ONLY ONE WEEK TILL “IVORY BOW DAY”

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaargh! I'm so excited, I may pass out (carefully onto a strategically positioned sofa ;) *sigh*

I gave my entire staff a whole week off, so they'd be refreshed and ready for "Ivory Bow Day" ....not realising that the lawns needed mowing. “Bugger” I thought, as I manfully strode across the ankle deep grass. "I’m sure I can do this!"  I scowled gracelessly to myself. Well! ....finding the mower was no easy task, as my enormous 47 car garage is full to bursting with "Stuff I'm going to absolutely need in 3 or 4 years time" ; ) It’s full of

Peculiar gifts that looked fabulous in the shop, then you get home and wonder what the hell were you thinking? 

Full of half hacked logs that were too big for the wood burner – from my “I’m a lumberjack and I’m ok” phase. (I even bought the red tartan shirt ; ) 

It’s full of my old vinyl autographed Queen albums.

 ………Ooh! …my old Art and Design folder…*wistful smile* ….but I digress.

 Talking of garages - Never in my life have I ever parked a vehicle in a garage – something I deeply regretted last week when I left the top down on my lovely CLK sport over night.  I couldn’t believe she actually started up – she was utterly drenched and I had to literally bail her out with a mop and bucket. The day was really hot, so I left the top down to let her dry out…. (Later that evening…. having driven into the city) …Ha! It’s not until you actually climb out of the seat that you realise how wet your trousers are! As you walk away and your pants get colder and damper in the night air. Eeeeeeew! 

Anyway - to cut a ridiculously long story short, I had to mow the lawn myself and the bloody mower packed in and spluttered to a halt halfway thru the job! Now I have to drag myself away from my studio – ( *Stage whispering* where I’m compiling new material for the next DP album! ) and go scouting for a new machine : ( 

Isn’t life a tease darlings?

In Next Weeks Thrilling Issue:

Making good use of used moist wipes – Keeping the “Greens” happy.

A cunning plan to help Mystic Pete with his English ‘Speeks’ whilst craftily promoting Adeste Fiddles.

Covering your car with Cling Film and experimenting with different colour schemes. (Please don’t try this at home)

Searching for “Rocket Fuel” – Some elementary procedures.

If you’re reading this on myspace or facebook our new webhome is http://www.deviationsproject.com

Only Two And a Half Weeks To Go! - IVORY BOW August 5th

The Spanking New Release from our good selves!

(Not suggesting you should spank anyone whilst listening of course ;)

Well I’ll be…….I blogged last week and the release date didn’t change – Can you believe it? Confidence is at an all time High and so I thought why not try another? 

So - now I can confidently announce that our FABULOUS new website is up, running and looking absobloominlutely gorgeous. Oh! which just reminded me of a fan letter I received when I was about 13 – in my first band …and I still recall to this day. She wrote ….”….I really love the band and think you’re absolutely “Georges”  - hehe, lucky George eh?

The Interview

We had oodles fun and games on Wednesday night with Pete from Mystic Radio. We were set to start recording the interview at 9:00pm our time - 2:00pm New Mexico time. The idea was to set up a conference call across the pond because Ollie and I couldn’t be together. So I’m at the Olde Barn in the depths of Sherwood Forest, MSN-ing Ollie (Who’s in London). Pete’s emailing me from Albuquerque saying – “Tested the call - but it's not going through --- how do I get through? Call me!! And I’m furiously dialling on my landline to the good peeps at Ft Lauderdale – trying to get the U.S. Code for Merry England.  I can feel one of me turns coming on just thinking about it ;)

BUT we did it and it was very cool. The end result should be up towards the end of next week and we’ll post the links.

If anyone out there has a favourite radio station – call them and suggest a phone or online interview? …..No really  – we know how to do it now 

The Other Side of the Trax

An insight into recording the toons on  Ivory Bow

The Ivory Bow (Track 8)

A romantic “Disneyesque” theme in very much the same style as She Too from DP1. 

The working title for this was She3, but I was trying to think of a title for the album, something emotive that would encapsulate my relationship with Ollie. I wanted to combine elements of the violin with those of the keyboard and the obvious keywords were Ivory – for the keys and Bow for the fiddle. When spoken aloud, the words painted all sorts of pictures, but best of all, they sounded really good together, so Ivory Bow was born. Originally, I imagined a beautiful ribbon tied in a bow around a tree made from pure velvet. A message from a lover to a loved one that could never be spoken.  Then another picture began to develop in my mind and I could see a hand stretching from a raging sea thrusting a different kind of bow  at a stormy sky. The bow was Excalibur - or music fighting to calm our troubled world.

The title of the album came before the title of the track, so Its all back to front but life’s like that innit? 

Ha! – Spell checker doesn’t like “innit” – but it doesn’t like “Disneyesque” either – think I’ll leave it 

In Next Weeks Thrilling Instalment:

Ollie Plays Moulin Rouge in the Rain

Explaining the Ranking System on “Comments” page

Dave goes to see Kylie Minogue (Well it was a free ticket)

Big Bad Bumble – the pain and the pleasure!

