Cosmic Star Trail

This weekend was a wild, wild weekend. Secret gig, huge gig at The Grand in Clitheroe to close the Ribble Valley Jazz and Blues Festival with The Troubadours and the chance to work with many, wonderful musicians, project managers, chefs, personalities and audiences. Please check out Pete Turner, the bass player if you hear he is playing anywhere near you, Billy Buckley's wonderful Wagon Train, Claudio Kron's album which is a beautiful beautiful album and all the excellent projects Katie Tavini is engineering - they were just a few of the special guests I got the opportunity to work with and to make music with, this weekend. Huge. I'm exhausted and full. Thanks so much to EVERYONE who helped this weekend, even if your help was sending a positive thought this way. Everything helped.

On the gig at the Grand, I had a cosmic star trail of little girls who were drawing pictures and passing them to me as I sang so I thought I'd share them with you.

Cool Down Rewind and it's wonderful remix by Troubadour Tom Davies aka DaviesQuiet with beautiful artwork by Sandra Whetham is out all over the digital world - iTunes have featured it as new and noteworthy too ! Please get your copy here - I hope you enjoy. Please add a review if you can x


Thanks for reading. X

To Lovely, I love your picture, love the children xxx

Hello. Welcome back to Crazy Fm.

Welcome to our new page... ARTIST IN VIRUALENCE.

I asked folk out there in the world if anyone would like to design a poster for a few of the gigs I'm doing and lots of beautiful talents sent replies. So...introducing my new poster by... Kirstie Mason. Super Quirk.

I'm off to the printers tomorrow to get it printed. T'is lovely! If you would like one, then please go to my musical boutique and i'll get one printed for you too. (All monies will go to Kirstie - she doesn't know this, so... shhhhhh!).

I asked Kirstie a few questions and her answers are below - thought it might be nice for people to know a wee bit about Kirstie and her work. There are a few more of Kirstie's images below too. 

Love.

 

'Centaurette' by Kirstie Mason

 

'The Batterfly' by Kirstie Mason

 

 'Dryad' by Kirstie Mason

"My name is Kirstie Iona Mason, I'm 21 years old and live in Wallasey, over the water from Liverpool. I've just finished my degree in Creative Writing and Film Studies, currently awaiting results! 

I've been drawing all my life but only very recently found my style with bold shadows and outlines and crazy colours. I pencil a rough outline of my designs then go over them with a black ink pen. After the basic outline of everything is done, I fill in all the shadows and make the outlines thick, it just seems to create this awesome effect. Everything I do is hand-drawn and scanned in, but as I'm not so confident with colouring, I may have to invest in a graphics tab just to make my work more professional looking. Anything and everything can inspire me, and I draw whatever pops into my head. 

My dream is to write and illustrate my own stories, and I am currently working on a short story which I hope to publish myself. I enjoy writing and drawing things that are different and quirky, and sometimes a bit surreal. As my favourite artist is Salvador Dali, this is hardly surprising! I am also inspired by the drawings and poems of Tim Burton. All I want to do in life is sit in a beautiful garden and draw and write with a cat in my lap!

Although I frequently go rock-climbing, skiing and snowboarding in risky places, the scariest thing I've ever done is sell my own artwork! It was my first ever experience of selling illustrations that I did for an Alice in Wonderland exhibition, and it was terrifying every time a person came to look at them. Luckily, the illustrations were very well received and I was one of the highest selling artists at the exhibition!

In terms of music and films, my taste is very varied. I listen to music that inspires me, so mainly film soundtracks and a bit of Tchaikovsky, although I could quite happily listen to the Doors, My Chemical Romance and T-Rex in the same playlist. I enjoy the poetic lyrics of the Killers, Joni Mitchell and the wonderful music of Czech composer Zdenek Liska. My favourite films include Disney's Fantasia, Un Chien Andalou and the Czech puppet films of Karel Zeman and Jan Svankmajer, the most underrated filmmakers in the world! I also enjoy the Bourne trilogy, any film with Cary Grant, particularly His Girl Friday, and the South Park movie, another example of a brilliant film soundtrack!"

Please leave any lovely comments for Kirstie here...

purple rinses

So it happens to all of us - age. We all grow older and when you're  young you're told that you should enjoy your youth and treasure every moment of it but that doesn't seem to make any sense really because you truly don't understand what it is that you apparently have.

Now, in the worlds that I come from looks are a hugely important thing, at times seemingly more important than health if you take cosmetic surgery into consideration. Growing up, there was a heavy demand on looks in the communities I lived in and I had all sorts of confidence issues and for a couple of years I remember trying very hard to never look in a mirror or a reflective window because what my head had to say about what it saw. I got through a lot of my teens and twenties turning the volume up on my personality so that I didn't have to face how I saw myself.

