Ian Hunter and the Rant Band
When I'm President
The crafty old devil has released this just as America gets caught up in election fever! That said... this... is a finely crafted and beautifully executed record.
And who'd have thought, back in 1975 as we listened to that opening "…'allo!" on his debut solo offering that 20 albums and 37 years later we'd be saying 'When I'm President' is maybe Ian Hunters best?
But it is! And that voice -- that never made it as a poll winner back in the day -- sounds just the same as it ever did. Its all quite comforting really. So, cue the opener 'Comfortable (Flying Scotsman)', which has all those Hunter trademarks: rocking piano, chopping guitar intro, a bit of sax and some thunder-thighs-ish 'oohs and ahhs' and a reference to days gone by with a '...that's all' added for good measure.
Essentially, this is a great rock n roll record. Sounds American, has the usual Dylan-esque touches but, it could be said by now as IH has earned this -- they are the usual Hunteresque touches: tracks like the simply wonderful 'Black Tears' (Now, this IS going to become one of his stand-out tracks. Its up there with the best of them. Epic and immense and has reduced me to tears... wonderful) along with 'Fatally Flawed', 'Just The Way You Look Tonight' and 'Life' spring to mind.
And then there's the title track. This could (and should) be a big hit for the Oswestry 'lad'. It really is a finely crafted, mature song delivered with panache and style. Very, very airplay friendly so I expect to hear it from many sources!
Ian Hunter has never chased stardom, he's been more than happy to be an artist writing, recording and performing what he wants to write, record and perform rather than delivering to record company orders. That said, I really do hope that this record brings him the wider recognition and reward he truly deserves.
Brilliant and inspirational.
Ian Hunter official web site >
Buy the album on iTunes >
Saturday, 15 September 2012
Sunday, 15 July 2012
Trumpet Voluntary...
I'm sure you've heard of the expression 'blowing your own trumpet'? Naturally, some are better than others at blowing that trumpet. Some people are quite happy to tell you what they've done, how they're doing it, how good it is and why you should part with some money to experience it! Others are not so ready to put the trumpet mouthpiece to their lips and blow. But perhaps they should play a tune more often.
I'd like to do a bit of trumpet blowing. Its not for me, well, not directly...
This week issue 53 of Aceville's Let's Make Cards magazine was published. Craft magazine? This is Rock 'n' Rail, not craft 'n' sew! Never mind, today we'll talk arts 'n' crafts.
Not for the first time, an issue of this magazine comes complete with a full kit of stamps, papers, die-cuts and more. And, not for the first time, this kit has been designed and produced by our dear notjustmum or, as crafters know her, Sharon Bennett. The theme of the kit with issue 53 is 'Retro Baking'.
Sharon has been producing these kits digitally now for a couple of years. She shares the task with others: they do one month, she does the next. But, rest assured dear reader, Sharon produces EVERYTHING in the kits that bear her name.
Lets's Make Cards comes from Colchester based publishers Aceville and, amongst other title in their stable, is another craft superstar magazine, Crafts Beautiful. At the time of writing, Sharon is no longer a contributor to CB -- as it is affectionately known -- however she had contributed for the previous 20 years or so; ceramic painting, glass painting, painting on wood, card making, painting on metal, lino printing, silk painting, rubber stamping. You name the craft, she's produced a feature for Aceville on it and our house is full of many items that once adorned the pages of the magazine.
Now, there are plenty of ladies -- and some gentlemen -- out there making cards, scrap-booking, creating photo-frames and so on and plenty of them also contribute to CB... but what sets Sharon apart is that she originates everything in the project. Nothing is purchased at the craft shop and then put together at the work bench. No, Sharon designs the motif, she then works that into a design for the given medium and then applies it. She does it all.
Because what sets Sharon apart is that she is not a crafter; she is an artist, an illustrator, a designer. She can design, illustrate, paint and design both traditionally and digitally. Sharon has been using Adobe Photoshop for about 10 years now and an awful lot of her work is either originated in Photoshop or, at some point in its life-cycle, is manipulated in Photoshop.
Some people seem to think that 'digital' means that it is delivered via e-mail as a JPEG or PDF. Well, that's true up to a point... but with Sharon, digital really means DIGITAL. Her work is no longer painted on metal, wood, glass or fabric... it's digital. Its a file on a hard disc on a MacBook Pro.
And that is how the 'free' kit on Let's Make Cards 53 has been generated: digitally.
Others have made cards that are in the magazine using the kit but, as I say, Sharon is the originator.
In the past year, she has also designed several ranges of rubber stamps for Hobby Art. These can often be seen on Create & Craft TV channel. Again, we also see an awful lot of the cards made with the stamps on screen. But, let us not forget, the original drawing, design and development of the stamp is by Sharon Bennett.
Sharon has 6 books to her name, has a wikipedia page, went to the same art college as Tracy Emin (there the similarity ends), teaches craft techniques on P&O Cruises, used a dot in her designs before certain other and more famous 'crafters' and regularly gives away some of her designs on her own blog. She's not one, however, to blow her own trumpet. But she should. The tune would be magnificent as the many who use her kits or rubber stamps would surely testify.
