mysite blog

Dagenham Diva

Thu, 30 Sep 2010 13:10:00 +0000

Newsletter September 2010

What a scary, exciting happy month. I have been back full swing into promotion work. In practical terms this means make-up on every day, regular hairdressers, lots of dressing up in new clothes, staying in London and constantly delivering. I really miss the countryside, and my jeans and wellies and the quiet. On the up side it has been amazing to suddenly re-experience being Sandie Shaw again or as Billy Bragg has nick-named me, Lady Saga! What a great warm welcome everyone gives me wherever I go. I never realised how much I liked people back. I suppose you have seen a lot of the press and TV as David has been scurrying around trying to help me share it with you.

Another high point was going back to my old school, Robert Clack with The Times newspaper to introduce them to the student Council. I just love sharing time with them and working on the mentoring programme. I made sure they had tickets for the special Dagenham premiere of Made In Dagenham. I wanted them to know their heritage and to be inspired by the great things their grandparents achieved. I also met up with the original strike ladies from Fords and had a grand tour of what is left of the factory. I came home with two old school ties and a Fords logo shirt off the company man’s back.

A couple of things you would not have seen are some pics of me helping to raise funds for Centrepoint by auctioning off Sir Terence Conran’s collection of iconic chair designs. It is a really worthwhile cause and I am more than happy to act as Ambassador for their work with the young homeless of London. Some cheeky chap tried to bid for me saying that I was an iconic design too – but Tony stepped in just before I went under the hammer.

And to cap it all, I had great TV evening on the Jools Holland Show with a fabulously talented new female artist, who has become a great new friend, Rumer. And last but not least the discovery that The Scissor Sisters are my fans and were all jostling to have THEIR photo taken with ME! Wow! I wonder if they realise what a huge fan I am of their work. Oh this is the life….

Goodwood!

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 13:47:00 +0000

Newsletter August 2010

This month is special as Corinne Drewery of Swing Out Sister and a fellow 'sister' performing on Reclaim The Song, has written the newsletter. From the very beginning of the project I asked Coriine to act as General on my behalf. She came well recommended by Wayne Hemingway and I trusted that I could rely on her to represent and take responsibilty for the artists on stage. She was the most able and delightful person to work with. Organised, inspired, creative, hilariously funny and 100% looking out for me. I will be eternally grateful for her support. I could never have made my first major live stage appearance in 25 years without the support of all the wonderful lady guests on the show. They have no idea how much they gave me.

Let General Drewery tell her own tale...

Sandie@Vintage@ Goodwood

Friday 13th- and it looked set to rain on our parade.Sandie's first performance in 25 years was looking like it may be a washout......but the forecast couldn't have been more wrong. From the very first note the show was amazing- Beryl Marsden, longtime friend of Sandie and one of the best singers to emerge from the Merseybeat sound, kicked of the show with a rousing version of the Temptation's Get Ready, segued into Here Come The Girls, during which Sandie made her grand entrance wrapped in a Union Jack and wearing a dress to match. How fantastic to see Sandie four decades on and every bit as much the Brit girl style icon as she was in the sixties. Behind the scenes for the previous few months Sandie had been hard at work putting together a great gathering of girls, and great set consisting of performances of songs originally sung by men.This made for some interesting choices, from Jealous Guy to Leave your Hat on, from Under My Thumb to No Woman No Cry, all of these songs having their own sometimes poignant, sometimes funny twist when sung from a female perspective.

I first met Sandie with some trepidation. It was after seeing her on Ready Steady Go as a young girl that I decided I wanted to be a singer when I grew up, so I didn't want this first meeting with my mentor to end in disillusionment! I arrived at her offices early - unheard of for me - and gobsmacked to be greeted by - "Corinne - I have heard you are really organised - you can be my general!" I tried to explain that she had a completely wrong impression of me but I think this was mistaken for false modesty...So, no messing, we cracked on. The girls that agreed to take part were fabulous, great sports, overcoming all kinds of obstacles (Natasha Marsh was four months pregnant with twins, Linda Lewis was in the middle of moving house, Katherine Williams.... well that's another story!), which was all reflected in Sandie's caring and nurturing spirit, not to mention sense of humour...

