18th APRIL 2021
18th April 2021
A few days ago I wrote a song about a smuggler who was born in Beer, South East Devon, called Jack Rattenbury. I am now trying to concentrate on writing songs with a Devon theme. For the time being I have parked my comedy album idea despite having written enough songs for it. Later this year I am also hoping to release another album of songs that I have recorded with Phil Swann and Martyn Hillstead. The only thing that is left to complete this is the album the artwork and the addition of some vocals to a few of the songs.
Jack Rattenbury
Jack Rattenbury the smuggler
Was born in the village of Beer
Where his family lived in poverty
With no comfort throughout the year
Jack Rattenbury the smuggler
Was born in the village of Beer
His father was pressganged
And was never seen again
Jack was the oldest child
And sought work with the fishermen
Jack became a smuggler
All around the coast of beer
Chased by custom officials
Of the risks he had no fear
Jack became a smuggler
All around the coast of beer
He was a local hero
Giving money to the poor
With lots of trusted friends
To protect him from the law
His memoirs were published
In eighteen thirty seven
And I wonder if Jack
Is a smuggler up in heaven
I do wonder if Jack
Is a smuggler up in heaven
Jack became a smuggler
All around the coast of beer
Chased by custom officials
Of the risks he had no fear
Jack became a smuggler
All around the coast of beer
He was a local hero
Giving money to the poor
With lots of trusted friends
To protect him from the law
Lots of trusted friends
To protect him from the law
11th April 2021
11th April 2021
A small section of music recorded for the Mer de Mort album has been used to introduce the following recent Mortimer History Society lectures:-
Dr Sean Cunningham: The Battle of Mortimer's Cross and its Political Legacy in the Fifteenth Century.
Steve David:The Mortimer Retinue 1451-1469
Anthony Rich TD: “Mortimer’s Cross 1461 – The Elusive Battlefield”
I instantly recognised my mandola and the sound of Lord Zarquon's keyboards when I started watching the introdction to one of the lectures but I didn't recognise the tune. I then asked Lord Z to listen to it on you tube and he didn't recognise it either and we then began to wonder if perhaps it hadn't been recorded by us. I then decided to listen to the Mer de Mort album to see if I could find it on the album. I thought that perhaps it was the introduction to one of the songs but I eventually found that it is taken from the middle instrumental section of The Round Table 1279:-
2nd April 2021
2nd April 2021
Last weekend I recorded two jingles for Peter Cartwright of Riviera FM which I think he will use for his radio show. This has given me the idea for a new album which would start and end with the radio jingles and would have songs all about various aspects of the county of Devon. I have written several unreleased songs already about this subject matter and I have started sending new recordings to Lord Z for him to consider. So far this year I have been mainly recording with Phil Swann but now I intend to concentrate on mainly recording with Lord Z ( I can hear him groan as he reads this while Phil breathes a sigh of huge relief! ). I will also try to write and record some new songs with Martyn Hillstead who has written some very good lyrics which have resulted in some excellent songs over the last twelve months or so.
28th March 2021
28th March 2021
Having recently written a song about terrible tenants I have now written a song about a fictitious terrible landlord
Graham the Greedy Landlord
Graham was a greedy landlord
Who charged extortionate rent
He owned lots of properties
Throughout the county of Kent
He had a very lavish life style
And owned a fast sports car
Dining at expensive restaurants
With champagne and caviar
Graham was a greedy landlord
Who charged extortionate rent
His tenants were caught in a poverty trap
And of this they would often lament
He went on expensive holidays
Drinking cocktails in the sun
Dreaming of his rents rolling in
Always looking after number one
Graham showed no mercy
If his tenants couldn't pay their rent
He'd kick them out as soon as he could
Into the street they were sent
Graham was a greedy landlord
Who charged extortionate rent
He owned lots of properties
Throughout the county of Kent
He had a clever accountant
So he never had to pay any tax
With complicated trust accounts
He would always cover his tracks
21st March 2021
21st March 2021
Have I previously mentioned the Semi Acoustic Almanac on this blog? I can't remember if I have. This has been mainly recorded with Phil Swann and Martyn Hillstead and follows on from the Acoustic Almanac as a separate project from the recordings with Lord Z. I guess it is a bit like Lord Z's Prophet's project (although the music is completely different in style) except that I'm using the LTS brand name for both of my musical ventures. Could be a bit confusing of course.
