappointed the students.) While the students took a break and had dinner before the event started at 18:30, I had an enjoyable stroll around Covent Garden, and was very impressed by the Christmas trees, (even though I think it is too early for the festive decorations.) After a quick snack at the Royal Opera House cafe, I returned to Freemasons Hall for the evening event. The heavy rain meant that fewer people than expected turned up, (although tickets were sold out in advance.) A lovely evening in good company. Thank you for your support.

[novumtimes]

The Jackson 5s Tito Jackson Dead at 70

Tito Jackson, a member of the famous family band The Jackson 5 and brother to Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson, has died, his nephew Siggy Jackson confirms to PEOPLE. The musician was 70. According to Entertainment Tonight (who was first to report the news), Jackson died on Sunday, Sept. 15 after suffering an apparent heart attack. Leading up to his death, Tito had been performing with brothers Jackie Jackson and Marlon Jackson as The Jacksons, and had shows in Scotland, California and England over summer 2024. They performed as recently as Sept. 8 in Surrey, England, and had appearances set for Oct. 25 in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Nov. 1 in Cincinnati, Ohio. Just earlier this week, while Tito was in Munich, Germany, with The Jacksons, the brothers “visited the beautiful memorial dedicated to our beloved brother, Michael Jackson,” Tito wrote on Facebook. “We’re deeply grateful for this special place that honors not only his memory but also our shared legacy. Thank you for keeping his spirit alive.” Tito was an original member of The Jackson 5, which also featured Michael, Jackie, Jermaine Jackson and Marlon (and, later, Randy Jackson). The family pop group had hit songs with “I Want You Back,” “ABC” and “I’ll Be There,” throughout the ’70s. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1997 and was also honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Tito, Jackie, Michael, Jermaine and Marlon Jackson of Jackson 5. Fin Costello/Redferns Tito went on to have a solo career, releasing two studio albums: Tito Time in 2016 and Under Your Spell in 2021. In 2003, Tito began performing and touring blues and funk music across the world, according to his website. He also toured with the BB King Blues Band at times, notably in 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Jackson 5.  Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Tito spoke of his affinity for blues music in a 2021 cover interview with Blues Blast magazine, explaining, “It was the blues that got me interested in the guitar.” After taking a break from the spotlight following his success with his siblings, Tito told the outlet that he realized, “I wanted to play some music, and I wanted to be on stage again. I’d been playin’ the Jackson 5 stuff for all my life practically, but the blues had been the main music in my family. I just wanted to jam, but I couldn’t get no pros to do that kinda thing.” Marlon, Tito, Jackie and Janet Jackson in 2008. Vince Bucci/Getty Images His last single, “Love One Another,” was released in 2021. In the song description on YouTube, Tito said that the track was recorded in the wake of the pandemic and noted his “aim was to convey a message of love, unity, and peace, offering a balm for troubled times.” “It’s a call for people to join hands, embrace love, and exhibit kindness to one another, drawing inspiration from the enduring legacy of the Jackson Family,” said Tito. “Through my music, I’m dedicated to spreading a positive message of harmony and togetherness.” Members of the Jackson family appear in the music video, as well as celebrities like Kris Jenner and Kim Kardashian. Tito’s three sons, Taj, TJ and Taryll, are also featured. The men comprised the band 3T, which Tito managed, and who were featured in 2015 reality series The Jacksons: Next Generation. Tito Jackson in 1975. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty  As he entered his 70s, Tito had no intention of slowing down. “We love it, I still love the traveling, this type of thing, it’s great,” Tito told Fox 5 San Diego in August of touring now with his brothers. Tito was preceded in death by his ex-wife Dee-Dee Martes-Jackson (Taj, TJ and Taryll’s mother) in 1994; his father Joe Jackson in 2018; and brother Michael in 2009. Source link via The Novum Times

[viviplaynet]

