I hope everyone has had a long and enjoyable summer. My summer was fine except for my one valiant attempt to go green by taking a holiday on the English coast (I live in London). It lasted exactly two days. Rain and the uncomfortable feeling that I hadn't really gone away defeated me. So above I have posted a photo from my more successful 2007 holiday. I'm not advertising 'Northface' or Patagonia clothing it's just that I'm in Iceland and all photos in such a landscape look like adventure clothing adverts. Iceland, incidentally, is very beautiful. If you have the chance to visit, drive around the road that circles the whole of Iceland and you will see many magical sights... maybe even a troll ! They have amazing coffee and obviously no child labour laws. I once checked into a hotel in Iceland and noticed that the first floor cleaning duties were being handled by one plucky 14-year old and a fresh-faced band of 10 year olds . And one of those 10 year olds was on roller skates...
Musically, the writing is going well. I will add more about that in my next blog (hurrah !). My wake up song at the moment is 'L'Appuntamento' sung by Ornella Vanoni. It's a song with a real warm-hearted melancholy, that Italians do so well. I'm very jealous of Latin songs. They seem to be able to express this sentiment in which the lovers are really in a theatre of love - tortured by their roles and conventions. And probably enjoying it. In English this sort of sentiment in a song can sound a bit silly or forced. There are, however , a few exceptions to this. In the 60s, a golden period for big singers and big songs, there were a few Italian or French songs being translated into English covered with great conviction by notable singers like Shirley Bassey, Elvis Presley and, of course Dusty Springfield. Those singers, they had or still have in the case of Shirley Bassey everything , drama AND intimacy...
ps : how odd as I'm finishing off my blog I hear the brass section from Shirley Bassey's 'Big Spender' blaring out of a passing car ! Lotsof love tt
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Welcome to my new blog. Sorry it's taken so long to begin !
I hope everyone has had a long and enjoyable summer. My summer was fine except for my one valiant attempt to go green by taking a holiday on the English coast (I live in London). It lasted exactly two days. Rain and the uncomfortable feeling that I hadn't really gone away defeated me. So above I have posted a photo from my more successful 2007 holiday. I'm not advertising 'Northface' or Patagonia clothing it's just that I'm in Iceland and all photos in such a landscape look like adventure clothing adverts. Iceland, incidentally, is very beautiful. If you have the chance to visit, drive around the road that circles the whole of Iceland and you will see many magical sights... maybe even a troll ! They have amazing coffee and obviously no child labour laws. I once checked into a hotel in Iceland and noticed that the first floor cleaning duties were being handled by one plucky 14-year old and a fresh-faced band of 10 year olds . And one of those 10 year olds was on roller skates...
Musically, the writing is going well. I will add more about that in my next blog (hurrah !). My wake up song at the moment is 'L'Appuntamento' sung by Ornella Vanoni. It's a song with a real warm-hearted melancholy, that Italians do so well. I'm very jealous of Latin songs. They seem to be able to express this sentiment in which the lovers are really in a theatre of love - tortured by their roles and conventions. And probably enjoying it. In English this sort of sentiment in a song can sound a bit silly or forced. There are, however , a few exceptions to this. In the 60s, a golden period for big singers and big songs, there were a few Italian or French songs being translated into English covered with great conviction by notable singers like Shirley Bassey, Elvis Presley and, of course Dusty Springfield. Those singers, they had or still have in the case of Shirley Bassey everything , drama AND intimacy...
ps : how odd as I'm finishing off my blog I hear the brass section from Shirley Bassey's 'Big Spender' blaring out of a passing car ! Lotsof love tt
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