I spy with my little eye

Ey Up Blog Beans,

My it has been a while since we spoke! My fault entirely, between the on-going Horizon Tour and moving house, my ability to access the internet has been somewhat hindered…thankfully the BT install people came day before last…WOOHOO.

Although thank you kindly to all those friends, family and free Wi-Fi hotspots that let me scab some web time during that difficult dry period… I mean, what did we do before the internet?! All I know is that the lack of it has meant I’ve actually had to talk to Rob these past few weeks…never has someone been more thankful to be connected to the world wide wonder :p
Anyways, how have you been? I’ve been pretty manic really. The tour is going great and hopefully will continue to do so, I’ll endeavour to give you a full update on all things tour soon but I’m going to hijack today’s post to tell you about a very special gig that I’m doing next week (20/4/12)

I’ll be honest with you from the start, this post is a plea to those of you within travelling distance of the Robert Ludlam Theatre in Derby to please come along and support next week’s gig because it is all in aid of a wonderful charity called LOOK.

Now I don’t want to sound like Bono, but just to let you know (in case you haven’t come across them before) that LOOK are a charity that work with young people who are living with visual impairment, offering them and their families support to try and build a better and brighter future.

Their website is here if you would like to have a nosey http://www.look-uk.org/

Why am I asking you to support this charity? Apart from the fact that this is an extremely worthy cause, LOOK change and shape the lives of so many young people helping them interact and integrate with the sighted world in a really positive and dynamic way…

…But on a personal level

I am guessing that some of you, in particular you local peeps may have seen in the paper or heard me on the radio talking about losing the sight in my left eye in 2009. Amazingly, when LOOK approached me to headline their evening of fundraising they had no idea about my own personal experience of sight loss…which is quite a coinkydink don’t you agree?

Now I know the rules, you can’t say ‘I went blind in one eye’ and then not proceed to tell the story…it’s like saying ‘I know something you don’t know’ which is the single most annoying phrase in the universe! hehe

I will start by saying that I was and am extremely lucky, after lots of tests to determine what the problem was (retro bulbar optic neuritis to be precise). It turned out to be a condition where after time your sight comes back as quickly as it was lost. In simple terms it is an inflammation in the optic nerve – and when that inflammation goes away, your sight comes back. I just didn’t want you to be reading the rest of this worrying that I was still struggling with my sight…at this moment in time and ‘touch wood’ for many moments in time to come I have my full sight and there are no problems.

So anyway, the full story:

I’m going to sound right daft now, but I hadn’t noticed anything was wrong with my vision, I’d just been pootling along with my day. Then in the evening I was getting dolled up to go out with friends and when I closed my right eye to put my eyeliner on I noticed that there was this dark band right across the middle of my left eye’s vision. I stood in front of the mirror, trying to blink away what I presumed was some stray mascara or something, but to no avail. I resolved that maybe I was tired, or that it really was mascara that was just being stubborn…Looking back I don’t know why I was quite so calm about it, I guess I just thought that it might go away and that there was no point worrying about it till the morning.

In the morning the grey band was a bit wider, so I rang the opticians and got an appointment for mid-morning…I rang my mum up, told her what was happening and not to worry, but she’s a mum and mums’ always worry (although admittedly she was right to in this case) and we went to the opticians together. The optician did his thing and found that there was nothing physically wrong with my eye so he referred me to see a specialist and told me if it got worse to come back or go straight to a+e. I remember he was a very handsome optician hehe

Over the next 24 hours my sight got worse and worse and I ended up going to a+e; by that point my sight had decreased so much that there was only a very small crescent or clear vision in the top left corner of my sight. I spent the whole day there being examined, my sight getting increasingly worse until there was just the smallest sliver of vision left…I was silently freaking out; thinking that if it keeps getting worse then something must be happening…something that could be irreversible if we don’t get help soon. But the doctors sent me away saying that they weren’t sure what was happening but if I didn’t feel sick (i.e.: I thankfully was not suffering from a brain haemorrhage) then there was nothing that they could do to help at that time and I would be best to wait for my specialist appointment which wasn’t due to come through for 2-3 weeks

Looking back at that initial diagnosis of ‘DON’T PANIC MR MANNERING’, they were right. But I do really wish that one of them had taken the time to explain that, I was truly scared that this could be permanent or a sign of something much worse happening. And that sort of worrying is rare for me…I am very much a glass half full person (or at least that’s what my family tell me)

Whilst this trip to a+e was going on, I should have been travelling to perform at a house concert for the lovely Dave and Sheena Henderson of Leicestershire. I rang them to tell them what was happening and they told me to stay at home…I said, ‘I’ll only be moping about, I’m coming if you don’t mind me being a bit late’

I arrived to painted signs saying ‘get better soon Lucy’ and ‘thank you’ which was just so lovely, made me feel a gazillion times better than sitting at home thinking about things would have done. It had been quite a scary couple of days and I just wanted to not have to think about whether my sight would ever come back, for the 45 minutes of the set anyway.