Our dressing room backstage before the show was a little cramped to say the least, with eleven girls all putting on make up and frocks, and trying to decide whether or not to brave the squelchy path to the stage in heels or wellies... Sandie didn't seem to have a hint of nerves, and if she did, certainly didn't show it. Amidst the chaos she kept us calm, got us chanting, had us all laughing....what a girl! Waiting in the wings was a great experience- hearing all of the songs finally come to life with such great orchestration was very emotional, but nothing as emotional as when Sandie came to do her final songs. As she began her performance of Girl Don't Come I tried to stifle my tears, not wanting to smudge my make up knowing we were all to come back onstage to join her in the encore of Always Something There to Remind Me, but like a proud sibling I was too overcome to stop. Thank you Mica for lending me a shoulder to cry on. And well done Sandie - thank you for being the big sister I never had.

Corinne Drewery,

Swing Out Sister.

June Newsletter and Interview

Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:36:00 +0000

Newsletter June 2010

I am really busy organising the Goodwood Vintage festival at the moment and all the palava that goes with it. It is proving to be both intense fun and a pain in the backside.

Meanwhile I have been trying hard to keep up with Facebook and have neglected my Newsletters through sheer lack of time. I also have tried hard to answer individual contacts. I am always delighted when I hear from European fans. I had this question and answer from Italy and thought it might be good to share with all the Italians out there.Caio.

SANDIE SHAW INTERVIEW

- First of all Sandie, many thanks to accept my requests for this interview. First question is about your name. how come from Sandra Ann Goodrich to Sandie Shaw?

I was always called Sandie as a kid. My manager’s husband suggested Shaw. As time goes by I prefer my real name and I try hard to live up to it!-

- At only 17 years old you opened your artistic life and was Adam Faith that help you I know. What do you remember that day of your first apparence on stage at “Ready Stedy Go”?

I wore a white broderie anglaise mini dress

- Which is the definitive truth about your barefoot when you sang?

They are all true. I have always gone barefoot. It is comfortable and normal to me even though it seems fascinating to everyone else. It seems to fit in with the ‘rags to riches’ mythology

- In the first sixties, you won a little battle… I think was so difficult became a female Star in the world of music that was controlled from men?

They still do. I am not aware of any record company that has a female CEO. Men think they are in control but in reality it is not the case. Women generally (but not specifically) tend to work around this by having a more co-operative and networking work style. Things are still changing for the better.

- Already with tour second single, “There’s always something there to remind me” you was First in UK. Were you sure to be successful or it’s been a surprise for you?

This may seem arrogant but it was no surprise to me.

- You was a classic english singer, how come your favourites was Ray Charles, The Chiffons or The Shirelles?

I like this kind of music and tried to style myself in this way – but it came out differently and here we are.

- Which was in your live acts your groups? A few of them became famous in the next years?

I cant remember. So many.

- I’m a great fan of The Kinks also; they were of your same label, Pye. Have you known Ray Davies? Can you tell me something about him?

Recently I was invited along with some other musicians to Buckingham Palace by the Queen. The invite did not include a guest. We were all very worried about going alone. Ray however arrived with a nurse on his arm to assist him with a small leg fracture. She was beautiful and blonde and looked very fetching in her uniform. I was not convinced…

- Here in Italy you had a stunning success.. What do you remember of the italian fans?

Really open and friendly. Sometimes a bit too friendly for such a cool English girl. They managed to show me how to open up and embrace my emotions and to enjoy life

- Had you friendly relationship with several italian co-workers?

Yes particularly with my A and R men, Pierro Ricci and Bruno who took it apon themselves to teach me all about Italian cuisine. Yummy

- One of your great successes was the Eurofestival with “Puppet on a string”. Some people says that in these days you hated this song… Why? If it is really?

Oh it was so long ago. I don’t think I have the energy to care anymore. Anyway I have recorded a new version called ‘Puppet’s Got A Brand New String’. You can download it exclusively from my website. It is lovely

- Which is a your song that you love more of the others and why?

I recently listened to the Italian version of One Note Samba. It is really cute. And of course there is E Ti Avro, the start of my love affair with Italy.

- You was loved from the italian people for your unsurpassed beauty like Françoise Hardy or Sylvie Vartan. What do you think about both of them?

I think they are both wonderful examples of iconic European beauty. I have Francoise’s new CD which I play when I am in France to get me in the mood.

- Are you happy today?

Yes thank you. England just won a football game!

- Many thanks Sandie for your suavity. Please, can you send a greeting to our readers?

