Blog
Composed the soundtrack for a documentary
Recently I had the opportunity to do something new musically. Together with Ralph - you know him from the "Troubadour" CD/DVD - we composed and recorded the complete soundtrack for a documentary. It was fun to do... and like I said a new experience. It was something...
Having my music used in a film (Dead Load)
I remember receiving an e-mail one day, out of the blue, asking if it was possible to use my music in a film. I thought about it for a really long time (about five seconds) and decided that would be cool. The e-mail came from a guy called Greg Corcoran. It seems he...
Happy New Year – Tolerance (guide word)
I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Happy New Year. It's that time of the year when people attempt to write new habits into their lifestyle. Some of those habits hold and some of them slip away. It's not the end of the world if they do. The best...
10 albums I’ve listened to a lot this year
• Sweet Bells - Kate Rusby: Kate is a Yorkshire lass and sings lots of old mining songs from that area. "Sweet Bells" is a Christmas album, hence my playing it a lot these days.• Elton John (the black album) - Elton John: I finally got it for my collection. I've loved...
Article in Ireland’s Own magazine
"Ireland's Own" - as they say themselves "the week wouldn't be the same without it". I'm sure that rings true for many a household. I know I've seen it around for as long as I can remember. Imagine the changes that have taken place in the world since it was first...
Happy New Year – Compassion (guide word)
Happy New Year - Compassion [guide word] So, here we are again, ringing in another New Year. What will this new year hold for us? As I have been doing for many years now, I have picked a word that I will use as my guide word for this year. This year that word is...
New Spotlight Magazine
Since I added the "New Spotlight" section to the website, I've been contacted on a regular basis by: people looking for info on some of the musicians and bands mentioned (as in, do you know where they are now), people who used to buy Spotlight every week themselves,...
Horslips – Live in Germany
They came, they saw...and they spoke German! Well, Jim did anyway and it sounded very fluent to me. However, we weren't there for their linguistic skills, we were there for the music. Where is there? There was...well, probably still is...Bad Rappenau, in southern...
Songs From The DVD – (01) I Wonder
OK, let's kick this series off and start with the first song on the "Troubadour" DVD, which is "I Wonder". I remember rehearsing one evening with the band and right at the end of the session I ran through a very rough idea of what I thought "I Wonder" should sound...
Songs From The DVD – (02) Alberta
The second song on the Troubadour DVD is “Alberta”, the old Snooks Eaglin song but I have to admit I was introduced to it via Eric Clapton. Eric played “Alberta” on The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1977. I didn’t catch the show the first time around but did get to watch...