For the time being I have decided not to get any CDs duplicated for the Pageant of Torbay Part Two album as I want to see if I can sell the Torbay Pageant Part One CDs at local lectures provided we come out of lockdown in the summer. Depending on this I will then consider duplicating CDs for the Part Two album. I didn't really want to get CDs duplicated for the Semi Acoustic album but Phil Swann did and is paying half of the cost so if any one wants a CD please send me an email. Here is a link to a promotional video that I have made for this album
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUYcK1cTDfo
Also the Pageant of Torbay Part Two album is mentioned in the Torbay Weekly. Here is a link to it
https://www.torbayweekly.co.uk/news/legendary-10-seconds-7799186
14th March 2021
14th March 2021
Some of my music has been used as an introductory piece for a few of the recent Mortimer History Society lectures. Here is a link to one of the lectures:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYdNS8PlDuM
Last week I had a great idea for a new guitar riff and I decided to see if I could use this for a new song. I then decided to see if I could write a new one about the battle of Jutland and here are the lyrics for the new song
They departed from the Firth of Forth
While the German fleet sailed North
Sailing towards that fateful day
A naval battle at the end of May
The Germans had hoped to lure and trap
A portion of the British fleet
But their signals were decryted
And Jellicoe's larger fleet
Admiral Scheer would meet
They departed from Scapa Flow
To the south they would go
Sailing towards that fateful day
A naval battle at the end of May
The Germans had hoped to lure and trap
A portion of the British fleet
But their signals were decryted
And Jellicoe's larger fleet
Admiral Scheer would meet
In the run to the south
On the British ships was wrought
The German superb gunnery
As the battle cruisers fought
7th March 2021
7th March 2021
I have been exchanging emails with Stephanie Medwell and I have just discovered that her grandmother's sister used to live in Shiphay. In actual fact in the same road where my sister lives, literally opposite her house. Like myself, Stephanie remembers the prefabs in Wallace Avenue in Shiphay. Here is a link to my song about Christopher Marks Churchward and Stephanie's grandmother on you tube:-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIhNAvMczmU
28th February 2021
28th February 2021
On Monday I spoke to the organiser of the annual Agatha Chrisite festival in Torquay. Apparently someone complained about the content of my song and video about Agatha Christie's house in Torquay because it didn't contain the blue prints for the plan of the property!!! The festival organiser deleted the comment on you tube which I thought was a bit of a shame.
On Tuesday morning I was interviewed via the internet by Peter Cartwright of Riviera FM and this was included in his lunchtime radio show on Friday. You can hear me about two thirds of the way into the show via this link:-
https://www.mixcloud.com/RivieraFM/good-morning-torbay-peter-cartwright-26th-february-2021/
There is an article about the Torbay Pageant Part Two album on this website:-
https://wearesouthdevon.com/the-second-legendary-10-seconds-album-just-released/
21st February 2021
21st February 2021
My friend John Dike has sent me a large selection of images of his old Torquay postcard collection. I am going to use the images to make a video for one of my Torbay songs. Originally I was going to use one of the songs from the Torbay Pageant albums but then I decided to write a new song based around the images of the postcards.
Postcards of Torquay
John's postcards that he sent to me
Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea
Postcards of Torquay that he sent to me
Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea
Quaint little Anstey's cove
A tranquil treasure trove
With picnics and hot tea
A little house there by the sea
John's postcards that he sent to me
Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea
Postcards of Torquay that he sent to me
Scenes of a past time of that town by the sea
The gardens in Torquay
Such a lovely sight to see
With picnics and hot tea
Beneath a fine palm tree
There's no time to write letters
So postcards must do
Oh no time to write letters
Oh which one should I send to you
Pleasure boats for hire
If you so desire
Then picnic and hot tea
In Torbay by the sea
14th February 2021
14th February 2021
I have made a recording of my song about Christopher Marks Churchward and the battle of Jutland with Phil Swann and Martyn Hillstead. There is a link to it on this battle of Jutland website:-
https://battleofjutlandcrewlists.miraheze.org/wiki/Churchward,_Christopher_Marks
I have also made a video for Torquay museum using images from the Torquay Pageant of 1924. I have combined the images with one of my songs about the Pageant that I have recorded with Lord Zarquon. This song is the last one on the new Pageant of Torbay Part Two album. Here is a link to the video:-