Back to the Grindstone….

This week I’m trying to do some more preparatory work on my next solo album, whilst also being “on call” for Mike from BC Sweet who is putting the finishing touches to one of our new tracks. I’m in the “workmanlike” stage of my project, where I’m detailing every dodgy piano note, repairing bits here and there and generally trying to knock into shape ideas that are not yet complete songs. It doesn’t feel particularly creative, but it’s a necessary part of the process. Once I’m back in the swing of things it should move along nicely, but the sunshine has a way of luring you away from the studio!

I’ve also been distracted by my football team’s (Derby County) legendary victory over our bitterest rivals (Nottingham Forest) and felt compelled to record a version of “Wish you were Here” to commemorate it! You can download it here:

We’ve been quite busy with BC Sweet too, involving a lot of travelling, so that’s kept me away from the studio at times. Still, I have time to get cracking on my usual stuff, as my next show with BC Sweet isn’t until mid October.

Kev Moore

Just like the Old Days

A week or so ago, I went to see my beloved Derby County play Barnsley at Pride Park stadium with my Dad. Now, whilst I’ve been to Pride park before – even sang there – it was the first time we’d sat together for a match since the heady days of the early 70’s, witnessing the magic that Brian Clough and Peter Taylor brought to the club. The venue was different then, of course – not a shiny modern stadium, but the intimacy of the old Baseball Ground, almost on top of the treacherous pitch, daunting for the opposition.

To sit with Dad again felt like completing the circle. After all, Brian’s sons appointment as Manager and my football education through my Father prompted me to write “Derby Pride”. Fast forward several years since that song and Nigel’s appointment, and we’ve witnessed everything- hard times, spectacular falls from grace, a shining period of sublime total football, followed swiftly by total collapse. The phrase “no-one said it was going to be easy” hardly seems to cover it. If we didn’t know it before, we know now – Nigel Clough has a long hard road ahead.  Watching the game with Dad, I saw some reasons to be optimistic. We kept a clean sheet, loanee Jamie Ward looked an industrious lad, but we were making too many unforced errors, almost beating oursleves, as it were. Nevertheless, at the time of writing, we’d managed to grind out a massively important win this weekend against high-flying Swansea.  This club will rise again, but it will take longer than some can stomach. But then, supporting Derby County was never for the faint-hearted.

What it is for though, is Fathers and Sons.*

* View/12YO – AND daughters!! 😉

Kev Moore

Progress against the Pilgrims?

Today, Derby County face Plymouth Argyle at Pride Park. The second home game of the season, with the players keen to turn our stadium into a “fortress”. It’s an important game to win, for whilst we opened our account with a win against Mr. Ferguson Junior’s Peterborough, and got a hard fought point away to Blackpool, the two games in between, against Rotherham and Scunthorpe respectively, have been less than inspiring.

But, nick some points away and win your home games, and you’re always going to be there or thereabouts. So come on Derby and take the wind out of the Pilgrims sails!

Celebrating the game today with another piece of art from Miki’s “Countdown for the Commons People” calendar. As you can see, ever the safety-conscious artist, Miki has furnished the “Kevram” with a lifebelt!

Don’t forget, the “Fan Fayre for the Commons People CD” is still available by clicking the links in the sidebar.

Kev Moore