IAN BRUCE APRIL 2002 NEWSLETTER     23/4/02 5.30pm

Notes – Editor

Hope you are managing to get to some of Ian's gigs. I got to the Bristol gig, as did a lot of other people from the mailing list – good to know that the Newsletter has it's uses. If you live in Scotland there is a chance to see the Ian Bruce Band on 23/5/02 in Balfron.
Later in the year, Ian will be at the Warwick, Towersey and Baggeridge Festivals.If you are in Hampshire on Saturday, think about going along to the gig at Hambledon. The gigs there are always good fun (I saw Ian with the Breezeband there ) . This time Ian is ably supported by Emily Slade, who was at the Gosport and Fareham Folk Festival this year and is getting rave reviews .

Hello
What month is this? Ah yes, April. That's the very busy one. No wonder I'm not sure if I'm coming or going. Between England and Scotland several times.
Living in Dumfries now makes it feel just that bit easier than it did when I domiciled in Glasgow.

It's been a good month albeit expensive. I've upgraded the studio. Tascam digital soundboard, Pentium 4 - 1.9 GHz computer (yes I know there are already faster ones on the market) Valve mics....all sorts of things that should make folks want to use me. I hope they will.

I received the 'Low Main CD'. Potters Folk Club in Peggswood, near Morpeth, Arts council funded, commissioned me to record some of their local folk songs and performers, which included a few bunches of kids who were generally fabulous. One or two needed the sharper end of my tongue. Everyone seems happy with the outcome. I certainly am. Should you have any similar ideas for your own region, please keep me in mind. I like doing that stuff.

The private life just gets better and better. We are really enjoying our wee cottage on the outskirts here.
Last night we had our first Bar BQ beside the newly cut grass. Candle lit of course. Just Tony, myself and the two cats. Yes, two cats. We've tried to give Maggie a friend. Had we realised that she was so adamant about staying single we wouldn't have bothered. She used to be such a nice wee thing. She's horrible now. Davy, the other one, named after Mr. Crockett, due to his racoon like tail, is such a friendly big bugger, but then maybe she knows best. Mmmmhhhh!

Anyway, I'll get myself re-immersed in the bundles of paper that need sorted out before biking down to Maidenhead (weather permitting) tomorrow.

www.ianbruce.co.uk may be undergoing some changes soon.  We'll see.

Here's some gigs. Please try to come along.
Have a great summer.

Ian Bruce

Notes – Editor

There is a chance to see the Band later this week at McLintock Hall in Balfron (Stirlingshire) on 25/5/02. According to Balfron's website, it is about 20 miles from Stirling and about 20 miles from Glasgow. If you are in the Morpeth area on 7th June, another gig has been added. It's in a place called Bedlington. For anyone who has a sense of direction as bad as mine, it is near Newcastle (Upon Tyne, not -under-Lyme!). During the Summer, Ian will be at the Warwick, Towersey and Baggeridge Festivals. (Baggeridge is near Dudley and the Festival is a free one in picturesque surroundings.) The web-sites are www.warfolk.demon.co.uk , www.mrscasey.co.uk/towersey and www.lmsmusic.co.uk .

Hello there you lot,

I was talking to my oldest brother the other day. He said that these letters that folks send out for Christmas etc. irritate him. Not personal enough and they are always full of the joys of spring. That makes him a little suspicious. I think that's a little cynical but I get his point.
With that in mind....here goes.

I'm not at my best just now. An unplanned lack of work over the summer period is dragging me down and without the necessary readies to do all the things I need to in readiness for the restart in August.

OK. That's the moan over but a public apology to Tony for me being a grouch won't go amiss, I'm sure.

I will be trying to get a new batch of songs on the go. Victor Besch is coming over from Germany. We are continually asked for a CD of us together, so, here it comes. We're not sure what it will sound like or what kind of material it will contain but I'm looking forward to doing it. It will be very different from my usual sound. (No complaints there.)
Also, there's a kind of rekindling of Breezeband. We have a Danish tour in February and the intention of quite a bit more gigging. Another CD is planned for that. Watch this space.