The gig was a blast…although my new found lack of left eye did confuse me greatly when glancing down at my guitar when changing chords and not actually being able to see the fret board (it was during Julia if my memory serves me correctly)… it meant craning my head to use my right eye…which wasn’t a great hardship, but I just really vividly remember the moment and thinking ‘well, this is different’

I dunno if you guys believe in fate or that kind of thing but going to that gig was actually the beginning of me finally getting some answers as to what the Jeff was happening to me. It turns out that Leicester Royal Infirmary have a specialist – walk in – eye a+e that I would have never have known about if it wasn’t for making a point of going to this gig and meeting folks of Leicester who had used this amazing service.

The next morning off we went, and it was such a relief, the minute I started to describe my symptoms the specialist nurses already had ideas of what could be wrong and began ordering all the relevant tests. I was there all day, right until all the doctors bar the one dealing with me had gone home (it was a Sunday, so the fact the unit was even open was brilliant). By the end of that day they had decided it was some form of optic neuritis and that if I wanted they could start me on steroids as this can help calm an inflammation in the eye and optic nerve and get your sight back quicker ( although no guarantees that it will come back any quicker than it would naturally)

I opted against drugs…I’m not a fan at the best of times and when they couldn’t say that it would definitely make a difference I voted for go home and let nature do its thing. I did have to go back for all sorts of tests and scans in the months that followed, but really…all the interesting stuff happenned in those few days

And so to wrap up this tale: I was without my sight for a total of 3 months; mostly I just found it really disorientating. When I had both of my eyes open it felt like double vision, my mum actually made me an array of groovy eye patches so that I could at least get on with day to day stuff. A leopard print one, a sparkly one, one with hearts…one for every occasion

The biggest thing it affected at the time was that it stopped me from driving. Despite the fact that when I was wearing the patch I could see perfectly clearly out of my right eye, it just wasn’t worth the risk in my opinion. I truly am so jammy though, this happened to me before I had to keep up with a busy tour schedule. Although I know that if it did happen again I would cope…cos you just do don’t you :) but it definitely was a blessing that it happened when it did.

And so to the lasting effects…the thing that frustrates me most about this whole situation is that I can no longer donate blood, and I haven’t fully checked it out, although I guess that means that my organs won’t be useful to anyone but me now either; which is rubbish! I guess I am going to have to do other things to be helpful in my life time :) Annnnd as for any threat of it happening again…well there just aint no use worrying about that unless it happens eh?

So there you go, there is the whole story. I am not looking for sympathy and if this gig hadn’t of come randomly out of the blue I don’t think I would have had any need to tell you guys. I’m not ashamed of it; it just wouldn’t have come up. I wanted to tell you it all so you would know how close this cause is to my heart and who knows maybe you have experienced something similar and…

Well

Anyway

If you can make it to the Robert Ludlam Theatre on 20th April it will be lovely to meet you and you will be helping an amazing charity. The kids who LOOK provide help for, well most of them aren’t as lucky as I have been and are facing living with visual impairment for the rest of their lives.

Bono moment again, but please just take a minute to think how much not being able to see would affect your life.

The tickets are £20…and before you say ‘cor blimey that’s a lot’, this is a fundraiser and the price of your ticket will be genuinely go a long way in helping LOOK keep up the sensational work they do.

oooo alos, it isn’t just an evening of me larking about you will also be treated to the delights of Annie Mooney, Shannon Walker and Andrew Coleman so all in all it should be a really good evening

I’ll hope to see you there and if not, I’ll see you soon : )

Hope you’re having a brill weekend (I’m babysitting my sister’s dog and at some point I’ve got to paint my kitchen cupboards teal!)

Ciao for now

Luce xx

Billy Bragg, For The Dead Men and Fishermen

Ey up

Well ya know I was going to do you a big fishyfriends write up

Me and the Fisherman's Friends

…well I am still going to do that…but as per life I have turned on facebook and got distracted :s hehe

I got distracted because Billy Bragg has shared the video for my single, ‘For The Dead Men’

‘Good day for news yesterday – James Murdoch goes back to New York with his tail between his legs, the Tories are forced into a U-turn on workfare by activists putting pressure on big business and then hearing this new song on 6Music late last night “Stand up and take to the streets, they can’t ignore us if we all choose to speak”. Brilliant’

I first saw Billy Bragg when I was just ten years old at Glastonbury, he blew me away and since that time I have held such a massive respect for that fella and his music. I’ve seen him play a number of times (including a duet with Bill Bailey! which was nothing short of brilliant!), poured over his albums and just well…he is up there in my eyes as one of those people who has done so much, and written lyrics that I covet and..

What I am trying to say is that it is very surreal that Billy Bragg has heard of me, let alone likes my song.

Totally true, utterly stunned bit out of the way, someone asked me at my gig on monday why I wrote this song and why ‘dead men’; it was quite a big question and I think I could of rambled on about it for yonks (you know how I like to talk :p ).  Well I have been thinking about it more since that question and thought that for this weeks post I would have a little muse about what inspired it, how I wrote it and how I feel about it now.

