9th December 2003
One of the projects Anne Stephenson has worked
on is a special benefit CD for the Tourette Syndrome Association (one of Anne’s own children is a sufferer). The CD EP Dance
With Me? Christmas Tree features Anne singing on the title track – a wonderful
pop song that does indeed conjure up a Christmas feel to it.
If you would like to buy a copy of the CD – and help the Tourette’s Syndrome
Association at the same time, then it can be ordered for �5.50 (inc P+P) with
Cheques/PO’s payable to
Tourette Syndrome (UK) Association
and sent to:
Tourette Syndrome (UK) Association
PO BOX 26149
Dunfermline
Scotland
KY12 7YU
All proceeds from the sales of the CD are in aid of the TSA.
You can also order the single online via this link www.tsa.org.uk/music.asp.
The Tourette Syndrome Association website is at www.tsa.org.uk
5th December 2003
The January issue of Q magazine features a review of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure – and gives it a 4 star
rating.
Meanwhile French magazine Les Inrocks has also run a feature on Virginia.
A new Surveyis now up: Which
is your favourite track from the album Had I The Heavens?
12th November 2003
Thanks to all those that entered our recent Competition. The answers are as follows:
- Which Gardens track featured on the various artists cassette Meridians 2?
When The Fields Were On Fire - From Gardens Where We Feel Secure was originally released in which year?
1983 - Who plays guitar on With My Eyes Wide Open I’m Dreaming?
Russell Webb
We have three lucky winners who each get a promo copy of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure each signed by Virginia
Astley herself. The winners are Eric Floreto, Neil Elsmore and Brant Nelson .
17th October 2003
We have now added Mail Order to our options for ordering signed copies of From Gardens
Where We Feel Secure via the
Merchandise Section.
We have set up a PO Box for the Virginia Astley Website where you can send your orders – and also send on mail that we can pass directly to Virginia. The address is also on our Linkspage.
29th September 2003
The remastered version of From Gardens
Where We Feel Secure is released today and signed
copies are available to buy from our
Merchandise Section. To celebrate the launch of the album
we’ve also added some new and exclusive updates to the website:
VIRGINIA
ASTLEY INTERVIEW
A brand new and exclusive interview with Virginia herself
discussing From Gardens Where We Feel
Secure along with her plans for the future.
FROM
GARDENS WHERE WE FEEL SECURE
An animated film exclusively designed for the Virginia Astley
website combining sounds, quotes and images that capture the
atmosphere of the album (requires Flash).
NEW
COMPETITION
Win rare promo copies of From Gardens Where We Feel Secure – signed by Virginia herself.
NEW
SURVEY
A brand new poll: Vote for your favourite From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure songs.
As ever, you can also post up your comments and thoughts
on our Forumand Guestbook.
25th September 2003
Merchandise Update: Initial copies of From Gardens Where
We Feel Secure ordered via this website will also be signed by Virginia Astley herself. Don’t miss out on your chance to obtain one of these rare and exclusive CD’s by ordering a copy via our Merchandise sectionnow.
The Discographyentry for the reissued From Gardens Where
We Feel Secure has also now been updated with new sleeve scans.
Meanwhile, this weeks edition of the NME briefly
mentions the album’s release on Monday:
“None more pastoral found-sound folk beauty, pianos, church bells, dawn chorus, flutes, lambs – with a dollop of space rock on the side”
The Radio 3 show Late
Junctionhas been featuring From Gardens
Where We Feel Secure on its playlist dated 8th
September – 11th September. Thanks to David
Welsh for the info.
Regular visitors may know that both Nicky Holland and Kate St John were both involved at some stage with the legendary Strawberry Switchblade . The good news is that a brand new website has recently been launched at www.strawberryswitchblade.net. The site boasts an incredible amount of information on the band, including an extensive discography, lyrics, gallery, unreleased material and interviews with both Rose McDowell and Jill Bryson .
20th September 2003
We
are now taking pre-orders for copies of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure at �7.99 per CD (not including
postage & packing).
The menu at the bottom of the page features a link to our new Merchandise sectionwhere credit card orders can be taken via our secure server (We will also be taking orders via mail shortly).
Please note that we will not charge your credit card until your order is ready to ship. Barring any delays with the distributors, we hope to start shipping on the day of release 29th September .
