Gerry Diver produced album - Mercury Prize Nominated

Been a while since my last update.  Things have been manic and most of my online activity has been over at speechproject.net.  Check in there to find out about the album release and tours.  Major news at the moment is that Sam Lee's glorious album 'Ground of it's Own' has been nominated for a Mercury prize.  Having produced the album I'm naturally very proud and delighted with all the attention the album has so rightly attracted.  Well done Sam:) High fives and happy dance!

Shane MacGowan - Speech project

Just back from Dublin where I spent some time with Shane MacGowan recording for my forthcoming Speech Project album! Shane was in great form ...we had a great time .... lovely guy!  The track featuring Shane is already underway and I'm very excited with how it is all sounding….. watch this space.

Naomi Bedford review

Hi All

as promised here is the review of Naomi Bedford's new album in this month's Mojo mag. well done Naomi and everybody involved! I was honoured to be asked to producer the record and here is one of the tracks from the album; Naomi's duet with Paul Heaton. The video on the previous post shows how the song started out.....  The string section involved me multi-tracking 16 fiddles. Immense fun! you can buy the album from Naomi's website.

4 Star Mojo Review!

Delighted to hear that Naomi Bedfords's new album is receiving rave reviews! I had the pleasure of producing Naomi's album and am very pleased that early press reactions are proving to be very positive.  The album is a hybrid of folk and country with a few celeb guests thrown in for good measure. I'll do a full post when Mojo hit's the stands next week. For now here is a video of Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton and Naomi recording guide vocals for their duet 'The Ferryboat' which features on the record.  I'll post the fully orchestrated version next week! Other guests include Justin Currie (Del Amitri's frontman) Alasdair Roberts, Bobby Valentino (The Bluebells) and Paul Simmons (The Men they Couldn't Hang). As you can imagine, many a creative day was had in making the record.

 

Speech Project Launch Gig

Hi All!

Speech Project will premiere at the fantastic Capstone Theatre as part of The Liverpool Irish Festival in October. I'm delighted to be perform Speech Project at the festival and am busy rehearsing with a fine bunch of musicians who will join me.  The accompanying videos are in production by some very talented bods and I will have a dedicated speech project website launched very soon!

Here is an excerpt from The 'What's On' guide from the The Capstone Theatre website which you can visit here and buy tickets for. Should be a great evening:)

Liverpool Irish Festival and The Capstone Theatre present this World Premiere performance of an innovative new composition, The Speech Project.

Four years in the making, The Speech Project is ground-breaking collection of new musical works by Gerry Diver inspired by and incorporating recordings of the spoken word of seminal Irish folk musicians including Christy Moore, Paddy Moloney of The Chieftans, Joe Cooley, Danny Meehan and more.

Gerry Diver, a musician, composer and producer, born into an Irish family in Manchester and relocated to Ireland in his teens. Former member of Irish world music group Sin é and Shane McGowan's The Popes, as well as guest musician with among others Van Morrison and uber rock producer Youth, Gerry has more recently begun to focus more of production and composing, working out of his studio in South London.

In 2007 he produced the Mojo Folk Album of the Year and BBC Folk Award nominated album Wild And Undaunted by Lisa Knapp, but had already begun work on The Speech Project, travelling to Ireland to make face-to-face recordings with Paddy Moloney and Christy Moore and to trawl the archives and back catalogues for spoken word recordings of older musicians, including Kerry accordionist Joe Cooley (1924-1973).

Taking this all back to his Tooting studio he extracted key phrases from the recordings, and taking the rhythm, pitch and phrasing as inspiration, he began to compose a series of works that are uniquely Irish, ground-breaking in concept and stunningly beautiful. Between production work for artists including Alasdair Roberts, Sam Lee and ex-Beautiful South’s Paul Heaton, Gerry completed the collection of works which he has called The Speech Project.

With the support of Arts Council England, The Speech Project will premiere at Liverpool Irish Festival on 20th October 2011 ahead of the release of the album in early February 2012 and a major tour in March including shows at key venues including The Purcell Room at London’s Southbank Centre, The Sage Gateshead and the newly reopened MAC in Birmingham, complete tour dates to be announced soon.

The show will feature musicians including Gerry Diver, with special guest Lisa Knapp, plus specially commissioned accompanying videos for selected works, all interacting live with the spoken word recordings of the Irish musicians used in the Speech Project recordings.

This event is supported by Arts Council England

Late Junction Radio 3

Had a play of  The Banks of the Bann on Late Junction (BBC Radio 3) a few days ago....still possible to listen again on BBC iplayer for a few more days. Click here to listen again!

Froots CD

Greetings All

This month's Froots mag is out and myself and Lisa (Knapp) have a track on the cover mount CD  The track is part of the Folk against fascism album which won't be commercially  available until spring 2011. It features artists such Alasdair Roberts, Chumbawamba, Martin Simpson and various others! We recorded the track exclusively for the album and had great fun at the studio messing around re miking old tape recorders in our efforts to degrade the 'ceili band' section at the end.  Enjoy. 