Why did I write it?

I wrote it out of desperation! I guess it was a reaction to what is going on in the world, catalysed by watching the marches, riots and revolutions unfold on my tv screen. I am a total pacifist, and a veggie one at that so please know that I would never condone any violence, but there was something about watching  those who were making their voices heard (in a peaceful way) that just…i dunno…spoke to me.  

 Why dead men?

 

It started out as a reference to those who have marched before us, but as the song has developed I feel it has become more than that. I really think it refers to us all, ‘the dead men’ are those of us sticking our heads in the sand, ignorant to what is happening and our power to affect it. It’s apathy. It is also all those on the thin edge of the wedge who have been left deal with the true fall out of the cuts and reforms… while the rest of us (including myself) sit in our warm, paid up homes thinking about cutting down our broadband package.

 

The response that this song has had so far has been quite overwhelming with lots of you guys sharing it online, it has been knocked around ‘occupies’ all over the world since I recorded it, Mike Harding has shared it, it’s beginning to get airplay and today with Billy Bragg sharing it with his 90,000 + fans on facebook it really feels like something important is happening. It’s just great to know that there are people out there who feel the same.

 

please continue to share this should you feel so inclined

 Just for your info, this single is my first new release since my album last year. It is available on itunes and amazon as a download and if you would like a physical copy then they are only available from me, (just £3 + £1 for postage and packaging)…just drop me an email on info@lucywardsings.com and I’ll get back to you asap    

 

 Right then

 

I best go get ready as it is the first date of my tour Spring Horizon Tour tonight…very exciting as I am kicking off with a Derbyshire date

 

For full list of tour dates click to —> http://www.lucywardsings.com/dates.php

 

Have a lovely thursday guys

 

Luce xx

 

 

Bye bye Fisherman…hello Horizon Tour

Ey up peoples

How are you? Good I hope

Another short blog monday here I am afraid, but I don’t have gigs on tues/wednesday this week so I will endeavour to do full write of all the Fishy Friends goodness…and tell you all their exclusive and astonishing secrets believe me there are loads :p

In the mean time though, I will say that I had a flipping brilliant time…those boys are lovely and getting the chance to play such awesome venues was just too cool…last night I was singing on the stage at the Liverpool Philharmaic Hall for flip sake. TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

But in the words of Yazz and the plastic population ‘the only way is up baby’  and after a half 10 lie in this morning  I am straight into a run of my own tour dates…I have cannily called it the horizon tour on the back of recent events and I may not be playing any great halls but I am really looking forward to getting on the road again and hopefully catcing up with a lot of you lovely lovely people along the way.

The offical tour is through March and April, but you can see all my tour dates for the year in the link below

 http://www.lucywardsings.com/dates.php

So then, now I’m off to grab a shower before tootling down to Henley to play Nettlebed  Folk Club I’ve been there a couple of times before but not for a good couple of years so it will be cracking to get down there again, annnnnnnnnd it’s a double header with Megan Henwood so it should be a good night

Have a lovely monday folks and I shall post up a full fish pie over the next few days

Luce xx

FISHERMAN’S FRIENDS

Ey Up

How’s it going? excuse the lack of postage since the Folk Awards, I really haven’t had anything much more interesting than that to tell you about! Although I do have some rather tasty blog monday’s lined up for you over the next few weeks so keep your eyes peeled for those.

This is just a speedy one as today I am setting off for my dates supporting the mighteous Fisherman’s Friends. I am muchly excited about the prospect of this…meeting the fellas, standing on those stages – tonight we’re at the Cambridge corn exchange

As you may have guessed, I am a very smiley giggley wreck right now, but I am sure over the course of the next few hours the suitable amount of uncontrollable nerves will kick in…it’s all good though, I think you need them, well I know I need them.

Am I already rambling? Probs hehe

That’s a sign of the nerves you see

Anyways, I shall try and keep you posted on facey b and twitter over the next few days about whats occuring. In the mean time have a good week…find the dates of the tour in the link below (I’m with them from Cambridge through to Liverpool on Sunday)

http://portisaacsfishermansfriends.com/lives-dates/

Luce xx

FOLK AWARDS! :D Horizon award winner 2012

 

Ey Up!

How goes it?

Sorry it’s taken me til now to get to blogging. Yesterday was taken up with travelling home, radio interview, appearance on local news tv and just generally trying to catch up with emails and some of the lovely messages you lot have sent through…I think I will be doing that for most of today as well which is right lovely !

So anyways, if you didn’t manage to catch it I was lucky enough to win the Horizon Award which is for emerging talent and the contribution they have made to our folk scene over the past year.

