'My New Christmas Video Single'

As you will know, if you follow this blog or keep in touch with my Maybrick44 Youtube channel, I am in the habit of recording a brand new Christmas song each year as a kind of homage to the days in the 1970's when a lot of recording artists did the same in order to try and secure the cherished No 1 spot in the charts over Christmas. In those days there was no such thing as the 'X-Factor' and so it was a relatively straight 'fight' fop pop acts who wanted to come up with a special single to try and capture the festive mood. Though it is not a very original choice, I personally think that the best Christmas single of all time is 'Merry Christmas Everybody' by Slade because it is not only festive but probably the most joyous, bouncy and fun rockin' party record ever made as well...

I may not always make Christmas records you can dance like that to but I have had my moments over the years with songs like 'If Santa Was A D.J.' and 'December 1973'. This years song, 'You Can't Take Christmas Away From Me', however is a rarity. Its a sad song with poignant lyrics, a defiant, 'NOTHING is going to ruin my Christmas' type attitude and a positive Christmas message all rolled into one. Having lost two long standing and close friends this year I was inspired to write it as a dedication to them both and especially to my friend, Alan Gaywood, who suffered all his life with epilepsy and yet refused to let it dominate his existence. Alan died suddenly from an epileptic attack on July and I have been struggling to come to terms with his loss ever since. it feels good to know that I have imortalised him in a song and I have now put together a video for the song which I plan to upload to 'Youtube' in early December. It would have been lovely to be able to spend a fortune on making a professional video for the song but I'm not ion the financial position to do that and so I have spent my time instead on selecting a set of beautiful, festive and often fun photos relating to the lyrics and to Christmas to tell the story instead. Amazingly, I got the idea for the video from the box of slippers I bought for Alan last Christmas that still sits upon the top of my Dad's wardrobe. Take a look at my first post here this year if you want to know why I still have those!

Anyway, I am very pleased with the video I have put together and think it is both poignant and festive. It did make me cry when I watched it back though (and my Mum!) so be warned - it might get to you as well! (lol) I do hope though that the positivity in the chorus and the defiant nature of the song will shine through for you all after the initial impact resides. Do let me know what you think when you see it - I want to remember my friends and tap into your hearts but I don't want to ruin your Christmas!

Oh well, under two calendar months to go to the big day now! Are you getting prepared yet? I have a few presents sorted out and done up but I'm a long way behind on my preparations this year due to having to sort out and sell off Alan's CD collection. Still, I'm getting 'stuck in' to that task so hopefully by mid November I will be able to concentrate on Christmas full time...

Love to you all x

'The Result Of Last Years 'Operation Spread Christmas Spirit Campaign''

Hi all!

I have just remembered that I have not yet given you any feedback on the result of my 'Spread Christmas Spirit' campaign last year. To refresh your memories, I spent most of Christmas Eve last year walking the streets popping cards signed 'From Santa' into the letterboxes of people I do not know who had made a good effort decorating their homes with lights and decorations. I also dropped off two 'Secret Santa' gifts - one of which was a nice bottle of wine - as gifts to those I thought had made the best efforts of all.

Well, I can tell you that the response I got from people last year was AMAZING! Yes, NOT ONE CARD nor acknowledgment did I get back for my 46 cards and two prezzies! I had to laugh - what a mug I was walking the ends of the earth delivering cards to (hopefully) put smiles on faces over the festive season on a cold winters night! The previous year I delivered a few less cards ( I think - can't remember now?) and got 7 back - some of which I uploaded here but last year my efforts fell on deaf ears...

To be fair, I did deliver the cards on Christmas Eve so there would not be time after that to post me a card back ( my name and address is always on the reverse of each card as I do not wish to scare anyone) but you would have thought that SOMEONE would have written me a letter or sent me a card or note after Christmas to say how much they had enjoyed it or similar, wouldn't you?