I would love to come and visit you in Italy again. If you would like that too why don’t you start an online petition and if there are enough of you, I will organize it.

Article written by

Claudio Scarpa

Very belated

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:45:00 +0000

Newsletter February 2010

Well what a fantastic break I had in Grenada, West Indies. I feel totally re-booted spiritually, mentally and physically. I really did not want to come back to UK – you know how it is – especially as it was so freezing cold. But on arrival I hit the ground running – I have never been so busy – all great things that I really wanted to do. More on that later…

Meanwhile I thought I might share a few pics to give you a flavour of the Spice Island. My favourite thing about Grenada is that it is teeming with eccentric entrepreneur expats and JCB’s (Just Come Backs) with wild ideas – some which make it off the drawing board, some that don’t. Every time I return it’s interesting to see whose mad venture is still up and running.

Grenadians are very integrated in every possible way. They love a full cultural mix. One magic moment was when two of our kids Anouska and Jack joined us. On their first night we took them to a Japanese/Grenadian sushi bar run by Italians on the Grand Anse beach. As we tucked in we were suddenly treated to an open air messianic preacher performance on the green opposite with music, singing, shouting and full on frothing at the mouth conversions. Hellfire, Chianti and sashimi is a weird mix, I don’t care what you say.

Can you spot my financial and political 'advisor' from the Far East?


Tea with the ex Chief Auditor of Hong Kong	Beer and Boat

The ex Con(servative) Auditor	Rawlings' special brew

Sandie and son	Sandieland

Snowbusiness like showbusiness

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:51:00 +0000

Newsletter January 2010

Seems like my xmas debut as the Snow Queen at the Barbican Theatre summoned up a real snowstorm. A lot of people were upset that they were not able to go or that they did not hear about it until too late. Well to explain, it really only happened by complete fluke.

The Background
My granddaughter Dilys Mae (3) and I love to sing together. Her favorite DVD is the Sound Of Music. She thinks that Julie Andrews is her other grandmother. We sing the tunes of the musical at the tops of our voices when I drive her on the motorway. We get some very strange looks from passing traffic. Our very best one is Doh! Oh Dear or some such. A while ago after having enjoyed watching them take part in the BBC Choir Contest series on telly I was approached by the Brighton Gay Men's Chorus.

They wanted me to take part in a Gay Xmas show with them at the Barbican Theatre in London playing the Snow Queen. How camp. I was just going to dictate a polite refusal when I noticed that part of their repertoire is a version of, guess what? The Sound of Music. I'm thinking, this might be the last opportunity for Dilys Mae to see her grandma live on stage and here was the clincher, singing Do Re Mi. She would be ecstatic.

Our only rehearsal took place in Brighton on the first day of the snow phenomena that took over UK this winter. We don't usually get that kind of weather and it was totally unexpected. On the way home the first flurry arrived. By the time we hit the M25 it was a full scale white out. How peculiar that I should be playing the Snow Queen I mused.
I invited Dilys Mae with her mum and dad and a friend to the show. All very low key. I did not want to make a public song and a dance about it. I kept my intention a complete secret from everyone. Backstage, just before I went on for The Sound Of Music sequence I mentioned to the production assistant to tell the director in the technical box to expect changes. Only he forgot.

I went on and asked if Dilys was in the audience. The auditorium was pitch black and I could not see a thing. The director meanwhile went into a flat spin. I peered into the darkness and suddenly saw her walking confidently at her mum's side up the aisle toward the stage. Grace must have been dying with embarrassment as this is really not her sort of thing. But it certainly is Dilly's thing. She joined me on stage and sat in the lap of The Snow Queen in complete wonderment and bliss as we sang Do Re Mi. At the end she left the stage to huge applause in her sparkly red trainers I had given her as if she had been doing it forever. Not a dry eye in the house.
So please forgive me for this very private ‘public' moment. I really wanted Dilys Mae to know me and to know that her dreams can come true.

Thanks to the director Carol Todd, the musical director Ignacio, Raymond Gubbay Agency, and all the members of the choir for making this possible. Majic!

December 9th

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 10:57:00 +0000

Newsletter December 09

Well it is nearing the end of the Noughties. Been a bit rough haven’t they? I don’t think I have ever worked so hard, but to be fair I played hard too. I think I am going have to be a bit more balanced about what I do in the future and use my time wisely.