My lovely shiny folk award and my lovely shiny shoes

Check out the link below, you can watch the folk awards there and there is a full list of nominees’ winners and links to  highlights etc :)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio2/events/folk-awards-2012/

So then, I am quite sure that this post is going to be a completely confused ramble of excitedness but I am going to try and tell you the full story of the day leading up to it, my experience of going to the folk awards for the first time, the after party and what happened next (perferably in that order)

Wednesday am

I woke up a bundle of excitement, which was a very welcome change from the nervous adrenaline that I had previously been experiencing! And knowing that I had to nip to town to get a few last minute bits and bobs (bangles to be precise) I hopped into my scruffs, got all my 3 potential outfits for the evening ready and in the car…in fact by the time Rob finished packing the car, I think I had all but the kitchen sink  and my pink elephant totempole! But anyways, I found what I needed and we headed straight over to my folks and piled everything and ourselves into their navy blue wonder vehicle and set off for Salford. The journey was picturesque as we went through Derbyshire, up to Glossop and on to Manc from there…the snow on the hillside and the sheep in the fields…it was stuff of folk song I can tell ya . We did as we always would do on any Wardy journey, stuck the ipod on and sang like crazy people all the way, Bohemian Rhapsody, Itchycoo Park, all the classics in fact in the ipod shuffleness we did even get Outkast’s ‘Hey Ya’…which in the law of my scrumptious mum mean we have to stop the car, get out and boogie on the side of the road, which scared a lot of passing traffic I am sure.  But we had fun  (we have to do it to the B52′s ’Love Shack’ if it ever comes on too)   

This was awaiting me on mum and dad's doorstep...dafties!

Wednesday pm – the arrival and getting ready

When we arrived at MediaCity UK, the new home of all things BBC, we were staying in an apartment there…it was very swish I can tell ya! White walls, dark wood flooring, posh bathroom, even posher kitchen and a glass coffee table that everyone but me seemed to bash their shin on at some point within the first 10 minutes :s hehe. Seeing as various family members where going to be making the journey up we thought it best just to have a base for everyone to congregate at So we went down to ‘Booths’ which is Waitrose but even posher…it was that posh that they had nearly sold out of quails eggs lol :p . We got all things tasty, saw Steve Knightley purchasing some hot grub and headed back up to the apartment to start the long process of getting ready, freaking out, gathering the fam and stuffing our faces   

This is THE dress, this was taken as i walked out of the changing room buying it at COW, Birmingham

The next bit is all a bit of a blur really cos it seemed to fly by all too fast. I did my face and despite taking 3 potential outfits settled on one straight away – a vintage 70′s maxi dress which I described in a previous blog as being Farrah Fawcett meets a mirror ball-esque :p . In the process of getting dolled up I got a phone call from Radio Derby and did a little chat live on air with them…really good to see that despite loosing Folkwaves that the main shows are still willing to give air time to folk I think the chat was mainly me rambling on like a nutter getting all excited but anyways, after that was done I mounted my mighteous Irregular Choice shoes and off to The Lowry Centre we went.

Me and Rob on the way down in the lift

 

 

on route with Rob, Mum and my lovely sis Jan

Wednesday pm – The Folk Awards

In we went and straight away I saw loads of people I knew, which put my mind at rest I can tell you, all the nerves changed to the excitement of just being there. I have said a lot over the past couple of days that just being counted amongst a load of musicians who I deeply respect and whose music I love was plenty enough…winning was an added cheeky bonus. So we took our seats, my mum and dad in the circle, my sis and one of my bro’s up in the gods, Rob’s folks stuck behind the camera crane thing. Me and Rob defo got the best seats out of all of us :p

We’d worked out I was on the end of a row so thought that could bode well for potentially having to get out and go up on stage  but on getting into the theatre most of the nominated acts were on the end so that put and end to that notion and all there was left to do was wait. Luckily  both my categories were in the first half…otherwise I think I might of exploded with the tension!

So we watched the awesome Martin Simpson + Band open the show and I cheer extra loud for Will Pound’s harmonica solo (cos he is quite frankly one of the loveliest fella’s in folk) and for a split second I kinda forgot what we were here to do and was just enjoying some cracking live music, then Mike (Harding) and Julie (Fowlis) got to introducing the show and the nominees for the first category and it all became very real again knowing that Horizon Award was up next.

So it gets to Horizon Award time, and the camera’s are rushing round trying to get shots of all the nominee’s faces…I make sure I am sitting up staright and am prepared to pull my best not too disappointed face hehe…and then Badly Drawn Boy, who was presenting this award, said something along the line’s of  ’she has……from Derby’  and the combination of singular female combined with my home town gave the game away before he had even said my name. We were sitting behind John Tams and family, his gorgeous wife Sally turned round, wiggled her finger at me and exclaimed ‘It’s you!’ accompanied by the rallying cry of ‘C’mon Derby’ from Tam

I was blown away, I honestly had no inkling as to who would win and didn’t dare entertain too many daydreams that it could be me so as not to get my hopes up.

