Interview with the multitalented powerhouse, Ray Cordell.

 

Hi Ray, I am so grateful that you agreed to tell us a bit about yourself, your life, career, and plans for the future. But before we talk about the future, let's take a trip down memory lane which leads to my first question.

The Woodstock Poster.

Well, there has always been a mystic around the aura of Woodstock. The first 'real' festival in my book, I had loved to have been there. In the UK, even to this date, whenever someone puts on a small outdoor festival, even at local bar levels, such as my local bar, which is called the Crown, they will call it Crownstock, do you understand, it has legendary status, so this poster really hit the right spot with me, what a line-up. 

When and how did you discover your many talents? 

In my school years, and well into my teens, I was a very shy person. No one ever believes me when I tell them this, but it is true. So, performing in a band was a very nervy thing for me to do, well outside of my comfort zone, but from that first concert, I learnt, and started to believe in my abilities, and told myself anything is possible. I am naturally artistic, so seeing photo opportunities, or editing videos does luckily come very natural to me. I love seeing my numerous projects come together. I still get a real buzz and excitement from it.

When did you have your first public performance and the first album? 

It's something I will never forget as I was so nervous, it was at a packed bar called The Bell Inn at a village called Codicote, 4 miles from where I lived at the time, Thursday 1st December 1983, and it was packed out by friends and family, and was a major success. I did record the whole concert, and listening back now to the recording, we were pretty awful back then, but it's a great keepsake to have still.

My first real album was recorded in 1992, it was with a band called Rickshaw AKA, and we went to the world-famous Rockfield Studios in South Wales to record it. We followed major bands such as Queen, Oasis, Stones Roses, Led Zeppelin, Hawkwind ... the list is endless, who all recorded there. The piano we used on the album was the very one Freddie Mercury played for the recording of 'Bohemian Rhapsody', just wow. The album was called 'The Remembering Sky', and a couple of tracks from this session feature on my new album 'The Long Road' which will be released on the 20th November 2020.

What inspires your songs?

Real-life inspires my songs; this can be from an emotional experience, a place I have visited, romance or love, or just feel it; it is so difficult to explain. I can sometimes go for months with no inspiration, but then suddenly write 3 or 4 songs in a week. I did find the COVID lockdown very fruitful for my song writing, as I had no other distractions.

I can literally be anywhere for an idea to enter my head, normally a lyric line, or a melody line, and what I do is to record it onto the voice recorder on my phone instantly so not to lose it, I then can work on this idea back at my studio, I still have many recordings on my phone which have then developed into fully recorded tracks for my albums.

https://youtu.be/DhYwcyZL6qg

What do you love to do when you are not producing videos or write song?  

I have a season ticket for my local football club, Stevenage FC, so I will go to watch them play at home matches, generally on a Saturday afternoon, or a midweek evening game. I also have two daughters, Yasmin and Marie, and four grandchildren, who along with my wife Lesley, take a lot of my pleasure time up at the weekends, visiting them. 

Going for days out etc., plus also I love trips away in my Motorhome with Lesley  and my two dogs Buster and Tiff. They feature in many of my holiday video guides.

Do I like to read?

Simply, no, I do not read at all, I never seem to find the time as I am always busy creating myself. This is something maybe I will find time to do when I start to slow down a bit.

Haunted Hitchin, can you tell us about your experiences?

https://youtu.be/W5WGCo9ues4 

Haunted Hitchin has just grown and grown, and from our investigations and subsequent film nights where we premiere our films to a paying audience, we have raised 5 thousand pounds for local charities. To tell you the truth, I have never seen a ghost, but there have been plenty of things happen which I cannot explain. 

 the Haunted Hitchin Team

For example, we did an investigation  at an old Victorian School. In the headmaster's house, where he died, whilst downstairs, we heard what sounded like a child's cry. This can be heard quite clearly in the film. We rushed upstairs. When our camera panned right into the old nursery, which was on that floor, the cot in the corner can be seen rocking, I get chills just talking about it even now, 

Tell us a bit about your holiday let videos.

I have produced several films for some holiday let companies, but without payment, I did the work in exchange for free accommodation at these lovely places. I did a video for the Tenerife Tourist Board on the resort of Costa Adeje, this video alone has received over 200,000 views on YouTube. It is the most-watched tourist info video for this resort on YouTube, something I'm very proud of. https://youtu.be/wjkMc82zMkw

I haven't pushed this type of work too much though, as I see it very much as just a job, and doesn't really excite me to the extent that I'd like to produce more, but if someone asks me, then I would always consider it.

https://youtu.be/Bbl5qXAIHz8

Do you have a Website or Social Media presents?

Yes, my website can be found at www.raycordell.com. However, I must admit that most of my promotional work is done via Facebook or Twitter (@raycordell). I also have a YouTube Channel, so I always welcome new subscribers, from where you can keep up to date with all my latest film releases, and music video releases.https://youtu.be/ePWaKy_NpUY

 How can you be contacted?

My Email address is ray@raycordell.com, Facebook Messenger, Twitter (@raycordell), also 'like' the page Ray Cordell Music on Facebook, this concentrates solely on my music releases, live shows etc.

 Where can we purchase your recordings?

My albums can be found on all online stores such as iTunes, Amazon, Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music, Googleplay, Deezer, TikTok etc. There are limited numbers of CD's available, contact me via email ray@raycordell.com or message via Facebook messenger, WhatsApp etc., if you are not sure, just Google Ray Cordell and loads of options will pop up.

https://youtu.be/ePWaKy_NpUY

My new alum 'The Long Road' (the best of ....) will be released on Friday 20th November 2020, which features 18 original Ray Cordell tracks from across the years, I'm currently taking pre-orders for signed CD's, so if you'd like a copy, please get in contact me asap .

 Well, Ray thank you for answering all my question and for letting us take a look into your life, I for one will follow the Haunted Hitchin series and look forward to your next live performance.