Hi

Back in France again this time to get some work done away from the music project, I can't believe January has come and gone so quickly, I did manage to get a lot done but it's shame months aren't 60 days!. I am starting to write February's eNews although I think it maybe a few days late this month. There is a lot to cover with all the new mixes, Midem and of course the Gospel recording session.

Anyway it's been a very long day and it's time to get some sleep.

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Hi

I have spent most of the day trying to collate all of the contacts and information I collected at Midem and sending a few emails to some people I met. It's back to reality now and Midem is in the past, onto the next stage. I have decided to test the water a little bit by releasing an EP single in the next couple of months to use it as a learning experience before the release of the album later on. There are a few hurdles I need to overcome, selling the record online, making sure the record company royalty information is setup correctly etc.

I am off to Paris all week working but hopefully I will have a little time to do some filming for the traveling man video. It's been a while since I did some filming.

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Hi

So after a month of preparation Midem 2006 is all over, was it worth it?, definitely, a real learning experience and some valuable tips for next year. Midem 2007 watch out as I know what to do now. I think If I came away with one real thought, it is that I'm doing the right thing with my approach, even though it's difficult and more hurdles to cross, perseverance will prevail. So off to the Airport soon and go through all the leads I've picked up.

Until Midem 2007 - Cannes, au revoir.

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Hi

Day 3 and I'm still finding my feet, a few meetings lined up today with some Artist management / agents and a CD distribution company, it seems as if it's started to wind down a bit as I've seen a few people with cases leaving, it's still very busy and i'm still trying to get around the whole exhibition.

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Hi

Well yes I am still standing, but there is a connection to the title as I'm in the Carlton Hotel, Cannes where Elton John filmed the video for that great song "I'm still standing". So my first full day at Midem and it has been mixed. I have managed to join the British@Midem stand which is great as it gives me a place to base myself, a locker and internet access. I have had a few meetings with some CD manufacturers looking for deals for the pressing of the album, I have met a few people in passing and been trying to book some meetings for Wednesday and Thursday. Still trying to find my feet a bit.

anyway if you want to see the Elton John video for I'm still standing click the link.

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Hi

Well I'm here registered and all set to go, tomorrow is going to be interesting to see what transpires, I'm not really sure what to expect but I suppose that is what it is all about, a learning experience, Right time to sleep - I need it after the last week.

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Hi

I'm sitting in the departures lounge at Heathrow after a mammoth few days trying to get things ready for Midem, well after a 5am finish this morning I'm all done, 50 packs with CD's DVD', CD-Rom's, press releases, photos, and promotional material. It has been a real effort getting this all done and I think it will be worth the effort. Got to go now as that's my flight call, see you in Cannes.

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Hi

I have just realised that this is my 100th blog!!!!!!.... Wow, that's a lot of ramblings from me to read!. I have just arrived home after doing the recording session for the Gospel choir I mentioned, I am really pleased with the results but face a lot of editing ahead to get the takes all sorted. The session was also filmed and a lot of pictures taken so I will add these to the website soon. For any of the singers who are reading this, thank you all for your hard work and dedication tonight, 4 hours is a long time to sing but I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Right for me I'm going to have an early night. Here's to the next 100 blogs!!

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Hi

There's no rest for the wicked and this week is definitely flat out, I have finished the DVD for the press pack for MIDEM and the 5 track CD sampler is not far behind, Writing my Biography and the fact sheets for the Press pack are having to take a back burner until the CD is finished, I still have 4 days...... aaaarrghhh!!, 4 DAYS!!, well I'll just have to be ready, to make matters worse I am in the studio recording the Gospel Singers tomorrow so that will take some time away but it needs to be done as it's one of the tracks for the CD.

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Hi

So does anyone know what DVD@ccess is?, well that's what I have been researching over the last day, basically what it is is the ability to let a DVD be interactive when used in a computer, this let's you create links to web pages and email. Why have I been looking at this, well in my pack for Midem I will have the DVD for the video "the day the walls fell in" and thought that a lot of people play DVD's in a computer now so why not have the contact info link directly to my website, great idea, well I thought so too, after a little bit of research on the internet I managed to get the correct information and this where I found out about DVD@ccess, did I manage to make it work?, you bet I did, I'm really pleased as this opens up an lot of opportunities for projects in the future.

