I said in an earlier Blog that i was working on something that was quite exciting and I'd let you know more about it in the future. Remember? If not, go back a Blog post or two and find it...

Back?

OK.

So, the thing to which I was referring was a new project with Keith. A while ago he used a (very) short story of mine to create something a bit different. Like an audio book with music and effects, he worked on 'NoMor & I' and turned it into something very different and I loved his Narration.

Well, we were chatting about my entries for the Hammond House 'Fate' Literary Prize 2023 and my short story entry 'Timing'. I said I was happy with it even though it didn't connect with a Judge and he asked me to send him a pdf of it so he could read it. Which I did.

He then asked me if I'd mind him putting a 'treatment' to it to make it into a longer form piece like 'NoMor & I' and I was amazed (but very pleased as you might imagine) that he'd want to do so. 

So I left him to it until he'd split the piece into 12 equal parts and began putting a music track under his narration. He really has a good voice for such things and the way he worked one element of it was amazing and I loved it.

We realised that him reading out the story was good, but we realised that it was quite limited as the way you write for an 'inner' voice (the narrator of the mind) is different and perhaps reduced when compared to an actual voice telling the same story.

I therefore went back to the original and altered it quite a bit for what I consider to be an entirely new work. It's turning into a multi-media piece with some great sounds and narration and I'm pleased with the adjustments made to make it a lot more 'narrator friendly'.

In an idle moment, Keith had created something that he thought could act as an image for the piece on a paper towel and had sent it to me as a working CD Booklet / CD Folder that has morphed into what you see below. I think it is simple but effective and I really like it.

Currently, Keith has recorded all 12 'Chapters' of the story and has tried to create tracks the length of which are within the same sort of region (between 5-7 minutes). I love how the piece is evolving, and find the additions and alterations to 'my' story incredibly interesting and rewarding.

Keith has used his many skills across music, sound effects and narration, combined with my little story, to make something that I hope we can get onto streaming platforms when it's complete. I really think it is that good.

Of course, I'm afraid that like with a lot of our output, you'll have to wait a while until it is ready to be released into the wild but when the time is near, I'll try to remember to update my Blog accordingly!

Thanks for reading this and keep being nice to each other!

Alan   

Here I am, 62 years of age and still no wiser than I was at 50, or 40 or 30! I'm not sure if I ever will be - I'm still surprised and saddened by so many things, but then so much provides pleasure so I should not complain!

I'm writing this as it's been an interesting week and I thought I'd share it with you. Recently I was contacted by a nice chap called Sam from the BBC. The title of the email was 'Media Enquiry' and it made me feel like a real creative for once!

Sam was asking me back onto the radio, this time on BBC Three Counties with the lovely Babs Michel (below) on her Sunday morning show at around 06:45hrs on July 21st. Sam asked me for something 'uplifting' and thoughtful so I spent a while looking through some recent poems and sent him three from which to choose.

He thought that 'Fragile Bird' was the one to go for and I couldn't disagree. So I got up early on Sunday, set up my phone, my paper copy of the poem and my Apple Airpods Max due to an issue in February where the phones I was using was causing feedback and I thought the more expensive pair I had would be cleaner and higher quality. 

So 06:45hrs came and went and no phone call. It got close to 06:50 and i checked my phone and saw I had 2 missed calls but it had never rung! Then I realised, I have 'Do Not Disturb' on between 07:00-23:00 and thus it would not ring in! I phoned them hoping that I'd not blown it and would never be asked again but they seemed ok and put me on hold whilst the lovely Simon and Garfunkel track ('Bridge Over Troubled Water') finished.

Babs welcomed me in her usual lovely way and I explained my process and why I write and then read out 'Fragile Bird', which is all about Laura, my Darling Daughter. It sounded like it was a 'hit' with Babs who said I'd 'nailed it' and once again, it was a lovely experience and well worth getting up at silly o'clock for!

If you want to find it, it's on BBC Sounds, search for Babs Michel (below) in BBC Three Counties radio and find her show for the 21st and my little bit started around the 51 minutes mark.

Thanks for reading, keep being nice to each other!

Alan   

Well, what can I say?

I'd been thinking for a long time about whether (and how) to get my work 'out there' and after a couple of Courses at the University Centre Grimsby (one in Scriptwriting, something I've never done at all before) and then a generic course on 'Creative Writing' (both were evening courses), I thought I'd actually get of my behind and give it a go.

I entered the following categories for the Hammond House International Literary Prize:

Performed Song
Poem (under 40 lines)
Short Story
Song Lyrics

In fact, the only one I didn't go in for was the Short Script as I didn't have time (or an idea) what to write for one!