Southbank Gig this weekend

Greetings

Been doing some inspiring rehearsing for a gig with LIsa Knapp at the Queen Elizabeth Hall Saturday Evening (tomorrow night...24th Sept).....

 We're supporting the brilliant Kathryn Williams and will be doing a new set of new songs and perhaps a tune on the fiddle as well.  Our set will see us melding folky/acoustic instrumenst with mac laptops (there is nothing more natural and God given in this world than electricity!) ....wind up music boxes ....Lisa's stunning vocals and I'll be banging, plucking and scraping.

Moseley Folk Fest

Hi All

Just been rehearsing today with musical collaborator (oh and partner) Lisa Knapp whom I shall be appearing with this Saturday at the Moseley Folk Festival.  Since Lisa released 'Wild & Undaunted', her debut album which I also produced, I have played as a duo and also as part of her band, however, she has been hammering away in her tool shed over the last few years and has come up with a whole heap of new songs, both traditional and self penned and hence we now have an entirely new set!!  Well, maybe one or two oldies... so, it's been a very enjoyable week of rehearsing and after her new release next year we'll get to play them all  lot's more.... Lisa is as we speak working on her website and hopes to get some special performances on there soon, so no worries if you can't make it to Moseley.....just watch this space.

Donegal fiddling

I'm writing this blog from Donegal.  Been home visiting the folks and payed a visit to to see master fiddler Danny Meehan.  Danny lives about a 90 minute drive away from Clonmany (where I am staying) in a place called Laghey........ the other side of the county . The drive was beautiful .... I was very impressed with the (getting close to Sligo!)  side of Donegal!

Danny is a direct link with many of the old legends of Irish music and shared many a yarn of some the greats and some of my personal heroes from days gone by.  Of course Danny is himself one of the greatest living examples of the old style of Donegal playing.  I had a great afternoon with Danny.... we were joined by Danny's two brothers who are both also musicians and singers, Kevin and JImmy Meehan.   I brought my mobile recording rig along.  A lovely time was had by all...playing, singing, recording....I discovered some new old tunes and also some old new tunes. 

Outlaw Heaven - Official Video

Here's the Popes (featuring Shane McGowan) with their single 'Outlaw heaven' from the album of the same name.  I had much fun recording this with the lads.  Watch out for a forthcoming release from The Popes featuring Jo O'Meara (S Club 7  & Big Brother shenanigans)!   The album is out now!

Straw Bear Band Single Release

The new Straw Bear Band recording is out now and will more than satisfy lovers of frontier pushing English/Alt folk as well as vinyl record collectors alike.

The vexed soul single is part of Rif Mountains Hobby Horse singles club series and comprise 2 tracks - Nottamun Town and Lyke Wake Dirge. Both tracks have a menacing, dark and compelling quality.
The band spent a couple of days at the tunehouse ….. early on in the recording process a vibe emerged,  creativity flowed and a musical hue was captured. 

Both tracks were produced and mixed by yours truly ( I also played fiddle, tenor guitar, arranged strings and shouted some BV's!).

The single is out on 7" vinyl from riftmountain records.  Click here to order your copy now. Highly recommended.

Ramblings from Praha

Been a while since I last blogged ...  it's been a busy couple of months:)

I started producing some new albums and have been wrapping up some others.  Just started working with English Folk singer Sam Lee on his new album.  A musical manifesto is emerging; folk without guitars (refreshing and reminds me of a similiar approach I took with Lisa Knapp's Wild & Undaunted).  Instead we're using Shruti and Jew's Harp and other assorted sundries.  I'm enjoying providing string textures and the odd backwards plucked fiddle. Sam recently won a BBC folk award for his club The Magpies Nest and this outing sees Sam move from promoter to centre stage.

Been finishing final touches and tweaks to J Eoin's new album.  Myself and J have had many a creative day and after a hiatus (due to throat problems - not good for a singer but now thankfully resolved) all vocals have been recorded. I've enjoyed producing J's music and having known J as long as I have it was only natural that the musical sparks would fly as well as they have. 

Recently spent a day on a track with Lisa Knapp for the forthcoming Folk Against Facism album. Lisa recorded a version of The Banks of the Bann produced by myself ....very creative day and as always the musical energy flows with Lisa in the studio...look forward to hearing the album:)

Other various musical outings have kept me busy: just started producing an album for a twenty piece choir, finished mixing Tony Maude's new album, just received a nice nod of approval from Eric Bogle for a new production of one of his tracks, been producing/preparing tunes for a forthcoming Will Oldham collaboration, Burning Wheel's album and various other sessions.

At the moment I'm having a siesta in Prague! I find the vibe of this city is getting my own creative juices flowing no end!  Myself and Lisa have spent the last week wandering the streets of the beautiful Old Town enjoying the Easter Market festival. Spent some time  looking for bargain violins, continued scoring out my speech project for rehearsals next week, tried to get into locked churches to see severed arms from days long gone and helped Bonnie choose a marionette.

