IAN BRUCE NEWSLETTER FOR JUNE 2005

Well Hello Again,

Sometimes I wonder if they get through or even if folks delete them before reading but nevertheless this is the 10 year anniversary of these newsletters. I might have given them up years ago had it not been for the gentle persistence of Elaine. Thank you Elaine.

Life's taken a few different twists and turns in that time both personally and musically.

The personal side has seen my moving from Scotland to Germany and back, my mother's passing, my coming out, finding my partner Tony and settling down into a home life that I still enjoy very much.

The music side has had me buy and constantly upgrade the studio, involve traditional and Robert Burns material where once I was just the stubborn singer/songwriter, find myself working on the continent on a very regular basis and latterly working closely with the Dumfries & Galloway Arts Association and Dumfries & Galloway Council within schools and disabled communities to great satisfaction. I've joined Oscar Music Agency and only recently left again.

Heidi retired from Agency work in Germany as did Mike Dinsmore in USA. Ingrid and Manfred Buchwald have taken up those German reins and done a great job for me.

Seem to have lost touch with Dave Tearney in Holland. Shame.

Svend and Dorthe Larsen have taken up the Danish challenge recently – I’m looking forward to their results!

Any help in that regard could be very handy.

In fact, if I could encourage Folk Clubs to comment on my Guestbook then please do. I promise I won't edit out any bad stuff. Maybe star ratings (Suggest out of 5 might be a good or very very bad idea.)

PLEASE SIGN THE GUEST BOOK

Great times were had in Poland, Holland, Germany, Denmark, USA and all the countries in Great Britain. So many good musicians too. I'm not going to list them because sure as hell I'd miss one out.

I'm very lucky.

Quite a few CDs were released in that time. I'll make some personal comment on them but you can hear every track of all my CDs on www.ianbruce.org.

THE NAKED TRUTH Vol 1 - I couldn't believe the response that CD got and still gets. Its simplicity nearly persuaded me not to release it but I'm glad I did. Not only is it one of my best sellers but it gave me a little more confidence. "If that material with all its simplicity is being appreciated by folks who have control of the off button at home then maybe my live performance is worthwhile after all." I thought. Thanks to you all for the positive comments.

A KIND AND GENTLE NATURE - I really liked the songs on this CD and the different style due to the involvement of 'Belshazzar's Feast' with the violin and oboe of Paul Sartin and accordion style of Paul Hutchinson. His is very different from all the accordion players I've worked with. Not surprisingly he has a more English approach. It was a shock at first but I got to love it. ( I do really like English folk music. Don't tell those hard nosed Scots.) When 'Up There With 'Em', the first track to be recorded, defaulted to a kletsmer style I nearly called the whole thing off. I'm glad I didn't. The songs contained within are personal favourites of my writings. It's a little rough around the edges but buyers frequently extol its virtues. Thanks to them.

ANNIE LAURIE - This is a four track release. It was intended as a BREEZEBAND demo. All the tracks are quite different. The title track, in my humble opinion, is a smashing version of that old song from South West Scotland. Its final track is the first song that I ever wrote and kept. The oboe on it is stunning. Had this been recorded in my own studio, there would have been a greater presence. Nevertheless it was well received.

HODDEN GREY - Traditional Scottish music produced by Dr. Fred Freeman and recorded by yours truly. I can't begin to thank every one for the nice comments and reviews. I'm very proud of this CD. It followed my work on 'The Complete Songs of Robert Burns' with Dr. Fred. (Linn Records) A natural transition. It's such a sweet CD I'd rather it spoke for itself. Give it a listen if you haven't already.

By the way....many folks say they can't listen to their own CDs. I think that's ridiculous. There's all that camaraderie and personal memory in each recording. It's wonderful. Further by the way...I do have a problem listening to My Naked Truth CDs. There's no camaraderie there just me whom I hear every bloody night.)

ALLOWAY TALES - This is a compilation of the Robert Burns songs I recorded for The Linn Project. We recorded a further 5 tracks and two of those subsequently went onto the series. Very well received and sold quite well. I can say no more.

JIGS JIVES AND JACOBITES - Recorded live in Glasgow. It was originally released on my own label as 'By The Riverside' and our band was called 'IANIANIAIN' simply because we were all called 'Ian' (Iain Fraser was the awkward one who has the two 'i's - the rest of us are cyclopses.) Linn Records took a shine to the CD and released it as Jigs, Jives and Jacobites and changed our quite comical and memorable name to 'The Ian Bruce Band'. They gave it a real nice cover which actually gives no clue to the CD's content which is a little rough at times. I really like this CD myself. Again it was well received  apart from the odd critic who can't understand the significance of the odd deceptively simple lyric. Huh!

THE ORANGE AND THE ROWAN - Working with Victor Besch was the brain child of Heidi Stagge, my ex German agent who did so much for me. He, although British with a Chilean mum speaks amazing German (and Spanish), plays bagpipes, accordion, recorder, guitar, piano and sings and is an all round good guy to work with. We do this tour of Germany every January which goes down a treat. The CD is simple and was always intended as a companion to the tour. Every now and then I give it a listen and grin. It's a little tongue in cheek but I like it a lot. (What a big head.)

THE NAKED TRUTH Vol 2 - Having had such success with THE NAKEDTRUTH VOL 1 and so many requests for a follow up. I did it.....9 years later! Since I had difficulty listening to Vol 1 personally, I thought the addition of harmonies and the odd extra guitar bit would help it along. It probably does but I still can't listen to something that's just me. Some folks may be shocked by the spoof on the Cerne Abbas Giant on the front and especially the one on the inside. I'll blame my friend Mark for that idea. I think it's funny.

THE DEMON'S DANCE - This one has just been released. There is no question in my mind that this is definitely the best CD I have ever made – I look forward to selling you a copy at a gig soon !!

Now we're about to record a batch of Allan Ramsay songs. That'll make 10 releases in ten years. That's pretty good I think.

There have been many smashing and friendly places I've played in that time and I'm very grateful to everyone for all the support given during these last ten years.

Elaine has taken over my bookings and I have confidence that she'll have me busying about the place in the not too distant future.

So, I'm still very much up for it and hope we'll meet many times in the next 10 years.

Cheers all

Ian

Email : ianbruce3@aol.com

Website: www.ianbruce.org

EDITOR’S RAMBLINGS

Hi there,

Hot enough for you? We had an incredible thunder storm this morning. June went in a flash, but I did get to see the gig in Kingsbridge which was very good. The people were so friendly and the new songs went down a storm.

Ian has gone back to school – wine school!! He has just attended a wine course in Glasgow run by the Wines and spirits Educational Trust (something to do with the Portman Group). Results in 4 weeks. On Monday he is doing a course on “wine pouring” – do you graduate to “wine drinking” ? Tee hee 

Cleckheaton Festival next week  - it’s a good one!

On the business side of things, if you would like to book Ian or if you know of a likely club, please let me know. I’m very new to this, but very enthusiastic about Ian’s music. Any help would be appreciated.

If you see any reviews or take any photos, it would be useful to have them.

Many thanks and happy listening,

Elaine

editor@ianbruce.co.uk