A Week of iPhone Vlogs
It was kind of accidental, but after having so much fun making a whole bunch of iPhone vlogs last week I just carried on during the first week back at work, and made one every day. Each one comes with a brand new soundtrack sketch too.
iPhone Vlogs: May Half Term
Recently I've been quite tough on myself creatively: only wanting to release more and more polished ideas. This lead to forgetting how much fun it is to simply capture moments as they fly by, imperfect though they may be, and ended up simply making less stuff. So this week, I've tried to shake that feeling off, and gone back to where this blog started: one minute videos and soundtracks — all created on my phone.
Video Blog: Festival of Lights 2018
Last year, Westquay hosted the first Festival of Lights, and looking back on the video blog and soundtrack from an evening trip, it's one of my favourites of the year. This year we took another trip, along with another dinner at Wahaca too.
2017
2017 has been full of unexpected developments. Along the way this year, I've found that documenting life, as moments fly by, has helped me find space to pause and reflect.
Work
Last years Music Tech Project filled most of my work time at the start of 2017, coming to an end in July. The project was a huge success, with over 2,000 young people (many of whom face challenging circumstance in their life) taking part in over 250 hours of music-making with iPads.
The end of the Music Tech Project overlapped with being made Interim Hub Manager at Southampton Music Hub in May, covering for my boss during her maternity leave this year. As part of my new role, I've helped oversee the formation of Southampton Music Trust — a new charity helping advance music education in the city— and helped write the business plan that secured a further two years of funding from Arts Council England.
Finally, in November I joined the team at Solent University as an Associate Lecturer in Popular Music Production. I've spent the past two months finding my feet and helping out with the end of a few modules for semester one. In semester two I will be taking on my own modules, something I'm really excited to do.
Family
When I was studying at University, and my first Niece was young, I had time to spend with her most weeks. As the family has grown — including the beautiful Imogen Faith who arrived in March — work and school and other life circumstances have changed, and there is less regular time spent with my nieces and nephews. Instead of regular time, I've had to focus on trying to spend quality time with all three little ones instead. In June I got to take two of them to the Isle of Wight, and this Christmas was incredibly special, sharing time and gifts with them that I hope will show them know how much they are loved and valued.
Friends
I will confess, being busy with work, and life, has meant that I've not had enough time to spend with friends this year. Luckily, I have some amazing friends who are understanding and supportive, and are still willing to see me, even after months of radio silence. To see my friends Emma and Davyd raise their adorable daughter in to a kind, thoughtful and brave little girl has been incredible — I'm in awe of the beautiful family they are making together. Also, having friends who share and support my love of making music has been a a very special thing to share this year.
Music
I've continued to work with Emma on new music for her Pyra project this year. The album is really taking shape, and whilst we someimes feel frustrated at how long it is taking to complete, the process, with all it's stops and starts, has meant that the ideas, and the creative minds that make them, have been nurtured with kindness — it is very special to work with someone who values both of those things.
I put up two new soundtracks in August, Style and Play, which I worked on with Matt Mead and David Fletcher, and have become the starting point for the six pieces of music I'm currently working on for release in 2018. Play was featured by BBC Introducing South, including getting to talk about how creating music for this blog has helped improve my mental health.
Trough the Stars was a multimedia art piece I worked on in October, made using astronomy photographic plates from University of Southampton. I was really delighted by the final images and the soundscape that emerged too.
Visual
My visual style has both developed, and changed this year. Trying to document more of the every day has meant that I've used my phone camera more, and my DSLR less. I've used Instagram stories a lot this year, and I really enjoy that format: I really want to do more with them in 2018.
2017 has been full of unexpected developments. Along the way this year, I've found that documenting life, as moments fly by, has helped me find space to pause and reflect. My hope is that in 2018, I can be more present, more reflective, and more balanced.
What did 2017 bring in your life, and how have you found space to reflect upon those changes? What are your goals for 2018?
Vlogmas 2017 (Week Four): Christmas Day with Family, Food and Presents
The final week of vlogmas includes the lead up to, and the big days its self.
In the lead up up the big day, there's lot of food to be prepared, and celebrations with friends. On Christmas Day, there's more food, plus time with family enjoying time together and some gifts.