As a singer, a female singer, looks have always come into my work especially when I was signed and was told I shouldn't wear a dress shorter than than the knee due to someone's opinion that I didn't have 'good legs' or a few peoples questions about whether I had thought about losing some weight as I put a fair bit on. Even at university I was told I had been marked down by one of my tutors for not appearing as sexy as one of the other singers being marked. Difficult for the confidence - those types of comments really, and the demons started to lurk over my shoulder and it was a tough job shaking them off.

I had a streak of white hairs right through my teenage years - just a few of them that I never even questioned - in fact they made me feel quite special. I've fluctuated in weight all my life and gone from skinny skinny skinny to voluptuous. It always seems to be a shock to me a few months into either shape and then I buy a few new pieces for my wardrobe that make me feel good about my new shape and all is good again.

Now, this new change I face now is a tougher one it seems for me as I have been messing with my hair since I was 12 and have dyed it blue, red, orange, turquoise, pink, dreaded it, shoved it off, cropped it, grown it long and tye-died it, streaked it, extended it - you name it I have probably done it to my hair and enjoyed it. So, recently when I noticed that a fair percentage of my hair was growing in white I spent quite a while thinking about it. What to do? Do I keep dying it forever? Do I embrace the white? The crazy part is - I have been dying it for so long that now that I have stopped it feels bizarre every time I look in the mirror as I seem to be ageing in years daily ! Ha ha.

I am, however, curious about this new look. If white hair is natural surely it must suit us all?

Coming back to being a female singer... if not having 'good legs' or needing to lose weight is an obvious issue for the industry I am in - are white hairs going to be welcomed? He he. Don't think so. What to do? Have we really got a society that frowns upon ageing so much that we can't embrace it and see it as beautiful and a sign of wisdom. Must all singers in my field reflect youth? Do men have the same problem in the industry? Will I get less work?

Cool Down Rewind is out in two weeks as a single for radio with a brand beautiful new remix by the unbelievably talented Davies Quiet my long time wonderful friend and guitarist and I'm getting radio play and hopefully some tv features soon. What to do? Do I go on breakfast tv with my new found hairdo or do I play the game everyone's playing and does that then lead to pulling my skin over my head and into my neck?

Will I find it even harder that I already do in my career if I have a peppered hairdo? Should that matter? Should I be one on the ones to embrace it and make it feel beautiful to me. Should I just get on with this and find some new outfits to suit my new hair? Please please send me your thoughts. I'm intrigued to see what you all think.

Kx

Ps here's are some lovely words to listen to about ageing...

Louis Barrabas 7 The Bedlam 6 around Europe in a Van

So, my job can be tough at times because I never know when the next penny is going to stop in my purse or if another song will ever bless my life again and the constant tightrope walking between my career and life can get incredibly tricky a times but when projects like going on a little European Tour with Louis Barabbas & The Bedlam 6 come along it makes it all truly worth it and reminds me of why I do what I do in the first place.

Louis asked me to join them on their tour around Europe with 10 dates through Austria, Germany and Switzerland and I really had no idea what to expect from the band or the tour. I was blown away by both, the kindness and humility of the team and the welcome we received from every venue and audience were an absolutely joy and I came back refreshed and excited.

Here are some of the offerings EVERY venue made to us out there in the Erp no matter what size venue or how many tickets were sold...

Coffee on arrival, someone to greet us who then showed us all around and introduced us to the venue's team, snacks in our dressing room - A DRESSING ROOM - snacks were usually fresh bread, cheeses, fruits, yoghurt, tomatoes, cake, biscuits, fruit juice etc and this was all before each venue gave us a lovely home cooked hot meal and a lovely bed to sleep in. I have to be honest here I have gigged the UK up and down and I could count how many venues have given me a hot meal, most venues don't even give you what the Europeans offer as a snack.

Simple. Treat a band well and they will excel at making a show into an event to remember. I find it sad that its near impossible for me to find venues that are willing to work together to really make things happen. They do exist and hope they will forgive me for generalising but there seems to be a tiredness with venues in the UK that spreads its energy right through the band and to the audience. How do we fix it?

It seems in Europe there is a lot more team work between the venue, the band and the audience and everyone works together to make the show an event and the event a great experience for everyone involved. Now, all this combined with a band that is relentlessly talented and hardworking and bang you've got yourself five minute long screaming stamping encore - every night.

We had a blast. I had a lot to learn and the boys put up with me and my millions of bags of art materials, boxes and endless photo taking. I spent every day making my Jools Holland boxes and trying to memorise Louis' PHD length lyrical wonders and having a blast with the audience and the band in the evenings.

