Outstanding Contributions
On Sunday morning, I head out to my second Italian writing retreat as hosted by young Mr. Christopher Henry Difford, and mentioned, if I recall correctly, in a recent WORD podcast.
It's quite an experience, being thrown in amongst a group of strangers with whom you have never worked before and being required to compose a new song each day for performance that evening and I'm looking forward to it immensely. I am also going to attempt to write sans the blinding hangover I endured last time, courtesy of an all-nighter with the singer from Aberfeldy.
However, this coincides nicely with a chance to congratulate Messrs Difford and Tilbrook for their recent Outstanding Contribution to British Music Award at the recent Ivor Novellos.
Personally, I think it's hugely deserved. I recently relistened -in one of my more obsessive moments - to their entire catalogue and, despite what the 80's did to a lot of artists' production - it is an excellent body of work, which, happily, continues to this day, noth in solo and, fingers crossed, Squeeze form.
So, to save this from just being a vomit of random congratulation, who would you put up for an Outstanding Contribution award?
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Sonwriting - you lucky bugger
Lucky bugger going on the songwriting workshop - I was a bit lax in investigating but I sort of assumed normal mortals wouldn't get on it anyway - what is the secret?
My own...
...involvement in it is so convoluted as not to be believed. One of the gents who plays sax in our brass section was, for 19 years, also in The Beautiful South. When we started making our new record, he recommended a pedal steel player called Melvin Duffy. Melvin was in the Dave Rotherhay's other band Homespun, as well as being in Mr. Difford's solo band (amongst others. He came in to record with us and introduced me to Chris, who invited me on the first week I went on... Deep breath.
But it's a real mix of seasoned professionals and driven working-their-way-up songwriters. And you probably couldn't get more ordinary and mortal than me!
XTC...
...without a second of hesitation.
Theirs is a wonderfully eclectic, accessible and technically adventurous body of work. They always get glossed over / neglected, but the world is a much better place with them around.
Awards akimbo for Messers Partridge and Moulding please.