Christmas Day Food:
This year's dinner was very similar to last years feast, with a few changes:
- Turkey
Local, organic, free-range bird from Uptons of Bassett, roasted with rapeseed oil, lemons, clementines, garlic, onions, carrots, celery, sage and thyme - Gravy
Made from roasting juices and organic chicken stock - Pork shoulder stuffing with red onion, chestnuts, sage and cranberries
A Jamie Oliver recipe with some modifications, including dried cranberries added and gf bread crumbs - Sausages in bacon
Use thinly slice pancetta for wrapping for extra flavour and crunch - Roast potatoes
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roast in rapeseed oil, with rosemary - Roast parsnips
Par-boiled, left to cool, then roasted with honey - Carrots with butter, sugar and star anis
Cooked in butter, sugar and star anise from a Tom Kerridge recipe - Cauliflower cheese
Gently roasted cauliflower covered in a basic béchamel sauce, with lots of cheese in, and cheesy breadcrumbs over the top - Brussels sprouts with bacon and chestnuts
A BBC Good Food recipe - Red cabbage with apple and balsamic vinegar
An amalgamation of a number of recipes, including spices, red onions, apples, brown sugar and balsamic vinegar - Cranberry and apple sauce
Another amalgamation of recipes from all over, following the basics of this Jamie Oliver recipe, but with my own spices added - Green beans with lemon
Lightly boiled and dressed in fresh lemon and rapeseed oil - Butternut squash mash with spiced roasted seeds
Roasted the squash whole, mashed the flesh and served with the seeds roasted in cumin and paprika - Steamed Spinach
Simply steamed and served
Christmas Gifts
I got some amazing gifts, including my favourite scent (Givenchy Pour Homme Blue Label) and a Hans Zimmer Masterclass.
I got my family all kinds of bits. Particularly successful gifts were books for my Dad (including Post-Capitalism: A Guide to Our Future by Paul Mason — one of my favourite reads from 2017), and "Strong Girls Club" tops for my nieces from Muthahood.
Weekly Vlog: First Week in a New Job
I started my new job this week, as an associate lecturer in Popular Music Production at Solent University. Back at my other job, it was a busy week of teaching, and getting the business plan finished and sent off. Somewhere in between all that, there was time to make music, preview the new Nuffield Southampton Theatre City venue, and start making my annual Christmas cake.
Knowing it would be a busy week, I decided to film a little bit of each day, and then sit down at the weekend to see what that footage would become. Together with some audio experiments and soundtrack clips from other projects, it turns out I had a weekly vlog to upload.
Birthday Games
My wonderful friend Ellie hosted a night of food, games, and a surprise birthday cake on Saturday night.
iPhone Summer Vlogs
iPhone vlogs filmed, soundtracked and edited on iPhone in the Summer of 2017.
They say the best camera is the one you have on you. And so, as moments flew by this summer, I tried to capture them using just my iPhone. To me, the moments I was able to record were more personal and more spontaneous as a result.
Video Blog: Abbotsbury
During half term, I drove west along the south coast, to meet my very good friend Corrie in Abbotsbury.
Corrie works at The Clock Workshop, just at the bottom of St Catherine's Hill. After meeting her for work, we walked up, past St Catherine's Chapel, and sat overlooking Chesil Beach.
We walked back down for dinner at the village pub — a halloumi, pepper and humous burger, followed by a chocolate brownie for me — before going to watch the sunset from Chesil Beach.
Video Blog: Wahaca with Corrie (Saturday 6 May 2017)
Corrie came to visit this weekend, and we went for dinner at one of my favourite places: Wahaca,
Video Blog: Monday 1 May 2017
As the bank holiday weekend comes to an end, I spent the evening grabbing junk food with friends.
Video Blog: Five Guys Friday (Friday 28 April 2017)
What better way to start a Bank Holiday Weekend than with a Five Guys (burger and fries)?
Video Blog: Saturday 22 April 2017
I spent the last weekend of my Easter Holidays exploring the New Forest with Emma and Annora Bird; drinking and heading out in to town with friends; and then recovering the next day with Nandos and drinks with Alice.
Video Blog: Friday 21 April 2017
Friday 21 April 2017: vocal session with Pyra follwed by dinner and drinks with Dave and Livi
Video Blog: Wednesday 19 April 2017
It's been so good to have time off work to spend with friends. Video blogging these simple, lazy days helps to make memories from moments that are all too easy forgotten,
Video Blog: Monday 17 April 2017
Vlogging my day on Monday 17 April 2017 — Easter Monday.
After a lazy start, I met Wez and Dan at Weatherspoons for lunch, followed by a drink at Maritimo Lounge. The day ends with a relaxed evening with Ellie and Dave in Chandlers Ford.
2016
If my 2016 has a theme, it is probably this: finding comfort amidst the confusion.
An Unsure Start
Finishing university in 2015 meant I was back in my old job — the reason I had gone to uni in the first place — and wondering what my plan was going to be. In September 2015, I gave myself a year to find the next new challenge, and so had set about writing a funding bid to Youth Music for a new project at work. That application went off in January, and kick started so much of this years big moments.
