From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V15 #1069 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Thursday, June 23 2016 Volume 15 : Number 1069 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: [AVALON] The Bride Stripped Bare; Chris Difford [Han Snijders Subject: Re: [AVALON] The Bride Stripped Bare; Chris Difford Read an interview with him, linked in Wikipedia, in which he calls Bryan a lovely man :) 2016-06-22 16:58 GMT+02:00 Victor Hastings : > Good grief, imagine being called in like a gardener to tend to BF's > unfinished lyrics! > On Jun 22, 2016 4:41 AM, "Andrew Shearer" > wrote: > > > Sunday, I had quite a long car drive by myself and I had TBSB on repeat. > It > > occurred to me (particularly with Can't Let Go) what a blast it must have > > been > > for BF to be living in LA (was he actually in Hollywood?) when you > consider > > the influence of film on him. The boy did good basically, though by all > > accounts it wasn't what he had hoped for. > > > > Last night I was lucky enough to be selected (just by name - nothing to > do > > with talent etc) to attend a lyric writing masterclass with Chris Difford > > from > > Squeeze up at The Guardian offices. Really it didn't have much to do with > > lyric-writing (apart from some of the questions in the Q&A) and more a > > "life > > story" type gig but it was entertaining nevertheless and quite a treat to > > hear > > Cool For Cats, Up The Junction and Take Me I'm Yours played to about 100 > > of us > > in a small conference room. Anyway, in the Q&A I asked in what way did he > > help > > BF back in the 90s/ 2000s. > > > > Basically he was employed (in addition to being a manager at some point) > > as a > > "lyric doctor" (on a weekly wage) and was allowed to go through filing > > cabinets of bits and pieces and to see what he could make of them. I got > > the > > impression there was some disappointment that he wasn't ever credited > with > > the songs that he worked on and that the arrangement didn't end well. He > > says > > we'll have to buy his autobiography next year to find out why etc. He did > > say > > however he did discover some beautiful gems in his searches. > > > > Thought you'd be interested. Hope all is well with you all. :) > > > > > > > > > > Andrew > > > > > > www.andrewshearer.com > > Twitter & Facebook: @shearermusic > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2016 17:41:50 +0100 From: Chris Turner Subject: Re: [AVALON] The Bride Stripped Bare; Chris Difford Ferry lived in Bel Air for a while in 1976 between his two US tours. It's a ten mile drive through Beverley Hills to Hollywood. Jerry Hall talked about having good times there, and told some tales about hanging out with Joan Collins, Bette Midler and the like, but also told of some personality differences with The Commander. He certainly wrote some interesting stuff while out there, more consciously American in style and content like Tokyo Joe. This is Tomorrow, Sign of the Times, All Night Operator and Can't Let Go. Working with American session players must have helped the vibe. Difford said he wrote 'for a considerable period of time' with BF in 1997-1998 on the material that eventually became Frantic, mainly provided by Dave Stewart. This stuff was shelved while BF did 'As Time Goes By', as was his Dylan project, started in 2000 and later to become Dylanesque. Personally I think Difford's mark is all over Frantic. Cruel is the prime example. BF worried about the hole in the ozone layer? Native American imagery? I think not. Goddess of Love, Fool For Love and I Thought all sound like they have been tweaked to my tin ear. BF said he found an old suitcase filled with lyrics, lost since Avalon days, which included alternate verses for Dream Home, and which became the basis for San Simeon. I presume CD worked on that too. There are songs on Olympia and even Avonmore that date from that time too. It wouldn't be the first time the Cool Ruler has failed to credit a co-writer. Remember he coughed up to having had Dr Puxley's help concocting Mother of Pearl. BF was also supposed to have written with Richard Fortus at this time. Fortus joined Guns and Roses in 2001. Working with BF must have been great preparation for spending seven years finishing 'Chinese Democracy' with a megalomaniac lead singer. Just kidding. If Difford has an axe to grind with The Commander he's certainly been hiding it well. He described BF as 'a lovely man' and 'the best person I've ever worked with' in interviews after he got his P45. Incidentally I spoke to Difford on the phone a few times back in the day and I remember he always referred to Ferry as 'BF'. He was a pleasant guy to deal with. I imagine that Ferry would say that he gave Difford a decent opening at a time when