I'd like to do a bit of trumpet blowing. Its not for me, well, not directly...
This week issue 53 of Aceville's Let's Make Cards magazine was published. Craft magazine? This is Rock 'n' Rail, not craft 'n' sew! Never mind, today we'll talk arts 'n' crafts.
Not for the first time, an issue of this magazine comes complete with a full kit of stamps, papers, die-cuts and more. And, not for the first time, this kit has been designed and produced by our dear notjustmum or, as crafters know her, Sharon Bennett. The theme of the kit with issue 53 is 'Retro Baking'.
Sharon has been producing these kits digitally now for a couple of years. She shares the task with others: they do one month, she does the next. But, rest assured dear reader, Sharon produces EVERYTHING in the kits that bear her name.
Lets's Make Cards comes from Colchester based publishers Aceville and, amongst other title in their stable, is another craft superstar magazine, Crafts Beautiful. At the time of writing, Sharon is no longer a contributor to CB -- as it is affectionately known -- however she had contributed for the previous 20 years or so; ceramic painting, glass painting, painting on wood, card making, painting on metal, lino printing, silk painting, rubber stamping. You name the craft, she's produced a feature for Aceville on it and our house is full of many items that once adorned the pages of the magazine.
Now, there are plenty of ladies -- and some gentlemen -- out there making cards, scrap-booking, creating photo-frames and so on and plenty of them also contribute to CB... but what sets Sharon apart is that she originates everything in the project. Nothing is purchased at the craft shop and then put together at the work bench. No, Sharon designs the motif, she then works that into a design for the given medium and then applies it. She does it all.
Because what sets Sharon apart is that she is not a crafter; she is an artist, an illustrator, a designer. She can design, illustrate, paint and design both traditionally and digitally. Sharon has been using Adobe Photoshop for about 10 years now and an awful lot of her work is either originated in Photoshop or, at some point in its life-cycle, is manipulated in Photoshop.
Some people seem to think that 'digital' means that it is delivered via e-mail as a JPEG or PDF. Well, that's true up to a point... but with Sharon, digital really means DIGITAL. Her work is no longer painted on metal, wood, glass or fabric... it's digital. Its a file on a hard disc on a MacBook Pro.
And that is how the 'free' kit on Let's Make Cards 53 has been generated: digitally.
Others have made cards that are in the magazine using the kit but, as I say, Sharon is the originator.
In the past year, she has also designed several ranges of rubber stamps for Hobby Art. These can often be seen on Create & Craft TV channel. Again, we also see an awful lot of the cards made with the stamps on screen. But, let us not forget, the original drawing, design and development of the stamp is by Sharon Bennett.
Sharon has 6 books to her name, has a wikipedia page, went to the same art college as Tracy Emin (there the similarity ends), teaches craft techniques on P&O Cruises, used a dot in her designs before certain other and more famous 'crafters' and regularly gives away some of her designs on her own blog. She's not one, however, to blow her own trumpet. But she should. The tune would be magnificent as the many who use her kits or rubber stamps would surely testify.
Friday, 4 May 2012
The Most Gorgeous 12-string Sound
As I write we're watching the latest in the long-running BBC 2 show that is 'Later...' With, of course, Jools (Holland).
Tonight, amongst others, is one of our favourites here at NotJust Towers, Richard Hawley.
Now on his second song and he's playing a rather lovely Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. Oh, what an evocative thing that guitar is. These eyes first became accoustomed to that shape when watching early Beatles images on the telly as Lennon used to play one (not necessarily a 12-string, I guess).
Then, back in the 80's, I discovered a band from Australia. It was on the Whistle Test... film of them supporting Duran Duran no less... track was 'The Unguarded Moment' and the two lead guitars of Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes? Rickenbackers, well, at least one was and a 12 string to boot.
And here we are, tonight with Mr Hawley... and it could be Willson-Piper. Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing anyone of anything. Quite the contrary... it's all quite wonderful and marvellous and its just the sound. Its supreme, its superb.
And its the most gorgeous 12-string sound that there is.
Tonight, amongst others, is one of our favourites here at NotJust Towers, Richard Hawley.
Now on his second song and he's playing a rather lovely Rickenbacker 12-string guitar. Oh, what an evocative thing that guitar is. These eyes first became accoustomed to that shape when watching early Beatles images on the telly as Lennon used to play one (not necessarily a 12-string, I guess).
Then, back in the 80's, I discovered a band from Australia. It was on the Whistle Test... film of them supporting Duran Duran no less... track was 'The Unguarded Moment' and the two lead guitars of Marty Willson-Piper and Peter Koppes? Rickenbackers, well, at least one was and a 12 string to boot.
And here we are, tonight with Mr Hawley... and it could be Willson-Piper. Don't get me wrong, I'm not accusing anyone of anything. Quite the contrary... it's all quite wonderful and marvellous and its just the sound. Its supreme, its superb.
And its the most gorgeous 12-string sound that there is.
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