I am so happy that the new website is up at last. What amazing feedback I have had from all over the world. And the Christmas card which David designed was a huge hit too. Keep on giving us your feedback please. I am ordering Sandie T mugs for all my mates for Christmas. I already have a framed poster on my office wall. The site will be updated regularly so keep checking.

I love the winter season in a cold climate but as soon as it’s over I want to be in the sunshine – so it’s the Caribbean again for me next year. Before I go I am guesting as Snow Queen in Make the Yuletide Gay with the Brighton Gay Men’s Choir at the Barbican, London on 19th December. Do you remember them on telly in Last Choir Standing? Anyway it’s for one night only and I am quite looking forward to having some fun. The following evening, 20th December, I am also guesting at a charity performance of Frank’s Closet in Hoxton. It is a musical written by a very dear friend of mine, Stuart Wood.

Have a great time over the holidays and prepare well for next year – I think it is going to be another roller coaster but on a happy note we might have a newer and better government. It is my hope that we begin learn what true democracy really is rather than the shabby undignified version we currently have.

I suppose that goes for all walks of life, including the music industry where I will be fighting alongside the other wonderful members of the Featured Artists Coalition for more financial transparency and fairness towards the creatives in the music community. Don’t get me started on the levels of exploitation that are presently employed by the existing industry business models to the detriment of the artist. This is going to change. I am determined. I have got my mojo working overtime. I think it is time to bow out now and calm down with a Sandie T mug of hot chocolate…..

Website live

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:21:00 +0000

By the time you read this the new website will be live. It has been completely redesigned and upgraded. It was a bit of a wrench for me to give up the first site. It had been much admired, most notably by the British Museum who archived it for posterity as a unique cultural example of its type and time. I hope this one goes down well too. It has lots of stuff to do and be finished off. So as always I am grateful for any input or suggestions. My aim continues for it to be a symbiotic and organic process between me and the visitor.

One of the main reasons it has taken so long is because I have had to re-evaluate exactly what I am trying to achieve through this dialogue. I am still not sure except I am certain it is a valuable, exciting and creative form of communication between me and those who enjoy, have enjoyed or will enjoy my work and the shared thoughts and philosophy behind it.

After much prompting from people close and supportive of me I came to the conclusion that I was ready to be a tiny bit more open with some aspects that have so far been cloaked in mystery and intrigue.

As you can see in the Timeline biography I have tried to shed some light on the Dark Ages during the seventies. I had thought that everything during this period of my life was so awful, shrouded in so much secrecy and shame. I was so traumatised by events that I was too scared to even look at it openly as I associated it with so much personal pain but following one of those soul searching discussions/confrontations with my daughter Grace I had an epiphany.

I realised that this had been a time of unusual creative output and growth – and this work had given me so much joy and sustenance that it numbed the misery of the rest of it. My only regret is that because of circumstances towards the end I had to compromise my newfound artistic integrity; I was unable to pursue these dreams. I lost my confidence, self respect and my way. I don’t recognise this person any more. I am so much stronger and determined but shit happens… It’s what we make of it that counts. And now I have reclaimed what I can now see in retrospect was a wonderful, fruitful part of my life.

Please have a good look around and let me know your thoughts through The Forum.

Big kisses – mwah, mwah, mwah - to all at BluwCreative; Chris, Ricky and handsome Kish (who is shamelessly tying the marital knot with a young blonde, blue-eyed floozy next month) and huge thanks for re-igniting my digital enthusiasm for that lady known publicly as Sandie Shaw.

la vie francaise

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:36:00 +0000

What is this mass exodus from France I keep reading about? It must be some hack on holiday, short of a few quid, making up these stories as it has no basis in fact.

I love my beautiful Moulin in Aquitaine. And yes there are quite a few British people who also love the French country way of life. They are not rich, playboys - those people choose the Riviera and the Provence to offload their booty.

The first wave of British here were mostly early retirees who wanted to make their money go further by buying up the cheap pretty old stone houses that the French no longer want to live in, to restore them and be self sufficient.

The second wave were craftsmen and their families often the offspring and relations of the retirees. As long as you were qualified and prepared to join the French system and speak the language there was a nice living to be made in a healthy rural environment. We are knee-deep in British builders, plumbers and electricians and the French artisans really know their craft.

