SONG COMMISSIONS - WRITING TO BRIEF
I have written lots of songs for other people and their projects, it is something I love!
“Writing to brief” means they give me their idea, their subject, topic or even their words and I turn it into a song. Tony works on production and often plays live drums too. He mixes and masters in his studio.
Here are a selection of songwriting projects and collaborations.
Gecko and the Echo, a children's book by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Jim Field. Published by Hachette Children's Group.
Hachette wanted a sing-along signed video that accompanied the story of the book. It helps to bring the main part of the story alive - Goldie the gecko hearing his own echo on a mountian top, not realising it was himself! He was a rather bossy, selfish little gecko and needed to learn a lesson…what you give out, will come back to you (good and bad!)
Not Today Celeste, a children's book written and illustrated by Liza Stevens. Published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers UK.
I wrote all the songs when Liza turned her amazing book into a puppet show that toured schools right across Brighton & Hove and East & West Sussex.
ASK FIRST, MONKEY!
Here's my latest collaboration with children's author Juliet Clare Bell.
Ask First, Monkey is a playful story teaching young children about consent and personal boundaries.
If you're little one could do with understanding not to grab, tickle or hug their friends without asking first - well, this is the video, song and book for you!
Find out all about the author, illustrator and how you can book an author visit from Juliet Clare Bell (and buy their amazing book) here: https://julietclarebell.com/ask-first-monkey
Music and songs for screen
I'm proud to present my new project; Beach Down Music.
This is a collaboration between myself and Tony Bryant from Sunny Studio, Hove.
Tony is a producer and drummer and we have worked on many songs together over the years. Tony mixed and produced my last album, ROBOT. He also plays live with me often - on drums and percussion.
Beach Down Music specialises in producing original songs and music for the screen - that's TV, films and streaming media. We are focussing on children's productions to begin with and have our first catalogue ready to pitch.
When making music for the screen, it's important to be able to deliver multiple mixes and versions of songs - instrumentals, underscores, stripped-down mixes and then edit the songs into shorter pieces - 15 seconds, 30 seconds and tiny clips and cues.
By combining our skill-sets we're able to deliver both pre-recorded and bespoke songs and music to suit a range of productions. We both have studios, work quickly and can deliver unique soundscapes, musical and vocal pieces perfect to enhance any on-screen scene.
Here's our first folk-roots album "Little Folk" with more in the pipeline coming soon!
Contact us at beachdownmusic@gmail.com
