GUESTBOOK
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Alan Ashton replies...
Posted by Alan Ashton on 08 July 2010
Perhaps it should be explained that the isolated letter to which Alan refers, was sent after "A Tribute to Mark Shakespeare" show at a Lyme Bay Festival that Alan produced.
Tribute shows featuring other celebrities like Matt Monroe, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra (just to mention three) are often seen on TV - so what is the difference? It is a great compliment to the artiste to be remembered in this way and Alan should not be deterred.
Tribute shows featuring other celebrities like Matt Monroe, Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra (just to mention three) are often seen on TV - so what is the difference? It is a great compliment to the artiste to be remembered in this way and Alan should not be deterred.
Posted by Ed on 08 July 2010
This month (August 2011) it will have been 15 years since a very good friend & one of the most talented electronic 'showman' organists there has ever been, passed away. His name? MARK SHAKESPEARE. I have just completely revamped the tribute show that I presented at one of Cled's Lyme Bay Festivals [ see earlier letter on this subject] and once the members of the Shakespeare family have had a chance to check it out for any inaccuracies or changes to be made, it will be posted in my ever growing Organ Celebrities series. The total viewing figures to date for the 33 films in the series is nearing the 50.000 mark....which taking into consideration 99.9% of them feature 'dead' organists, it does tend to prove narrow minded people are in the minority! So please do keep watching as new films will continue to appear from time to time. I find the individual viewing figures for the respective organists to be rather enlightening, and judging by them, the Dutch organist Cor Steyn seems to be constantly at the top of the list, along with Klaus Wunderlich.
Posted by Alan Ashton on 31 August 2011
Does age matter?
I have to agree with Gwyn, it's nice to hear from players and Alan Ashton who is proud to be the oldest swinger, I mean DJ, in town.
But does age really matter? Alan has a long way to go to match the achievements of Sir Jimmy Young and Bruce Forsythe.
It is only this year that Alan will be receiving his free television licence - for his age and not for his services to the media and all the films he put on Granada Television.
What is not generally known is Alan's contribution to YouTube and the Gram-r-fone channel. If you don't know what I mean, just put the two words into Google and ignore: 'do you mean Gram-o-phone?'
It is just a pity that there is no dialog on Alan's videos for those who understand English but cannot read.
And where is the Gram-r-fone website to support the videos? Now that would be something!
Getting back to age, it is rather like a toilet roll - it goes quicker towards the end. So make the most of every day!
Isaac (aged 82)
But does age really matter? Alan has a long way to go to match the achievements of Sir Jimmy Young and Bruce Forsythe.
It is only this year that Alan will be receiving his free television licence - for his age and not for his services to the media and all the films he put on Granada Television.
What is not generally known is Alan's contribution to YouTube and the Gram-r-fone channel. If you don't know what I mean, just put the two words into Google and ignore: 'do you mean Gram-o-phone?'
It is just a pity that there is no dialog on Alan's videos for those who understand English but cannot read.
And where is the Gram-r-fone website to support the videos? Now that would be something!
Getting back to age, it is rather like a toilet roll - it goes quicker towards the end. So make the most of every day!
Isaac (aged 82)
Posted by Isaac Daniel on 07 July 2010
Wonderful Organ World
Wow! It is refreshing to see a website that's different to all others and to have personalities like Chris Powell, Matthew Bason and Alan Ashton responding to what readers have to say on this Guestbook.
I have to compliment them for taking the time to respond to enthusiasts - it shows that they take notice of this website and care for the organ scene.
I look forward to the time when keyboard players of all instruments will have their own website, because I, for one, like to look at them and see if they reflect the players personality.
Here's to the future.
I have to compliment them for taking the time to respond to enthusiasts - it shows that they take notice of this website and care for the organ scene.
I look forward to the time when keyboard players of all instruments will have their own website, because I, for one, like to look at them and see if they reflect the players personality.
Here's to the future.
Posted by Gwyn Davies on 06 July 2010
This website
Just to let you know that I have found this website most interesting.
I have found out more about certain players (though their websites) that I never knew before. It certainly fills a gap in the field of directories.