If you’re reading this on myspace or facebook our new webhome is  HYPERLINK "http://www.deviationsproject.com" www.deviationsproject.com 

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ONLY THREE WEEKS ON TUESDAY! The Ivory Bow – August 5th

I’m almost scared to post now, cos every time I mention a release date – it changes! However I’ve been “reliably” informed that the 5^th of August is set in stone (just like the 4^th was hehe ;)

So…… no more apologies, on with the show!

I had speeks with Pete from “Mystic Radio” last week, about recording a new interview to promote Ivory Bow and we’ve pencilled in 14^th / 15^th or 16^th July. This time Ollie and I’ll be together – and you’ll be able to hear the Maestro speak! We’ll be talking about the way we work together, how we capture the madness and voracity of a performance and squeeze it onto a tiny 5 inch CD. Ooh and if anyone has any questions we could use in the interview, please send ‘em over!

We’ll also be promoting our new website which should be up and running by the end of the week. It’s absolutely bursting with brilliant stuff. Wonderful Wallpapers – Marvellous Musical downloads – New Photos and with all the different formats there are bound to be a few hiccups. Your feedback would be brilliant 

Ollie’s just returned from another successful tour of Trinidad and Tobago . “Strings, Songs and Steel 2008” with stunning Soprano Natalia Dopwell.

So in the maestro’s own words an amusing anecdote……

In Trinidad the Churches (and many homes) have windows, but they have no glass in them; this helps the air circulate etc and no doubt dates them back to pre-airconditioning times... Well, one morning I was rehearsing with my pianist for an evening recital in the Church (as it had a piano in it and the Queens Hall where the concert was that evening was closed).... and low and behold after just 10mins of rehearsal, the Church went from being totally empty to choca bloc with about 200 children from the school over the road... they'd heard the violin sounds through the open windows and had apparently begged their teachers to let them come and listen!!!!! So what started out as a rehearsal turned into a concert!!!! We played them the fast movements from the concertos by Bruch, Mendelsohn, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky... And then of course Flight of the Bumblebee as an encore!!!!! And then.... their teachers dragged them reluctantly back to school!

Hmm – I think Ollie used up all the exclamation marks ;)

On the way home, waiting for the return flight from Barbados - Ollie had a great opportunity to get down to the beach and sunbathe for 4 hours. He had the audacity to text me while I was gazing miserably from my window at the English rain  “I’m having a cool beer on the beach in Barbados” …said the message. Four hours later he was well and truly baked, which kind of cheered me up in a sadistic way. Take that Lobster Boy!

So that’s about it for this week peeps…..

Fings wot I never had time for :

A Jolly day out in Croydon

My son Ribsy’s band  “Fat Lady Singh” (what an awesome name) in the final of the Sky t.v’s  “Live + Unsigned”  battle of the bands competition. Oooh he’s just like his daddy!

My old band “The Ritz” reunion. 

Ollie’s interview for The Strad magazine about violinists in film....How he coached “Ladies in Lavender” star  Daniel Bruehl

Bewitching Music – music for animated short 

On the road with “JAKE + ELWOOD” 

Ok that’s it  - toodles 

Ooh - and you can pre-order Ivory Bow now !

Ooh – Ooh - and A NEW WEB SITE! at www.deviationsproject.com  It should be up by early next week. Woohoooo! Oodles of fun with downloadable wallpaper, ring tones and music.  New Movies – with downloadable soundtracks. Gasp…see you next week?..........oh go on.....I know you want to……. 

ONLY FOUR WEEKS TO GO! The Ivory Bow – August 5th

Once again humungus apologies for the time between blogs. (Launching headlong into “It’s not our fault” tirade of excuses).

Horrendous Legal problems.

Distribution Difficulties.

Ollie playing Bumble Bee so fast, my computer kept over heating and crashing.

Couldn’t get the lid off my favourite honey for three weeks, due to numb fingers…..a consequence of trying to mix down Ollie’s maniacal “Bumble” madness.

The “Bumblebee” we are featuring on Ivory Bow is not the fastest version we’ve done, but so far its definitely the coolest, with a massive beat to back it up. It was going to be the opening track on the album but when I tested it in my Car (for the final audio check, I always wait for a sunny day, get the roof down, Crank up the volume, slip into “Sports Mode” and Floor it. WELL………….even with the top down, it nearly blew the bloody doors off!!!” – to miss quote Michael Cane ;) This is my over elaborate way of saying that I didn’t want to scare any bodies pants off until a little later in the album. So, you have been warned – Track 9 ……twitchy fingers hovering over the volume control……..

Bumblebee (2) will be featured on next years album – it’ll be faster with a completely new musical accompaniment – Every album will come with a free pair of disposable paper pants and a small pack of moist wipes.

So more next week – Including……..

Ollie goes to Trinidad.

Adeste Fiddles to be released for Christmas 2008.

Ollie’s interview with “The Strad” magazine regarding his violin coaching in the wonderful “Ladies in Lavender” movie.

….and “How I got the top off the honey with a screwdriver and a monkey wrench”

Ooh - and you can pre-order Ivory Bow now thru B+N!

Ooh – Ooh - and A NEW WEB SITE! at www.deviationsproject.com It should be up by next week. Woohoooo! Oodles of fun with downloadable wallpaper, ring tones and music. New Movies – with downloadable soundtracks. Gasp…see you next week?..........oh go on.....I know you want to……. 