Getting it together at last!

It's been a long time since I've written anything here, I hope to improve this year. Last August my year got rather sad & I haven't had much interest in my various endeavours. I will do better!

Just to start things off on the right note, I saw a Helmut Lotti concert on TV a couple of weeks ago, he was reasonably good. What made it so much more interesting was his special guest, you guessed it, Sir Cliff Richard!!!!! Fantastic. The two dueted on Danny Boy v nicely & then Cliff was gone, so sad. But I have a query, why is everyone & their dogs singing all the old songs? Yes, they're nice, even extremely enjoyable & some are v powerful, but where are all the new songs, different songs, unique songs? I like new, new tunes, new lyrics, new sounds.

I also had an enjoyable evening on New Year's Day watching the New Year's Eve Concert from Vienna. Lovely music with some fabulous ballet sequences, well worth watching. The Concert has been performed every New Year's Eve in Vienna for about 60 years, a genuine tradition. Showcasing the Vienna Philharmonic & the music of the Strauss family & including excerpts from the Vienna State Opera Ballet & others, these are must-see events. I have dvd's of the 2004 & 2006 concerts & will probably acquire more over time.

Okay, that's me improving nicely. I will write more often this year.

Salute.

Sir Cliff Richard again! & other singers

Cliff has finally done it, or will in October anyway - a swing album! 'Bold As Brass' to be released in October. Fantastic! I've heard him say he admires the music singers like the 'Rat Pack' produced. A while ago I was commenting to a certain daughter that a lot of singers were getting on the swing/early Broadway bandwagon especially the last 3-4 years. Now it's Cliff. (She's laughing.) I'm going to get that CD, it should be good. I've listened to a couple of tracks & it sounds promising, especially in his unique style.

I do have a couple of Dean Martin's cd's which I enjoy greatly. I think I watched every episode of his tv show/series back when, he was so good. UK singer Russell Watson, great voice, can do a good Dean Martin song, sounds just like. One day I might do a list of the singers & bands I follow & the vmany I like. It would be a long list! Bryn Terfel & Josh Groban would have to be near the top.

I am enjoying a number of the 'metal' bands, though the ones I like should have a genre of 'power metal' or something similar. I have followed Scorpions, with that sting, for a long time now, such a pity they are going to retire, even if their last tour is going to last several years. They have never toured over this side of the world, for all they announce 'World Tours', Japan is as far as they ever go. I actually posted that comment on their website but I guess Aust & NZ don't exist as I got no response at all. Disappointing. But a great band & music.

Within Temptation are another 'power metal' band I enjoy, & Nightwish & Dark Sanctuary are up & comings I'm watching. I'm amazed at how professional these 'new' bands are, a number of their members have come through the various 'Conservatorium''s around the world. Vprofessional & have learnt their craft from the ground up so to speak.

It's been announced that Robin Gibb of BeeGee's fame is touring with Bonnie Tyler as 'special guest'. I enjoy Bonnie's music hugely, have several cd's & dvd's of hers, but may not be able to see that concert as I'm going to holiday in Melbourne just before then & may not be able to swing the ticket. But I'm going to try!

I'm still walking, about 30-35k's per week, just slowed down over winter. I'll do more when summer rolls round again.

Sir Cliff Richard
The second part of my blog name is, of course, a reference to Sir Cliff Richard. I have just been to his latest concert reunited with the Shadows. As always, Cliff was fantastic, a consummate showman, & the Shadows were great, those guitars especially. I'm hoping Cliff will make at least one more tour on his own though before he decides to quit.
I have been listening to Cliff & the Shadows since they started in the '50's. I can remember, at the end of my last year of primary school, a group of us wandering round the playground singing 'We're all going on a summer holiday' which of course we thought was a clever reference to our imminent move to secondary school. When Cliff & the Shadows split, I continued to 'follow' Cliff as I am v'into' the human voice, guitar riffs notwithstanding. I have been to one concert on nearly every one of Cliff's tours since 1974. I think I only missed one due to moving from Auckland to Chch after a certain child was born.
Later on, that certain child & I became joint members of the Sir Cliff Richard Fan Club in Chch & enjoyed the socialising there. When we moved to Australia & I joined the fanclub in Brisbane, I was informed that children were not allowed. Needless to say, I never went to one meeting & let my membership lapse. Strange people, Australians! Jan has been to Cliff concerts since she was 7 & was certainly there for this latest one. She even put it on her FB page despite the teasing from her friends.
Anyway, I'm a 'dyed-in-the-wool' Sir Cliff Richard fan & will continue so.