Hi All,
Sorry for the radio silence, it's been a busy time spinning plates as ever and I've needed to spend additional time coordinating things so that Jesse, Steph and the band can be available for recording the album in Frome next spring. Because our pianist Jack Hymers who played piano on the Perplexed Music album is also moonlighting with China Crisis 😁, we've had to move the proposed recording dates back a little to start Monday 24th April and continue through to the 5th May. This gives us a little more time to put the Kickstarter campaign together and launch it once Yule and New Year are out of the way and so, hopefully, things will feel a little less intense for everyone.
Good News! I was contacted by a journalist friend who has interviewed me before for various publications over recent times and has also written about our first two projects. She loved the first album and was particularly affected by our film as it resonated with an experience in her own life at the time. Anyway, she called me last week to announce that she was now the Showbiz Feature Writer for a national newspaper and wants to write an online article on the paper's website about the album project to coincide with our Kickstarter campaign in which she will include a link for the public/readers to get involved.🥳 This is a fantastic boost. You know me well enough by now to know that I never court publicity, but if, in keeping with the spirit of inclusivity and shared experience that continues to underpin our projects the larger world comes to us, then I'm more than happy to accommodate as long as the open-hearted and open-minded ethos is maintained. I trust her implicitly to produce something fully compatible with this and so I welcome this development for us all as a real boost. 🤩
As of tomorrow I will be putting together the Kickstarter campaign plan, so I may come back to you over the coming days on a more regular basis to pick brains about most effective and appropriate awards. I am due to have a meeting on Thursday with a couple of friends who may be able to help us too. Morag, who owns one of the most beautiful venues in Somerset based here in Frome, Cooper Hall, and Fay who runs the venue. I have had the privilege of using the grounds and buildings of these magnificent facilities on various projects in the past, including for the filming of Perplexed Music when it provided the home of the Man played by Paul, and for rehearsals for the Perplexed Music Album with Jesse and Steph for the first album. Morag also kindly provided the Hall and their private screening room for a private showing of the film. I'm hoping to chat amongst other things, about possibilities of doing a very select concert there as a special reward offering for donors and project participants. More to come once I've spoken with them...
You will be hearing from me more regularly in the coming days and weeks. I hope the looming holidays are something you are all looking forward to.
Love and stronger light for the darker months. We are still here and thinking of you!
Mark xxx
p.s. For those who have contacted me or stressed an interest in performing on the album, please know that the musicians mentioned above will constitute the 'House Band', similar to the way we made the first album, and who will put the basic tracks down in the first week before invited artists then join us for the second week to record their tracks or provide us with remotely recorded tracks which are then added in the studio. Rest assured, you have not been forgotten...😙
Thanks for the update, I was wondering to about doing something outside for Frome. But exciting times, love the tiny lights lightening up the dark, and soon those lights be amplified. 💜
I agree with Daisy! Hope you will do some stuff outside Frome too Mark! Xxx
Love how it's all coming together, and kind of glad it will now be happening in the Spring. Brilliant news all over your post. Yippee! So nice to hear some positive news for a change. Thank you for the update. 🤍🕊