Back To Kintyre. New song

[ChrisA]

Topically, based on the earlier Mull Of Kintyre post ..

I'm Posting out my shiny new CD to tomorrow. 'Back To Kintyre' is a 6+ minute epic that touches on similar territory. Indeed it also mentions Macca, Saddell Bay, Whisky Macs' etc etc.

Kenny Johnson at Argyll Fm should also have his copy by now so, maybe on the local (at least) airwaves soon!

I could write a lot about the writing and production of this labour of love song, but maybe I'll wait and see if anyone actually likes it first!

[DENIS.THE.TRUE.MANC.]

Chris, I for one, and I'm sure there are lots of others too, am looking forward to hearing your recording. I hope it will be available to listen to on the forum shortly.

[KF Administrator]

P.S. You haven't got a spare ticket for next Tuesday have you ?

I have split this thread and posted the unrelated discussion on football to Sport Chit Chat. Sorry to nit pick but this is Local News and Issues - if you wish to make comment on my post please do so on the thread below. (P.S. I don't normally do this but there are alot of posts this week all over the place and oor Moderators are away to Majorca for their holidays! )

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=10804

Chris - do you plan to have your new song on Back to Kintyre.

[WeeTownWeeYin]

This sounds goood Can't wait to get a listen:)

[ChrisA]

Hi all, ok, this is the small promotion note from my Myspace, it's aimed at the general public as opposed to the good people of Kintyre - who already know the stuff in here!

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A good while in the making but it's finally here. A total labour of love.

Some background: -

The main track on the CD is 'Back To Kintyre'. A homage to the beautiful Kintyre peninsula on the West coast of Scotland, my newfound passion and yes, the one of ‘Mull Of Kintyre’ fame.

I was born and bred in Manchester, as was my dad, but he had always insinuated that HIS dad had come from the West of Scotland. It was only after my dad passed on that I delved further into that connection, found a few more clues, and finally went up to Kintyre for a visit. I totally fell in love with the area. More to the point, I spiritually connected, feeling my ancestors in the wild Atlantic air. Sounds odd, and I can't explain it really, but I’ve never had such feelings, before then or since.

After that first visit I started kicking the idea of the track around. I had the main melodic hook almost immediately, and I then worked on and off with the music for a couple of years, through illness and other distractions, whilst trying to find the right vocalist. Eventually I found that man (thanks Nige) and after some more key changes, drum pattern issues, and other embellishments, the song was finally completed. The dynamics are all over the place - and to call it a 'song' is probably a misnomer. It’s more a theme piece really. Someone said “it’s like 50 ideas rolled into one”. I take that as a compliment and point them towards Paul McCartney’s trio of “10 songs rolled into one” style hits from the mid 70s, namely ‘Jet’, ‘Band On The Run’ and ‘Silly Love Songs’. All written, ironically, at his farm near the Mull Of Kintyre!
Lyrically, I’m happy with it too. It doff’s its' cap respectfully to the area, and also to its most famous residents - Paul and Linda McCartney. Linda once said that Saddell bay was her “favourite place on Earth”. We visited it when we were there, and totally agree. It’s an amazing place, and that's why her "ghost" makes an appearance in the track - walking the bay.

‘Chapeltown’ is on the CD by popular demand. Since I put it out a year or so ago, I‘ve had a lot of feedback complimenting the feel of the track, mainly, I have to admit, from fellow Mancunians who know the area around which the lyric is based. With that in mind, the theme of 'Chapeltown' fitted the EP - being about roots and passions, so, it finally made it to a commercial release!

‘(Back To) The Kintyre Way’, is a solo piano piece made up of melodies from the main song. My music, yes, but a little too proficient for me to actually play. It was done by a very talented musician called Massimo Bosco, and recorded in Milan. Genuinely, I’d personally buy the EP just for this lovely, lilting, track.

‘Oran Mu Dheireadh’ (Song of the Finale) is the last track on the CD, and again utilising melodies from the main song - it touches lyrically on finality. Bells of doom, thunder, and poetic odes to loved ones. Oh and a lovely spoken prose by Fiona J Mackenzie, a prominent Gaelic musician.

