I have been playing music since I was 4 – at my first school. My mother was our teacher in the little post-war school on a beach in North Devon, UK. She wisely insisted that everyone in the school take up some instrument and join the Band.
I was very excited to play Bass drum which I thumped enthusiastically and hopefully in some sort of time. Thinking back now almost 66 years ago I can still remember the thrill of making a racket in a classroom of excited older kids. We were allowed to play music every day for about 15 minutes. It had a great positive effect on the morale of all of us, I’m sure.
On the way home from Beach Cottage School at Croyde in N Devon, I often visited an empty chapel and let myself in to play the Harmonium in the gathering gloom. At 9 I gained a scholarship to Exeter Cathedral School and I started ‘writing music’ – at least in my own mind – at age 10.
There are quite a few pieces I have composed out in the world, in one form or another. There is always thankfully more to release. I am lucky to have a wide ranging appreciation and love of musical styles. Below you will find some links to selected compositions.
Life in the World Unseen
here is an excerpt of my music from Life in the World Unseen part IV from the Album ‘Migration’. It features Greg Sheehan on slack tambourine and found percussion devices, Michael O’Connor on flute with Ernie Gruner, Francesca Black and Jenny Thomas on strings. I play 6 and 12 sting guitars.
Following on from my earlier work ‘Life in the World Unseen ‘ is mainly in 7/4 time and features an expansive arrangement. It celebrates the excitement and wonder of exploring a new world of spirit, where vibration forms reality and everything sings.
Music from Life in the World Unseen on Bandcamp
So where did that title come from? The great and sadly missed Robin Williams explored the possibilities of existence in the realm of the deceased spirit in his ground breaking and controversial film ‘What Dreams May Come‘ (1998) directed by Vincent Ward. This was based on a book that was in turn inspired by Anthony Borgia’s beautiful and hopeful book published in 1954, ‘Life in the World Unseen’.
The back story is extraordinary, and I have heard quite a few variations on the title over the years. I will let you research your own version but by any measure it is worthy of consideration.
Now you know.