Time is going to be at a premium this year and so I don't know if I will get the chance to write out loads of cards like I did last year. I could include my e mail address in the cards or on the back of the letters to encourage a response but the whole idea of my campaign is to try and get people to engage once more in a traditional Christmas - make an effort to do something festive to interact with their neighbours! I HATE the fact that Christmas card writing is dying off and being replaced by those animated e-mail cards ( though they are lovely!) because cards on the walls or on the mantlepiece are part of what make a Christmas scene and a jolly room to open presents in on Christmas Day. Cards everywhere show that you are thought of, loved and valued and are a permanent reminder over the festive season of that. E mail cards are lovely but once you have seen them they 'live' only on the Internet and even then I'm not sure you can keep them forever, can you?

I used to put up ALL the Christmas cards I had EVER been sent when I was a kid each year! Yes, I did! (lol) The last year I did it I had cards all over the entire expanse of my bedroom walls about two thirds of the way down... The walls of my bedroom are decorated these days with posters, badges, picture disc records and all kinds of other memorabilia and so I can't do that anymore but I still have 100's of Christmas cards from my past...

Oh well, let's see how things pan out this year? Having lost two dear friends I am going to have to work at being my usual happy self this Christmas but I'm going to manage it because I know that is what they would want... More soon.

'Here We Go Again!'

Hi everyone! I hope that this post finds you in good health and in during a good time in your life. 2016 has been a VERY emotional year for me as I have very sadly lost two friends of long-standing this year.

Noreen at home on her 90'th Birthday

My friend, Noreen Leach died on April the 9th aged 98. Noreen was kind of a 'substitute Gran' to me and I kind of 'adopted' her when my real Gran died in the 1980's. I spend the next 30 years or so visiting Noreen at her home in Old Church Rd, Hollington and used to make a big effort each year to decorate her house with Christmas decorations and lights as if it were my house. Noreen used to love it and because I have never had a home of my own so did I. We used to spend many a Christmas sitting in her front room with the lights twinkling away just talking and sipping a Sherry. It was all old fashioned and traditional and made both of us feel happy. Sadly, due to her age, Noreen had to go into a nursing home for the last five or so years of her life and so both of us missed out on the enjoyment all my efforts and each others company provided towards the end...

You can see a brief video of Noreen and I at Christmas' here. Lots of happy, innocent memories! I think Noreen used to like to think of me as her 'toy boy' sometimes but she was always just a special friend to me...
Losing her I have also lost any connection with the rest of her family. They were very tolerant and understanding including me in their plans for Noreen's sake but I guess they would not be human if they did not wonder about my motives as a young man hanging about with a much older lady and I kind of knew at her funeral that I was once again 'an outsider' and not a member of the family, you know? Still, I loved Noreen and had many happy times with her and all of them. I have never been interested in money (other than it can make things possible that cannot be without it) and would always choose having someone in my life to having their money or possessions...

To try and make it easier to write this difficult first post I'm listening to something suitably old
fashioned in the shape of Ray Anthony! Yes, I bought up a load of Christmas CD's earlier in the year and quite a few of them are old orchestral, waltz style CD's. I think I would have loved the romantic era of ballroom dancing! I know I certainly found a lot of the ladies at the 'War & Peace Revival' I went to a few years ago much more attractive in their frilly skirts and cute hats than I do todays 'bovver boot' tattoo's and trousers lot! Sexist? Well, maybe but I guess I just love the illusion of a pretty lady dressing to look feminine and sweet...

The second person to have died on me this year was also a friend of mine for over 30 years. Alan Gaywood was about as far removed from the 'flash harry' and 'egotistical twit' that I am as you could meet. Alan was a true 'rock' and I saw him once a week almost every week for 30 odd years. He died very suddenly from an epileptic attack on July 1st and I am still struggling to get over his loss. Having a quiet, loyal and tolerant person like Al in your life one minute and then not the next is a HUGE shock to the system and I have felt a bit 'haunted' by him and memories of him since he died. There seems to be another special memory around every corner, you know?

Alan Gaywood in January This Year

My Christmas video single for Youtube this year 'You Can't Take Christmas Away From Me' was inspired by and written for Alan and I have been recording it over the last couple of months with SUPER Producer Harvey Summers at Broadoak Studios in Little Common. Harvey has done a BRILLIANT job on the song and I am now in need of working on a video for the song to upload to Youtube later this year. Watch this space for more on that as we get closer to the big day!

Well, that's my news. Sorry, it's not more upbeat but I promise not to depress you all with too much misery in the run up to Christmas so don't worry!