The education is great. All the British kids are bi-lingual. They eat proper lunches. Schooling is secular. The health care is also great. I had a very impressive experience of this when I had an emergency gall bladder problem. The food is simple but fresh and you know who farmed it and where it was farmed. I even saw three houses with ‘vendu’ signs on the way back from market. The trick to successful living in France is to always remember you are in a Socialist Republic – then you won’t go far wrong.

There are always people who do not make a successful adjustment to la vie francaise – usually those who do not want to make the effort to speak the language and make French friends, and those who are unqualified to work. Anyone with proper training and some entrepreneurial skills is welcomed. Recently the French even changed their complicated bureaucratic system to make it easier for foreigners and locals alike to set up entrepreneurial businesses.

It is true that the older British people here are suffering at the moment. The weak pound and low interest rates in the UK make it hard for them to make ends meet on their pensions and savings. Quite a few are below the national poverty level. So the French Government are making up the difference. How shameful to our own Government. Here liberty, fraternity and equality appear to be the real thing.

At the bank you can get interest free mortgages for first time buyers, an interest free loan to make your house eco friendly, 2% on current accounts and 5% on savings. The old Europeans are being hit by the financial crash as a knock on effect but they may be justified in being cross with the British and their "special relationship" with US for instigating this global crisis in the first place.

Of course there a still a lot of problems in France as in any place but nothing that a large bottle of St Emilion Grand Cru won't sort.

I am exhausted. We have just finished clearing and logging the fallen trees from the river; damage caused by the recent hurricane, and we were very proud when our farmer neighbour congratulated us on our "civisme" which is a big thing over here.

I am now very much looking forward to getting back to Blighty and becoming thoroughly British again. Bring on Les Roast Bifs!

I see that my friend Paul Grant, the Headmaster at my old school in Dagenham, Robert Clack, is making the news again. The school has had its second "outstanding" rating from OFSTED in a row. When he started as Head, to change the awful culture he inherited, Paul drove around in the school’s van collecting truanting pupils and returning them to lessons. He suspended 300 pupils during his first week. Now THAT’s what I call determination! Well done everyone at Robert Clack. I am so proud to be one of your supporters.

Taking on the EU

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 13:50:00 +0000

This month I have been taking on the European Union. It has been a political learning curve for me. I am beginning to understand how the EU works – and how it doesn’t. My first port of call was to write a personal letter to the Ministers of European Parliament for my area, explaining the recording copyright situation from the artist’s perspective and to urge them to vote fairly on the forthcoming EU legislation. This legislation is crucial to the ongoing viability of the music industry in this digital era. You can read my letter HERE. Apparently we elect MEP’s to represent our interests in Brussels. They all seem to have a different take on their responsibilities to the UK electorate – that’s you and me. I wrote to: Daniel Hannan, Nigel Forage, Emma Nicholson, Peter Skinner, James Elles, Ashley Mote, Richard James Ashworth, Caroline Lucas, and Sharon Bowles. I got an indication from their responses of how they perform in their job. It was a bit of an eye opener.

Daniel Hannan (Tory) replied in an informed and efficient manner explaining his party’s stance and support. Ditto, James Elles and Nirj Deva (both also Tory.) So Ed Vaizey take a bow, you can tick their boxes and award them a gold star each. Then there was the curious response from UKIP’s Nigel Forage, or rather, his long-suffering assistant. He went to great pains to explain that Nigel was far too busy doing EU work, talking to people and suchlike, to reply to anyone personally. Then explained that although his boss supported copyright extension he would not vote for it in EU Parliament because it was undemocratic. Why was this man given an EU vote when he does not exercise it? I thought this was the core principle of democracy. Ho hum. It seems I have a lot to learn. I was lifted by a warm reply from Caroline Lucas (Green Party) who was completely up on the subject, aware of the issues and already active on British artists’ behalf. Sharon Bowles came top. She got First Prize for Best Response from an MEP to a Member of the UK Electorate. She is on the Legal Affairs Committee and therefore really involved. At last here was someone who was aware of the issue of an artist’s moral right in their recording performances as well as their legal and financial rights. Then there were those whose laptop ‘send’ button was stuck - Emma Nicholson, Peter Skinner, Ashley Mote, and Richard James Ashworth.

