I was playing with my dog in the living room after watching the film Looking for Eric. The film was brilliant and the dog was cute and my heart was floating. It was a lovely moment. I might even proclaim it ‘perfect’. That’s quite rare I suppose, particularly for an over-analytical brain like what I’ve got! And of course perfection is subjective, but I knew it was happening because I found myself bursting into song with the Kate Bush line ‘you bring me so much joy and then you bring me…more joy’. What song momentarily pops into your head to alert your heart it’s happy? For me, sometimes it’s ‘Spice Up Your Life’ by the Spice Girls.

I was thinking about some songs from the thirties, forties and fifties. Many of them are unashamedly sunny. I’m surprised there’s not more ‘feel good’ writing around, across all mediums. Feel free to argue.

Since withdrawing from the world of performing solo singer/songwriter shows for the time being (last gig was in December at the Polite Room, Tyneside Cinema, thanks for coming down if you were there), I have plunged into a new pool called THEATRE.

Granted, it’s one that I’ve been dipping my toe into for a while (and I was in the National Youth Theatre and did acting stuff before I did music stuff). For the first time in a long time, I feel very excited and inspired, as I swim towards the creation of something singular, something very different from anything I’ve ever done before and I’m not sure I recognise myself as I paddle along…which I like…and yet it turns out that it’s still a one-woman show! Curious. At the moment it’s a ‘work in progress’, but we have hopes beyond that….note to self: just have to not drown in the meantime!

I’m working with Laura Lindow, who wrote and directed Heartbreak Soup and is a dear friend of mine. Much learning, risk, fun and play.

We’ll present our ’scratch’ (I learned that word recently!) in March.

SAWDUST AND STARDUST: LIVE THEATRE: 13th March 2010.

Check out this link:

HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Thanks to each person who has come to one my gigs, bought a record, reviewed said gigs/records, and generally been brilliantly supportive throughout 2009.

New Year message will follow. Better dash for now - it’s my mum’s 70th birthday today and there are gifts to impart.

LOVE LOVE LOVE

x

This is a picture of me with my dog Alfie. I am striking a pose in emulation of the red-head woman in Madmen whose name escapes me. I think this is how she would play tug the tuggy thing with her dog.

Also, a wonderful Christmas play for under 6’s - the Prince and the Penguin - is currently showing at Northern Stage. Adam and I have written the music for it. It’s PROPER MAGICAL so go and see it if you can…maybe even take a child as ‘cover’.

By way of reminder: am doing a gig on 10th December and have currently got no more solo gigs in the pipeline, so if you fancy it, get down to the Tyneside Cinema (the event is called The Polite Room) for a Christmassy shindig.

And finally…Here is a good, well-written and ‘flippin’ eck they actually really listened to the record’ album review for Down With Gravity from Net Rhythms

—–
Born in Wales, raised in Newcastle Upon Tyne, Owen’s CV makes for impressive reading as do quotes that variously call her a ‘delinquent Carole King’ and ‘a fallen, aggrieved dark angel and very, very special talent.’ Apparently Elvis Costello called her music ‘lovely and original’ during a BBC session, and not just because he wanted to borrow her piano, while she’s performed alongside such names as Rachel Unthank, Nitin Sawhey, Jim Moray, Maximo Park and Bellowhead whom she supported on tour. She was also a nominated Performer of the Year at the Journal Culture Awards and has turned her hand to theatre, poetry, and music workshops as well as singing and writing, not to mention playing in seven piece side project Sharks Took The Rest.

It’s amazing she had time to record her third album, but be grateful that she can multitask because it is, indeed, rather special. Produced by Kate Rusby’s brother Joe and featuring contributions from Kate, singer Richard Dawson, Bellowhead cellist Rachel McShane, and Kathryn Tickell’s fiddler brother Peter, the building blocks may be folk but it also enfolds aspects of jazz, pop, blues, gypsy, cabaret and, perhaps not too surprisingly, theatrical show tunes.

Bush and Amos comparisons have been bandied about, but while the likes of Anchor and Sighs bear those out with their vocals and piano, Owen is certainly no clone. Listen to the weave of trad folk, classical and jazz elements on the trickily arranged Blizzard or spare piano ballad Drowning Minnow where hints of Stephen Foster and Randy Newman conjure rainy days New York while Owen’s vocals curl and soar to the high notes.

By contrast there’s more gypsy blooded, fiery Stalemate’s tale of doomed love with its brooding flickering cello and violin notes, hand drum percussion and the dark duetting of Dawson or the multi-textured arrangement of In Your Company with its underlying urban jazz piano vibe and background yelps carrying it to a nervy climax.

As confident on such complex pieces as she is assured on something like the exposed emotions and musically intimate bare bones of You Are Gone and the spine-tingling torchy When I Dock, whatever the title may suggest, she’ll soon be defying gravity and flying high.

NET RHYTHMS
———-

Dominoes

The thing I fear the most? Your mouth.
Plump. It twitches just before you go to speak;
every single time, like it’s goading me to notice it,
and then my mouth twitches too: a dimpled domino effect.
I want it, I want your mouth to meld with mine
in a twitching, dimpled prelude;
to press it’s blushing, voiceless sparks directly into my face.

