Well I’d be a liar if I started off by saying what a great year it’s been so far, because it hasn’t. I’ve already lost three friends and two more are quite seriously ill. I have attended more funerals this month than all of last year and it really has been quite depressing, but I like to think of myself as an optimist and so it’s the future that counts and that is what I am trying to focus on.
At the end of January I took a flight down to Nice and travelled to Cannes where the MIDEM festival is held for the music industry each year. I was part of the 3D Audio presentation down there and highly successful it was too. We are looking very closely at recording the remake of Journey this year in 3D Audio which trust me, will be amazing.
Erik Jordan and I spent more time in the studio preparing tracks for Cleopatra Records in America and also another track for Valentina. More details when we get more news about the outcome of these.
I filmed my first Grumpy Rant for the new series of Watchdog and hopefully there will be many more. They’re so much fun to do. Great team of people too.
February is going to be quite a busy month, again though, mostly getting stuff organised and put together as against actual finished product, but having said that I will be spending a few days working on a choir arrangement for the choir of St Martin’s in the Fields for the David Croft Memorial Service and also an arrangement of Morning Has Broken for them.
Mark Jeeves, (who many of you will remember as my cohort at Planet Rock), has been working with me on a radio show for America and the two pilots should be completed before the end of the month.
On Thursday 9th I will be recording The News Quiz at Broadcasting House for Radio 4 and it’s so great to be invited onto a programme that you avidly listen to as a fan.
On the 13th and 14th , Erik Jordan and myself will be completing the definitive guide back track for the new extended version of Journey to the Centre of the earth before it goes off to Guy Protheroe for orchestration.
On Sunday 16th I will be attending the Heritage Foundation lunch in London and on the 16th I will be travelling down to Plymouth to take part in a charity show that is being organised by Jim Davidson. All Jim’s shows are fantastic so if you’re anywhere near Plymouth on that date then I really recommend you come along to the Pavilion to support a great cause and also to have a wonderful night’s entertainment.
On Saturday 25th I have been invited to a football match ....Watford v Southampton which I will thoroughly enjoy.
There is so much other stuff in the pipeline that I will be trying to bring to fruition this month which include a possible trio album with Tony Levin and Ian Paice. Early stages of discussions with all concerned, but looking very promising. Also there’s the possibility of finalising a show in Hungary as well as Canada and possibly Italy.
I can see this month flying by, so perhaps I should start writing the March GORR now, but you can catch up on everything on the website in the meantime and also, if you like reading stupidity; follow my stupid remarks on Twitter....GrumpyOldRickCheers,
Rick