Or perhaps they are so inundated with fan mail that they are finding it difficult to keep up. Nil points. On the 25th March (provisional) the Plenary session of the European Parliament (that's all 785 MEP’s) will vote (or not) on the text of the directive. Meanwhile there are parallel discussions in the Council of Ministers who also have to approve the legislation. Meanwhile on 11th March The Featured Artists Coalition was launched. This is the first group that will represent the artists’ perspective in the future of music. http://www.featuredartistscoalition.com/ Watch this space… On a lighter note, thank you for the sackloads of amazing birthday cards and good wishes. I am far too busy working on my crash course in politics to reply to each of you personally (yeah, I know, sorry about that, it’s democracy apparently)… But I have read them all and am really appreciative of your kind, philosophical, imaginative and funny thoughts on the ageing process.

Madness and Mayhem at home and abroad

Sun, 01 Feb 2009 13:50:00 +0000

Well I’m back to life, back to reality. I have returned from de tropics to a house and fields carpeted in snow, the public still screaming for and not getting the bankers’ ‘heads on poles’, (and what about the head of Gordon Brown, the instigator of this mess, delivered on a silver platter?) a senior UK diplomat arrested for shouting anti-Semitic remarks at a TV screen in a gym, Obama’s first blip of mistaking Tony Bliar for a friend with high morals, and dear Robbie Redcoat Williams communing with aliens. Has the real world gone loony or is it just the complimentary Daily Mail I read on the flight home?

I left Grenada in the grip of Independence Day frenzy. Flags and bunting hang from each window, balcony and terrace and everyone dresses in the national colours of red, yellow and green. They love their island so much. The Grenadian celebration of emancipation is a joy to be part of and a long way away from the UK to which I returned. Since recovering from hurricane Ivan, Grenada is in great spirits, lifted by a new Government, and an african american in the White House. Ironically while we were there our Moulin in SW France was hit by a hurricane and frantic phone calls went back and forth checking people, roofs, rivers and fallen trees. Next came a flurry of online photos of our granddaughters enjoying the snowfall in the UK.

We had the good fortune to stay at the house of our old, well mature, Grenadian friend, John Albanie, who introduced us to the island 10 years ago. John has many claims to fame, most of which we cannot mention. One which we can is his penchant for dressing up. He has an entire apartment in his waterfront property dedicated to storing bizarre outfits, uniforms, and stage props which are used in his annual Hash Bash stage productions of complete non pc mayhem. "Hash Bash" is the xmas party of Grenada Hash House Harriers ("Drinkers With a Running Problem"). It involves sketches, singing, poetry, choreography, theatrics - anything short of actual Talent. It is invariably sold out. I was made to open the show a few years ago - my reputation never really recovered. For some reason best known to themselves the powers that be have recently appointed him to be The British Honorary Consul in Grenada. At first we thought his selection was insane but on reflection since our return we can see some sense in it. The main point being that for all his many strange peccadillo’s (peccadillia?) John really loves Grenada and has the knack of making everyone from anywhere feel totally welcomed and at home there. (That will be $500 EC cash in an unmarked envelope left behind a brick in the back entrance of Government House on the Carenage, John).

We paid our customary visit to our plot of land to see if it was still there after 8 years and that we were not dreaming that we had bought this wonderful piece of the island. It is not very big, just over 1 acre, but it is right on the sea, with a secret beach to the side and 360 degree views of inlets, the ocean, mountains, palm trees and tropical greenery, of which there was so much we had to borrow a ‘cotlass’ from a friend to ‘cot’ a path through it. We were joined by Calvin Graves, the island arboriste, and his team, Mango and Desmond. ‘Calvin is a madman!’ laughed my friend Julia when I told her.




    I have known Julia since the Seventies when she starred in some naughty movies. She is now a successful, high class hotelier who owns and runs Petite Bacaye Villa Hotel, a beautiful coastal retreat; a completely incongruous piece of English/Caribbean chic in the rural setting of St David’s. She dreams up and creates houses on platforms with wind up steps on a pulley, outdoor zinc bathtubs, restaurants in trees, walkways in the air above palm swathed uber beach huts – and she thinks Calvin is daft! Well I suppose he is – daft about trees, plants, terrain, rainfall, water flow, wind direction, topography – just like me. I found a twin soul in Calvin. He spent hours exploring the land with me, naming the flora and fauna, herbs and trees and discussing how he would tend it in our absence.




