THE SONG - "Friends Of The Earth" - Listen to a clip

This is our home, a refuge in the emptiness.
A jewel of life, a miracle of birth.
A bubble of air between us and oblivion,
Spinning through time, across the universe.
Tell everyone the time has come to change things,
Shout it out loud for everything you're worth,
Follow your heart, believe & make it happen,
 Join hands together, friends of the earth ...

CHORUS
We want to live ...Save the world
We want to live ...Save the world
           
Can we be friends, live our lives together ?
In meadows of green, under skies of blue,
Be a part of my world, stand up & say you're with me,
Be there for me & I'll be there for you.
Tell everyone the time has come to change things,
Shout it out loud for everything you're worth,
Follow your heart, believe & make it happen,
Join hands together, friends of the earth ...   

CHILDREN'S CHOIR
I recorded the junior choir of violin player, Sim's son's, North London school, "Torriano" last year and I have already sent the remixed master copies (as part of a demo with three other tracks from the new "Watchers" album) to radio stations across the country.

CONTACTING EVENTS / SHOWS / PEOPLE
Since 2002 I have been busy contacting the organisers of events to let them know we have a great duo, trio & band & will be promoting a very special song. There were some positive results (see the other side of the page for the list & how they are progressing). Quite a number of South West events & organisations were contacted as Sim & I planned to tour in and around Cornwall in August. Unfortunately, we have had no offer of bookings in the SW Region.

COVER PAINTING
I painted a water colour picture (see below) to go on the cover of the single. It shows the earth surrounded by a ring of children - protecting it like guardian angels.

MAGAZINES & NEWSPAPERS
I have sent the manuscript of the song (which you can see on the web site) to the smaller folk magazines countrywide. I have also put the press release,magazine story & backgrounds with more in depth details, I have been working on, onto the web site and I have sent these out to larger/glossy magazines. So far I know there has been mention of the project in Traditional Music Makers Magazine and Musician Magazine (the MU mag). Nearer the time of release of the single I shall contact newspapers. I already contacted the Richmond local papers - to coincide with the band's performing the song at the Richmond May Fair, which received some coverage. We have taken some photos of myself with Peter, playing our instruments together, which we have sent with the copy (see below right).

RECORDINGS
The song can now be heard on two albums; "The Watchers" the studio recording with Torrianos school choir and "The Mystic Journey 1" - performed live at Windsor Arts Centre.

SHOW - "MYSTIC JOURNEY"
The "Friends Of The Earth" track is the finale song in a special show I have produced called "The Mystic Journey". The story, told by harp player and storyteller "France Ellul", begins at the dawn of time and tells of the arrival of the Celtic tribes. It winds a magical and spiritual path, studded with (largely) our own songs, and ends, in the present day, on the brink of environmental disaster, with the "Friends Of The Earth" song. I hope to give people an enjoyable, as well as an enlightening, experience, while at the same time giving the "Friends Of The Earth" track some more exposure.

I sent demos to the radio stations (listed below), once we had a show booked at Windsor Arts Centre (so that any radio interviews we got would allow us to promote the single alongside the show). I also contacted some local "Friends Of The Earth" groups and pagan groups, as I thought this show could be of interest. Sadly, I got no response from any of this.

FRIENDS OF THE EARTH - Group
I have approached a number of people at the head office and although they have not been discouraging, they have not been willing to pass on news about the project in their magazine and they have explained they didn't have enough resources to help me with possible contacts. They have given me some local groups to contact, which I have done with news of both the song and the "Mystic Journey" show. Out of five groups contacted, I have had some interest from three :-
1. Maidenhead & District
2. Hillingdon & District
3. Hounslow & District 

AIMS OF THE PROJECT  
(In order of importance)

1. To record the song "Friends Of The Earth" with a children's choir and have it released as a single, to raise as much money as possible for worthwhile environmental work.

2. To highlight environmental issues to young people through a popular medium.

3. To help young people feel good about being able to improve their environment.

4. To raise money for the school / children's organisations involved.

5. To help raise the profile of  myself  & my Kindred Spirit musicians; allowing us to reach our music out to a wider audience.

6. To help raise the profile of live music and musicians generally.

EVENTS / SHOWS / PEOPLE CONTACTED

1. Richmond May Fair (11/5/02)  BAND BOOKED
2. Windsor Arts Centre BOOKING 8th Feb
3. Ealing Summer Festival (early Aug.)
4. Nettlebed Folk Club
5. Richmond Arts & Leisure Dept.
6. Guildford Folk & Blues Festival (3-5 Aug.)
7. Canary Wharf Events  WE ARE ON FILE
8. Greenwich & Docklands Int. Fest. (mid July)
9. Malborough Festival, Devon (mid Aug.)
10. Wadebridge Festival, Cornwall (end Aug.)
11. Cornwall Festival
12. South West Arts   ENCOURAGING RESPONSE
13. Folk South West
14. The Wren Trust, Devon
15. Acoustic Youth, Cornwall
16. Cornish Music Project
17. Bodmin Folk Club
18. St. Ives Folk Club
19. Folk On The Moor, Devon
20. The Barbican, Penzance, Cornwall
21. The Blue Peter Program NOT SUITABLE
22. The Eden Project ALREADY BOOKED UP
23. The Association Of Festival Organisers
24. British Council - Performing Arts Dept.
25. Folk Arts Network.
26. Promoters countrywide (26 in all)
27. Capital Radio (Help A London Child) NO
28. Ken Livingstone MP ON FILE FOR EVENTS
29. Keith Ames, Musician's Union GREAT RESPONSE
30. Terry Wogan (BBC Radio 2)

RESPONSES IN MORE DETAIL

KEITH AMES, MUSICIANS UNION - Keith has been very helpful; given me publicity advice and put an article in the London Branch Newsletters about the project in the hope that it might interest some well known musicians to back it and possibly do a promotional video / performance / recording etc. to try and make it happen.

BLUE PETER PROGRAM - We were told that only bands who are in the current top ten are allowed to perform on the show.

SOUTH WEST ARTS - I  had one encouraging response, which has not followed with any further interest.

PROMOTERS (VARIOUS) - We are being kept on file with one promoter.

CAPITAL RADIO (Help A London Child) - The "Help A London Child" Charity wrote to say they were not allowed to be involved in the tracks to receive air play. The pack was not even passed on to the Capital Radio team for consideration.

MAGAZINES - Shockingly, the "Friends Of The Earth" magazine, "Earth Matters" felt unable to mention the project at all in their summer 2002 issue (52).
There has been some mention of the project in the following magazines :-
Traditional Music Makers, Musician.
We had hoped to be mentioned in Rock'N'Reel but this magazine has now folded.

WANT TO HELP ?
If you think you can help with the project , or have any useful advice, do get in touch.