A raucous evening at the Oval as Surrey hosted Kent in a T20 Blast fixture. We were blessed with spring sunshine, a party atmosphere and some special cricket.
Author: Keith
MU PR & Events Official, editor of The Musician, songwriter.
Music Week Awards
I met up with highly-respected producer James Reynolds in Battersea last night, as we joined over 1,400 guests at the Music Week Awards.
Cumberwell Park
A regular date in my relatively slim golf calendar is the beneficial charity event hosted by Neil and Sarah Davies at the Cumberwell Park Club in Wiltshire.
Inside front cover
My thanks to Guy Meredith at Future for the opportunity to promote the MU’s work in royalty collection and distribution in the June edition of Music Week.
Eurovision up West!
It’s Eurovision week! A joy to meet the wonderful Sandie Shaw and Katrina (of the Waves) this evening.
Mastering sign off
My thanks to the excellent Mike Thorne at Rimshot Studios, as the mastering of my album – Waterloo Sunrise – has been completed. Recording began on 20 February 2020 and it has certainly been a long but very rewarding journey.
PR report
The PR agency, Kindred, with whom I closely work on behalf of the MU, delivered a quarterly report on the coverage secured in the first quarter of 2023 to the Union’s Executive Committee today. This featured the extensive coverage delivered on the proposed closure of the BBC Singers and the Union’s campaign and negotiations to reverse this shocking decision.
Stockholm spring
A very rewarding few days in Stockholm with long-term friend Mark Batchelor, as we took the opportunity to visit the ‘Venice of the North.’
NEU Conference
A busy few days on the road in preparation for the MU’s involvement in the NEU Conference at Harrogate. Mark and I drove to Warminster on Thursday to collect our stand furniture from Neil Davies, our long-term stand installer, before organising and loading the promo and merchandise at HQ in Snowsfields.
Petition to the BBC
I joined Naomi Pohl, MU General Secretary, conductor Jack Apperley and photographer Joanna Dudderidge at BBC Broadcasting House in Portland Place in central London at midday, to support the presentation of the petition calling for the secure future of the BBC Singers.
Photo of the Year
Jonathan Stewart and I met up in Soho this evening to attend the inaugural ‘SO.CO Music Photographer of the Year Awards’, an international competition – sponsored by Affinity Photo – to celebrate the best music photographers.
Sian and Sean
Over the last decade I have arranged for the production of framed covers of The Musician magazine in partnership with our published, Future Fusion. These were hung in the MU’s offices in Clapham Road and provided an ideal backdrop for our workplace.
IBC Studios
So many important sites in the development of the contemporary British music scene remain unheralded. One example is the IBC Recording Studios, which for many years were located at 35 Portland Place.
Waterloo storyline
The idea of the same characters running through the songs on my new album is an intriguing possibility. So far, I have the following in mind. Four males and four females, most of whom are either in relationships – Luke and Sara, Courtney and Jade, Kevin and Carol – and a former couple, Kathy and Ethan. Not set in any particular era, yet!
Maida Vale
A fascinating yet mood-settling visit to the BBC’s historic Maida Vale Studios in north west London today in the company of MU National Organiser for Orchestras, Jo Laverty, and photographer Jonathan Stewart. We were there to support the BBC Singers who received the devastating news last week that the BBC were axing the entire group after ninety-nine years of top class performing and recording.
Album notes 2
Here is the second write-up of the ideas and influences behind the songs on my forthcoming album, plus details of the remaining seven tracks and what they mean to me.
Tribute to Horace
A marvellous afternoon at Casa do Frango, a Portuguese restaurant in Borough Market, London Bridge, in the company of MU colleagues and partners.