    Towards the end of our stay we were joined by my great mates the Demetri sisters. They had booked in for a detox in a spa hotel. I did my best to undermine the good work and took them to Julia’s Tree House, to the new Italian wine bar and to the amazing BB’s CrabBack restaurant on St George’s harbour. (http://www.bbscrabback.com/). BB is one of the many Grenadians who are now returning to the island after being brought up in the UK. They bring their skills and ingenuity to a land of natural, unexploited riches and are able to pass on everything they have learned from the mainland. There is so much budding creativity here, a unique fusion between on and off island, and it requires support so that it can grow.

    BB is full of catching enthusiasm about life, especially his food, which is the best I have tasted ANYWHERE in the Caribbean. On Saturday mornings he gives classes to local ladies who lunch and I am encouraging him to set up a Grenadian Cooking Academy. It was great fun introducing my girlfriends to the island that I have begun thinking of as my own, a place in which I belong if only for a short time each year. As John the Hon Con always reminds me, "I suppose there might be some good points about Waterloo station at 5.30 in the rush hour but…" I could go on and on about life in de tropics, my head is bursting with ideas and observations, but maybe I should put some time aside at the beginning of 2010 to write a book about it. Now, back to the VAT returns and the EU recording copyright term legislation.

Happy new year!

Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:50:00 +0000

The best thing about this January is George Bush standing down, still without apology or taking responsibility for his awful mistakes. Glad to see the back of him. I wish President Obama well taking over the mess Mr Bush has caused by his ill-informed judgement and illegal war on Iraq. I see he has given his old croney Tony Bliar a big gong for assisting him in his stupidity. I wish Mr Bliar would disappear into obscurity and quietly enjoy the rest of his life without doing us any further harm. I wish Gordon Brown would do the right thing and call an election here. I wish the UK was not being run by Lady Mandy of Montenegro. I wish we had a political party and a leader worth voting for. I wish for a change for the better in the world.

I suppose that is my 2009 New Year Wish List.

Meanwhile I am going to refresh my spirit in the West Indies and place an early order with Santa for next winter. Apparently that’s where he takes his post Christmas break.

Political birthday celebrations

Sat, 01 Mar 2008 17:44:00 +0000

I was busy at the end of last month so I did not celebrate my birthday until a few days later. My first ‘do’ was an all-party political event with my son Jack. I was invited to the House of Commons to meet and lobby MP’s of various persuasions about the second reading of (SNP) Peter Wishart’s Copyright in Sound Recordings and Performers’ Rights (Term Extension) 2008 bill. Doesn’t sound very sexy does it? Politics isn’t. It’s money and glamour that rocks most people’s boats! But Peter, as good fortune would have it, happens to be an ex-musician. The law on recording copyright ownership as it stands is mind-bogglingly unfair to UK performers. In fact is so unjust and inhumane that I have been considering taking our case to the European Courts for Human Rights.

However this bill among other things wants to put us on a par with Americans who own record copyright for 95 years unlike us in the UK at a mere 50 years. This means that for most of us our work goes into the public domain while we are still alive. Having anyone using in any way they like our life’s work will be deeply distressing to artists, musicians and their families. So as an artist I am very much affected by this bill and I went to show my support for all other recording artists and musicians who suffer from this blatant discrimination.

Of course the record companies (British Phonographic Industry who run the Phonographic Performance Licensing which pays everybody) have a different agenda to the performers and musicians (see details). I want to make sure that the performers’ interests are addressed. I have no vested interest in the results as I am in the unique position of owning my own recording copyrights, so I will benefit in the same way as record companies if and when the bill goes through. I want to help assure a fair outcome to all parties involved in the making of music. It seems obvious to me that the artist creator is the most essential part.

The European Union support and are in fact leading this potentially wonderful change suggested in EC Internal Market Commissioner, Charlie Mc Creevy‘s proposal and want to make it Pan European for everyone’s benefit. This is terrific news. However, thanks to ex- Tony Blair’s Government and his ridiculously ill-conceived Gowers Report the UK politicians up to now have thought differently. Why are we always SO out of step and trailing behind the rest of the world? Rumour has it that the big policy re-think in Europe started with Carla Bruni whispering informally in Sarkozy’s ear. So here’s to Anglo-French détente!

My son Jack, a former politics student, accompanied me for the outing. I always feel safe and chilled when he is around. Quite aside from his height, his manner has a very calming effect and I feel totally protected and at ease with him.