13th September 2003
Copies of the remastered From Gardens Where We Feel Secure CD will be available to buy direct from the Virginia Astley Website.
We are currently finalising details and will be adding a merchandising section to the website very shortly. The album will initially be available to buy online by credit card, but we are also sorting out options to order it via mail order as well.
28th August 2003
Thanks to Virginia, we have a glimpse at the sleeve artwork for the remastered From Gardens
Where We Feel Secure . To see a larger version of the sleeve art, click on the thumbnail image.
We can also confirm that the release date has been set for the 29th September.
9th July 2003
An update on the forthcoming reissue of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure : The album is now scheduled for a mid to late September release and is designed to coincide with Rough Trade’s 25th Anniversary.
A project that we’ve been looking into here at the Virginia Astley website is the idea of producing a one-off publication to tie into the reissue of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure which would incorporate background information, discography, biography and features as well as up to date news and details. This publication would then be available for sale via the website.
We’re interested in feedback from visitors to the site. So if you think a
magazine is a good idea, or if you have suggestions for what you would like to
see in such a publication, then either email us at the Virginia Astley website: info@virginiaastley.comor
post your ideas here on the Virginia Astley Forum.
6th July 2003
The Articlessection (which can be accessed via the Featurespage) has been updated with a transcription of a radio interviewwith Virginia dating back to 1983. The interview (conducted by Richard Skinner ) accompanied a performance for the Saturday Liveshow from October 1983.
2nd July 2003
The updated Discographyis now back online. As well as updates and graphics upgrades for the regular sections, the Discographynow boasts an extensive Collaborations section.
Outside of Virginia’s own projects, she’s worked with a wide variety of artists including Anne Clark, Anna Domino, Vic Godard, Richard Jobson, Silent Poets and Martin Stephenson amongst others. The Collaborations section details this work and also updates and revises previous information on Virginia’s collaboration work. Visit the Discographyfor more details.
1st July 2003
This November sees Anne Clark return to the
live scene with a 12 date tour of Germany along with a 2 date excursion into Belgium
plus 1 date in Holland. For a full list of dates/venues, please visit Anne’s official
site at www.anneclark.com
29th June 2003
Cellist/singer-songwriter Caroline Lavelle is currently working on her third album. Caroline,who has recently returned from Italy following live dates as part of The Chieftains , says that the album “will be pared down and much more traditional in flavour.” Among the musicians taking part will be members from The Chieftains.
For more info on Caroline’s recent activities,please visit Caroline’s official
site at: www.carolinelavelle.co.uk
9th June 2003
Virginia writes to say that things are stepping up on the reissue of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure . She’s in the process of finalising the revised artwork for the album so we’re a little closer to seeing the album being released.
31st May 2003
Still no definite release dates for the remastered From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure reissue, but a meet-up with Virginia earlier today confirmed some details for the release.
The original artwork for the album has definitely been lost which is the main
reason for the delay with the album and Virginia is working on new artwork for
the sleeve. Also, the track listing will be the same as on the original 1983 release
and will not feature extra tracks (additional tracks were included on previous
reissues).
Perhaps the most exciting news after the Gardens.. reissue is the fact that Virginia has hinted at talk of a Best Of.. album in the pipeline. It’s too early to say what tracks are being considered for this release, but the idea should spark a lot of interest.
18th May 2003
A brief update on the planned reissue of From
Gardens Where We Feel Secure – Virginia has been in touch just to say that “things are still progressing” with the re-release, although there’s still no definite details on a release date.
However, the album does appear to have been assigned a catalogue number of
RETRADECD001 by Rough Trade so perhaps things are
finally falling into place.
21st April 2003
The Discographyis currently being updated and expanded.
As a result, the Discographywill be
off-line for a brief period.
The updates will include an extensive look at Virginia’s work with other artists and musicians, additions and corrections to the current information and new images.
6th April 2003
Jocelyn Pook will be performing during this years Salisbury Festival.
The Jocelyn Pook Ensemble will be performing her critically acclaimed Speaking In Tunes work on the main stage of the Salisbury Playhouse, Malthouse Lane, Salisbury, Wiltshire SP2 7RA at 8.00pm Friday 6th June.
