IAN BRUCE NEWSLETTERS 2006
FEBRUARY 2006
Hi Everyone,
Without the slightest prompt from Elaine,
I've remembered to write my 'monthly' newsletter.
It must've been a good month or something.
Yes indeed, that's what it was!
But first....We had news that Victor Besch,
my January music partner, was seriously ill. Cancer in the kidney. That scared us all.
Despite that he came over to Scotland and we did the Kenbridge Hogmanay together. A good
night seemed to be had by all. I certainly did.
However, the German tour was different this
year. As Vic had had his kidney removed on 10th Jan he was deemed unfit for work and the
tour reduced to 'solo'. A few gigs were cancelled but in the it went well. Especially
Steinfeld and Heiligenhaus.
Actually, Heiligenhaus took place on my
50th birthday (21st January). I hadn't really fancied the prospect of working on that grim
anniversay but it is always a favourite gig of mine. Fortunately that one was no
exception. Thanks to everyone there who helped me get over that traumatic day.
Tony was with me for 11 days. We had a
great time together and, of course, I was pleased that he could be with me on the big
birthday.
Having finished the German tour and been
very pleased with it, and I think they me, the icing on the cake was that the doctors were
pleased with Vic and the news is that the cancer was all contained within the kidney and
that he's OK. The next check up is April but they're mighty confident. Big relief there.
So, all being well with us both, we'll be
back on the road next January.
Well. Denmark followed Germany. It's the
first time I'd worked with Dorthe, Svend and Jacob as agents. What great people. Also the
tour was fabulous. Well done them. Again, all being well I'll be back over there in March
2007.
So, I'm back home now and my greatest
concern is that in a couple of weeks I have my 'local' concert coming off (4/3/06). It's
probably one of the most scary things I've ever done. Castle Douglas is a bit off the
beaten track and the locals probably won't know who the hell Ian Bruce is nor care. We' ll
see.
If you fancy coming along, which would be
fabulous, it's at the LOCHSIDE THEATRE, Castle Douglas. It's a great venue. Holds 200 and
I'm hoping for more than 10.
If you do fancy it, please book your
tickets as soon as possible (£6.50) Phone 01556 504506.
So, I think that's it from me. I hope you
are all well. I'm not too sure when you'll receive this but I either hope you
will have or have had a great Valentine's day. Lots of red roses and good food/wine.
Best wishes
Ian
email ianbruce3@aol.com
www.ianbruce.org
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Editor's Ramblings
Dear all
Sorry for not getting this out sooner
- I received it on Monday morning - in time to send you Valentine's greetings!
Many apologies and all I can say is ..... I
hope you enjoy your pancakes on Shrove Tuesday 28/2 and Happy St David's Day to all you
Welsh folk on 1/3/06
It would be great if the gig in Ian's home
town on Saturday 4/3/06 was a sell-out. If you are interested in lift-sharing with
others from your area let me know, I may be able to put you in touch with some others.
Strange, Ian is used
to playing large concert venues all over the world, but he's really quite
nervous at the prospect of playing to a home audience!
Some of you may already know, but just in
case you haven't caught up with it yet.......
The Spring Gourmet Evenings in
Tony's Michelin starred restaurant "The Plumed Horse" in Crossmichael, near
Castle Douglas are on Thursday and Friday, 2nd & 3rd March. The restaurant's
website is http://www.plumedhorse.co.uk/index.htm .
Superb menu of 9 courses at
£42.50 per person, with a matching wines option at £27.50 per person available if
required.
On the Saturday 4th March, the
restaurant will be doing a post-theatre supper for concert goers only -
a simpler style of menu of 3 courses for £25.00.
So you could make a weekend of it
! Wonderful food from the Scottish Chef of the Year, wonderful music from Oor
Ian and exploring the picturesque landscape of Dumfries and Galloway.
Tony has said that if anyone is
thinking of making a mini-weekend of it, they can contact him by phone
for local accomodation details - 01556 670333.
