Elstree Studios in Borehamwood, Hertfordshire, was where all the Star Wars films were filmed, and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Hertfordshire is a county north of London, north-west of Central London.
Saturday, 31 January 2009
Wednesday, 28 January 2009
South Bank Show Awards in London
Theatre impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh picks up the Producers award at the South Bank Show awards. Sir Cameron has produced many top West end hits like Les Miserables, The Witches of Eastwick and the Phantom of the Opera. Les Mis is on at the Queen's Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue. The duration of the performance is just over 3 hours. A good guide to theatres in London can be found here.
What is a producer? money-man, risk-taker, yes - but to be a great producer you need great judgment and great belief.
What is a producer? money-man, risk-taker, yes - but to be a great producer you need great judgment and great belief.
Sunday, 25 January 2009
American Folk Music
Music of the American South, conservative, mining songs
"nobody showed me how to play the banjo, I had to learn the hard way, on my own"
Uncle Dave Macon, handles a banjo like a monkey does a peanut
I'd rather ride a wagon all the way to heaven than hell in an automobile
Blind Lemon Jefferson, he spoke his soul through his guitar. blues, the "devil music"
the mississippi delta became the heart of the blues
music was his way out of the cotton fields, they dressed nicely, they want to be taken seriously as musicians
charlie had "cat eyes", piercing grey eyes, 100 yard stare, son of Irish immigrants. Charlie would "play till the son came up" people would dance, it was a catharsis for them after a hard day in the mills.
john hurt. whatever ills there was in the world, they were healed.
blue singer: ran away from the cotton fields, ride the rails all his life as a busker, could not settle down, could not fit in, because to fit in is to be in a situation close to slavery, and in some cases, worse than slavery
By the late 1920s, the word folk was being used more and more
Carter family, it's a mountain voice, you can tell in their voice where they come from. their first recording was "Bury me under the Weeping Willow Tree" in 1927
Jimmy Rodgers was regarded as the first country music artist. for him, it was about train songs. the beginning of the idea of the South. had a blues voice. "he was a nice friendly fella". with the wall street crash the rest of america had to endure the poverty the south had to endure for decades. How can a "when we get our grocery bill we feel like writing our will" How can a poor man stand such times and live.
"I'm going to the land where there is no depression" the capturing of country styles would never be done again. "I'm going where the water tastes like wine".
it was cold. Blind Lemon Jefferson, came back to Chicago and he froze to death.
"nobody showed me how to play the banjo, I had to learn the hard way, on my own"
Uncle Dave Macon, handles a banjo like a monkey does a peanut
I'd rather ride a wagon all the way to heaven than hell in an automobile
Blind Lemon Jefferson, he spoke his soul through his guitar. blues, the "devil music"
the mississippi delta became the heart of the blues
music was his way out of the cotton fields, they dressed nicely, they want to be taken seriously as musicians
charlie had "cat eyes", piercing grey eyes, 100 yard stare, son of Irish immigrants. Charlie would "play till the son came up" people would dance, it was a catharsis for them after a hard day in the mills.
john hurt. whatever ills there was in the world, they were healed.
blue singer: ran away from the cotton fields, ride the rails all his life as a busker, could not settle down, could not fit in, because to fit in is to be in a situation close to slavery, and in some cases, worse than slavery
By the late 1920s, the word folk was being used more and more
Carter family, it's a mountain voice, you can tell in their voice where they come from. their first recording was "Bury me under the Weeping Willow Tree" in 1927
Jimmy Rodgers was regarded as the first country music artist. for him, it was about train songs. the beginning of the idea of the South. had a blues voice. "he was a nice friendly fella". with the wall street crash the rest of america had to endure the poverty the south had to endure for decades. How can a "when we get our grocery bill we feel like writing our will" How can a poor man stand such times and live.
"I'm going to the land where there is no depression" the capturing of country styles would never be done again. "I'm going where the water tastes like wine".
it was cold. Blind Lemon Jefferson, came back to Chicago and he froze to death.
Saturday, 24 January 2009
History of the U-boat
The U-boat (German for "underwater boat") refers to German military submarines used in WW1 and WW2.
The first submarine built in Germany was the Brandtaucher, designed in 1850. It was used in combat with the Danish navy.
The first submarine built in Germany was the Brandtaucher, designed in 1850. It was used in combat with the Danish navy.
Saturday, 10 January 2009
History of Cyprus
Early written history shows Cyprus was part of the Assyrian empire. It became a Roman province in 58 BC. Then Byzantium. Arabs invaded in 688, and a truce was agreed allowing joint government between Arabs and Byzantines. In 1878, the UK took over Cyprus from the Ottoman Empire as part of the Cyprus Convention. In 1914, the UK annexed Cyprus and in 1925 it was made a Crown Colony. in 1955-59 a movement started for enosis, union with Greece. This resulted in an independent state, Republic of Cyprus, in 1960.
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