For further information please tel: 01722 320333 or visit www.salisburyfestival.co.uk
More news regarding Jocelyn Pook: Future editions of In The Works (which features Jocelyn as one of the presenters) will be transmitted on BBC RADIO 3 ( 90-93 FM ) on Thursday 1st May between 1930 – 2055 hrs and Wednesday 4th June 1930 – 2050 hrs.
8th March 2003
The Songwordssection of the website has been updated
with the lyrics to Soaring.
Congratulations to all those that managed to get the right answers in our
recent Competition. The lucky winner drawn was Graeme
Stroud who wins a copy of the rare compilation album If
You Can’t Please Yourself You Can’t Please Your Soul . The answers were
as follows:
- Which song did Virginia perform on her only British
television appearance? - Waiting To Fall
- Virginia contributed “Second Chance” to which film soundtracks?
- Lily Was Here
- Who were the owners of the studio where “Hope In A Darkened
Heart” was recorded? - Tears For Fears
A new Competitionwill be posted online soon.
23rd February 2003
A brand new Surveyis up: Which
is your favourite track from the album All Shall Be Well?. Visit the Surveypage and cast your vote.
20th February 2003
Jocelyn Pook has been preliminary booked to appear
as part of this years Chard Festival For Women In Music .
The event (which is staged in Chard, Somerset) is the UK’s premier festival dedicated
to women composers and performers, whether it be in folk, jazz,classical or contemporary
music. The Jocelyn Pook ensemble (which is thought to include the same musicians
involved in last years performances: Anne Stephenson, Anne
Wood and Kate Shortt ) are due to perform Speaking
In Tunes at 6.00pm Friday 30th May 2003.
For further info please telephone the festival office 01460 66115 or email:
office@chardfestival.org.uk
Meanwhile, Jocelyn Pook’s Singapore performance
of Speaking In Tunes (see 19th January), which had
been scheduled for April (and not July as previously reported) has been cancelled
much to the disappointment of Jocelyn, her management and all concerned with the
production.
The German date is now scheduled for July. Jocelyn will also be playing at
this years Salisbury Festival ,at the Playhouse Theatre
in the first week of June. (More details will be added when we have them)
16th February 2003
Virginia Astley enjoyed a brief period playing
keyboards with Prefab Sprout in 1984. The www.newwavephotos.comwebsite features photos taken by Philippe Carly .
This includes a series of photos of Prefab Sprout performing in Belgium – complete
with pics of Virginia in action.
Jocelyn Pook is the presenter of a monthly BBC
Radio 3 programme entitled In The Works which explores the origins, musical impact and enduring significance
of classical works of the Twentieth Century. The programme
is broadcast at 7.30pm although no dates are detailed. For
further info, check out www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/classical/intheworks.shtml
Audrey Riley has plans for new live shows. Visit
www.a-change-of-light.comfor more details.
Martin Stephenson , along with Jim
Hornsby , has some new live dates planned:
| DATE | VENUE | LOCATION | CONTACT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03.04.03 | The Pheasant | Sheffield | 01422 2480774 |
| 15.04.03 | The Ceol Castle | Birmingham | 0121 4404278 |
| 21.04.03 | The Trades Club | Hebden Bridge | 01422 845265 |
| 23.04.03 | Blackheath Concert Hall | London | 020 8463 0100 |
| 24.04.03 | St.Mary’s In The Castle, Hastings | Hastings | 01424 781624 |
| 28.04.03 | The New Roscoe | Leeds | 0113 2460 778 |
As ever, further info is available via Martin’s official website at www.daintees.com.
21st January 2003
Between 7th – 19th February, Martin Stephenson will be performing a 12 date tour of Germany as part of the Last
Of The Summer Wino’s band, which also features guitarist Jim
Hornsby .
Please visit Martin’s official website at www.daintees.comfor full details.
19th January 2003
Jocelyn Pook is planning to take her Speaking
In Tunes show to Germany in April and to Singapore in July. A studio album,
based on the concert presentation,is also planned for release in the Spring.
Speaking In Tunes has previously only been performed
in the UK during 2001/2002.
Please note that the Jocelyn Pook site at www.jocelynpook.co.ukis currently off-line undergoing development.
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