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Couple of Canadians making big noise Fabulous sounds of Ashleigh Eymann and Ishkan-Adrian Cree on the "Down to Business" track from the Sonic Generals forthcoming album. Produced by Alexander Johnston of the powerhouse Funk/Blues 8 piece dynamo Mamma Freedom. I think they should win, cos this is a great vibe, with stellar performances from Ashleigh and Ishkan-Adrian. The song's on my timeline here ages ago but I will re-post it. Dancin' shoes on !! http://soundcloud.com/thesonicgenerals/down-to-business-the-sonic So c'mon my Canadian Masters buddies! Give the tune a listen and support Canadian talent - it is smokin' AND it is performed by two BC residents !! Ashleigh and Ishkan -Adrian, I think, are both from Victoria. Click here to listen ... So here's what I wrote a week ago BUT didn't post.
See, I read somewhere stupid that writing (particularly a book) could be judged on the quality of how much good material the author “cut” from the work. Well obviously this is one of those silly, pompous postulations from an over-amorous ego on the part of whoever was proposing such a nonsensical yardstick …. But I took it one step further. I edited out the whole lot, and so my post was there, it was just maxed out on editing so there was nothing to read. But the quality of the “nothing” was absolutely superb !! So, relenting, here is what I edited out: Friday, 23May 2014 Well I am very pleased to see you visit … yes, I see the visit stats and it prompts me to respond. See it's Honesty Friday and, well ... to be honest I must admit your visits do incline me to communicate. So here's a link to my newest Facebook 'friend', JV Johnston, singing his song “Waltz No.1”. http://soundcloud.com/jvjohnston/waltz-no-1 And I will confide to you that I have settled on a cover for my “Kyle Harrison - Movie Star” Kindle book and it is dynamite, if I do say so myself ... and one does have to be realistic, BUT this cover is Smokin' !! And I took the pic myself .. yes I did, and it is truly gorgeous. Taken in Moorea, Tahiti, where the middle section of Kyle's romance, in pursuit of Barbara Bertucci, takes place. So anyway, back to my new Facebook friend, JV Johnston, and his knockout vocals. Apart from his solo album, he also sings lead for the funk/blues powerhouse band Mamma Freedom. You can listen to their stuff over on Soundcloud and do at least give them a 'like' click. Cos their stuff is Top Quality Funk/Blues. * * * In fact got big news about a Short List of Candidates for Best Soundtrack at the East End Film Festival in London, England. Starting on 14 June. Six nominees and the Sonic Generals are on this exclusive short list. Tell 'ya tamarra. Goodnight! I have the second part of the Voodoo Studios Sessions video with the stellar cast of Mamma Freedom, a Funk/Blues dynamo band from Manchester. Classically influenced musicians who can blow the doors off any venue, with their Funk alter-egos.
Here they are engaged in making their second album and getting ready for a gig. Fascinating behind the scenes look at super talent. Here's the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZFGgGr28mg Back in the pool soon and I have a new idea for hand paddles and butterfly. And ... I have put my “proper” cover on “Riding A Strong Wind”, as we go to paperback publication date. Talk soon. I got tied up – didn't post as I said I would But work and life got in the way And the vibe was just too good So I'm posting today Because I know that I should There you go … now wrap some music round that and we're off !! Or maybe we're not... Anyway today I wanted to tell you about a really, really good book, and No, it's not mine. It's a very insightful, humourous, original, interesting and inventive novel written by Dermot Davis, a multi-award winning writer based in Los Angeles. I believe he works on screenplays and such, in addition to writing novels. Anyway getting back to the book – “Intelligent” … that's what I'd call it, and that's appropriate because the title is: “Brain: The Man Who Wrote the Book That Changed the World”. You can read all about it here. So there you go. And you thought I was only writing Promo stuff for myself … shame. But I will say in parting that if any of you out there in Hollywood (and I know there are readers in Calif ... I see the stats) well .. if any of you would like to take a high definition photo of the Sunset Boulevard or/and Rodeo Drive street signs, that I could use for my new novel … about to be published … well hey, I would love to see them. It's a book about a 'movie star with a dry sense of humour' - Book cover shape i.e. that's 'up and down' not 'sideways' as we say in the tech talk of photogs.
The Guardian, one of Britain's premier newspapers, has “Riding a Strong Wind” front and centre on the first page in their question to readers, “What book would you give to someone you love?”