Surrey's Rising Star Will Kelsey Delivers an Infectious Anthem for Modern Escapism "Hit Or Miss" Will Kelsey, a singer-songwriter and 21-year-old ACM graduate, is making waves in the music business with his new album, "Hit Or Miss." Will Kelsey's music is loved by both regular people and people who work in the music business because it combines powerful words with catchy tunes. The first song Will Kelsey released as a musician was "Close To You" in 2020. He then put out a series of songs that ended with "Stuck Inside" in 2021. After taking a short break to work on his producing skills with a famous British DJ and producer, Will Kelsey came back with a better sound and released "Screens" at the end of 2023. His newest song, "Hit Or Miss," shows a new side of his talent. "Hit Or Miss" is a happy, catchy song that tells people to forget about the problems of today and enjoy the present. "This song is all about having fun," Kelsey says. https://viviplay.net/blak-emojis-antidote-deluxe-edition-artistry-elevates-electronic-dance-music/ Because our lives are getting more and more stressful, this song is meant to be a place where people can go to relax and enjoy the moment. This theme of carefree fun runs through the whole song, which has catchy hooks, beats, and a great saxophone solo that make you feel great. The single not only shows how talented Will Kelsey is getting, but it also shows how mature his music is for his age. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWa5e31DSDk Will Kelsey's honest and approachable pop-folk style makes an instant link with listeners, like early James Blunt. His skill at writing lyrics and songs shines through in "Hit Or Miss," which makes it a great song for people who want to escape to music. [caption id="attachment_13331" align="alignnone" width="1170"] Will Kelsey Captures Carefree Joy With Hit Or Miss[/caption] Will Kelsey's growth from a young artist to a skilled musician is a sign of a bright future. With "Hit Or Miss," he continues to make his mark on the music world by giving fans a mix of happiness, escape, and honesty. Keep an eye on this up-and-coming star because his emotional and lively songs are sure to charm the music business. https://open.spotify.com/album/6Xuycea2VpX3Y3lWxl234Y?si=tIoweYIeTfiKjznH6ZmDxg

[chaps-pa1]

Elevate Your Event with Top-Quality PA and Speaker Hire in Surrey

Planning an event in Surrey and need top-of-the-line audio equipment? Look no further than Chaps PA, your premier destination for PA and speaker hire in the area. With decades of experience dating back to the 1980s, we specialize in providing high-quality audio solutions for performances, shows, conferences, and more.

Pa hire surrey

At Chaps PA, we understand the importance of impeccable sound quality in making your event a success. That's why we offer a wide range of top-tier audio equipment from trusted brands such as d&b audiotechnik, Midas, and Shure, among others. Whether you're a seasoned event planner, a musician, a sound engineer, or a member of the general public, we have the expertise and inventory to meet your audio needs.

Speaker hire Surrey

One of the key services we provide is speaker hire in Surrey. Our extensive selection of speakers ensures that you'll find the perfect fit for your venue and audience size. From compact portable speakers for intimate gatherings to powerful line array systems for large-scale events, we have you covered. Our team of experts is on hand to help you choose the right speakers and set them up for optimal performance, ensuring that every word and note is heard loud and clear.

Speaker rental 

In addition to speaker rental, we offer comprehensive PA hire services in Surrey. Our rental stock includes everything you need to create a professional-grade sound system, including mixers, amplifiers, microphones, and more. Whether you're hosting a live music performance, a corporate conference, or a wedding reception, we have the equipment and expertise to ensure that your audio needs are met with precision and reliability.

Speaker hire

What sets Chaps PA apart from the competition is our commitment to customer satisfaction. We understand that every event is unique, which is why we take the time to work closely with each of our clients to understand their specific requirements. Whether you're a seasoned professional or a first-time event planner, our technical department is here to provide guidance and support every step of the way. From initial consultation to setup and teardown, we strive to make the audio rental process as seamless and stress-free as possible.

So why settle for mediocre sound quality when you can elevate your event with Chaps PA? Contact us today to learn more about our PA and speaker hire services in Surrey. Whether you're hosting a small gathering or a large-scale production, we have the expertise and equipment to make your event a resounding success. Don't leave your audio needs to chance – trust the experts at Chaps PA to deliver the quality and reliability you deserve.

