Bob Harris Show

13 April 2013

We are in session tonight on The Bob Harris Show, midnight on Radio 2. You can listen again here if you miss it....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006wqtf

Tickets on Sale for Julie's special 50th birthday concert

08 January 2013

Tickets have just been released for what promises to be a very special night indeed. It's taking place in Chris and Julie's hometown of Penistone and in the wonderful setting of the splendid barn of Cubley Hall. We have some very special guests lined up including an exclusive reunion after 18 years with Pat Shaw. This is going to be a cracker.

People are travelling from all over the country for this so for those of you who are disappointed by the lack of Party on the Lawn this year, we hope this will go some way to make up for that. Tickets are limited and we're selling them through WeGotTickets (the link is on the tour page) so get in early to avoid disappointment. They are £12 in total each which includes the booking fee. There is also a link to Cubley's website for anyone wanting to book accomodation but again, this is limited. Hope to see you there. Another place to try is the Fairway Hotel in Dodworth, about 10 Minutes away.

Party on the Lawn and Julie's Birthday Bash

05 December 2012

Hi Guys,

We're sorry to say that for several reasons, most of them practical, there will not be a Party on the Lawn next yesr.

There will however be a celebration gig for Julie's 50th birthday.

The date is 15th March and the venue will be, The Barn, Cubley hall, Mortimer Road, Cubley, Penistone, South Yorkshire. There will be some special guests too.

Ticket will be £12 and will be on sale in January.

12 Years of Christmas now available in the shop

28 November 2012

The brand new St Agnes Fountain Studio album, Tweve Years of Christmas is now available to buy in our online shop. Why not get yourself in the Christmas mood and order one today. It's FAB!

Two albums completed!

29 August 2012

Yes we are pleased to announce that the While and Matthews album 'Infinite Sky' and that St Agnes Fountain's new one 'Twelve Years of Christmas' are both finished and in the can!!!!

It's been a really crazy recording summer with me (Chris)  hopping around on crutches and amazing musicians popping in to perform their own kind of magic in the Headshed Studio.

Of course we had our fantastic band in first, Howard Lees (Guitars) Neil Fairclough (Bass) and Bryan Hargreaves (Drums). Then Martin Simpson, Andy Cutting  and Nancy Kerr came in to add some more magic to the mix. Kellie While lent us her beautiful voice on a song or two.

Then comes the painstaking mixing part, long days and nights spent taking it all apart again and then lovingly putting it back together.

Kirstie Edwards came over for the day and we went out into our little market town in the Pennines and Kirstie spent her time and expertise photographing the most unwilling subjects on earth but she stuck with it and as always, came up trumps. Then it goes to Bryan Ledgard, a legend now in graphic art, especially In the folk/roots genre. We are very very happy with it all.......

Summer churned on and after just a few days home from hospital, the Aggies turned up to make yet another Christmas album in summer.

What a lovely week we had, the sun shone and the carols poured.

The  Christmas album will be available on mail order from November  and the duo album very soon.........

By the way, my knee is brilliant, a big hunk of steel and plastic, thank you for all the kind thoughts you've all sent.

Just a note about December, due to a mix up the two Banbury gigs will now happen on one night at St. Mary's Church, Banbury, details on the tour page.

CDs back in stock!

17 August 2012

Just to let you know that there are a couple of titles that we now have stock of, that have been unavailable for a while. 'Higher Potential' at the bargain price of £6 and 'Shadow of my Former Self' single at £2. If you have been waiting for these to come in, head over to the shop now to make your purchase.

Albums, Ballads and new knees!

17 July 2012

What a busy old time its been these last few months. The new duo album, 'Infinite Sky' is now on its way to be manufactured and will be released in the Autumn. It's been an amazing album to make, we've loved every minute of it, right from the early stages of rehearsals with the band, through the wonderful guests that have come in and played and sang so beautifully, right to the fabulous photo shoot we had with Kirstie Edwards and then the sleeve design meetings with Bryan Ledgard. This is the first major project we have done in the studio since we had it built last year and it is the most wonderful space to be in, so relaxing and inspiring.

Prior to and throughout the making of this album there's also been lots of Radio Ballads work being produced, whether it be writing or recording. I hope you've been able to hear them all so far, I'm so proud and honoured to have been part of it all again having written 14 of the songs and Chris has done some beautiful singing on half of them, not least of all 'Nie Wieder' from the Berlin games programme. This song has made it onto our new album with breathtaking performances by Andy Cutting on Melodeon and Nancy Kerr on Viola...so moving. Three programmes still to go so check them out on Monday nights at 10pm on BBC Radio 2 or on iplayer.

As I write this, Chris is in surgery having a new knee but her respite when she comes home will only be for a few days as the Aggies arrive on Sunday to record our new studio album. Poor Chris' recovery will have to take place on the studio sofa as opposed to the lounge sofa! No rest for the wicked! We're really excited about a new Aggie album though as we have a wonderful collection of new songs which also means that this years tour will be fresh and exciting too.

The only bit of work that Chris' op has affected is Saturday the 21st July, Riversway Festival in Preston which I'm now doing as a solo gig but with a special guest appearance from our old friend Ken Nicol. If you're in the area it would be great to see some familiar friendly faces. Right, I'd better get myself ready for visiting time! See you later.

The Olympic Radio Ballads

28 June 2012

This coming Monday (2nd July) sees the first airing of what has been several months creative and consuming work - The BBC Radio 2 Olympic Radio Ballads. It has been an amazing project to have been involved in having written 14 songs over the six programmes.  I never expected when the project began to be so engrossed in interviews about the Olympics but I couldn't have been more wrong, the topics were fascinating; Berlin, Munich, Controversies, The marathon, Going for Gold and to start the series off, The origins of the ancient and modern Olympics. Once again, a stellar cast of writers, musicians and singers have been drawn together under a brilliant production team of John Leonard and Kellie While; myself and Jez Lowe having written for all the previous ballads were joined by some rather brilliant and gifted new kids on the block....Boo Hewerdine, Chris Wood, Nancy Kerr, Martin Simpson and Steve Tilston. Between us we have written over 50 brand new songs and they have been embellished by some of the finest musicians in the land....John McCusker, Will Pound, Andy Cutting to name but a few. Guest singers besides the writers themselves include Chris While, Barry Coope, Bob Fox and June Tabor.  All of these people however are the ribbon and bow for the wonderful interviews which are inspiring, moving, funny and incredibly informative. Whether you're a follower of sport or not, don't miss these ground breaking programmes tune in to Radio 2 at 10pm (first programme includes 4 of my songs!). Hope you enjoy them.

The Great British Story on iplayer

13 June 2012

For anyone who missed Chris on The Great British Story last night can watch it on iplayer now!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01jxrg5/The_Great_British_Story_Regional_Histories_Furness_Journey/

The Great British Story

12 June 2012

Don't miss Chris appearing on The Great British Story presented by Stuart Maconie on BBC1 tonight at 10.35pm. She performs Falling Ashes in the Dock Museum in Barrow in Furness