If you or you club are interested in
booking Ian, please contact me by email or phone editor@ianbruce.co.uk
01752 224708 or Mobile 07834 439219 .
All best wishes
Elaine Hawkins
editor@ianbruce.co.uk
PS anyone volunteering to give Ian the
belated bumps (50 !)?
***********************************************************
MARCH 2006
Hi everyone,
I'm writing at the beginning of a very hectic month. All good stuff, I think. Let's
see how it turns out?!
Christina Harrison has just arrived in the
studio from The States. We're putting her latest CD together. Essentially kids songs about
her childhood that will hopefully appeal to adults too. We've made a good start and I look
forward to getting it completed.
I hear too the The Dangl'berries CD should
be out soon. They had a problem with copyright. All resolved now though.
My concert at The Lochside Theatre went
well. I can show my face in the town I think. (I'll let Elaine elaborate. She was one of
the many who turned up.) All I know is that the folks from the Theatre Royal,
Dumfries were happy enough with it to put me on on the 22nd April. I'd love to see some
more of you there. (PLEASE!)
Unfortunately the US tour, with my
brother, which was supposed to come off in February 2007 has fallen through. I'm
hoping to sort something out a little later in 2007 though. I'm itching to get back there.
I miss it and the friends I/we have there.
I have some private gigs this month too.
Chapelton (for Charlie Stalker, who sadly passed away recently), another in Skelmersdale
(a few folks who just enjoy my music - that makes me feel good) and a Wedding anniversary
in Wales. Really great. The Chapelton one is open to the public too.
I've totally revamped the studio. Have I
told you already? TASCAM DM 3200 Sound Desk and the very latest in Apple Mac computers.
(Scary or what?) I'll not go on to much about that. I know most of you couldn't give a
damn. (frankly!)
Life's OK generally. Especially since I've
just arranged to buy back my motorbike from Sháun Blandford. He's done it up no end. It's
really flash. (Must tell Tony I've bought it before he reads this letter.)
I'm doing a show at the Edinburgh fringe
too. I'm sure Elaine will tell you about that too.
There's other stuff afoot but I can't tell
you. It's a secru'! (Secret in a Glasgow accent!)
I have to rush off but not without a little
thought for three friends who sadly passed away last month. Lise Osborne who a lot of
folks will have seen at my gigs within a 50 mile radius of Stafford. Margaret Morgan, who
used to do my agency work with her husband John and Dougie from the Bollington folk club.
My thanks and thoughts are with them and their families.
I wish you all well and, as I always say, I hope to see you soon.
Ian
direct email address: ianbruce3@aol.com
website : www.ianbruce.org
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Editor's Ramblings
Hope you are well and enjoying the
rain! It's filling up the reservoirs so that has to be good !
Ian's home town concert at the Lochside
Theatre, Castle Douglas on 4/3/06 went very well.
There was a very good turn out, including
some people who had never seen him in a Theatre setting. They knew Ian from
his other work -Community Choir Teacher, his work in schools , in the
restaurant or as a neighbour. They soon picked up the songs and joined us
"ardent fans" in the choruses. Many of us had travelled a fair old
distance.
He was worried beforehand - a bit
like singing to your family, I suppose - he needn't have been.
He did a wonderful performance, as usual.
People were very animated about it in the break. Lots of happy faces.
The theatre is lovely, it is in an old
church. The conversion has been very thoughtfully done.
There were coloured lights and smoke
machines so the photos taken by John Scott of the concert are very good.
They are very natural. There is one of Ian pouring his beer and talking - makes a
change!! The photos are at this link www.johnfscott.co.uk/htdocs/ian_bruce.htm
, but if link doesn't work www.johnfscott.co.uk
>> music >> Ian Bruce
As Ian says above, the Chairperson of the
Theatre Royal , Dumfries was so impressed that he will now be appearing there on 22/4/06
! Their website is http://www.theatreroyaldumfries.co.uk/index2.html.
Tickets are £6.50 and the contact number for tickets is Phone 01387
267894
I've heard that the tickets are selling
very well. Should be good night!