Now, this International Prize garners entries from over 30 countries and has been in existence for over 5 years and grows year by year. I wrote one set of lyrics, entered a song of ours ('Prison Rain') and created a bespoke story that I was very happy with. Several poems were also entered and everything was set to a theme - 'Fate'.

I had to look at poems that would fit into that wide topic and found some that I thought were worth an entry. I then sat down and came up with an idea for a short story which was incredibly interesting and enjoyable. The title was 'Timing' and it was on the limit of 5,000 words. It had been a while since I'd written something new so that in itself was deeply rewarding.

Of course, even though I was very happy with it, it didn't 'do' anything in the competition but I wasn't (that) downhearted) and felt I'd created something to be proud of. After all, a thing to remember about anything you create is that a person's reaction will be entirely subjective. It either connects or it doesn't. It might even connect on one day but not another, you might have your work seen by the 'right' judge or someone who will never 'get' your work.

It doesn't mean your work is unworthy, just that it wasn't what was looked for on that occasion. Such is life (as Kurt Vonnegut sort of wrote). As usual nowadays, I got the timing of the publication of the shortlists for all categories wrong and spent a few weeks thinking I really wasn't good enough as none of my entries had 'done' anything.

Then one day a fellow writer from one of the courses sent me a message on 'WhatsUp' and congratulated me on my being shortlisted for a poem and a song. I was washed away with pleasure and amazement at the same time. I was even more surprised to realise after a short while that two of my poems had been shortlisted!

Anyway, late February 2024 saw the awards ceremony event to which I was invited and it was a great day. I met some lovely people (a couple of artists that were running a stall around the Louth Portrait Group (held in a Gallery at Spout Yard where Lisa used to Volunteer) and had a great experience.  

 The experience was enhanced for me when we won the Third prize for recorded song for 'Prison Rain' which was immense. I knew we got that as it was announced before, but I wasn't expecting an award for being Shortlisted for my poetry!

It was incredibly tiring and it washed me out for days after, but it was so much fun and fired my enthusiasm for doing it again. Although the concern is that I'll not reach the same level of success next time - but that's a worry in the future!

Thanks for reading this, keep being nice to each other.

​Alan

I know I've not updated this Blog for a (very) long time and if I had any regular visitors who looked forward to reading my musings I would apologise profusely. Honest. Unfortunately, the site doesn't get too much 'traffic' and I'm so busy doing other things that unless I get some help - a PA for example - I'll just have to muddle through as best I can.

As it is, this has been a very busy time recently and I've been working on a new CD (an 'EP' called 'Passing Moods' with Keith), plus a remix of 'One Day' (our first album) as well as our album 'London Diary' which is now available to stream and buy on CD.

We also took the decision to continue to use UnderTow as a 'brand' but to also use our unique surnames and create 'Mitchell&Melhuish' so that when release something across the streaming sites, we are easy to find. 

We hope that by the end of the year we will have the following music available (in order of original release or recording):

'One Day'
(2024 Remix of the 2008 Original album)

'Live in Session'
(2019 but with updated artwork for digital release)

'London Diary'
(Original 2023 release)

'Passing Moods'
(Original 2024 EP release)

'discoveryONE'
(a Prog Concept album released as a double CD 'Mitchell&Melhuish as UnderTow')

There's also something else that could be interesting if it develops, but I'll keep that back for a future Blog post. After all, I have to have something to write about!

Finally, it was amazing to be contacted from out of nowhere by a Producer from BBC East radio who asked me if I'd consider getting up very early one Sunday morning and read (and chat about) a poem of mine. Apparently, she had looked at this website and thought me interesting enough to get in touch, which just shows you how useful such a site can be!

I was shocked and amazed that I'd get such a contact from a 'proper' radio station, and even though it felt like I was getting up for an Early Turn (something I'd not done in well over 2 decades I'd think), it was brilliant. 

Anyway, you'll be totally unsurprised to hear that I said yes and thus I woke at 06:20 one February Sunday morning (25th) and tried to ensure I had everything ready for the phone call just before 06:45hrs. I must say (really? You must?) that I know that they are used to doing this sort of thing but they were professionalism personified. Slick and quick and the presenter, Babs Michel, was absolutely lovely to chat too and was very kind about my poem ('Pointless').

She asked to return sometime and of course I said I would. Whether I'll get another invite remains to be seen! Whether I do or not, it was a lovely experience and I enjoyed it immensly!

That's all for now folks, take care and keep being nice to each other.

Alan