TEA-BREAK OVER, BACK ON YOUR HEADS: NEWS


1. The Prince Re:Imagined project is over – maybe it'll make an appearance again in other places (but probably not). I'm sure I'll do other work with Hardeep Sahota and Jen Pugh. The project culminated in a one-off concert of Prince's music but crucially as seen through the experiences of people in the Kirklees area, people who took Prince's life as inspiration for their own lives. I was working as an arranger and co-ordinator, re-working Prince's music to include influences from all over the world – steel pan, tabla, bhangra, Irish dance and Japanese koto. Here's an extract from a review: "The show offered a ground-breaking and unforgettable experience, celebrating the extraordinary talent and enduring impact of Prince. It was an evening enjoyed by all, leaving the audience with a new re-imagination of Prince that will live long in the memory."



The book is a collaboration with designer/typesetter Christian Brett, who has worked recently with Penny Rimbaud, Sleaford Mods and Killing Joke. But possibly more relevant is the fact that I sit next to him for every Burnley FC home match. He's a sweary curmudgeon and his designs for the book (from what I've seen so far) will be incredible.

Commoners will also be setting up a free and accessible open resource of all our songs (about 40 or 50 of the buggers), with musical scores, lyrics and recorded parts for each voice type. We're looking into finding partnerships to help with funding this project.

Busking in Paris, 1980