Jack and I had visited the House of Commons together previously for a meeting regarding the formation of an all-party Ministry for Peace and I am ashamed to admit that we stole a Westminster Parliament stamped water bottle to commemorate the occasion. I’m not a very good parental example am I? We use it to serve tap water at home nowadays.

The security for getting in is very tight and complex. Though you would not think so on the day of our second visit, when two ‘commoners’ managed to make a protest on the roof. There was also an anti government demonstration going on outside the front gates regarding the promised but undelivered EU referendum. It was utter mayhem. After being thoroughly frisked and X-rayed Jack and I made our way to the Jubilee Room. Here we were welcomed with large tables of booze. So far it was all very music biz. I was then introduced to various people representing this body and that organisation, this constituency and that government department and had a good old protest of my own. My local MP, Ed Vaizey showed his face to give support which was fantastic as he is the shadow minister for culture. After some speeches and photos we were quickly on our way as Jack had locked his flatmate out…

Now if you want a good time, my daughter Amie is your girl. Like her dad she works hard and parties harder. For my second birthday ‘do’ Amie arranged a girls’ night out together. I prepared by sleeping in as late as I could and swallowing a handful of vitamin pills. I wanted to be able to keep up with her.

We met at my place after she finished work and made ourselves up in the same mirror passing make-up tips back and forth. Amie brought along some La Prairie foundation to share which was recently left to us in the will of our dear friend Paula Owen, a professional make-up artist. We smeared our war paint on in exactly the same way that I had done way back in the early Sixties before a big night out dancing.

This was followed by tapas and pink Cava and white Rioja in the local Spanish bar, accompanied by lots of laughs and tears as we exchanged notes on our current personal affairs. At one point we laughed so much we nearly fell off our bar stools. Then we cried so much we had to do major face repair work in the loo. I think Paula would have approved.

After this emotional roller coaster Amie whisked me away to Soho. Here she took me to a fabulous gay bar for our Wilde night out. I was looked after wonderfully with an endless stream of champagne and everyone was warm and friendly. The DJ played some old Sandie Shaw tunes and Amie was highly amused to see a group of young girls singing and dancing along.

I was eventually coaxed onto the dance floor, and managed to wriggle about energetically without spilling a drop of champagne (years of practice dear!) Amie was again highly impressed. The problem was once I was up I couldn’t sit down. Amie did her best to try and get me to pace myself but only succeeded in inspiring a new dance move which involved me chasing her around the dance floor and spanking her bum off the beat. It suddenly occurred to us that onlookers would not necessarily know we were mother and daughter on a rave night out and probably thought we were indulging in some weird sado masochistic lesbo ritual. Oh who cares! So we bopped till I dropped and Amie managed to get us both home in the early hours of the morning for a girly sleep-over.

That’s what I call a great birthday!

My birthday...

Fri, 01 Feb 2008 17:41:00 +0000

I have put another video up on home page to keep you amused. My birthday, Jack’s birthday and Valentine’s Day are on this month. I am going to France to do some forestry to clear my head....

Downfall of the capitalist empire

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 17:38:00 +0000

Did you like the Home Page video in January? This month there is another Smiths/Sandie collaboration video to watch.

Hope everyone is recovering from the shock of the first signs of Western economic recession! They say this is the beginning of the downfall of the Capitalist Empire. I say there is opportunity in all change. Now we are starting to experience our world as a global community, the impact of our actions on others is becoming more and more apparent. I wonder what the world will be like in 50 years time…

Closer to home, I am wondering what the website will look like this year.

We are already putting some changes into action. The most exciting for me is the prospect of having a multi-lingual facility. I know that foreign visitors would love to be able to browse around in their mother tongue.

The Discography section is also having a make over and tweak. So if you have any sleeves or information that is not already up please let us know.

The Fans Lounge area is still under discussion. I would prefer the content to be more user- generated, but not quite sure if this is viable after that ‘Forum experience’. Stephen had to be heavily sedated with large quantities of Sancerre with all the stress. Anyone out there got any Memorabilia to put up? If so, please send a jpeg.

The uptake on the download tracks facility in The Store has been great so I will be making more tracks available later in the year. So, quite a lot of work going on behind the scenes.

Meanwhile I have just undertaken an exercise training regime. My feet are better now and I want to be fit so I can keep on dancing until the end! I’ve just returned after my first fitness assessment and I just want to go to bed…..
Are you ready for change? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjXyqcx-mYY