'My Christmas Album - But What To Call It?'

if you read this blog regularly you will know that I am a bit of an amateur recording artist. I love being creative in as many forms as possible and have always loved putting words together whether it be for written articles, blogs, letters or as song lyrics.

When I was asked at school what I wanted to be when I got older I said "A Journalist". When my careers advisor virtually laughed in my face and asked if I had any other thoughts I said "Pop Star". As you can well imagine I was not given much encouragement to pursue that line of work either! Adults should listen to kids more, however, as had I been given more help and been encouraged to follow my dreams I reckon I could have had the life I desired. As it is, I have spent most of my life doing what other people thought I aught to be doing and now, late 40's, am 'washed up and out of the race' as far as any meaningful paid work is concerned...

The world does not make it easy for people with 'flair, however, and never has. If you cannot PROVE that you can do something by getting the relevant 'bits of paper that say you can' nobody will give you a chance and that is EXTREMELY frustrating when you feel that you have a natural talent for something and just need help and assistance while doing the job to sharpen the edges of your skill base.
The fact us, pieces of paper can NEVER make a great lyricist nor a great vocalist nor can they make a poor writer into a brilliant Journalist. Natural talent for something cannot be taught or learn't - you either have it or you don't - just take Scott Mills and Judy Murray's 'Strictly' performances, for example. Try as hard as they both might, neither of them have the tools required to do the job and as such are capable only of reaching a 'moderate standard' as dancers.

Anyway, I'm beginning to sound like an arrogant twit so I will stop digging and get back to talking about my new Christmas album...

I am really excited about the album but cannot think of a good title for it? My GENIUS Producer, Harvey Summers (check out his 'Jupiter' album) is currently mixing and mastering it and so my task is to come up with the title, write the sleeve notes and think about photos for the artwork. Harvey knows what a Christmas nutter I am! He has nicknamed me 'Mr.Christmas' because of how I get carried away on the wave of the Crimbo spirit. I LOVE that tag so am wondering whether 'Tony May - Mr. Christmas' would be a good name for the album or not? If any of you have a view on that please let me know!

As far as the artwork is concerned, I would love to have the money to pay a professional photographer to get some great pics of me dressed as 'Santa' in various Christmas related locations for it but that isn't going to happen unless I win the lottery. Since I have not even had a £10 (or £25 as it is now) for well over a year that doesn't sound likely. I have got a selection of festive photos I've taken of me 'over the years' but the quality of them isn't that great. I want to include a 16 page booklet with the CD (if I can afford to get to that stage with the project) and the idea with that is to include some of my festive stories along with the usual track list, notes and thank you's. Its all rather ambitious but I'm determined to do the whole thing properly if I'm going to do it at all.

Christmas, like life, is all about 'hopes and dreams'. When else is there a better time to sit quietly and dream about the things you really want to make happen for yourself and for others? I guess I've shown my true colours there by saying 'myself' in front of 'others' there , haven't I? Still, if you were 49, unmarried, without a job, a place of your own or a girlfriend/boyfriend I think you might also end up a little 'selfishly' wanting something good to happen for yourself, don't you?

Anyway, as long as I can dream I may as well dream for the best outcome rather than the worst. If I never manage to ever get any of my albums properly released at least I will have the satisfaction of knowing that I DID make them and make at least some use of the talent I have been given.

Lots of love to you and yours - good luck with your dreams xxx

P.S) The three videos you see here are of tracks to be featured on my Christmas album. I wrote the last two, 'The Toy Museum' and 'A Snow Story' and the first is my version of the classic David Essex hit 'A Winter's Tale'. I hope you like them.

'A Wombling Winters Tale'

As I have stated here before, my Christmas Youtube video single for 2013 is my version of David Essex classic 1982 hit 'A Winters Tale'. Surprisingly, there are very few covers of 'A winters Tale' in existence and so, loving the song, I thought I should have a go at it myself. As when covering any classic hit, however, you are always setting yourself up for a fall artistically when you do a new take on  another recording artists work because usually the original version will always remain the best in most hearts and minds. The best reason then to record one of your favourite songs is to do it because you want to for yourself. If anyone likes your interpretation then great but if not you had a lot of fun recording it and trying to bring a little of yourself to it. http://youtu.be/__GTj_-wrCs

Click on the link above to see my video for 'A Winters Tale'

'A Winters Tale' is not as easy a song to sing as it sounds. While there are no real soaring heights to reach nor depth to try and get down to the song has a wistful, wintery feel to it and David Essex's rugged yet whispery vocal style is absolutely perfect for the song. I'm no professional singer and I have never had any vocal training or coaching so I try best I can to sing songs by feel. In all honestly, I'm not 100% convinced that I managed to capture the emotion within 'A Winters Tale' and like most performers I'm a bit paranoid about sounding a bit flat here and there. Still, until I win the lottery or Simon Cowell bashes on my front door promising to make me an intergalactic megastar, I will just have to be content with doing the best I can with the voice and techniques I've got.

'A Winters Tale' was of course co-written by Mike Batt - the man responsible for the recording career of The Wombles. 'Wombling Merry Christmas' is an especially poignant festive hit for me as, like Wimbledon's finest, I volunteer lots of my time to going out clearing up the streets of where I live in Hollington. I have given myself the monicker of 'The Clean Up Man' and am an active campaigner when it comes to trying to highlight the problems of litter in our communities. Have a listen to that classic Wombles hit and then take a look at one of my 'Clean Up Man' videos to see what I'm faced with on a daily basis!

'December '73'

I had a great day yesterday in the recording studio with Harvey Summers and have now completed a decent demo of another Christmas song, 'December '73'. The song is not as Christmassy as some of my others in  traditional respect (there are no sleigh bells or church bells on the record) but it has got a bouncy, 70's pop feel about it and plenty of baritone sax blasts which give it a 'Wizzardy' feel a la 'I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday'. I am trying (over time) to record enough songs for a Christmas album but unemployment and dwindling savings will probably put paid to that project unless I can get back to earning decent wages again... Still, for now, I will just try to record the odd thing here and there to keep my hand in and see what happens.

My Youtube Christmas single (I 'release' one every Christmas) this year though is now likely to be a cover I did of David Essex' 'A Winters Tale'.

I have already put together a video for my version and will upload it to my Maybrick44 channel first week of Dec. Even though I love Christmas I do dislike the way all of the trees and decorations are put up in public places long before December. If those who currently say they hate Christmas hate it for one thing with a passion it is because the whole thing now starts earlier and earlier each year and has become so commercialised. I have to agree with them about that and think we really all ought to campaign more for Christmas to be confined to December.

Now, I know that is going to sound hypercritical seeing as I started this blog in the middle of October this year but I wanted to have plenty of festive musings here for those who catch on to this blog by the time Christmas actually comes. Christmas is as much about the build up as it is the BIG DAY and I just wanted to connect with a few like minded individuals to share in that build up.

I guess to be fair though that is the dilemma that faces most of the big companies and town councils as far as decorations go. I mean, if they leave it until the Christmas rush is beginning they don't have the time to put up the decorations or cope with it all, do they?

Oh well, ONE CALENDAR MONTH to the big one tomorrow! I hope you are doing well with getting all your presents in order early? I've only got two or three more to sort out so I'm relatively stress free! Hoping to spend next Sat in Battle, East Sussex enjoying the spectacle of Santa's arrival and the switching on of the Battle Christmas lights so Nov 30th will be when the official Christmas season starts for me this year!

Love to all. xx