[The after show supper on 4/3/06 at the
Plumed Horse was superb! ]
Update on Victor (Besch) - he is very
well. His check up is in a week or so.
Ian is going to take part in the Edinburgh
Festival Fringe at the Acoustic Music Centre at St Brides, Orwell Terrace, Edinburgh. The
dates are 22/8/06 to 26/8/06 . Keep an eye on the Fringe's website http://www.edfringe.com , it still has last
year's details for the moment.
The dates for the Danish Tour next year are
24/3/07 to 31/3/07. If you would like to see Ian at your club, please contact
Svend and Dorthe Larsen , Sabvej 3, 6971 Spjald,
Denmark Phone 0045 20 32 91 62 or email shamrock@larsen.mail.dk .
I giggled, when I read about Ian getting
the bike back. I didn't think that he could be without a bike for very long! I've just
looked back he told us that he sold it in March 05!! A year !
I'm sure that there was something else I
was going to tell you, but the old memory is not much good at the moment. I want to get
this sent out before April Fool's Day !
Best wishes to Victoria and Mike for the
30/4/06.
If you or you club are interested in
booking Ian in the UK, please contact me by email or phone editor@ianbruce.co.uk
01752 224708 or Mobile 07834 439219 .
All best wishes
Elaine Hawkins
editor@ianbruce.co.uk
*********************************************************
NEWS OF IAN BRUCE APRIL 2006
Dear all,
Hope his finds you all well.
Ian is busy recording Christina Harrison's latest CD, hence no words from him, but I
just wanted to wish you all a Happy Easter.
Enjoy the break from work and the chocolate eggs.
Ian has been been on Radio Galashiels talking about his music and engineering, producing
CDs and the concert in his old "home town" Dumfries on Saturday
22/4/06. The Theatre Royal, Dumfries to be precise. Looks like there is going to be a
goodly crowd as folks keep stopping Ian in the street and talking about it, but I think
they could squeeze a few more in. Tickets available from Barnstormers Records, Dumfries or
on 01387 267894
Ian will be judging The Falkirk Song Writing Competition on 29/6/06 - see http://www.falkirkfolkclub.co.uk/
for details of how to enter .
Best wishes
Elaine
editor@ianbruce.co.uk
****************************************************************
MAY 2006
Hello everyone,
Up to my ears again and forgetting to get
the newsletter together. However the reminder came from Elaine. How does she get
everything done with her having responsible job an' a' that?
So. I'll try to unmuddle my brain for
a wee while and give you a short lowdown on the immediate plans.
Of course I have Cleethorpes Festival
soon. I'm looking forward to it. I may even manage a half decent "fish supper"
(proving I'm Scottish) sometime before the concert. It'd be great to meet up with a load
of you there. Time passes so quickly. It feels like centuries since I met the folks I know
in that area. I'm getting quite excited. I'm hoping to go by motorbike. It's been a while
since gigging with that too.
The following weekend I have the
cameras in the studio. I'm hoping to put together a kind of BEST OF. Maybe a double audio
CD with a DVD included. (3 discs total). We'll see how it goes but I'll be surprised
and disappointed if it doesn't happen.
By the way, some of the DVD will
include footage of the gigs I'm doing in Bollington, on the 9th June and Cramlington on
the 13th. It would be great to see some of you at one, or both, of them.
Denmark is shaping up nicely and I'm
in the middle of getting a new promo pack together. All the wee bits folks don't see. It's
really time consuming but necessary. You lot forget so readily. You fickle bunch! It's
also fair to say that a load of folks won't know me. Sigh! Maybe it's best we keep it that
way!!!
Oh no. I forgot there's rent to pay etc.
The new discs will, as usual, be
available from the website but I think it'll be a couple of months till its ready for
release.
I've taken a few dates at the
Edinburgh Fringe this year.
I'll be at The Back Room, St. Brides
(Venue 123) between Tuesday 22nd and Saturday 26th inclusive at 8.00pm.
Hopefully you'll see wee postcards around
Edinburgh advertising it. Hopefully you might even come along.