Squeeze were in meltdown (a ten year hiatus) and CD was bankrupt (the first time) and post-rehab. Worth pointing out that Difford managed BF's day to day affairs during a period when The Commander produced ATGB, seen as a return to form and Grammy nominated; the reformation and success of Roxy Music; and the recording of pub-rock classic Frantic, probably the best of his recent albums. All in four years. Compare that with the mess BF was in after Mamouna and, dare I say it, has been in recently? Looks like he could get things done. Chris On 22 June 2016 at 10:38, Andrew Shearer wrote: > Sunday, I had quite a long car drive by myself and I had TBSB on repeat. It > occurred to me (particularly with Can't Let Go) what a blast it must have > been > for BF to be living in LA (was he actually in Hollywood?) when you consider > the influence of film on him. The boy did good basically, though by all > accounts it wasn't what he had hoped for. > > Last night I was lucky enough to be selected (just by name - nothing to do > with talent etc) to attend a lyric writing masterclass with Chris Difford > from > Squeeze up at The Guardian offices. Really it didn't have much to do with > lyric-writing (apart from some of the questions in the Q&A) and more a > "life > story" type gig but it was entertaining nevertheless and quite a treat to > hear > Cool For Cats, Up The Junction and Take Me I'm Yours played to about 100 > of us > in a small conference room. Anyway, in the Q&A I asked in what way did he > help > BF back in the 90s/ 2000s. > > Basically he was employed (in addition to being a manager at some point) > as a > "lyric doctor" (on a weekly wage) and was allowed to go through filing > cabinets of bits and pieces and to see what he could make of them. I got > the > impression there was some disappointment that he wasn't ever credited with > the songs that he worked on and that the arrangement didn't end well. He > says > we'll have to buy his autobiography next year to find out why etc. He did > say > however he did discover some beautiful gems in his searches. > > Thought you'd be interested. Hope all is well with you all. :) > > > > > Andrew > > > www.andrewshearer.com > Twitter & Facebook: @shearermusic > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2016 18:52:18 +0200 From: Han Snijders Subject: Re: [AVALON] The Bride Stripped Bare; Chris Difford Worth reading Chris, Thanks. Haven't heard of Difford till today...but what's a P45? Regards Han 2016-06-22 18:41 GMT+02:00 Chris Turner : > Ferry lived in Bel Air for a while in 1976 between his two US tours. It's a > ten mile drive through Beverley Hills to Hollywood. Jerry Hall talked about > having good times there, and told some tales about hanging out with Joan > Collins, Bette Midler and the like, but also told of some personality > differences with The Commander. He certainly wrote some interesting stuff > while out there, more consciously American in style and content like Tokyo > Joe. This is Tomorrow, Sign of the Times, All Night Operator and Can't Let > Go. Working with American session players must have helped the vibe. > > Difford said he wrote 'for a considerable period of time' with BF in > 1997-1998 on the material that eventually became Frantic, mainly provided > by Dave Stewart. This stuff was shelved while BF did 'As Time Goes By', as > was his Dylan project, started in 2000 and later to become Dylanesque. > Personally I think Difford's mark is all over Frantic. Cruel is the prime > example. BF worried about the hole in the ozone layer? Native American > imagery? I think not. Goddess of Love, Fool For Love and I Thought all > sound like they have been tweaked to my tin ear. BF said he found an old > suitcase filled with lyrics, lost since Avalon days, which included > alternate verses for Dream Home, and which became the basis for San Simeon. > I presume CD worked on that too. There are songs on Olympia and even > Avonmore that date from that time too. > > It wouldn't be the first time the Cool Ruler has failed to credit a > co-writer. Remember he coughed up to having had Dr Puxley's help concocting > Mother of Pearl. BF was also supposed to have written with Richard Fortus > at this time. Fortus joined Guns and Roses in 2001. Working with BF must > have been great preparation for spending seven years finishing 'Chinese > Democracy' with a megalomaniac lead singer. Just kidding. > > If Difford has an axe to grind with The Commander he's certainly been > hiding it well. He described BF as 'a lovely man' and 'the best person I've > ever worked with' in interviews after he got his P45. Incidentally I spoke > to Difford on the phone a few times back in the day and I remember he > always referred to Ferry as 'BF'. He was a pleasant guy to deal with. I > imagine that Ferry would say that he gave Difford a decent opening at a > time when Squeeze were in meltdown (a ten year hiatus) and CD was bankrupt > (the first time) and post-rehab. > > Worth pointing out that Difford managed BF's day to day affairs during a > period when The Commander produced ATGB, seen as a return to form and > Grammy nominated; the reformation and success of Roxy Music; and the > recording of pub-rock classic Frantic, probably the best of his recent > albums. All in four years. Compare that with the mess BF was in after > Mamouna and, dare I say it, has been in recently? Looks like he could get > things done. > > Chris > > > > On 22 June 2016 at 10:38, Andrew Shearer > wrote: > > > Sunday, I had quite a long car drive by myself and I had TBSB on repeat. > It > > occurred to me (particularly with Can't Let Go) what a blast it must have > > been > > for BF to be living in LA (was he actually in Hollywood?) when you > consider > > the influence of film on him. The boy did good basically, though by all > > accounts it wasn't what he had hoped for. > > > > Last night I was lucky enough to be selected (just by name - nothing to > do > > with talent etc) to attend a lyric writing masterclass with Chris Difford > > from > > Squeeze up at The Guardian offices. Really it didn't have much to do with > > lyric-writing (apart from some of the questions in the Q&A) and more a > > "life > > story" type gig but it was entertaining nevertheless and quite a treat to > > hear > > Cool For Cats, Up The Junction and Take Me I'm Yours played to about 100 > > of us > > in a small conference room. Anyway, in the Q&A I asked in what way did he > > help > > BF back in the 90s/ 2000s. > > > > Basically he was employed (in addition to being a manager at some point) > > as a > > "lyric doctor" (on a weekly wage) and was allowed to go through filing > > cabinets of bits and pieces and to see what he could make of them. I got > > the > > impression there was some disappointment that he wasn't ever credited > with > > the songs that he worked on and that the arrangement didn't end well. He > > says > > we'll have to buy his autobiography next year to find out why etc. He did > > say > > however he did discover some beautiful gems in his searches. > > > > Thought you'd be interested. Hope all is well with you all. :) > > > > > > > > > > Andrew > > > > > > www.andrewshearer.com > > Twitter & Facebook: @shearermusic > > > > > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2016 09:58:03 -0500 From: Victor Hastings Subject: RE: [AVALON] The Bride Stripped Bare; Chris Difford Good grief, imagine being called in like a gardener to tend to BF's unfinished lyrics! On Jun 22, 2016 4:41 AM, "Andrew Shearer" wrote: > Sunday, I had quite a long car drive by myself and I had TBSB on repeat. It > occurred to me (particularly with Can't Let Go) what a blast it must have > been > for BF to be living in LA (was he actually in Hollywood?) when you consider > the influence of film on him. The boy did good basically, though by all > accounts it wasn't what he had hoped for. > > Last night I was lucky enough to be selected (just by name - nothing to do > with talent etc) to attend a lyric writing masterclass with Chris Difford > from > Squeeze up at The Guardian offices. Really it didn't have much to do with > lyric-writing (apart from some of the questions in the Q&A) and more a > "life > story" type gig but it was entertaining nevertheless and quite a treat to > hear > Cool For Cats, Up The Junction and Take Me I'm Yours played to about 100 > of us > in a small conference room. Anyway, in the Q&A I asked in what way did he > help > BF back in the 90s/ 2000s. > > Basically he was employed (in addition to being a manager at some point) > as a > "lyric doctor" (on a weekly wage) and was allowed to go through filing > cabinets of bits and pieces and to see what he could make of them. I got > the > impression there was some disappointment that he wasn't ever credited with > the songs that he worked on and that the arrangement didn't end well. He > says > we'll have to buy his autobiography next year to find out why etc. He did > say > however he did discover some beautiful gems in his searches. > > Thought you'd be interested. Hope all is well with you all. :) > > > > > Andrew > > > www.andrewshearer.com > Twitter & Facebook: @shearermusic > > > ___________________________________________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2016 13:04:31 -0500 From: Victor Hastings Subject: Re: [AVALON] The Bride Stripped Bare; Chris Difford https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/P45_(tax) ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V15 #1069 ****************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest