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m u s i n g s Another devastating Christchurch earthquake Dear Friends,
So many hearts are broken here in our city of Christchurch New Zealand, ours included. So many funerals, so many lives lost, so many futures shattered, so many hopes crushed.
Emergency powers, Government and organisations have performed with brilliant fore and back sight. So many health issues, physical, mental, religous and hidden personal issues are at the core of our problems. God is certainly not to blame, scientists are not to blame, powers of government are not to blame. But we all seek an answer.
What we are given by the powers that be (scientists etc) is that within given times and history dictates future events. "What a load of bollocks!" as we Brits say.
This calamity has broken hearts - but not the souls of our community. As I speak the aftershocks still instill terror. My Robyn as a teacher has to set examples to her students, but the job she has is now physciateric, which she would agree is above and beyond her experise. Her school (Hagley) is due to re-open sometime next week, with one councilor to take the mantle of responsibility. Her classroom is still unsafe, the hidden dangers are still there from the September 2010 quake.
We will re-build Christchurch. Our contribution will be a drop in the ocean, but the proceeds of my new album
'BLUE GROOVE' will help if only a mere fraction. My dear friends, when you see this product offered, think of the citizens of our great community.
We are going to the first of many funerals tommorow - Friday 11th March, for our great and dear friend Murray Wood who owned and ran CTV here in Christchurch. Murray was also an awesome keyboard player and a great
help in my digital "thickness" (as he called it) during the preparation of my new recording. We saw him 4 days before the tragedy at our home.
Thank you for your support. Our love to all. Christchurch earthquake, recording new album Hello,
In answer to many requests regarding our health and well being during this tragedy that has
happened in our home in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand.
Much of our city is in total chaos and shock at the recent 7.1 earthquake. Our local authority, Government and Earthquake Commission have been so brilliant in controlling this horrifying situation. The devastation is widespread throughout Canterbury. Thank God we have lost no-one, that in itself is a huge miracle. All this reminds me so much of us Brits during and after the second world war; a Christian attitude towards fellow man will always score with the soul of mankind.
Robyn and I escaped very lightly with practically no damage to our house, only a few contents suffered. As we chat, the after shocks are continuing to remind us of the initial
quake.
Life must go on regardless. The new album project 'BLUE GROOVE,' a collection of my original songs, is going well. Having never followed the trends and whims of this music business, my songs are free from influences of what I call 'the musically void times' where everything has to sound, feel and emulate what has gone 5 minutes before. Trends are the blight of our lives and the industry invents so many genres that are lacking in creative inspiration.
Thank you all so much for your well wishes and kind consideration for my family and I.
God bless ya. A sad loss, Sir Cliff, Peddlers Revisited May 2010 Hello,
I live in one of the most beautiful and relatively peaceful countries that God created. Sure, we have our fair share of 'nutters and uneducated cretins' who ruin our solace. Just recently a few of these mindless souls have committed offences against society that defy understanding. They have taken us to less than third world thinking, belief and Christian attitude.
Robyn , my partner, lover, critic and best friend is a teacher, whom, together with her other teaching colleagues at a college here in Christchurch, has witnessed one of these tragic events many teens go through; that of being lost, misguided and unable to get to grips with today's world. Ben, a student at the school suffered acute depression, this was recognised by all the staff, and steps were taken to understand and help him. I know, I heard about it every night for a long time. Counseling and professional help was always at hand for Ben. He was a very bright student.
But out of school, he mixed with useless friends with not a single goal in life. Ben paid one of said useless friends $2000.00 to get someone to end his life. He took the money, and together with a rope went to a local park, arranged the rope over a tree, said goodbye to Ben and left the lad to get on with it. He did. At the recent court case the 'assisted suicide' charge and conviction of this ' friend' was 8 months home detention. Can anybody give me a clue as to New Zealand law regarding giving someone convicted of such an evil crime a sentence where he basically has his leg smacked and is allowed to carry on doing the same things he was doing, anyway? This has
really pissed off just about everybody, not only at school but throughout our nation. What on earth is happening to our society ?
With the advent of getting our own recording studio, there is a lot of work in progress, should have done it years ago. I am in the middle of writing and recording a song for my late friend and peer Billy Preston. He would most probably kick my arse if he knew what I was saying and playing regarding his life. I like it anyway.
Rob and I are off to see 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows' on the second of March, and taking her darling Mum Ngaire (93 years old) along. She is a long time fan of Sir Cliff. As for me , The Peddlers shared an office with them in the mid-sixties, so I have a bit of catching up to do with them again.
The Peddlers Revisited tour is set for May this year (New Zealand) Promoter Brian Richards in Auckland is at it with the date situation as we speak. Looking foward to playing all that old stuff again, great fun, together with Bruce Kerr (Bass) Micky Otutaonga (Drums) and front of house sound engineer, Doug Jane, (check out MySpace for a few tracks) on the sliders.
Something from the past. During the late 60s, The Peddlers were working Batley Variety Club in Yorkshire. After the show we were ushered into a small private bar in this fabulous club to meet the local newspaper critic, a man in a 'Family at War' style suit, clutching a half drunk pint. He said " I have been writing crit's for paper for 30 years, I've crit for Our Gracie, Sammy Davis ,Billy Eckstein, the list goes on. I have always been constructive because I know you people in show business appreciate constructiveness." Our drummer, Trevor Morais, told him that we also understood that part of the learning period in this industry. The critic swallowed the remainder of his pint and said "Good, 'cause your crap!"
Thank you to Web-master Alf West, Dereck 'Delboy' Wales (Roy Phillips My Space) and John and Roy Grayson 'Peddlers UK'.
May the God of your choice always be very close at hand. Kiwi Radio, Peddlers Revisited, antique lighting Hello,
Thank you all for your support of my site and the promoted products. Your personal emails are most welcome, I do my best to answer each and every one of them. If fact, a lot of great ideas come from them with suggestions for new recording projects. I have just started another album, I will keep you up to date with that in the near future.
During tours throughout New Zealand the only contact with civilisation is the radio. I, for one, am horrified about the one genre the majority play 24 hours a day. We are not all 13 years old. I have personally met some of the producers of these shows and am amazed at the lack of knowledge regarding our music industry. One eyed or no eyed? Giving the people what they think they want, not what they really want. Would someone sound the alarm button, New Zealand does not believe in educating the listening public. I think a huge amount of wonderful and educational music is completely ignored by these so called producers and presenters. I hope my whinge, shared by a lot of my peers, reaches the deaf media. Our young and not so young can be educated to the richness of the music… period.
My partner/manager/agent Robyn, together with Auckland promoter Brian Richards convinced me to do a concert at the Sky City Theatre, "PEDDLERS REVISITED'. My friend Bruce Kerr (Bass) and drummer Micky Ututaonga played to a capacity house. Recording engineer Doug Jane drove the desk out front, also recorded the show.
Playing a lot of those old Peddler arrangements plus new compositions back on the beloved Hammond certainly brought back memories. A tour of New Zealand concerts is being planned for early in the New Year. My own show AN EVENING WITH went to the West Coast (South Island NZ) for a concert, only to find out that any kind of lighting plot could not be rehearsed before the show, reason being that the technician worked for the local council and had
to go to his home for dinner before the concert.
He arrived half an hour before curtain up. I had to stage whisper instructions with the audience seated. He put on industrial rubber gloves, sat down side stage awaiting instructions. The lighting system was circa 1940, metal leavers etc.
The introduction was made, I instructed him 'Full Up!' He did so, and a blinding flash filled back stage. He went A over T five metres from the controls. I stopped the show and asked him if he was all right. "Sure", he said. "That always happens."
Special thanks to my webmaster Alf West, John and Roy Grayson (Peddlers UK site), Derek 'Del-Boy' Wales (Roy Phillips My Space) and of course my Robyn. I love her very much, she still loves Willy Nelson! And of course, you all.
May the God of your choice always be at your side.
With respect |
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