Well hello, you fine people.  Just a quick update on my activities because I’ve been quite busy recently with both composition and production activities.

I will be providing music for the upcoming feature film Wasteland. Written by Tommy Draper and directed by Light Films, it’s a drama with added zombies and from what I’ve seen so far it looks to be rather brilliant.  More info as I get it.

The animated Bill Bailey interview that I mentioned in my previous blog is complete and can be found here: Part I and Part II.  I provided all the music and the sound design and was given pretty much a free rein with regards to what I wanted to put in there.

So what did I put in there?  Well, pretty much everything.  It starts with a short drum solo (Part 1, 0:06), goes into a bit of heavy metal (1:25), some nice floaty Americana (1:30), spooky theremin (1:58), new age (2:30), a parody of the Hollyoaks theme (4:32), a parody of a Peter Andre song (4:35), more heavy metal (part II, 0:41), a news theme (1:33) and yet more heavy metal (1:43).

It was loads of fun working with some of the East Midlands’ best animators and illustrators to put it all together.  It premiered at the Quad in Derby in early February and looked great on the big screen.  Next up is getting Bill Bailey’s attention!  Watch this space…

Other than that, I’ve been providing mini music libraries for a few corporate video production companies, working with UK animator Mair Perkins on some projects and may even be providing music for a pie shop in Derby soon.  Well, why not?

I’ve been very busy with recording too…

Chris Egan’s project has gone from three songs to five and we’re both pretty dang happy with what is turning out to be a superb EP. Hear a clip of a rough mix of one of the songs.  Chris has a catalogue of quietly brilliant songs under his belt and has come to me for the full arrangement.  We share a love of REM and as such the recordings have taken a turn in that direction.

Tall Trees recorded a song called Hummingbird for their debut EP.  Hear a clip.  Tall Trees are a female duo, and, as befits their name, are both surprisingly tall (which for a short-arse like me could have been overwhelming but I got the jokes out of the way quickly).  Emmie Chadwick’s smoky voice and superb songs are given extra warmth by Leise Fleet’s cello.  We had fun recording that track and I’d advise you to look out for their EP when it’s finished next month.

March is booking up with singers, songwriters, a duo and even a couple of hynotherapists.  Well, why not?  (Again)

Lastly, you might have noticed that my site has undergone a redesign.  The perfectionists that we are, me and Black Apricot decided that the previous design wasn’t quite right so they set about creating an even better one.  Very pleased with it.

Oh, and have you met my new blonde friend?

By Ben Haynes