So where did January go?

It’s amazing when free time becomes non-existent how time just vanishes and January certainly disappeared under a pile of stuff and a pile of snow as well!

February looks to be heading for an equally speedy disappearance but before I write the monthly plan I would like to say a few words about a dear friend who sadly passed away in January.

Tony Clarke was probably best known for his work as a producer with the Moody Blues, but he did also work with “yours truly” for a couple of years back in the mid ‘80’s. At that time he was living on a boat, a converted Royal Navy frigate of sorts and had built a small studio below deck… (I’m sure there’s a nautical term for this area , but not being at all nautical I have no idea what it is , {although it is a dream of mine to one day have a small boat on the Norfolk Broads)

The beginnings of TIME MACHINE started in that studio with ICE being the first track recorded. I can recall the late, great Vicki Brown coming along to do some backing vocals and bringing her young 14-year-old daughter along for her first session. The daughter had an amazing voice, (as indeed did her mum) and we were all blown away with her range and quality. It was of course Sam Brown and we’ve remained friends ever since.

The other main project that was done on the boat was that of THE GOSPELS. This was the forerunner to the re-write, which then became THE NEW GOSPELS.

I have vivid recollections of Ramon Remedios singing the tenor parts up on the deck in the open air in freezing temperatures with ice blocks actually floating past us on the river at Walton on Thames. I think somewhere on one of the takes you can clearly hear Ramon using words not actually in the Bible , mentioning that certain areas of his body were about to drop off !

Tony eventually took the boat down to Brighton where he was living up until he passed away quite unexpectedly. He gave a lot to music and didn’t always get the credits he deserved. He embraced music, but the industry perhaps didn’t embrace him back as maybe it should have done . I shall remember him fondly.

Moving on ……I have a dreaded 6am flight on Monday the 1st to Rome , which means not bothering to go to bed on the Sunday night as check in is at 4 which means parking up at Heathrow at 3.30 , which in turn means leaving home at 1am . Once in Rome there is a television programme to do with Mario Fasciano and then two further interviews for radio and television.

On Tuesday 2nd, I go to Salerno for a press conference for the concert there on the 27th and then travel to Naples for another interview before boarding a flight to Rome and then the last flight to London getting on at midnight ….home at 2.30am if I’m lucky!

Wednesday 3rd sees me in London all day for meetings concerning the planned concert of the three different Journey to the Centre of the Earth performances and also to pre-record my Planet Rock show with my new compatriot, David Jensen. For those of you who have listened to the show over the years, February also sees the return of “Tuneadversity Challenge”

There will also be a new side to the show. A poll was taken some months ago amongst listeners who said that liked the risqué element to the show and felt that it had been taken away …and they were right, and so now on a Friday night there will be an “After the Watershed” version ….so perhaps lock up your mums for this one!

On Friday 5th I will be appearing at The Newark Palace Theatre with the mixture of piano and silly anecdotes. I must admit to really enjoy doing these as one-offs as each one seems to have an identity of its own now which doesn’t happen when it’s part of a tour.

On Tuesday 9th I am opening a part of the Music College at Great Yarmouth College and then recording some special collages for Planet Rock for the Tuneadversity Challenge section.

Wednesday 10th sees me back at Planet Rock as indeed I am every Wednesday now.

Moving ahead to Sunday 21st, I will be appearing with a host of others at the Hexagon in Reading for Steve Rawlings annual charity show in aid of the charity for Autistic Children. He always has great names appearing and I’m proud to be amongst such illustrious company.

All the other days in the month are taken up with recording new music and new radio productions which will hopefully see the light of day by the summer.

Two audio releases are now available, (please check on the Voiceprint website). They are the triple piano CD entitled PAST, PRESENT & FUTURE and ALWAYS WITH YOU, which has already been featured on The Sunday Morning Show with Aled Jones on Radio 2.

On the 26th I fly to Rome and drive to Salerno where we rehearse prior to the concert the next day at the Teatro Verdi, one of the most beautiful theatres I have ever seen. Then I travel to Rome for the concert on March 1st. As soon as I get a copy of the poster of both shows they will be up on the site giving full details.

I really feel the year is actually well under way now and the diary is filling up, perhaps more than I had intended, but every day is an adventure of sorts and I rather like it that way!

Cheers,
Rick

Previous Editions

August 2026
July 2026
June 2026
May 2026
April 2026
March 2026
February 2026
January 2026
December 2025
November 2025
October 2025
September 2025
August 2025
July 2025
June 2025
May 2025
April 2025
March 2025
February 2025
January 2025
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024
March 2024
February 2024
January 2024
December 2023
November 2023
October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
July 2023
June 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
February 2023
January 2023
December 2022
November 2022
October 2022
September 2022
August 2022
July 2022
June 2022
May 2022
April 2022
March 2022
February 2022
January 2022
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
March 2021
February 2021
January 2021
December 2020
November 2020
October 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
March 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
September 2018
August 2018
July 2018
May 2018
April 2018
March 2018
February 2018
January 2018
December 2017
November 2017
September 2017
August 2017
July 2017
June 2017
May 2017
April 2017
March 2017
January 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
September 2016
August 2016
July 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
March 2016
February 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015
September 2015
August 2015
July 2015
June 2015
May 2015
April 2015
March 2015
February 2015
January 2015
December 2014
November 2014
October 2014
September 2014
August 2014
July 2014
June 2014
April 2014
March 2014
February 2014
January 2014
December 2013
November 2013
October 2013
September 2013
August 2013
July 2013
June 2013
May 2013
April 2013
March 2013
February 2013
January 2013
December 2012
November 2012
October 2012
September 2012
August 2012
July 2012
June 2012
May 2012
April 2012
March 2012
February 2012
January 2012
December 2011
November 2011
October 2011
September 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
April 2011
March 2011
February 2011
January 2011
December 2010
November 2010
October 2010
September 2010
August 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
April 2010
March 2010
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009