Christina Harrison has returned to
USA clutching her children's CD. It turned out well. She seems happy.
We have plans to sell up in the
restaurant and then.........well, we'll see. We want to open up somewhere else but I'll
keep the lid on that until we're certain of the plans.
I'll leave you now in Elaine's capable
hands and hope, as always, to see you soon.
Ian Bruce
direct email: ianbruce3@aol.com
website: www.ianbruce.org
EDITOR'S RAMBLINGS
Dear all,
Hope you are all well . Where is Summer? I
know that we need the rain, but it would be nice to have just a little less of it.
I thought that you might like to see
the postcard advertising the Edinburgh Festival Fringe gigs, so I have copied it into
this email. Very stylish!
I shall be there handing these out
and leaving them around in cafes etc.....if you see me, say "hello". It's
nice to put names to faces.
Reasonably priced accommodation is still
available in August in the Youth Hostels!
Ian will be judging The Falkirk Song
Writing Competition on 29/6/06 - see http://www.falkirkfolkclub.co.uk/
for details of how to enter . closing date 08/06/06
Several of us have been nagging (no I don't
do that - I suggest) Ian to do a video for years. Glad to see that it is going
to happen at last. If you manage to make it to the Bollington gig, I will be the person
running away from the camera.
Ian is hoping to ride the bike down the
Unicorn and Cleethorpes, so to paraphrase one of his songs.....if a blue Blackbird is a
passing by, black flight case pointed to the sky....... it's probably him!
Look after yourselves
Elaine Hawkins
editor@ianbruce.co.uk
***********************************************************************
JULY 2006
26-7-06
Whew! It's affy warm!!!
I'm sitting in Maidstone having just driven
down from Belper. I played there last night. The heat was unbearable. I was wondering just
how the audience felt sitting there but, according to John, who has signed my guestbook,
they were happy. Thanks John.
I don't have huge amounts to tell about the
gigs. The main gigs are at the Edinburgh Fringe. I just know that Elaine will be
telling you all about it. All I want to say is that my mate Sháun (Blandford) will
be joining me for the first four nights and I'll be solo again for the final night on the
Saturday.
The return of the motorbike didn't last
long. It's gone again. It's gone back to Sháun again. DVLA will wonder what's going on.
Sháun and I have owned it twice each!
Life is about to drastically change. We've
agreed to take the restaurant in Leith. We'll be endeavouring to have all the renovations
done in time to let Michelin get enough inspections in to award a star again. They want to
thank goodness.
Also we need to find a place to live. We
went house hunting last weekend and saw one or two we fancied. It has to be big enough to
contain the studio. Not cheap around Edinburgh! Send us money please!!!!
Talking of money, the DVD will be
mixed at the weekend and hopefully available soon. I hope some of you will want want one.
I think I've run out of info.
So.....over to Elaine.
Ian
direct email: ianbruce3@aol.com
website: www.ianbruce.org
EDITOR'S RAMBLINGS
Dear all,
Hope you are all well .
I know that I asked last time "where
is Summer?" Well it's certainly here now! Hope you are enjoying it.
Above is the postcard advertising
the Edinburgh Festival Fringe gigs. Very stylish!
Ian will be at The Back Room, St.
Brides (Venue 123) between Tuesday 22nd and Saturday 26th inclusive at
8.00pm. St Brides is in Orwell Terrace, Edinburgh
Hopefully there will be loads
of the postcards around Edinburgh advertising it.
During the concert week, I will be handing
out some postcards along with a young lady called Georgina Ramsay. Say "hello"
if you see either of us.
Ian mentioned Sháun Blandford above. He
played bass and percussion on Ian's latest CD "The Demons' Dance"
and is a great guy and musician. I'm sure that they will be sparking off each
other at the Fringe gigs.
The DVD that is being mixed
on the weekend will include footage of the recent gigs in
Bollington, Cramlington and Wotter as well as footage at home and in the studio.
Gonna be good! More next time!
Look after yourselves
Elaine Hawkins
editor@ianbruce.co.uk