Blurry pic...probs cos my dad was few miles away and shaking with excitement :p

I then had the arduous task of making it from my seat, up the stairs and accross the stage without falling over in my beautiful but very high shoes (I took the opportunity to wear platforms as being both tall and incapable of singing unless my feet are firmly rooted, means it is very rare I get to wear such beasts!). I made it, and even managed to make a speech. I will admit to you guys that in the few daydreams I allowed myself, I did have think about who I would want to thank. The emotions I was feeling were all the obvious ones I guess, just awesome to recieve such a recognition, and a bit surreal really given I had watched the awards from my living room the year before and said to my folks, ‘well, all i’ve gotta do now is get there’ and for it to happen just a year later…well it’s cool beans! I also remeber thinking that the theatre looked very purple lol

After recieving the award I was ushered off stage by Badly Drawn Boy and we headed into a room off the wings where a photographer was waiting to take our pic against a Radio 2 back drop, I can’t find it yet but I am hoping the pic will turn up online soon so I can stick it in my scrap book!

I headed back to my seat to the sound of wonderful Seth Lakeman doing his thing, and waited for the interval to see my folks. I was quite sure and content in the knowledge that I would not win Best Traditional track although it was cool to be included amongst the likes of my hero June Tabor with Oysterband, Emily Smith and Martin Simpson. On that note didn’t June and Oysterband just clean up! I’m not suprised, Ragged Kingdom is a cracking album!

Anyways, it gets to half time and me and Rob go dashing out to try and find my mum and dad…massive hugs, tears from my folks and lots of friendly faces all coming and saying congratulations which was a right lovely feeling. I tell you, I’ll be buzzing off this one for a while.

Posing for photies

 

 

Me with my folks (i'm bending down so I don't dwarf them :p )

 

 

With my sis and bro

 

The rest of the ceremony was great, sprinkled with cracking performances, more wins for Derbyshire based acts…there must be something in the water it would seem. We were sandwiched bewteen Tam and Jackie Oates which meant the camera’s were hanging around us quite a bit…which meant no chance to let it all hang out but that was probably for the best :p

For a full write up from the Gaurdian check out the link below, where Colin Irwin has said: ‘Lucy Ward – a resplendent figure in blue hair and voluminous dress – took the Horizon award for best new act’…BOOM :p

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2012/feb/09/june-tabor-bbc-folk-awards

Wednesday pm – The after party

Well after the ceremony was over, I’d hugged lots of people and seen my family off, me and Rob headed round to the bar at the Lowry where the wrist banded after party was cracking off. I’m not a great fan of this hobnobbing schmoozing malarky but it seemed to flow really easily, meeting new people and catching up with old faces. I guess that’s folk all over though aint it, a sense of community comes easily

Right then, the true highlight of the event ladies and gentlemen…

I GOT TO MEET AND HUG JUNE TABOR!

After chickening out of professing my love for here before, I felt that this might be my only chance, so as we passed each other I just stopped and blurted out how I find her music so inspirational and how the way she sings just speaks to my very core.

ME AND JUNE TABOR!!!!!!!!

What a woman!

I don’t want to sound like a name dropper, but if I told you all the folkies I got to speak to I’ll sound like one, so in short, I got to talk to a hella lot of people I seriously respect. Just thinking about it now to write this here blog it’s…well…mental! I mean the Dubliners started up a sing song in the bar, a moment I will surely never ever forget witnessing.

Me and Mike...him green, me blue...2/3rds of earth wind and fire?

Anyway, back to the apartment we trotted home about 1:30am, I know a lot of people stayed up much later, but we were shatterd and I wanted to get chance to see my mum and dad, cos as I said in my speech (sentimental bit coming here) my mum and dad help me soooo much, I wanted to be with them to share all the excited emotions and good stuff. Below is a pic of me, Rob and mum watching my acceptance speech back on the BBC Radio 2 website :p

:)

 

I feel I have rambled muchos and that this is possibly the longest blog post in living history ever! So for that reason, I will save all the backstage details of my trip to East Midlands Today TV Headquarters, twas very cool.

Right then, after spending all of today slaving over a hot computer, I am off to a little family gathering to celebrate, CRACK OPEN THE PIES!

Ciao for now,

Luce xx

ps: I just wanted to say, it can be really hard to talk about things like awards without sounding really diva like. I really hope I haven’t come across that way and that it truly was a pleasure to just be there

Blog Monday: Fishy Friends and thoughts on the impending folk awards

Ey Up Blog Beans,

How are ye this fair morrow?

I am snuffly…thanks for asking spent the whole of sunday laid up in bed, but feeling a lot more awake today, so hoping that was the worst of it.

So, to what has happened over the past week…just about everything really, or at least it feels that way

As you may know if you are a regular reader of my little blog, my first single ever ever ever was released last sunday. Then on tuesday I was featured on Austarlia’s Radio National…listen to the show in the link below (gotta love a cheeky rhyme)

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/dailyplanet/lucy-ward-show/3790968

I also found out that across the week I have been played on Swedish, Portugese and Spanish radio programmes…tooo cool

On wednesday, I was finally able to announce that I have been invited on tour with the mighteous Fisherman’s Friends…super too cool! At first it was a right bundle of emotions, cos despite being epically awesome (Liverpool Philarmonic Hall for flip sake!!!), it would mean having to re-arrange two dates I had already booked in. I had no other choice but to take the being totally honest approach with the promoters, and very luckily and ludicrously graciously they both were immensely kind in helping me shift stuff around so that I could go on tour.