M-Tech
By May, we found out that our funding bid was successful and my new role as M-Tech project manager had begun. It's meant incredibly long hours, and so much extra work, but it was the challenge I needed when I decided it was make or break last September. It's been an incredible start, and one of my first jobs when I'm back in January is to wrap up what we've learnt from the Autumn term, which I can't wait to share.
Pyra
Over the year, I've been recording with Pyra, continuing to work on new music together. This year, we both feel like we're creating our best work yet, and whilst much of it remains hidden until it is finished, 2016 did see two songs we worked on go out in to the world: ‘Ride U Better’ and ‘Bodies’ (embedded above).
Invaleurs
In August, I released an EP under the name Invaleurs:
I have a confession.
For too long, the anxieties I experience around sharing my music online have kept me from creating things I love. But when I set out writing these songs, I made them just for me.
With that freedom, I could explore more freely, able to push beyond the boundaries of my own comfort zone, to create songs I am proud of. And so, I am sharing them with you
If you enjoy them, if you share them too, then I feel honoured to know that these songs have found new connections beyond the ones I hold with them. If you don't, that's fine too. I've already done what I set out to do.
Family Holiday
This year we went on a big family holiday to Cornwall, and it was an unforgettable experience: a wonderful, special time spent with family in such a beautiful location. I video blogged the trip to try and keep the memories captured to remember in years to come.
The family holiday came accompanied by two big announcements:
1. Becoming An Uncle (Again)
My brother and his wife, and their two beautiful children, are adding to their family with another one. And later in the year, I got to help them make a special announcement about it...
2. My Sister's Engagement
And the second big announcement was that my sister got engaged!
Annora Bird
Two of my very best friend's a simply the most adorable little baby in to the world, and every time I see them together, my heart swells with pride and love for them all: I couldn't be happier. I wrote a song for her, on the day of her birth, and Emma writes the most incredibly honest, funny and frank blog about what it's like being an expectant, and then new, mum.
UK Music Award
As a result of the successful M-Tech bid, I was nominated by Solent University for the UK Music ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’ award. It was an honour to be nominated amongst other high achieving new graduates.
Starting a Blog
Finally, in 2016 I started this blog. As I wrote about in October, I started this blog as a way of creating and releasing music that was better for my mental health. And I'm so happy with what I've started to build. As this blog grows, and develops, it's been fun to explore what shape music can take when you remove the constraints of the old methods of production and consumption. I don't feel like I have any answers yet, but asking the questions has been reason enough on its own.
It started with Summer Shorts...
Moving on to Autumn Pieces...
And finishing the year with Vlogmas.
So, to finish, I come back to the theme of 2016: finding comfort amidst the confusion. With all that has happened this year, I have tried to learn to bring myself more fully in to each moment, to enjoy and take comfort in friends and family, and to be a little kinder to myself. What did you learn in 2016?
Vlogmas (Part 5): Starbucks & Shopping
One of the blessings of time off work is when a two hour Starbucks and shopping trip with a friend can feel like a whole day's activity.
Vlogmas (Part 4): Christmas Dance Party
After helping them out this year, I joined the Integr8 Dance Company for their Christmas party in Winchester.
Vlogmas (Part 1): A Very Beartooth Christmas
One of my best friends was over from Ohio this week, visiting Southampton and joining the end Beartooth tour, so we all went to the German Market and the Beartooth show.
The German Market in the centre of Southampton has been a regular fixture of Christmas for as long as I can remember: small stalls in wooden sheds appear in December alongside German Bars selling beer and mulled wine in the centre of Southampton High Street.
A new addition to the market is a flying robotic Santa — yes, it's as creepy as it sounds — which is accompanied by an equally robotic pre-recorded voice announcement. Totally bizarre, but it's Christmas, so lets embrace the weirdness. From the market we made out way to the Engine Rooms for the Beartooth show.
It was a total honour to get to watch the Beartooth boys perform from side of stage. They always put on an incredible show, and they certainly did not disappoint. During the encore, the guitar tone for Caleb's solo was truly righteous.
For Annora Bird
Last week, two of my best friends brought the most perfect little baby in to the world: Annora Bird. I wrote this song for her on the day of her birth.
Today, at 11 days old, I met Annora Bird for the first time. She is perfect. My heart bursts with joy and pride and wonder when I look at her, and look at my friends Davyd and Emma, and see them at the start of this brand new journey in life together.
I wrote this song as I thought about this bold new adventure they will take together; inspired by lullabies and the quiet moments of peaceful wonder that come in the stillness between the crazy haze of new life.
Today I found out that Annora hates lullabies. They make her cry. Whoops.
So, I just hope she will grow up to appreciate this gift from a new friend.