'The Definitive Biography' of Ian Dury (by Will Birch)

Just finished chapter 3 of this book - fascinating and engrossing...

Will Birch, the author, did an incredible amount of detailed research - he even sought me out to get my perspective regarding the 2 year period Ian and I worked together on the album '4,000 Weeks Holiday'.

The book launch party was at the Groucho club on the 27th Jan - and it was a entertaining trip down a rather misty memory lane. I met up with some people I hadn't seen for a very long.... so long actually, I'm not going to say! Mari Wilson, Jenny Cotton, Ed Speight, Chaz Jankel, Terry Davies, Andrew King, Tracey MacLeod...Baxter turned up very late too.
It was a lovely reunion...all of us graduates of the 'Dury Experience'. Fond memories and stories were shared. A good night!
Here's a picture of me and Will Birch at the party (photo by Terry Lott)

At the Dub for 'Just Ines', at The Korda Theatre, Shepperton

Right now I'm sitting in a very cosy couch in the Korda Theatre, Shepperton Studios...nice! Smart move these cosy couches... 
It's been an intense, but satisfyingly creative 3 weeks since I first watched the fine cut of 'Just Ines', Marcel Grant's 3rd feature film which stars French actress Caroline Ducey (Romance).


The editor, Kant Pan (The Crying Game), who I met while working on a  film we did during summer 2009 called 'Forget Me Not', phoned me up a week before Christmas and invited me in to meet Marcel. 
After watching the film, I did a few demos that Marcel liked, and he asked me to score the movie. 
(In photo, left to right: Kant, Mike and Marcel at Korda)

I mixed the music in 5.1 with James Towler at Steve Winwood's Studio in the Cotswolds, Wincraft - and it's sounding great here in the Korda!
(Mike and James outside the doorway into Wincraft Studio - the snow was beautiful!)

At Miloco Studio (The Pool) recording strings on my score for 'Just Ines' (Director Marcel Grant)

I got a great Xmas present from my lovely Tracey - a FlipHD pocket camera!
Here's a short clip of me working with a great friend and wonderful cellist, Jane Fenton, with James Towler engineering and our assistant, Joe.

Apple Store Talk on 'Me and Orson Welles'

On Tuesday I did a talk at the Apple Store, Regents Street, about the process that took place while working on 'Me and Orson Welles'. They have a great series of talks with film makers and creatives - all free, on a first come, first serve basis. Go Apple Mac!!!

I had a lot of fun and it was well attended. Robin Lingwood organised it on the recommendation of one of my star pupils from Royal College of Music, Anne Chmelewsky, who incidentally has a credit on the film for her work helping me prepare parts and scores (thanks Anne!). Anne was there with another talented composer I taught, Maria Vatenia. It was nice to see some familiar faces and have some interesting, probing questions.

Darren Millard was  great help setting me up, copying my Keynote document and plugging me into the 'system' there - very together and well organised (am I surprised? Absolutely not! This is Apple we're talking about. I'd never use any other computer!). So thanks goes out to Darren.
Also, my Dad, Joseph P McEvoy, was there - as was my wife Tracey. My Dad has his book coming out on Constable Robinson on January 20th 2010 - 'A Brief History of the Universe' (from Ancient Babylon to the Big Bang), and I got an advance copy after the talk...a little light Christmas reading-:)

Thanks also to all the other people who came along - Segun, Egberto, and a special big thanks goes out to Olivia Dixon and Steve Molesworth from the 'Screen Music Network' who helped promote the event for me...nice one guys!

Me and Orson Welles Soundtrack CD released

The CD was released today...a nice little write up on ScreenSounds Blog!

just to prove a point... TOP circa 2008

Tower of Power! ol' skool pros of the soul-funk gruv

Man! What a kickass band! The horns were so sweet, tight, laid back in the pocket. The vibe was retro - that old fashion revue type approach that is just pure entertainment...but the music packs virtuoistic punch of the prime cut order! They may be in their 50s and 60s (years old) but thev 41 years they've been strutting their damn funky stuff has surely paid off.
And the crowd was a nice balanced mix. Lots of the young bloods as well as 40 somethings like yours truly.
Just goes to show 'you can't keep a good (real, live) groove down'. It's always going to rise up and shake the butt of the people!!! Go TOP!
Here's some vintage TOP....