FYI guys: the affected gigs

• Uxbridge Folk Club will now have the excellent Rory McLeod on the 23rd February. We are looking to rearrange my date but they are booked up for the forseeable future so I will have to keep you posted on that one. In the mean time please go and support this lovely club and the uber talented Rory

• If any of you were thinking of coming to my gig at the Greenwich Theatre – that has also had to be arranged, it is now on 24th March 2012 (was on 26/2/12). Other than those two dates nothing else has had to change so thanks again to the promoters for being so accomadating and apologies for any convienience it may have caused to any of you guys.

Now then…those Fishy Friends…I’m with them for all their Feb tour dates

http://portisaacsfishermansfriends.com/lives-dates/

It sounds really daft, but I think what I am most looking forward is just seeing what these beautiful venues look like from the stage…There’s no way I would get to play them on my own so just really stoked about getting the opportunity to I’m also looking forward to meeting  the fellas…by all your accounts so far (from you lot on facey b) they sound like lovely people

So then, these impending, very scary, folk awards!

I have spent the week having nightmares about being late on wednesday :s lol.

I have two dresses (every girl needs a back up plan) just in case I suddenly decide I look like a ill-dressed turtle in one! I guess one is kind of a Elizabeth Bennett meets Lady Gaga; and the other is Farah Fawcett meets a mirror ball!

I have been practising walking in my silly, but beautiful shoes…and I can tell you now, if they stay on all night it will be a major achievement

My folks have brought new gear too and Rob has had his suit dry cleaned. I think they might all be a bit excited hehe I’m excited too when I stop being nervous for long enough. I don’t even know why I am nervous, I’m sure it’s going to be a lovely evening

So anyways, I’ll pop up some pictures of the evening, including what dress I went for after Wednesday has been and done it’s thing Don’t forget you can listen live on Radio 2 and you can even watch it on the red button service from BBC. So if I make it onto the tv, make sure one of you films it cos it may never happen again :p

Wish me luck cos I am bricking it!

Have a lovely week

Luce xx

ps: sorry about the lack of pictures in this weeks post…don’t wanna give the game away about my dress so please accept yet another pic of me being daft to tide you over til I bombard you with a load of images after the folk awards

 

Urn-ing the title of drippiest human ever :p

BLOG MONDAY: Single is launched, and insight intro recording and Australia

Ey up!

How are you?

‘Lucy, it’s Monday, how do you think we are?’

errmmmmmm, ok, so maybe you’re not quite fully into the swing of things yet but I hope that whatever you are up to you are all gravy and life is treating you well

Yesterday saw the official release of ‘For The Dead Men’!!!!

‘Sunday was an odd day to release a single luce, did you get your days muddled?’

No, apparently that’s just the way of the world when it comes to download releases I must admit, that little nugget of info was news to me too!

So yes, it is here at last! The response has been pretty overwhelming if I am honest with you; and as cheesy at it sounds, I really feel like we are all in this together, I’m feeling a sense of unity right now.

Bono bit out the way :s

Guess who shared the video last night…Mr Mike Harding

 

 

With a comment of ‘I love this song – what a lass’

Cool beans! in fact, not just Mike Harding but loads of people on facey b in particluar have been sharing the video, posting it on your walls or on the walls of like-minded friends . Thanks to all of you, I am quite sure the success of the last 24 hrs has been down to you lot being well cool!

Haven’t downloaded it yet but think that you would quite like to?

No worries, You can get you mitts on it on itunes

http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/for-the-dead-men/id497199644?i=497199645&ign-mpt=uo%3D4

or amazon (in fact, you lot made For The Dead Men #5 in the folk singles chart on amazon and #2 in the folk album chart (although I dunno how it got into that category hehe)

So anyways…as it’s Blog Monday…I’m going to fill you in on recording for the dead men…both the single and the music video

Well, when it was decided that ‘For The Dead Men’ was going to be released as a single I was right over the moon. We hadn’t even really discussed a 2nd album at that point and were just focusing on making the most of the unexpected success of Adelphi, I sent Stu (Stu Hanna from Megson, who produced Adelphi) and the peeps at Navigator the  live recording of me playing it on ‘Sounds of Folk’ with a view to just letting them know I was writing. Within a few days it was decided that we should put it out as a single and start working towards a second album release on the label. (I’m writing for the album at the moemnt so may have some more light to shed on that one for ya in a few months time) 

Lyrics printed out ready to map out arrangement

So anyways, it got to recording week and everyone in the family…repeat…EVERYONE…caught the dreaded lurgy. There were technicolour yawns everywhere. I’m blaming some nameless youth at my niece’s eight birthday party…not that I usually make a habit of holding grudges against small children, but it was the last week I needed to be ill

Luckily despite being extremely busy working with other artists, gigging and doing all the things new parents have to do, Stu was alble to fit me in for a day and a half to try and lay down the single, a b-side and a back-up plan.