1 week left then it's off to Midem, this week will be so busy, I have so much to get done, recording and writing and of course the recording session on Thursday.

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Hi

It has been quite a week, so much has been going on from the recording to getting things ready for Midem. It seems like the list is getting longer every day rather than shorter. As I'm writing this a few other things are popping into my head that need to be done. So the recording has been going very well with lots of additions to some of the songs you know, I'm looking forward to you all being alble to hear them when I post on the site soon. As you can appreciate with all that has been going on adding things tothe site has taken a bit of a back burner. Next week is much of the same apart from the studio session on Thursday which I'm really looking forward to.

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Hi

Another press release hit the wires today, this one was to promote the fact that I will be at Midem 2006 in Cannes, the usual stuff you may think, well sort of, I was contacted by a US local newspaper for a picture to go with the release, they must have wanted to check out how cute I am, but seriously I am a bit puzzled at why a small local paper wanted to tell their readers that I was going to Cannes, oh well the way of the world, hmmm don't I have a song with that title?. If you want to read the release click the link.

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Hi

Back to the grindstone today after a weekend away, I have been preparing for the Gospel recording session next week, I had to get all the details together to send out to the singers, as it's getting short on time I needed to send out a few mails to friends adverstising the session to see if I can get some extra bodies along. Hopefully I should get over the 10 I wanted to make a good sound but I will be over dubbing to make a larger sounding choir.

if you would like to read about the session details click the link below

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Hi

What a great day in the studio the track "Questions and Answers" sounds fantastic, I think it is going to be the first single from the album and it may make pole position as track number 1. Now that has changed things, I had a rough running order in my head but now it's a bit messed up, but this track is so powerful it deserves to kick things off. I know you may think that it is just the latest track I'm working on so that's why I think it's so good, honestly I think you will all love it!. I will post a preview on the site next week.

Taking most of tomorrow off, after all I have had four 16 hour days in a row.

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Hi

More music again today, lots of editing of backing tracks before some vocal recording next week as I have mentioned before. One of the things I am anxious to do is to try and make as many appointments for Midem before I go as possible. The organisers give you access to an attendees database which is great but it is pretty time consuming to filter out the most suitable people to contact. Time is fast running out as a lot of people will have booked meetings already. I think this first visit to Midem will be more of a fact finding tour and to make as many contacts as possible, so a lot of blind introductions will be the order of the day.

Anyway databases anyone?

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Hi

Well it's been a great productive day today with the tracks progressing nicely, I am starting to get into the swing of things after a slow start yesterday. The main elements of the 2 tracks I am working on are now down and the job of tidying them up begins tomorrow.

Also today I booked a studio in London to record a Gospel choir for some backing vocals at the end of one of my tracks called "The Last Time". I am looking to get 10+ Gospel Singers for the session on Thursday 19th January. I intend to film this session for this site but also for a future "the making of video".

More recording tomorrow - Groundhog day?

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Hi

Well it's the first day of my month of activity but before I got to grips with things today I had to finish off the January issue of the eNews newsletter, this didn't take too long as it was really a review of the highlights of 2005, I also included a small section of what is in store for 2006.

Planning my month ahead is critical in making sure I make the most of the time I have and to prioritize wisely, The most Important thing is to make real head way with the recording to finish 4 very polished tracks to be able to take with me to Midem.

The tracks I am working on this week are "You're Gone" and "Questions and Answers", both are sounding pretty good already but need to have all the vocals redone next week when I can access to a rare Neuman Microphone from a friend, until then I am concentrating on everything else especially the drum tracks to get a nice groove to build the guitars on.

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Hi

Happy New Year! - So it's 2006 and this will I hope be a big year ahead, so what's the plan?, January is all about recording and promoting, I will be busy in the studio all month trying to finish as much of the album as possible. I will be then taking these tracks to MIDEM to try and look at what the possibilities are for album distribution. (For more information on what MIDEM is about click the link at the bottom).

In February / March I will be looking to start playing some small gigs, details of these will be posted on the site as they arise.

April is when I am looking to release the album but this can always be moved if need arises, I hopefully will be trying to have a launch party, again details will be posted nearer to the date.

The rest of the year I hope will be made up of gigs, music videos and promotion.

So to all of you reading this I wish you peacefull and prosperous New Year ahead.

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Midem click here