What an extraordinary month it has been. IT’S GONE CRAZY!
THANK YOU to everyone for pre-ordering IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON QUEEN and placing it at NO.1 in most of the Amazon Pre-order charts, that was a fantastic beginning to this albums journey. It has been non-stop ever since.
I have been averaging 15 interviews a day and requests are still coming in, it looks like the promo train will be carrying on for a few months……radio/TV/newspapers…..every spare minute is filled.
The band had their production rehearsal a couple of weeks ago and there are positive changes afoot. We are reaching back to the original arrangements and keyboard sounds as much as we possibly can with a five piece line up. It sounds rather fresh!
The new songs DANCE IN THE HURRICANE/TELEPATHIC LOVER/WHO LET THE BEAST OUT sound fabulous.
Beast in particular suits the band line up and its great to sing too. Hurricane is magnificent, even if I say so myself. It feels like a new rebellion. My inner punk is yelling out to the ether “We’re loud n’ proud”.
Can you believe it…2020 is booking up and looking good…..there is some lovely and long awaited news about my pairing up with another artist on a tour…… but more on that in the late autumn.
Even though it has been flat out I have still managed to read two books SEDUCTION/KARINA LONGWORTH and BETTER ANGELS OF OUR NATURE/ STEVEN PINKER these are weighty volumes but my brain needs food after what can be a long repetitive day. Most importantly I have managed to see a film a day….movies are my big love. Lars Von Trier’s THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT is unapologetically shocking, utterly brilliant, especially when put side by side with the rather polite remake of Halloween. Talking of films I am in talks to go into a movie in June, very very good story and fun part.
On top of this I try and sqeeeeeeeezzzeeee my piano practice into every spare second, carrying my practice keyboard into every venue, determined not to sit in a dressing room allowing time to bleed away pointlessly. Even though splitting my hands is still challe
nging my knowledge of music theory now means I can talk to the band about keys and harmonic relation which makes them sit up and listen.
I have a fantasy that one day I will sit at a keyboard and play faultlessly. It might be a little way off but it will be the sweetest revenge when it happens.
The concerts in March where great. Minehead Alternative Festival was very special. A very close friend passed away two hours before stage time and once I got my composure back I said to the band “The show is for her, we are privileged to be here, lets make sure we celebrate her.” AND boy we did, it was a celebration of everything positive in the world.
It was immensely powerful to go on stage in total shock and grief and feel the music lift everything and everyone to a different level. My friend was by my side and I sang every word for her and the audience, who gave so much back, it was a super special night.
I am dreaming of tidal waves.
It is always the same dream. I’ve had it now for about 10 years. I am looking down the garden to the River Avon, our garden backs onto the river, and as I look up river a tidal wave is coming towards me!
As a believer in reincarnation I am wondering if my being drawn to where I now live (whereever I am in the world I am drawn back to my hometown, nothing compares) is a past life memory, they say souls return to past geographical homes!
There is only one difference between my dream and the actuality of 1607…..in my dream the tidal wave is coming the other way…..from Stratford on Avon, now what does that mean?
One day Fripp and I are going to make a video of my various monster impersonations. They are surreal but accurate, instantly recognisable and only need my hands and body movement to bring them to life.
Yes this is what the legendary Fripp and myself get up to in our spare time,
I have got ALIEN/PREDATOR and BLUE the Velociraptor from Jurassic World down to a T. So much so hubby constantly asks me to do these as they make him laugh so much. He wants me to teach him how to do them… but I know he will nick them and enthral his King Crimson band mates with my creations, so I won’t be teaching him in a hurry.
I did these impressions only yesterday on the Promenade in Cheltenham with Fripp and Theo Travis joining in….we stopped the traffic as I pronounced loudly that I am too old to move with such speed allowing my inner Blue to possess me, moving at the speed of light down the street on a grey and rainy day channelling dinosaurs is a joy. It’s the ONLY way to behave in the rain.
IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON QUEEN is out as a double CD on Friday 12 April and the limited edition crimson vinyl follows a day later on the Saturday 13 April on independent Record Store Day. Pre-order now if you haven’t already!
I am frequently asked “why the name IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON QUEEN?” easy…..EVERY KING NEEDS A QUEEN.
BE PROUD, BE LOUD, BE HEARD. SEE YOU OUT THERE LOTS OF LOVE TOYAH
HELLO FROM THE CRIMSON QUEEN!