Is Lucy in the studio?! She must be! It's a tip!

Working with Stu is always great and I felt we managed to slip straight back into the work mode we had during recording  Adelphi. I think we make a good team. Stu by nature is pretty laid back and is always open to ideas…in my experience when you are both open to trying different things (although that can be really hard when it’s your own songs and arrangements) that actually you make something that is bigger than the sum of it’s parts. ‘CHEESY!’ I hear you shout! But it’s kind of true, so please excuse the distinct hint of chedder!

We laid everything down pretty quickly and then, once it’s there in principle, thats when you can start spending  time experimenting, singing harmonies, trying diffent instrumentation and effects. I guess when you always perform solo, recording is a rare opportunity to add in all the bits you could hear when you were writing, the rumbling percussion marching onwards, the voices multiplying as we ‘stand up….’ (although you lot usually provide that bit at the gigs  cos you’re lovely). Ofcourse, all this adding stuff malarky is all about being careful not to overload it and make sure there is room to let the words do their thing…words are always my favourite bit of a song

The lovely Anna Esslemont also offered up some incredible haunting fiddle to go onto the track, so ya never know, that may just make it onto the album version

And lastly, it wouldn’t be a blog of mine if it didn’t involve food! :p

Mmmmmm....my M&S

 OOO Yeah, for those of you who fancy a physical copy, thats still not a prob, as per yesterdays blog (go there for fuller deets)

They are just £3 + £1 for postage and packaging (£2 postage and packaging if you need it sending overseas)

If you would like a copy, then please drop me an email

info@lucywardsings.com

and let me know your

1. name
2. address
3. how many copies you would like
4. and whether you would like to pay by paypal or cheque

I will email you back asap and we’ll take it from there

So then, back to Blog Mondayness – AUSTRALIA

Check this bad boy out…I’m being played on mother jeffin Australian Broadcast Corporation’s Radio…NATIONAL RADIO!!!!

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/dailyplanet/lucy-ward-show/3790968

AHHHHHHH!!!!

So totally amazing, a whole show dedicated to my album!!! It’s just surreal, a whole show! I am just astounded that somehwere thousands of miles away from where I live or have ever played feel that their listeners across the whole  of AUSTRALIA would be interested in listening to me.

I’m flabbergasted

So with that, I’m out!

Luce xx

RELEASED TODAY – For The Dead Men

Ey Up!

How are you this fine Sunday morning?

I am buzzing! Cos as you could probably guess from the title of this post. My first ever single is released today!

 

The music video was released mid week and I have been sooooo overwhelmed by your response so far, I’m really really so chuffed that so many of you seem to share the sentiment of this song and we’re all getting behind it together. Should you feel compelled, please continue to share the video on facey b and all the other social media type thingys that you use.

For The Dead Men it is available for mp3 dowload from amazon for just 69p…what a bargain! :p

http://www.amazon.co.uk/For-The-Dead-Men/dp/B0071Y29HA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1327833942&sr=8-2

Fancy a physical copy?

no probs   I have a finite number of Limited Edition Singles which include a cd exclusive (not available anywhere for download!) remix of ‘Maids When You’re Young ‘

For The Dead Men single cover...squeeeeeeeee

Where do I get one from?

These physical copies are only available from yours truly…

They are just £3 + £1 for postage and packaging (£2 postage and packaging if you need it sending overseas)

If you would like a copy, then please drop me an email

info@lucywardsings.com

and let me know your

1. name
2. address
3. how many copies you would like
4. and whether you would like to pay by paypal or cheque

I will email you back asap and we’ll take it from there

———————————————————————–

Thanks again for all your support dudes, tis so exciting to be releasing a single. I’m on the ceiling!!!

‘Stand up and take to the streets, they can’t ignore us if we all choose to speak’

Have a great Sunday everyone

Luce x

 

 

 

 

Part 2 my first ever music video, the unwrapping, and your chance to order ‘For The Dead Men’

Ey Up

They are here!!!!!!

At last!!!!

So so excited when my folks rang to say that a great big cd filled parcel had arrived for me!

Arrgghh excited and holding scissors

 

oooooooo...lush

 

yay!

 And here it is…my first ever music video…ARRRGGGHHHHH…and your first chance to hear the studio version of ‘For The Dead Men’

 

 

Full run down of making the video in a Blog Monday coming soon but please feel free to share this video on facey b, twitter and all the other things you are connected too in the mean time

 

So, I’ve said this before, but just incase you missed it, though ‘For The Dead Men’ will be available to download, physical copies are completely limited edition.

