Poetry Corner

Guess what gang... another one of my poems is going to be published!!

The poem is called 'The View From Here' & it is due to appear in an anthology called 'Forward Press Poets 2008 - The Midlands' which is scheduled for release on 30th November 2008.

I wrote this one in July 2005 on the pier at Torquay would you believe! The Lord had done some pretty spectacular things in my life whilst I was down in Devon and I was struggling to articulate how I felt - so I took myself down to the pier one warm July evening and as the light faded and a mist came rolling in off the sea, I wrote this.

The View From Here

You are the rain in my desert

The morning sun that warms me

Yours is the love that holds me

When all else falls away.

You are the light in my darkness

My hope when all seems lost

Yours is the love that heals me

When pain and sorrow overwhelm me.

You are my true north

My refuge from the storms that rage around and within me

Yours is the love that is merciful

When my shame and guilt cover me.

Such love leaves me breathless

Such grace that I know is undeserved

Yours is the life that you gave to me

That I now give back in praise and gratitude to you.

"Go Tell Your Friends..."

Great to see the utterly preposterous "V - The Series" finally given a European DVD release this month. Guess what's going on my Amazon wish list?! Dynasty In Space it really is....!!!

Christina

Some things just put everything else into perspective...

Last week I was deeply shocked to read that the beautiful actress Christina Applegate has had to undergo a double mastectomy after being diagnosed with breast cancer and that she now faces eight months of reconstructive surgery.

She is a very courageous young woman. My love, prayers and support go out to her.

http://www.usmagazine.com/news/christina-applegate-double-mastectomy-a-tough-choice

London Conversations

A CD retrospective of Saint Etienne is released on 29th September. It comes in three versions: A single 18 track CD of the groups biggest hits, a double CD edition which also rounds up the other singles and a few album tracks and a rather wonderful 2 CD + 1 DVD edition. Further details can be found here:

http://www.saintetienne.com/news.html

If you haven't got a Saint Etienne album in your collection then this sounds like a good place to start

Kick Off

Another new season begins and for Wolves it began with a 2-2 draw at Home Park away to Plymouth Argyle. The weather was truly dreadful (it lashed it down all day!) as was the traffic. Despite leaving Wolverhampton at 8.30 this morning we only got to the ground with 15 minutes to spare.

Still, a good game. Could have gone either way, although I think we deserved at least a point for the pressure we put on Plymouth in the second half. Also it was good to see the powerful run and crisp finish from young Sam Vokes who came off the bench to score on his league debut for Wolves.

A long way to go, but not a bad start...

Sacred Arias

Katherine Jenkins releases a new album entitled 'Sacred Arias' on 20th October. Tracks listing is as follows:

Abide With Me
Pie Jesu
The Lord is My Shepherd
Down to the River
May the Good Lord
Hallelujah
Panis Anjelicus
In Paradisum
Silent Night
Ave Maria
Missa Criolla
Agnus Dei

A trailer for the album has been posted on You Tube via the 'Classics & Jazz' website and...well...it gave me goosebumps! Gorgeous.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=v7Q1j2qu1ss

Music News - August 2008

While things are going on behind the scenes I thought I'd bring you a music update on this site, as I haven't posted one for a while.

Louise Redknapp - Congratulations go to Louise Redknapp who has announced that she is expecting the birth of her second child. It's also all the excuse I need to post this picture on my website!

Olivia Newton-John -Congratulations too to Olivia who married John Easterling in June.

Def Leppard - Def Leppard have released the second track from their 'Songs From The Sparkle Lounge' album entitled "C'mon C'mon". The video to which can be viewed here:

http://www.defleppard.com/videos/index.asp

Yes - Yes's 40th Anniversary Tour has been cancelled after singer Jon Anderson was diagnosed with acute respiratory failure and advised to rest and not work for at least six months or else risk further health complications. Get well soon Jon.

http://www.yesworld.com/ywtour-2008-update.html

Queen + Paul Rogers - The new album "The Cosmos Rocks" is released on 15th September and is preceded a week earlier on 8th September by a single "C-lebrity". A performance of this track along with many other Queen type goodies can be found on Queen's Official You Tube Channel here:

http://uk.youtube.com/queenofficial

Trevor Horn - The DVD of the Trevor Horn concert Princes Trust Concert at Wembley in 2004 has now finally been given a UK release under the title 'Slaves To The Rhythm'. A 3 CD and 1 DVD box set of ZTT hits and remixes is planned for September release.

Larry Norman 1947-2008

"I wanted to push aside the traditional gospel quartet music, break down the church doors and let the hippies and the prostitutes and other unwashed rabble into the sanctuary...I wanted to talk about feeding the poor, going into the world....[I felt that] most of the modern music was anemic and needed a transfusion." - Larry Norman

“I feel there is a war going on, a war for young people's hearts. They may not always find something in the Church. I feel my role is to say ‘Don't abandon God. Don't think there's nothing there for you just because you don't like the particular congregation you're familiar with.'” - Larry Norman

Although I had known he had been ill for some time, it's only this morning that I've learned of the death of singer/songwriter Larry Norman.

Larry Norman quite literally kick started Christian Rock music with "Upon This Rock" in 1969. His magnificent 1972 album "Only Visiting This Planet", recorded with the help of Beatles producer George Martin, should be on everyone's list of required listening.

Larry was an original and his songs were blunt, uncompromising, biting and wide-ranging; addressing such matters as politics (The Great American Novel), the passive commercialism of war–time journalists (The Six O'Clock News), witchcraft and the occult (Forget Your Hexagram) & religious hypocrisy (Right Here In America).

A lot of conservative Christians weren't at all sure about him then and some still aren't to this day. Bible bookstores in America refused to stock his 'Only Visiting This Planet' album for six years. However Larry's uncompromising music inspired many who came after him. Cliff Richard covered three of his songs on one album alone and he could count Van Morrison, John Mellencamp, Bob Dylan & U2 as admirers.

He has his reward now. As he once sang "This World is not my home...I'm just passing through..."

http://www.larrynorman.com/