LIve at the Suite - Utopia Studios

Was a great gig last night at Utopia studios in Camden.  Unusual in that the gig was in the live room of a recording studio...invite only audience in person but online for all of cyberspace to see.  We had an online message board on stage which allowed us to read comments about the gig as they came in...felt intimate in a strange way.....I reckon that this style of webcast will continue to grow and with ever increasing online speeds there's no reason for video chat/audio speak from the cyber audience to be a near reality as well. Not quite the same as going to a real gig (by a long stretch) but an avenue worth exploring.

The Popes played a blinding set...I enjoyed myself...the crowd boogied away....sweated buckets (and it only January)......till the next time....

Moda recording session

Had an enjoyable session this week working on a  classical crossover production.  The group is a new act called Moda and they consist of three female vocalists from America, Croatia and UK.  The band are from the same stable as Bond and Vanessa- Mae and I'm sure they will be a huge success.
The album is being produced by legendary producer Youth (always a pleasure to work with) ably assisted by Tim Bran (founding member of Dreadzone ).  I was drafted in to play a few instruments on four tracks.  I played fiddle and faux classical violin, mandolin, bodhran and whistles and the recording took place at Coombehurst studio in Kingston.  I was joined on the session by Guy Ritchie's favourite piper:)  Old friend and great muso Brendan McCauley played uilleann pipes and flutes on the session.  Brendan has recently been signed to Decca records as part of Guy Ritchie's punchbowl band ...the album is out worldwide 1st March and rumour has it that the label is going guns blazing in promoting the record. Many congratulations to Brendan and the rest of the lads:)

Still in a festive mood:)

Well it is a few days since the Christmas bells have rung!! The turkey sandwiches are probably just about finishing but in case one still hankers after a little Christmas spirit (God knows there is always enough build up to it!)...here's a video of myself and the delightful Lisa Knapp celebrating Christmas:)

The Popes - Outlaw Heaven

Delighted to see that The Popes have been picking up rave reviews for their latest release, 'Outlaw Heaven.' The album was written by frontman Paul (Maddog) McGuinness whilst he was a guest of Her Majesties Pleasure in pentonville. I think the writing reflects a certain sense of introspection and unleashed creative energy/rage one doesn't usually encounter in today's overly saturated market of ........low barrier to entry/ record in a box/computer makes the decisions really/limitless amount of tracks/decisions.....do we have to make decisions (ouch) in recording/producing/writing....... albums. Outlaw Heaven is an album of real songs with real lyrics......I love it.

I played fiddle and did string arrangements on the album. Well done lads.

"They are best known as Shane MacGowan's other band (now fronted by the equally gravel-voiced Paul "Mad Dog" McGuinness), and this strings-led cut from The Popes' excellent Outlaw Heaven album is what The Waterboys would have sounded like had Mike Scott sipped from the streams of whiskey. A true rough diamond."  Dave Simpson - The Guardian

"You’d imagine that surely Shane MacGowan’s brains have melted by now - but no! Stick the mad bastard in The Popes and watch the fireworks start flying again. McGowan is ready to meet his maker on ‘Outlaw Heaven’, a lusty barnstormer that toasts the great dead rebel-poets. Elsewhere, he lustily advises us “Don’t let the bastards grind you down!” on ‘Bastards’. When Shane’s not about, the LP is guided by the cozy and wise burr of Paul McGuinness. This isn’t just an Irish party album with fire in its belly, it’s also the most warm, celebratory and downright mortal LP you’re likely to hear in 2009. 8/10".... Rick Rawlins - Clash Magazine.

The Straw Bear Band

Busy day yesterday.  Had The Straw Bear Band in the studio.  Lots of fun and creative work. I first saw them about eighteen months ago where we trod the same floorboards at a gig in North London. Their founder and frontman Dom Cooper (also with The Owl Service) has a very striking voice reminiscent of Peter Bellamy.

I'm producing their next single. Yesterday's session was on a track called "Nottamun Town."  A dark, dark song which saw us bowing cymbals, abusing hammered dulcimers, beheading bass drums and throttling a harmonium.

'The Straw Bear Band' have a magpie nature.

Lyrically mixing folklore, myth, history and fiction.

Musically they're just as eclectic. Ranging from

delicate acoustic song to scratchy electronica,

ending up like a Joe Meek production of Tim Buckley.

Recently their sound has taken another turn,

and live they create a kind of 'medieval Krautrock'

or 'garage-folk'

Truer words were never spoken.

Harmonium take below. 

Dick Gaughan Track in 2010

I recently learned that I will be producing a track with both the legendary Dick Gaughan and marvellous Naomi Bedford behind the mic.  I'm delighted for Naomi that she has (very deservedly) such wonderful guests on her second album. I've been a long time admirer of Dick Gaughan's work and can sense that this will be a spine tingling track. I will keep you updated:)

Interview on "Sound Out" Show

Splendid afternoon at Resonance FM where I was guest on Carole Finer's show 'Sound Out'

Played some live music and some tracks from my forthcoming 'Speech Project' album.  Many thanks to Carole and the helpful staff at Resonance:)

Here's the audio of the interview.

at the resonance studio