Eurovision Thunder

After a morning of work on the mystery project, Nathan and I set sail through a rainstorm for Sonica Studios in Clapham, which is, after Julian's studio, the place in the world where I've recorded the most music. I've done sessions for all sorts of projects there, from the Busker Symphony to parts of the London Requiem and the whole of the Pepys Motet. It's a true home from home. Apprentice fans will recognise the studio's name as the location where this year's contestants recorded children's story books.

Today we were recording vocals for our Eurovision Song Contest entry. And I can reveal that the vocalist who breathed wonderful life into our song was young Lauren Samuels, the lead actress in Bend It Like Beckham in the West End and an all round good egg. She's probably best known for reaching the last three in the BBC TV search to find a Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. You remember the show? Each week one of the potential Dorothy's got carted off in a hot air balloon singing Somewhere over the Rainbow. Camp. Beyond. Words!

It turns out that Lauren is actually from Nuneaton, which makes us practically brother and sister. Her step Dad lives in the street where my Dad was brought up, and her accent is instantly recognisable (and genuine music) to my ears.

Of course she was brilliant. And not just brilliant vocally, but friendly, charming, funny, low-maintenance and completely unfazed by the fact that entry requirements dictate she had to be filmed singing live at the microphone.

The entire session was done and dusted in an hour and the music was whisked off to Julian by some virtual magic and mixed this evening. We've just heard the results and they sound epic! I couldn't be happier. Nathan is currently sweating and swearing whilst editing the film together. Poor lamb has a cold which is making things very difficult.

Speaking of the London Requiem, (which I mentioned very briefly at the start of this blogpost), if you go onto You Tube and search for the film of Agnus Dei from the London Requiem, you'll find a new comment which says (in caps), "why was this London Requiem event not given any publicity and I saw nothing about it anywhere until three years later when I found an entry in the book 'Bizarre London' by David Long?" Fame at last! I'm not sure I've been mentioned in a book before...

Whilst we're on You Tube, I'm more than a little happy to report that my film, Tyne and Wear Metro: The Musical has recently passed 100,000 views on You Tube. Adele I am not, but I'm fairly chuffed with that figure!