Whilst living with this fear I hasten to tell myself
that if I were to face your mouth and feel it’s temperature
I would fall and not get up,

that this one moment would change me, irrevocably;
like getting a tattoo,
or a reputation for lying,
or the murder of someone.

Besides, other dominoes might fall.

Ach, ‘tevs. Want a snog?

I had a lovely evening all round last night. Popped into a friend’s Ceilidh, then went to meet my friend Liz with the intention of smashing things up in Scrap Club (in the end we could only watch as we missed the last round) and then home to pretzels and Carol Ann Duffy.

Today’s plan: Nut Roast dinner followed by ‘Tit 4 Tat, This 4 That’ skills sharing afternoon at The Hub.

If you’ve ever wanted to explore your voice, or have a singing lesson, or sing with others in a relaxed and supported environment, then come along to a vocal workshop I’m… delivering around 2:30pm - ALL WELCOME!…then it’s on to theWunderbar Closing Party at Baltic.

Rachel Bollen,Hugh Sherlock, and all involed in Wunderbar: YOU ARE MARVELOUS. Now get yer inner hedgehogs on and go sleep for a week (soon)!

The Sound You Want To Voice

Even if you can’t sound the sound you want to voice
Try to sound like yourself.
Not imitate the weather outside
by too much hot air blowing
or too much dark rain pouring out.

Do not imitate by listening too much
to everyone else’s
vibrating air traveling
from boxes in corners of rooms
until you can’t remember ever hearing your own shapes
resonate around your guts
and through your skull.

Three Lovers

I knew three lovers in my prime,
Who each brought to my door a gift,
And the sun spilled gold upon my step,
And not one of them was cast adrift.

The first he sang a song of sex,
A slow and Northern melody,
And the stars bled silver on my step
‘Till I drew him in to lie with me.

The second turned her love to clay,
A milk-jug ripe with daffodil,
The white moon marked the night from day
As we talked and touched with youthful skill.

The third one brought an empty book,
A home-bound tome that fizzed with space,
And so I write, and if I’m stuck
I turn to see her shining face.

Dearhearts,

I haven’t written for so long. Life has been a bit full lately, so much so that the miniscus keeps threatening to overflow and my cup runneth too full, fit to burst (or collapse).

Everyone I meet at the mo’ is flat out in some way or other. Not only that but the clocks have made things feel all wonky and I can’t seem to find my other shoe.

Here are some things that are happening in the near future. They don’t exist yet, and with your help, when they do exist they could be something we can all find happy times in:

BBC RADIO 3 APPEARANCE, FRIDAY 30th OCTOBER: BBC Radio 3, 9.15pm onwards.

I’m going to be on The Verb, playing some songs, being interviewed alongside fellow writers and generally having a wonderful time. LISTEN IN IF YOU CAN OR CHECK IT OUT ON IPLAYER!

William Orbit was in the audience for it, as was my mum. Mr Orbit said he thought my performance was ‘Something special’, my mum liked it too. HAZZAH!

RACHAEL MCSHANE ALBUM LAUNCH, SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER 8pm, Cluny 2, Lime Street, Ouseburn, Newcastle

Come down to the gig to support Beccy supporting Rachael and you won’t be disappointed. Rachael’s new album ‘No Man’s Fool’ will be for sale on the night. She’s a bloomin’ gem that girl. BE THERE IF YOU CAN!

We’ll be playing at The Bedford in Balham. Doors: 8pm. We’re on around 10pm. It’s FREE! Get yer botties down there!

FINAL SOLO GIG (for a good while) IN DECEMBER, THURSDAY 10TH DECEMBER

Gig at The Polite Room, Tyneside Cinema. I need a break from myself. I want to bury my head in a blank page and write again. Play again. Forget myself and go feral. Not sure what any of that actually means, but it’s been brewing for a while, so if you can make it down to The Polite Room to say hello(/goodbye for now) that’d be marvelous. There’ll be some great acts also on the billing and it’ll be a cosy and intimate winter huddle.

NB: I’ll still be singing with Sharks Took The Rest, making music, making other things…I just need a so watch this space.

That’s all for now lovelies. Happy leaf collecting.

x

My band Sharks Took The Rest are playing at the Live Theatre on Newcastle’s Quayside

Saturday 5th September 2009
8pm, £10

It’ll be great, class, skill and ace to see you there.

If you’d like to book tickets you can:

Go online and book from the Live Theatre website here

OR

Call Live Theatre’s box office on (0191) 232 1232

The brochure is here

I thank ya!

x

Check this lovely little film out:

Building Palaces

It’s of a gorgeous work-in-progress theatre project I was part of earlier this year. The project was called Building Palaces and the theatre company was Unfolding Theatre. It was a lot of fun, beautifully exploratory, challenging, and luxurious in its playfulness and space.

You can find out more by emailing the delightful Annie Rigby, artistic director of Unfolding Theatre at:

info@unfoldingtheatre.co.uk

Also, here as a special bonus poem because I just found it whilst looking through the notebook I kept during the project, and although it’s not brilliant, I am feeling audacious:

Derelict

Nobody goes there.
Too many boarded up windows
and a halting lack of streetlights
and a hinting, unknown terror
and a feeling that if you did go in you’d never leave

Once, a dog got in
and to the dog it was a palace of smells.
—

Build your palaces people - Have no budget on your imagination!

x