Thanks for putting it on line.
I have found out more about certain players (though their websites) that I never knew before. It certainly fills a gap in the field of directories.
Thanks for putting it on line.
Posted by Ben Evans on 30 June 2010
Organ Club Website Listing
As a follow up to the letter by Harold Watkins, I would like to make a suggestion about the listing of organ society websites on the Internet, that is, the websites that they have made themselves.
Currently no Internet directory (Organfax included) mentions or links to society own websites.
I suggest that the example website called YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY, illustrated on Keyboardnews & Chat, be used to highlight the websites that clubs have made themselves - like the one made by Basildon Keyboard Club.
The YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY website can surely be easily modified and the format made similar to this one.
The new website will serve to advertise the relevant societies and encourage those with no website to have one.
I would like your comments.
Currently no Internet directory (Organfax included) mentions or links to society own websites.
I suggest that the example website called YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY, illustrated on Keyboardnews & Chat, be used to highlight the websites that clubs have made themselves - like the one made by Basildon Keyboard Club.
The YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY website can surely be easily modified and the format made similar to this one.
The new website will serve to advertise the relevant societies and encourage those with no website to have one.
I would like your comments.
Posted by Fred Thomas on 24 June 2010
Thanks Fred for writing. We think that you have made a brilliant suggestion. Even when modified the website will still serve as an example template that others could use for their own website.
Nothing stops still in this world and we think that this could be a good step forward to help organ societies and keyboard clubs.
We will give this suggestion our serious consideration and have given your letter a star rating. We have also placed YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY in our Menu - with your letter on it.
Just to put the record straight - some societies who subscribe to OrganFax do have links mentioned.
Nothing stops still in this world and we think that this could be a good step forward to help organ societies and keyboard clubs.
We will give this suggestion our serious consideration and have given your letter a star rating. We have also placed YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY in our Menu - with your letter on it.
Just to put the record straight - some societies who subscribe to OrganFax do have links mentioned.
Posted by Ed on 24 June 2010
The YOUR ORGAN SOCIETY website has now been modified to include organ societies and keyboard clubs who have their own websites.
Posted by Ed on 07 July 2010
Thank you also for the plug for the Organ Celebrities videos on You-Tube, posted under the ‘gramrfone’ name…there now being 16 already available and more to come. I will explain the reason for the lack of dialog… which is three-fold.
Firstly I like to think that the written word and pictures, if used in certain ways, is a more concise form of presentation. Also, the You-Tube video Rules limit uploads to 10 mins maximum time, so it is a question of judicious editing in order to retain the basic storyline. There is a lot more that could be added to a number of the videos.
Secondly, they were never intended to be for You-Tube, but were compiled for peripheral attractions at Organ Festivals, but I put them on the ‘back-burner’ after screening some longer ones at a Festival which resulted in a letter being received by the Promoter from one very narrow minded Festivalgoer who indicated that there were those people who did not want to see presentations about ‘dead organists’. I found this to be a strange comment especially as many of our organists today include the music of Reginald Dixon & Klaus Wunderlich….the latter being the subject of one of the videos that prompted the letter. Seems it’s OK to HEAR their music but not SEE their faces.
Thirdly, I had given thought to supplying them on DVD to Organ Clubs who could, for a very small purchase price, screen them on Members Nights or the Annual Committee Meeting night when no major organist wants to hang around and tailor his/her programme to what remains of the playing time that night. For the price I had in mind it would have also been a huge saving to the Club. As more and more Clubs are investing in big screen CCT presentation, it seemed to be a good idea…but I never got around to marketing it! I felt I wanted to retain as much control over them in the light of how easy it is for illegal copies to be made. Ask any organist their views on that subject!
Finally Isaac, thank you for reminding me that this year that I get something for nothing in the way of a free TV Licence. Not wishing to look a gift horse in the mouth I wish the BBC would take theatre and electronic organs seriously and feature them. Anything would be preferable to the deluge of sport throughout every day. Even the England Team has had to adopt a new theme tune….Out Of Africa!