I love sitting in a van for long periods of time staring out the window and listening to tunes. I so rarely allow myself to just stop so, these moments were truly precious to me. Thanks to the Bedlam 6 for being so welcoming and learning some of my songs, being parient with me and being so positive and supportive and to Louis for taking a risk with me and sharing a wonderful opportunity with me and to Sarah for selling my handmades every night and for being a friend and support whilst we were travelling - lovely lovely company from all.

We had some fun times too after gigs obviously (red-light district Hamburg and crazy club after & Bremen - my favourite city.) I learnt so much from Louis on stage too - I really love his energy on a stage and his ability to take an audience to the ridiculous. He is so quiet and gentle before a gig and then as soon as the spotlight hits - out comes the fisherman's ghost on acid ! Awesome.

I shall be singing with them tonight (friday 6th of April) at the Deaf Institute if you'd like so come share what we created around Europe. Love.

It's been a while

Hello ! Hello ! Howdy and heeberdeedooha-yeep.

I have had a day in the sun and its turned my head round. Right round like an owl. I hope you are a well and too have enjoyed the glorious weather we've been having. i have a lot to tell you about and will during the next two weeks but first... here we are yet something has changed. A new experiment has begun. One that will change the face of the earth. One that will attract the other planets closer to us thus causing all black holes to implode. One that may melt your face pulling your hairline to your chin and confusing the passers by walking behind you. Yep. This experiment will be written about by historians and scientists alike and will cause bearded men everywhere to scratch their heads raise one eyebrow and do a little dance in sheer glee when the penny drops. Yipedy-yay.

The 6 degrees to Jools Holland.. Its a giggle for me a little project that excites me. I want to see what happens.

So I have filled six little boxes with our music and my art and I have sent all six to six continents - South Africa, Australia, USA, South America, Europe and Asia. The six people who've kindly agreed to be the 6th degree of contact do not know Jools Holland most have never even heard of him. These six people will send the box to someone they think may be in the right direction of the Jools Holland. Then those people will pass it on to someone they think may be in the right direction.

The rule says these boxes should all arrive with Jools within six passes.

Quids in people - how many do you think will get there? In how many passes? How long do you think it will take?

I bet £1 that all six will arrive within the six degrees of separation within 2 months. If you'd like to see what happens - follow us here or catch up with what happens here- LOVE !

If you like the website - it was designed by Paul Brickles - find him here

Enjoy ! I wish you well.

Kx

7 week plan

Hallo hello. Welcome. Hi. Bonjorno! I am Kirsty Almeida and you are you.

Well, here I am am. Its spring. Really? You say? Yup, I say. Yup it is. The jasmine in the garden is through so it's Spring. Goodness.

So, what have I been doing with my time? Well, we here at Crazy fm which would be myself and I and of course the higher me and the pain body me and all the other me's too have been busy.

We've all been a little obsessed with Eckhart Tolle so I firmly, wearing spectacles, a suit, holding a cane suggest you get yourself onto iTunes and download the audio book The Power of Now and get listening - chapter a day. You can listen to some stuff for free too on spotify. Swear it'll change your life!

At All Made UP (my record label and Publishing shed) we have been really busy. We have a 7 week plan culminating in the release of Cool Down Rewind with a very very special and unbelievably creative remix built and shaped with musical hammers, drills and sonic nuts and bolts by one of our very own. The release of this single is the end of a year's plan that we made when I left Decca which started with starting our own label and then releasing three singles from the album as handmade singles which I will photograph for you later and I will keep you involved along the 7 week way so you can see which bits were worth it, which a waste of time and which parts led to the incredible success just round the corner (positivity book shelf).

Each week I have a long list of things to get through and the lists culminate in 'Cool Down Rewind' release on April fools day. Also, Pure Blue Green will be re-released as 'DejaVoodu' on our label, All Made Up on April the 8th (full moon) and has had a few mixes opened up and shined from the inside out, new track listing and some sparkly artwork tweaks. The album will be what I originally wanted it to be called and to sound like. Very exciting. Of course we begin 6 degrees to Jools Holland now too - as soon as I receive the photos from all participants.

I have begun painting ballgowns and am loving my time designing each bespoke piece- wait till ya see! Ok, I shall write to you often for a few weeks so you can see what you do to release a single when you're me. If you have any questions please always ask them as it helps me too.

We have lots of wonderful creatives sharing their time and talent to help us at the moment too so will introduce them as we go along on The Cool Down Rewind Path.

I wish you well.

Snow Go for Jools Holland Antarctic

Got this back from the antarctic - back to the drawing board - anyone know anyone else out there?

www.6degrees2jools.com

Dear Kirsty,

Thank you for your email and for your interest in British Antarctic Survey.

That's a great idea, but I'm afraid we can't help you with this request. As you can imagine, it's a very busy time period for us at the moment in Antarctica and we get numerous similar requests.

I hope your experiment will work through other people.

Kind regards,

www.6degrees2jools.com