Record Producing
by Juliette | 09.23.11 | Latest News, Record Producing
In full flight
I’m sitting in a café near Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, the sun is shining and I’m about to record the world famous tenor Rolando Villazón. WOW! The day is only marred by the bag-inducingly early start I had this morning and the soggy fried potatoes which were swimming in oil next to my overcooked pork schnitzel for lunch. Tried to explain to the waitress why I had left most of it but had to give up in the end as my German is too poor and it was getting slightly ridiculous when the two of us resorted to our equally dismal French in an attempt to communicate with each other. More »
by Juliette | 09.04.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
We got back from Italy yesterday and I’m already going through my annual review of how much better our lives would be if we relocated to a ramshackle old farmhouse in the middle of the Italian countryside and grew olive trees. The kids would be running around barefoot and bronzed, everyday would be sunny and magically there would be no need for earning money as we would simply sell our homemade olive oil and swap a goat with a local farmer whenever we craved a steak. I’ve had the same fantasy about Paris, Majorca, New Zealand and pretty well every holiday destination we’ve been lucky enough to enjoy (with the possible exception of Edinburgh – it rained constantly).
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Tags: Joe McElderry at no.5
by Juliette | 08.22.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
Joe showing Arthur Sesame Street on his laptop
Off on holiday tomorrow. It’s been a mad couple of weeks of work including partying at Joe McElderry’s album launch, being phoned whilst queuing in Legoland for a rollercoaster by Dustin Hoffman, madly recording some fantastic elderly musicians who could all teach me a thing or too (google trumpeter Ronnie Hughes, violinist John Georgiadis and baritone John Rawnsley) and fitting in pre-holiday appointments at Great Ormond Street for the boys. James has been in Jersey this weekend conducting Alfie Boe so I’ve had to do all the packing with the twins climbing in and out of the suitcases. Crazy times but I’m never bored. More »
by Juliette | 08.01.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
It doesn’t matter whether you are into opera, pop, country or Gregorian chant for that matter, there is something very pleasing about hearing a naturally good voice. Some people make it sound easy and some people make it sound hard. Joe McElderry is just a very natural, easy singer. We mastered his record today and it’s now been sent off to be manufactured for release on 22nd August – nothing more we can do, time to cross fingers.
Tomorrow is our 1st day off in 3 weeks, which means a family trip to Legoland. Neither of us are particularly into rollercoasters but we have a 9 yr old who is, coupled with a fair dose of parental guilt about being so busy during the 1st week of the holidays! More »
by Juliette | 07.22.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
Off to Prague tomorrow morning to record the orchestra for Joe McElderry’s new album. He has only 2 weeks to finish it, so I guess that’s 2 weeks for us to finish it too!! The guy isn’t shy of a bit of hard work though. You forget how young he is. Lovely guy, lovely voice, his album deserves to do well. Fingers crossed.
He recorded a duet with the guitarist Milos round at our studio a few days ago. (His album is worth a listen if you get a chance.) More »
by Juliette | 07.12.11 | Current Projects, Latest News, Record Producing
So, I have finally worked with someone my 10 yr old niece thinks is cool. It goes without saying that as a woman accelerating towards the end of her 30s, I wouldn’t be able to recognise this man (well boy really) if I bumped into him in the street. Except, you would never bump into him in the street. Firstly he is far too famous to walk anywhere, a car picked him up from his hotel 3 minutes away, actually, if his fans are all like my niece that was probably a wise move. Secondly, his minder was an overwhelmingly large man (definitely man this time) who would be extremely unlikely to allow anyone within 10 yards of his charge. Trust me, you wouldn’t argue with him on this point. I felt his beady eye on me throughout the recording session from his position on the sofa (it was a 2-seater but unsurprisingly, he sat alone).
Nick Jonas is still a teenager, but unassuming, softly spoken and polite which I found very strange as not only am I not used to teenagers behaving like that, it’s not behaviour you can count on with famous artists either: a pleasant surprise on both counts. I’m not sure I’d recognise him if I saw him again, but then I can guarantee he would say the same about me and James! However, he very kindly signed his music at the end of the session. I’ve put it in the post to my niece. More »
Tags: Jonas Brothers, Nick Jonas fans, Popstar to Opera star
by Juliette | 05.30.11 | Domestic Diva, Latest News, Record Producing
Much excitement in the house as we have several green strawberries and even a teeny, tiny tomato on one of our plants. The slugs got all three of the cucumber plants, but I have become like a woman possessed with the salt every evening. They are not going to get past me this year. I am determined that we shall have a strawberry that goes through all the various shades and reaches a proper crimson without great holes missing from it.
We’ve been in discussions these last few weeks to produce another album. Not anyone from our usual classical world I might add. Trouble is, these big names from the world of pop and rock, expect certain perks, and normally get them. The particular artist in question happily admits to not being able to write, or arrange but still wants 50% of our royalties. More »
by Juliette | 05.20.11 | Latest News, Record Producing, Twin news
We missed the Classical Brits last week as I had a family funeral that day but do watch next week when it’s on telly as we arranged the John Barry medley at the end of the show.
This week’s been busy so far. James is in Denmark working so I recorded Michael Ball on my own on Monday. What a lovely, talented man. He is also a 1-take wonder. In and out the studio within the hour, leaving me with a first-rate vocal.
It also turned out to be the week that Arthur had 3 different hospital More »
Tags: Classical Brits 2011, Great Ormond Street Hospital, John Barry tribute, Michael Ball
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