I need some feedback. I had a great response from my Naked Truth CD. Quite frankly its generated revenue saw me through otherwise rough times. I am thinking of doing Volume 2. I have all the gear and it would be a simple operation to get it done, but....will it sell? If I was able to do it during this lean period, and folks were willing to buy by post or email it would help my cause quite a bit. Please let me know. I will take a lack of response as a 'no'.

Thanks for listening to the rambles and I hope to see you at these few gigs listed below. If you have any ideas for more of them, we're all ears.
Anyway, not really at my best just now, but I'll get through. I hope you are in much finer fettle.

Cheers (huh)

IAN BRUCE    JUNE 2002 NEWSLETTER      23/6/02

Notes – Editor

Mrs B had been very kind to me over the last few years, since I lost my Mum. I will miss her a lot. She was an independent lady with a great sense of humour and a lot of down-to-earth common sense. Yes, Ian certainly had a "good 'un" .

Mum and I

Hello everyone. It is with great sadness that I announce my mother's death. She died on 5th June 2002 after a very short illness. She was a very bright and colourful 87 years old. Many of you met her and certainly loads of you continually asked to be remembered to her. Thanks very much for that.
There is nothing like the love, friendship and support of a good mother, and, as far as I can tell, I had one of the best. We were very close and I'll miss her terribly.

Well, I know that my last letter was not particularly full of sunshine and this one starts off on a rather down note too. The summer continues quietly and the weather is not too uplifting. I am, however looking forward to Vic Besch's arrival tomorrow, from Germany. We'll be recording a new CD and I'm trying to get the material together at the moment. I think it will be quite different from any others I've done. I like that.

So, nothing much else to report but despite the way this and my last emails read. I'm doing ok and I'm quite safe to approach. So please do.

I hope your summer is going well, and that we meet at the few gigs listed below.

Ian Bruce

IAN BRUCE    JULY 2002 NEWSLETTER    22/7/02

30/11/02 is now Bedworth Folk Day.  The Festival season is upon us. Ian is at Warwick this weekend, Towersey in August and Baggeridge in September. All these Festivals are very different . Warwick is based on a School site with a few venues in the beautiful town, details of location and prices are at 01926 614932 or at www.warfolk.demon.co.uk .  Towersey describes itself as "the little village with the big ideas". It is near Thame which is quite near Oxford. It is a mainly marquee festival, with a few smaller venues. Their leaflet gives the information line number as 01629 760345 or see their website www.mrscasey.co.uk/towersey .  Baggeridge Country Park Folk Festival takes place at Gospel End, nr Dudley, West Midlands . It is held in a lovely rural setting and is free. Details from 01902 785002 or their website www.lmsmusic.co.uk/baggeridge2002.htm .

Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all your messages of condolence on losing Mum. They helped a lot. Although I will, of course, always miss her, I realise now that life goes on.

And on it goes to a working season. Things start picking up again very soon.

I've had a favourite lady of mine in the studio recording her very first CD. Given that she's such a popular figure in the Scottish folk scene, it's amazing that she's never recorded before. She is Janet Weatherston, ballsy singer of traddy songs that were genuinely handed down from her parents and grandparents, etc. It's wonderful to work with her.  I'm becoming a bit like Alfred Hitchcock, I make appearances on all the CDs I record for folks. Sorry. I hope I haven't ruined it. Whatever, I'll let you all know when it's available.

I'm really looking forward to Cockermouth this Thursday and then onto Warwick Festival, one of my very favourites. It's great to be playing there again. I hope I'll see some of you there.

We got some of the Me and Vic Besch CD recorded. The rest we'll do in November. I like what we've done so far but then, I could be a little biased!

So the letter is, as usual, brief. I am in good spirits and I hope you are too.
All the best,

Ian