Also on the CD is the DVD version of my 'Back To Kintyre' video. A modest home made film, but, it serves the purpose and I'm happy with it. There‘s some great images of Kintyre in there, and if it should tempt anyone to pay a visit then that would be great!

So, my first commercial release for many years. If I could sell enough copies to break even on the project then I’d be extremely happy with that, but, as mentioned at the top of this piece, it was a total labour of love, and if someone in Kintyre buys me a drink and tells me they like it, then really, that would be enough for me

The (real) retail copy (including bonus stuff) can be bought mail order from http://chrisamusic.bandcamp.com/ and the MP3 version can be downloaded, again from Bandcamp, Amazon, Itunes and many other online music stores.

[Kintyre Forum News]

This sounds goood Can't wait to get a listen:)

You can hear it at the following link and buy a copy too!

http://chrisamusic.bandcamp.com/track/back-to-kintyre

Well done Chris - great chorus!

[DENIS.THE.TRUE.MANC.]

Hi Chris! Bloody great that mate ! Lots of work gone in there, and dosh too no doubt!

[ChrisA]

.. and here's the video!

http://www.youtube.com/user/Chrisamusic1?feature=mhum

[DENIS.THE.TRUE.MANC.]

Even better with the video ! Brilliant stuff, Chris! Good luck with the CD and your next visit to Kintyre.

[Bobh]

Chris, what a crackin song. Well done.

[Govangirl]

Absolutely wonderful Chris. Surely this has to be used as some form of tourist advertising?

[ChrisA]

Aw, thanks guys.

The tourisim guys at Visit Scotland, have expressed an "initial interest" in Back To Kintyre, and an initial bigger interest in (Back To) The Kintytre Way. See what happens. Early days really as I'm still waiting for Kenny Johnson at Argyll FM to come back from China,pick the CD out of his pigeon hole, and give it a spin.

I'm just hoping to break even, which of course could all go out of the window when Macca decides to haul me over the coals for using his fizzog in the video!

[smiles]

Absolutely wonderful Chris. Surely this has to be used as some form of tourist advertising?

It's not bad. Bit desperately varied in parts. Nice intro and nice chorus then kind of goes down hill before picking up again towards the end. The choice of singer doesn't help either. With all the local talent we have here in Kintyre it wouldn't have been hard to find someone who can actually pronounce loch and Bellochantuy correctly. That's just a bit of constructive critcism Chris. All in all a good effort.

[Isa]

It's not bad. Bit desperately varied in parts. Nice intro and nice chorus then kind of goes down hill before picking up again towards the end. The choice of singer doesn't help either. With all the local talent we have here in Kintyre it wouldn't have been hard to find someone who can actually pronounce loch and Bellochantuy correctly. That's just a bit of constructive critcism Chris. All in all a good effort.

At this time of year most of us are looking for a wee something about Kintyre that can be sent abroad at Christmas. I'm afraid this is not for me. I won't buy it. Not really much feedback on here from locals but might have more positive feedback if it's heard on the radio.

[ChrisA]

It's not bad. Bit desperately varied in parts. Nice intro and nice chorus then kind of goes down hill before picking up again towards the end. The choice of singer doesn't help either. With all the local talent we have here in Kintyre it wouldn't have been hard to find someone who can actually pronounce loch and Bellochantuy correctly. That's just a bit of constructive critcism Chris. All in all a good effort.

I've been doing this stuff too long to worry about music reviews, all objective after all. But i'd just like to mention a couple of things. There is nothing 'desperate' about the variances at all. It's less a 'song' than a short musical journey, and I've found that people who do like the track, like it precisely because of the many melodic variants in there. Rewards are to be had on repeated plays. It would have been a lot easier to just link the more instantly catchy bits together and do a 3 minute pop song, but that wasn't the idea behind this particular concept.

As for the vcocalist, aye. I see what you are saying BUT .... bear in mind that the vocalist's perspective is not from kintyre, but from elsewhere. He's an outsider. It''s a visitors song, extolling the virutes of a wonderful place.

Finally, maybe have a listen to (Back To) The Kintyre Way (link at bottom) from the same EP. This is a solo piano rendition of the melodies from the main track and may give you a better perspective on its merits. (And this may also appeal more to you as well Isa).

Thanks for listening though.

http://chrisamusic.bandcamp.com/track/b ... intyre-way