Wednesday 13 May 2020

In an Ideal World...


My lockdown listen of the last seven days features one of rock and roll's unsung heroes: Henry Priestman - born in Hull, raised in Liverpool - is one of life's good guys. He's enjoyed a multi faceted career, but is probably best known for being one of the Christians - the 80s/90s combo featuring the three Christian* brothers, Garry, Roger and Russell. Devotees of David Hepworth and Mark Ellen's Word in Your Ear podcasts will be aware that a spin-off video version 'A Word in Your Attic' has been open for business throughout the lockdown, inviting guests to join them via their Webcams in a delightful show and tell format that I've found absolutely riveting. Henry Priestman's episode can be found here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Indeed I would strongly urge anyone contemplating a life laundry to give it a coat of looking at.

As they should this equally beguiling piece of footage: Henry himself has been recording his own lockdown sessions in his garden shed. Here he is performing a beautiful arrangement of Ideal World - with a little help from his (socially distancing) friends.


Henry Priestman - Ideal World (2020)


* Onomasticians can rest easy - for the record, Priestman's middle name is Christian.

4 comments:

  1. If you've not heard them, his solo albums are well worth investigating. I particularly recommend his debut Chronicles Of Modern Life (from 2008, nigh on 30 years after his first recorded output with Yachts)

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    1. Thank you, RD. I'm listening to Chronicles as I'm writing this.

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  2. The ‘unsung hero’ checking in to say thanks very much for your kind words.
    I had such fun (as you’ll no doubt have gathered by my smiling demeanour throughout the entire podcast), this despite the fact that I ‘met’ David & Mark literally 2 minutes before cameras rolled. Must applaud them for putting me at my ease immediately.
    Thanks also to Mr R Digit for his comment above re my solo work; if any trouble picking up said albums, the shop’s always open for business at henrypriestman.com.
    Cheerio,
    Hx

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    1. Henry, thank you so much for getting in touch - I specialise in 'Unsung Heroes', so you're amongst friends here! Yes, David and Mark have got a great bedside manner; they've both done Q&As for this blog and I have nothing but love and respect for the pair of them.

      Take care, and thanks again for dropping by. J

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