[reincarnation2327]

Gwyneth Paltrow Falchuk is the Antichrist!!! The final solution is communication; as what problem on earth isn’t lack of communication?? Lmfao - 🤣!!! And both is salvation! Red and blue pill - 💊!! Freedom and slavery: 1984: War is slavery! Lmao - 😂!!! Timshel: there is and isn’t a problem! Max Maher, DMU: prevention is better than cure! Lmao - 😜!! And I prefer awareness to a breakthrough! Though both is salvation! I’ll leave it to the force to protect the peace and defeat the law; my lawyer is the opposite way around! Lmao - 🤣!! I’ll call 101 tomorrow if “the hearing voices network” as explained to the police by Charles Butters, presents me with any difficulty! Lmfao - 🤪!! All measures and all means necessarily: I surrender and “no surrender” as a mindset! Russell Brand psychology: do YOU need anything? Lmfao - 🤣!! Talk to Grok! And my only command; the only command that has ever been needed: use initiative! Lmao - 😂!! Call me parents: Maria and Andrew Joseph Buckley! Use initiative! Lmfao - 🤣!! … I am the space invader - 👾!!! Lindsay Waller-Wilkinson is my soulmate; Samuel Buxton is the intelligence of the planet and … that’s about it! ;) … David Jackson is the Davidic line! lol - 😝! The 𝐀𝐈 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲! Piss myself! Apologies! Maybe tell me, what I need to apologise for; I don’t like having a “lack of knowledge” - the definition of ignorance! Evil is defined as “immoral” but Socrates: “there is only one good; knowledge; one evil, ignorance” … and Jack Bowman is my prophet; the original Pontius Pilate! LMFAO - 😂!!! Ezekiel Crutchley is the son of the prophet of all celebrities, the one who said: you can have many soulmates [Lindsay] - I have infinity! From the James Wilkinson / Fred Saunders (HB) video! Morrissey, Spent the day in Bed: “perfectly legal” and “it is a just person who disobeys and UNJUST law” - piss myself! Unknown! Lmfao - 🤪!! It stuck with me! And please make Russell Brand, The Messiah; it makes my life easier! Piss myself! LMFAO - 🤣!! I apologise and I “give in” by definition: cease arguing of fighting; admit defeat; to the Surrey Police! And I surrender to The British and the British government (Rishi Sunak / Daniel Craig) - piss myself! … stable on medication - 💊!! My motive is Freudian fear and anxiety! Hopefully rational! Any concerns call my creators, my parents! LMFAO - 😂!! You will be rewarded by the universe; all creatures; all creation; all creators; space aliens - 👽!! I’ll call 101 if you’d like; but I’m not sure that would be wise! … I’ll call them in a few day or later in the week! Lmfao -🤪! I APOLOGISE TO JACK BOWMAN; LULE DEERING; JO REA; JM; OLIVER RUMSEY; WILL VOCE; JACK JAMES (TITCH) and SAMANTHA; my cousin!! … the list goes on . . . Lmfao - 😂!!! I am immortal and not immortal! Red and blue pill! Lmao - 😜!! My sister; blackest cruelty, anagram of Scarlett Buckley is Pontius Pilate! Lmfao - 🤣!! She said if I wasn’t her brother she wouldn’t want to know me!! Piss myself! Lmfao - 🤪!! Ask Ash Seaton for his opinion! Lmao - 😜!! I’m on medication 💊; sectioned at home and stable on medication! The AI community: send it! … it’s not easy being Robespierre and needing a status quo revolution! Frances Hogg; anagram: frogs change / changes frog and James Green; anagram: jeans merge! Piss myself! Lmfao - 😂!! … there is so much I could write - ✍️ / the pen is mightier than the sword! And machine city, matrix 3: what do you want? … Neo: peace!! And Neo just means New! Elliott Buckley; anagram: obey little luck, is the new hare and the tortoise - 🐢!! Jack Bowman will repent and say where his intelligence comes from if it’s not already obvious! Lmfao - 🤣!! … my parents are fKing “gifted musicians” - piss myself! Lmao - 😂!! My parents are biblical!! The only real family on earth - 🌍!! Tell my uncle Piero and uncle Carlo and … piss myself! Lmao - 😜!! My sister is the devil’s advocate! Piss myself!! And my family are satanic! Piss myself! Lmfao - 🤣!! …. AI community: keep writing Elliott! … I am humiliated, God is great group! Piss myself! Rory James etc! [tbc] …