It's in the Guardian Witness section, and here's the link: http://witness.theguardian.com/assignment/53568261e4b0237370f1a603 Many thanks to the reader who submitted my book for this prestigious lifestyle feature! It is an honour and a thrill to be featured next to recommendations for D.H. Lawrence and Nobel prize winner Pablo Neruda. Back tomorrow with something entirely different. My final daily excerpt comes from the shortest story in the book, with the enigmatic title of “Tobago – Having Lost The Boy”. This one is pure fantasy but I have very fond memories of the beach described in the narrative and there are a few lines taken from the lyrics of one of my songs called “The Raging Broom”. Tobago is a funny little island, a bit dusty and arid, but the sea surrounding it is bewitchingly beautiful, although the weather can turn suddenly savage.
“That night she had a house-servant drive her out on the small road that ran behind the beach. He was there, with his tent set up for the night and he sat in his chair playing a rather out-of-tune guitar and singing softly to himself in a flat voice. She wound down the window and listened. “Where are the hills I so long to see Where are the deer, I hope running free Where are the friends so dear to me Maybe it's time to go Up and on with the show” She suddenly felt very sad and she wondered at the ache inside her. He continued on: “Night seems it's closing in Hope grows incredibly thin” She rolled up the window and touched her driver on the shoulder to move on. She was embarrassed and puzzled at her own emotion and to find she had teared up.” Today's excerpt comes from the story entitled “Amalfi Coast” and this particular scene is based on a real event. Losing my brakes and hurtling down those steep inclines is something I will never quite forget, for obvious reasons.
“So they were now drinking in the Amalfi coast, the coastal road's rugged character and undoubted charm, and those dreadful cliff edge turns. As they reached the crest of the descent into a picturesque village, the scene looked like a painting, the sky was blue, the houses seemed washed with light and the whole scene sparkled with a bright freshness from the top of the day. The road, twisting down to the bottom, was made with many turns, probably to assist in diffusing the demands of a straight route down. Those turns would help mediate the force of gravity, and the steep incline. As they drew close behind a dithering Fiat, David noticed that he was labouring a little harder to obtain a response from his brakes. The turn helped and the Fiat shot forward as the erratic driver chose, but the next turn was harder and David was becoming concerned that, in essence, his brakes had gone. He had now, none. The turns were helping but he was gathering speed nonetheless.” My workout this morning consisted of forcibly pushing my old, bust, lawnmower over tufty grass, although afterwards I did manage to do 4 km in ten minutes on my Ellifit elliptical cross-trainer. I looked at the dial. It showed 120 heart rate, and told me I was going at 24 km an hour … really? Because I was starting to have dreams of the 5,000 metres at the next Olympics.
However, another consideration broke through and I realized that would not be a possibility, as I feel I don't really look cool enough in those running shorts! OK, enough frivolity. For today's snippet from my book, I have chosen the opening paragraphs of “Amsterdam”. The story is fictional but my experience pushing tobacco down the chutes is real, albeit many, many years ago. It's what you do when you're stuck abroad and need the fare home. “He sat in the lounge of the bar at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and watched the departures screen flick over the flight numbers and destinations. It didn't really change much, and he wondered if it was automatically refreshed by a timer, or was there ever any actual progress to report, to lighten the leaden, boring wait of travellers. Opposite him sat a friend whom he had not seen for many years, but due to the chance meeting of today, here in the airport, a fellow prisoner of the waiting lounges. They had shared a drink and reminisced about earlier, more penniless days. “You lived or stayed here for a while years ago, didn't you?” his friend threw out lazily, the boredom of the airport pressing him to find some subject for conversation. He looked out over the aircraft, all neatly tucked against their accordion tubes, joining the craft to the body of the building. He wondered casually about the materials used, but it was of little note. He turned back towards James and refreshed his thought.“Yes, ... you lived here, right?” Caterina de' Medici, a Florentine noblewoman and Queen of France, created the famous Les Tuileries formal gardens, located between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre Museum in Paris. On the occasion of her birthday, today's excerpt from my book comes from one of the longer stories, entitled “Montmartre”. The action takes place along one the picturesque paths in the gardens.
“They talked and they wandered, and the afternoon started to darken with some heavy cloud turning the Jardins dramatic and atmospheric. The park was almost deserted now as visitors sought shelter in advance of the impending downpour. And as they turned to leave, there were four burly-looking men in their path, and there was no doubt about the focus of their intended mischief. “Allez!” one of the bruisers said to the others, and they advanced on Rory with obvious intent. In the hands of one, a knife, and in those of another, a rusty iron chain. “OK, mes amis ... qu'est que c'est ceci?” Rory called to them, but they were closing in on him. Giselle looked very frightened, and was demanding of them, in rapid French, to stop their menace and leave them alone. They were only feet from him now and desperately he looked left, and then right, wondering from where the first blow would come.” |
Robertson Tait
~ Author of fiction Archives
January 2019
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