Take Two If You Want One

My mum grew up a southerner, living in Maidstone, Kent, but moved up north to Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, after marrying my dad. Poor girl.

We’d go down to Maidstone to visit my grandparents, Arthur and Lily, a couple of times a year, and during those stays we’d often visit my mum’s brother, Colin and his family. For reasons unbeknownst to me, he and my mum had a bit of a falling out, and these family visits simply stopped. As sad as it is, I don’t remember my mum speaking of her brother again. As far as I knew, my uncle Colin and auntie Doreen had just the two daughters, roughly the same age as my sister and me, but it turns out that they'd later welcomed two sons to their family unit. Sadly, due to the lack of contact, I had no way of knowing that these two cousins existed.

Three or four years ago, I happened to connect with one of them via an impromptu Facebook discovery, and we did some serious catching up. Turns out he’s a pretty spectacular person - smart, accomplished, artistic, and a real sensitive soul; so, completely different to me...

It was quite exciting to discover this person who I seemed to really relate to and admire, but while I was grateful that I'd been afforded the opportunity to finally get to know him a bit, I also felt a tinge of sadness thinking of all the family celebrations we'd missed out on as kids.

Now, my grandfather, Arthur, was a man of many talents - a vaudeville performer turned hairdresser and dance instructor, by all accounts. A svelte, quiet man, he had a sort of lovely theatrical air about him and a wry, mischievious sense of humour. He was also prone to a little good-natured teasing. I remember how he'd hold out a bag of sweets to me, and then quickly close his hand around the bag as I'd attempt to grab one. When he'd finally allowed me to grab a sweet, he’d turn all generous, holding out the bag again, saying, “Go on…take two if you want one!”

When I was writing this song - based on the aforementioned fractured family dynamics - the chorus was the last part of the song to come together, and the “Take two if you want one” line just seemed to fall in there naturally; couldn’t believe my luck, really. It’s too good a phrase not to repurpose, isn’t it? Thanks, grandad!

(Thanks also, to the lovely and talented Ed Woltil, who not only played beautifully on the song with me, but put together this delightful lyric video too.)

Everyone's a song...

"Strange Orchestra" was spawned from my musing about people being a little like songs. I mean, some hold a special place in our hearts and we cling to them, while others can easily drive us up the wall and so we shut them out. Then there are those who instantly lift our spirits while others can bring us down as soon as they’re within earshot. Collectively, we make this big beautiful, sometimes discordant noise.

While it began its life as a loose, sort of Stones-influenced chugger, the song evolved as both Ed Woltil and Dave Gregory got their paws on it. Ed proceeded to mangle the bridge section, tossing in a couple of extra chords and sent it back to me with what to my ears sounded like a sprinkling of magical mystery tour-era fairy dust, which pleased me to no end. Funnily enough, when Dave heard it, he said it made him think a little of The Who’s “Join Together” for some reason, and decided to go the Townshendian guitar tone route, reaching for one of his trusty Rickenbackers. On top of that, he threw in some spacey slide guitar accents that mirrored the vibe of some of Ed’s kaleidoscopic/psychedelic adornments, and things got decidedly trippy. Happy? Yeah, chuffed to buggery, as my dad used to say.

These collaborations are little magical mysteries to me. Whether a song is great, or simply average; whether it picks you up or ultimately lets you down, it’s still something that would never have been born without the input, interpretation and collaboration of the parties involved. I just love the process, and I really feel so lucky to have a group of quirky, wickedly talented people from disparate backgrounds and artistic leanings to do this with.

We're a strange orchestra, alright...

Penny Black Music stamp of approval!

Malcolm Carter, a kindly and erudite Englishman (yes, they still exist apparently) who lives in Sweden (lucky blighter), has written some nice things about Temporary Sun for the Penny Black Music online music publication. Read all about it HERE.  His check should be in the mail by the morning...

Malcolm also interviewed Ed and I about the record, our influences and our approach to songwriting, etc. I think he may have been hoping that we'd say derogatory things about each other. Find out HERE.

New Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil Release!

Temporary Sun - a portable bit of warmth and light to keep in your pocket for dark times. For creators and listeners alike, a good song inspires, illuminates, renews, fortifies. Let's hope so anyway. Why not find out for yourselves?

Have a listen here...

...and I won't let go

Here's the opening salvo from Temporary Sun, the third Steve Robinson & Ed Woltil release available now at all of your favourite record emporiums. When I say "record emporiums",  I am of course living in the past (something I do as a defense mechanism I think). No, despite vinyl albums making their big comeback, I can't afford to press the buggers, so CDs, downloads and streaming it is. If you're so inclined you can place your orders at Bandcamp

Thanks for listening!

Careful with that dorsal fin!

 

When I relocated to Hendersonville, NC back in 2019, one of the first watering holes that caught my fancy was Sanctuary Brewing. They've since had a name change to Oklawaha Brewing, but it's still my brewery of choice. I remember back then thinking that I'd like to play there sometime; it only took me six years or so. I have excuses. Not very good ones, but still...

Thanks to Ed Woltil for his cool poster design!