Launch of my new Podcast

During the month of November I am going to launch my new Podcast and hope you will all tune in.

 

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.

 

 

Coming soon the Interview with Ray Cordell, October 2020

 

 
 During the month of October, I'll have the pleasure to introduce you to the multitalented powerhouse, Ray Cordell.

Ray Cordell is a well-known songwriter, musician, Photo/Videographer and host of the "Haunted Hitchin" series. This TV series not only visits haunted houses but also investigates the history of  paranormal activities in these properties.

So stay tuned to find out more about Ray, his latest album and to get some insides of the making of the Haunted Hitchin TV series.

https://youtu.be/2-CsFULshHc

https://www.raycordell.com/RayCordellpresents.html

Not even a dreich day like today could stop me from going into the forest to get some inspiration.

My interview with the artist Géraldine Le Leannec

As the days shorten and the veil between the worlds grows thin, the wheel of the year begins its final spin. When the Autumn winds blow with all their might, we draw closer at the fireside, letting our dreams travel far and wide. Discover the realm of the Dryad Queen and dwell in a world of magic that no eyes have ever seen.

Some of us can go on such journeys with no trouble at all for others; these worlds lay hidden behind an imaginary wall. But there is  help  to break through  and my guest today will show you a world that lies within. So let me introduce you to a good friend of mine who will take you through different dimension space and time.

 

5©Artwork by G2L - Géraldine Le Leannec -Digital Art

 

Hi Géraldine, I am so excited to have you on my blog today to tell us about your yourself and your beautiful Art.  I love and admire your creativity, your skills and magical ability to bring scenes out of your imagination onto the canvas. So, without further a due, let us get right to it.  

  

 1. Where do you live?  I'm a French national who lives in Grenada a small island in the Caribbean, since 2007.

 2. Can you describe a typical day of your life for us? My typical day would be to wake up, read and have my coffee, write down my dreams of the night, go for a walk with my dog, give carrots to my neighbour's sheep and then start whatever tasks I planned or didn't plan for the day. I spend a lot of time on my computer, creating visuals with my favourites software, working on photography. Create simulation for my clients, researching Art, references, philosophy, dreams. I also spend time in my workshop where I put my hands at work either for my Art and decoration business, either for my personal projects.

3. Where do you work, out in the open, or a studio?

"Open your eyes"-©Artwork by G2L

 I work at home, when I'm on my computer, my workshop is at home too, so not too much  movement. I work from time to time on site if I have commissions that require to be on the spot.   I'm a big thinker and observer, so wherever I go, my mind is working  on actual or future projects.   Nature is one of my most significant sources of inspiration  and amazement.  

 

 4. When did you discover your talent?  Did you start to create right away?       I don't like to say that I have talent; my definition would be a conjunction of interests and abilities with a dose of passion and perseverance. I always created as far as I can remember, but I spent some time (6 years in Art school) to learn the bases of visual Art. My interests are consistent and have been evolving trough my all life. I do Photography,  Sculpture,   Painting,   Digital Art and Experimentations. My process of  creation much depends on the medium I use, if it's photography, I don't plan in advance and like the spontaneity of the moment. For Sculpture and painting, I usually have  references, drawing and plans that I can follow, to avoid mistakes that will take time to recover. When creating Digital Art, my mind is entirely free of constraint, this medium is so versatile, and it's very easy to go back and correct something that came out wrong. I usually drift with the mood and colours, associations of ideas. I like to be surprised by not knowing where I'm going. It's like travelling in my imagination.                                                                                                                                          

Nucléaire ©Artwork by G2L - Géraldine Le Leannec -Digital Art

 

 Ropes©Artwork by G2L  

 

 

   

 

5. What are your favourite scenes and medium? My favourites scenes are the borderlines ones, in between reality and fantasy. I'm a big dreamer by night and also by day, I live consistently in my imagination, and try that my body (my hands) exorcise these worlds so that they belong to the physical world.   All the medium are excellent for me. I don't discriminate between any one of them. I can't say if I have a favourite, but there is still so much to discover.

  6. Where can we buy your Art?  My Art is available through my Facebook account or by contacting me personally. I'm not much of social media freak, and it is sometimes hard to keep up with the actual commercial side of Art production.

3©Artwork by G2L - Géraldine Le Leannec -Digital Art

 7.  What are your plans for the future?  With the Covid-19 my plans are a little bit blurry, as most of   the population, I suppose. I have a project that I'm currently working on that will take theformoa book,with textsan illustrations.         

 

 8.  Could you imagine creating book covers?  Yes, I would love to, especially Science Fiction or Fantasy, illustrations. I also really would like to participate in music album covers and video clip creation.

9. Do you have a website or profiles on social media and can you be contacted by email ?

I have a Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/G2LART

my email address is :      G2L-LTD@LIVE.FR

10. Do you have any advice for your young fellow artist?      

It's a bit cliché, but I would say follow your dreams, listen to your guts, and put your hands and brain to work. 

 

Well, Géraldine, thank you for letting us take a look into your life, I hope you will continue to follow your dreams and keep your hands hard at work so that you can share more of your beautiful creations with us.