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The Musical Box
Like most people, my musical box contains its own personal mix. You'll find stuff about discovery, about heroes. There are recollections of those songs which just won't stop playing on your inner juke box. There are also pieces on Tango, which I discovered in France, and which taught me to dance and to live and listen to music differently. I hope you enjoy the mix!
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Songsmith Wreckless Eric Singing About That Special Someone
Songsmith Wreckless Eric and that Special Someone. It's summer up here in the Northern Hemisphere and time to fall in love again. How about making that definitive this time? Not as easy as it sounds? Questions like these are at the heart of "(I'd Go The) Whole Wide World" by Wreckless Eric which tells the story of a mother's answer to her son's despair at ever finding that special someone. Take it away, Wreckless!
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Rory Gallagher
Onstage, Rory Gallagher moved like a cat and played his guitar like a lion. He had a way of speaking between numbers which was natural. He hoped we were enjoying the concert. He thought we might like to hear something from the new album. Nothing was forced. He gave us gold from the end of the Rainbow.
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Taking Brother Bruce Springsteen Home
Bruce Springsteen has often felt like a member of my family. Born seven years before me, he was the older brother I never had. What follows is about how a Bruce Springsteen album sneaked its way into my home in Harlow, Essex. The story starts in early 1973.
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Family secrets – learning to live with your own name
I was around the age I am in the photograph illustrating this piece when it slipped out casually in a family conversation that my father had had a elder brother called Gerald and I was named after him. That was just the beginning.
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The Dave Simmons Soul Show BBC Radio One 1972-74
Tribute to the Dave Simmons Soul Radio Show broadcast by BBC Radio 1 between 1972 and 1974. This was where I discovered not only soul, blues and R&B but also how musical genres and styles are interconnected. You'll also find links to uploads of recordings of the show online.
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So what is the Subjective Classroom?
Once it is up and running, the subjective classroom is a busy place in which everybody is invited to contribute actively. The focus is on developing skills applied to meaningful content. Individual contributions are essential to the construction of what goes on, and people participate once they understand their voice matters. This is by no means simple for people more familiar with a more directive, objective classroom, but helping them change their perspective, even partially, is a mutually enriching process.
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Football, acting, tango – learning to think on your feet
Laurent de Chanterac's journey from football to tango reflects a life of transformation and adaptation, spanning several disciplines and learning methods. His experience, initially effortless in football but demanding in acting, signifies the evolving nature of personal development. His testimony combines physicality with education, emphasizing the importance of learning through encounters and practical engagement rather than conventional schooling. This narrative culminates in his dedication to teaching tango with partner Christine Caminade, encapsulating a philosophy of continuous personal growth and adaptation across varied life experiences.
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Is Shakespeare better in translation?
English is my mother tongue but I have lived most of my life in France. Recently, I went to see a new production of Shakespeare's Richard III in French. For the first time in my life I realised I could actually undertsand every word. Okay, so here's the big question : Is Shakespeare simply better in translation?
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Brass In Pocket
How can one song make such a big difference? "Brass In Pocket" is a fine example. It changed everything for The Pretenders in 1979 as the Songsmiths series explains in this latest post.