 

In addition to the title track there is a cd exclusive that won’t be available for download (a chilled remix of Maids When You’re Young)

 

NOW THEN…

I was hoping for my next sentence to be something along the lines of…and here is the link for you to buy it should you feel so inclined

 

HOWEVER…

 

it would seem that either all of the technological world is out to get me (I have even roped IT Champion Rob to help me, but still no joy) OR ‘the man’ has got wind of the sentiment of my song and is putting all sorts of moriaty-esque barriers in my way to stop the message from spreading

 

Gotta love a conspiracy theory

 

So here is what I propose, for now, til I can Sherlock my way out of this jam, if you would like a copy then please drop me an email with your name, address and how you would like to pay (paypal or cheques preferred), I’ll email you back and we’ll go from there  

 

info@lucywardsings.com

 

They are £3.00 each and £1.oo postage + packaging to UK residents (£2.00 postage + packaging to send overseas)

  

So for now peeps, that’s the best I can do ninight, see you soon xx

Tomozipan’s tomozipan! Part 1 photoshoots

Eh Up mon petit filous’

Hows it going?

Those eagle eyed amongst you may have infact noticed that the Blog Monday I so enthusiastically promised did not appear. Combine a day of workshopping followed by two meetings and a tempremental modem and voila! You have a broken promise…but never fear as I have a cunning plan

Blog Tuesday :p

or as I like to call it Tomozipan’s Tomozipan (Tomorrow’s tomorrow for those of you not at one with the language of Miranda Hart). As an extra apology for my lack of Blog Modayness, please enjoy yet another picture of me being daft!

This pic was taken in Irregular Choice, Brighton. There are only 3 of these stores in the whole world. I am pulling my I am so happy I could eat this shoe face

So then, time seems to be hurtling by me at a rather alarming rate at the moment (did you know it’s nearly February already?) but tis all good stuff…here’s one of the more exciting things that has gone down

PHOTOSHOOT GOODNESS

Knowing I needed some new promo shots for 2012 combined with images for the single artwork. I turned to my beautiful friend and musical compadre the excruciatingly talented Elly Lucas.

Factoid: Me and Elly met through a lonely hearts ad-ish. When I got into the Young Folk Award my local paper ran a little article about it, Elly saw the article about a fellow young folkie, found me on myspace and asked if I fancied meeting up for a jam some time. I was bricking it! Jamming was something proper musicians did! Anyways, the rest is history…if you haven’t seen them before you should defo check out her duo ‘David Gibb and Elly Lucas’, they are ace

 

 

I’m blummin brilliant on cocnuts aren’t I :s

Lol anyways, Elly has done all my photos for yonks (being mates with a professional photographer is great! You get to plan your shoots over endless cups of tea, iced lebkuchen whilst listening to Will Smith :p )

The morning started with meeting the lovely jubbly Rebecca Yeates http://www.rebeccayeates.co.uk/home.html who kindly agreed to come along and sort hair and make-up for me. u know what, reminiscing about this is lovely, photoshoots are so great, you get to be supermodel for half a day!!

So anyways, fully briefed up, Rebecca sorted my mug out, did my hair, helped me into the dress my gorgeous mum made me for the shoot. We did the ‘For The Dead Men’ shots first. The odd thing about shoots is it takes hours to get ready then you are only infront of the camera for 20 mins max…

This was my view of the table of treats whilst getting ready…those mince pies were lush! I ate about 5 through the course of the day…whoops!

Elly taking a photo of me taking a phot of Elly

The finished single artwork (the design was also done by Miss Lucas)

We then embarked on the promo shots, and seeing as these end up on all your tour flyers etc I wanted these to be really fun and brightly coloured – although I guess when your hair is blue you end up with brighly coloured flyers whether you want them or not :p . Me and Elly had an idea based around mother nature, we wanted something that was striking and we drew a doodle of mother nature with her hair intertwined with the braches of a tree…like she was growing out of it, or it was growing out of her…we fell in love with the idea…and then had the task of how the flip are we gonna make little old me look like our elaborate doodle.

Luckily, I love crazy hair, so having an excuse to buy mountains of gothic hair extensions was not a problem!

The problem was getting hold of them, they arrived the day of the shoot as Rebecca was applyining my make up…PHEW! :S

But anyways, after Rebeacca laboured for yonks to get my face right (we gave here quite a brief brief so that she could just experiement with what she thought would look cool) it was time to venture outside…trouble was…IT WAS CHUFFIN FREEZING!

LITERALLY

FREEZING

In fact I think we checked and it was something like 6 Degrees, cor blimey, I had goosebumps from here to the moon! As you’ll see from the photo’s,I wasn’t really in proper attire to combat such tempretures, but none the less me, Elly and Rebecca grinned, bared it and hoped for some really cool pictures

Posing for photos whilst tied to a tree was quite an interesting experience I can tell you. There were a few moments where i’d be leaning forward, posing, leaning forward to get into the light, posing, leaning forward, ahhh losing my balance, ahhhhh, im attached to this tree by my hair, MUST NOT FALL OVER, balance regained, sweet!

I’m well chuffed with the results, hope you like them too  

Part 2 of Tomzipan’s tomozipan is brewing, ands I will be whacking it up later this evening with a link to where you can buy limited edition copies of ‘For The Dead Men’ should you want them.

Ciao for now

Luce xx