My singer-songwriter friend, Jonathan Taylor, whom I interviewed on the blog a while back, is reviving the radio station he originally produced in England. While Radio GB is principally aimed at people from the UK now living in Bulgaria, there will certainly be plenty of good stuff on the show to appeal to a much wider audience.
You can catch the pilot episode on youtube right now, or just click on the play button on the embedded video.
Canadian violinist/composer, Davey Copeland, has just released his latest album, It’s Only Time. I met Davey just this year, and he and his girlfriend, Suzie Frischmann, who created the amazing cover art, stayed with us for a couple of months. The album was inspired by our area in the mountains of Bulgaria, and it was composed and recorded in our home. Using multi-tracking, and lots of other clever stuff, with some guitar, vocals and percussion thrown in for good measure, Davey has created a magical melange of musics. Hypnotic, ethereal, beaty, cool and jazzy – impossible to describe, and impossible not to enjoy. Do consider picking up a copy.
I was tempted to call this posting, “I’m too old for this shit,” to give you a clue as to what it’s about. And, yes, you’ve got it, I am talking today about clichés. Clichés, the writer’s sworn enemy. Clichés have a way of sneaking in under the wire, in the work of even the most seasoned of writers. At high school we were told by English teachers in no uncertain terms to “avoid them like the plague.” Did you notice what I did just then? I used a cliched expression “avoid them like the plague.”
My point being that school kids are allowed to get away with them. It’s – another cliché – a learning curve. However, seasoned Hollywood scriptwriters, directors and producers have no excuse. Clichés can of course be employed in a tongue-in-cheek way, but not when they are used and re-used in the same way. We all know the hoary old cliché of the aging cop who is brought out of retirement to track down the killer he failed to capture first time around. At some point, during a shootout, or when he’s trying to vault a wall, or when he’s in the middle of a car chase, he’s going to say (I promise you): “I’m too old for this shit.” And on the subject of car chases, why is it, I wonder does the driver of the fast car, when he’s trying to escape the pursuers, invariably says, “Hang on.” Talk about a needless instruction. Also, I asked myself, hang on to what? Your hat? Your cojones? The air?
My all time favourite Hollywood cliché, though, has to be THE BIG SPEECH. In way too many films these days, whether it’s a high school teen romp, a romantic comedy, a courtroom drama, or a sci fi epic, there’s a scene close to the end when all is put right. The anti-hero finds redemption, and stands up on a platform and tells everyone what a bad person he has been and how he has changed because of the love of a good woman/parent/mentor/dog. Or the villain is crushed – usually in a very public place like Prom Night, an assembly hall, a football arena, or somewhere else large and crowded – while the hero publicly shows his triumph. Admittedly, I did want to cheer when Al Pacinio, in the film, “And Justice for All” turned on the client he was defending and declaimed to the judge and all assembled in the courtroom: “He did it. The sonofabitch did it!” Only now I’ve lost count of the times I have watched that same scene, or one much like it, played out again and again in Hollywood movies.
Don’t get me wrong. I have a huge amount of respect for scriptwriters. Many of them do a sterling job against all odds (budget, market forces and so on). But the producers and directors all too often go for the easy way. They somehow believe that this kind of nonesense is what the audience wants. But, in my view, all these clichés and cop-out endings simply insult audiences. Honestly, Hollywood, you don’t need to over-explain everything. And, if you’re going for laughs, come up with some new lines, please.
The latest episode of the wonderfully creepy Tales to Terrify podcast features a story by Gary Fry, a terrific British writer. His story, The Indelible Strain of Company, is narrated by yours truly. I had great fun recording the story, which brought to mind the classic tales of M.R. James and others. Such tales have little need to for literary special effects – though the writing is beautiful and extremely effective. Rather, this ghostly tale seeps into one’s bones, and leaves that sensation of something watching…just beware of turning your head around to see what it is!
Oh, and if you want more, I do recommend you pick up a copy of the first volume of Tales to Terrify in print or ebook format.
It’s with sadness that I have to announce the death at the age of 61 of actor, Robin Sachs (who narrated the audiobook versions of my novel, Bone Machines and Kali’s Kiss) and musician Jonathan “Johnny JT Afterwish” Taylor, 47, who produced my friend, Jonathan Taylor’s album, Priest.
My sincerest condolences go out to the friends and families of these two fantastic, creative, inspirational men.
In this latest interview for the blog, I talk to singer-songwriter, Jonathan Taylor. His music is very much about storytelling, dark, witty, melodic and beautifully performed (he’s got a truly fabulous voice). I’ve put some links you may find helpful when seeking out his music, and you’ll find out what the above video is about at the end of the interview.
Tell me a little about yourself, your background and life.
I was born in 1966 in Warwick, in the upstairs bedroom at home in a council house, adjacent to the racecourse. Dad was a sales rep and my mother a domestic worker. We moved regularly but eventually ended up in the Forest of Dean. Following my parents’ divorce when I was six, me and mum moved to Abergavenny, South Wales where she re-married – a farm labourer. Later, at 19, I moved to Yorkshire where I remained until I was 40. As a persistent school truant and somewhat off the rails, and brutally bullied at school, childhood was one of social workers and educational welfare officers. My childhood was deeply unhappy but in many ways I was extremely fortunate, especially growing up with the freedom on the farm where I worked while not at school. I was told that I “had never completed a full week of education,” though I would attend school on odd days, to avoid the threat of being taken into care if I didn’t do so. But, when I look back now I think I had the best education available — real life.
When did you first start playing guitar and, more importantly, how did the songwriting come about? I know it’s rare for you to perform cover versions, but I guess early on you would have done more – before you became a fully fledged songwriter.
I always remember desperately wanting a guitar long before I learned to play. My stepfather bought me an acoustic when I was, I guess, 13-ish but no one in the family could play or tune it for me and soon I got bored with it. I took it up again when I was 15. I bought a ‘Hondo Zenta’ electric and a second hand amplifier for 75 quid. I remember my mother always turning off the electricity at the meter so I couldn’t play — as she said, it was costing too much. She would say, “You don’t need to hear it to practice.” Fortunately we had a new local and rather trendy village vicar who was be a bit more supportive. He would tune it for me and encourage me, but then I discovered you could buy electric tuners, problem solved! It was the likes of AC/DC, Iron Maiden and Deep Purple that inspired me to play. I was a rocker at a point in time everybody else was Mod. Friends and I would sit up all night jamming and learning rock covers; yep, the first tune I ever mastered, Smoke on The Water, like so many other first timers. We formed our first band, The Magic Ace and had great fun, but no covers, since I was writing originals from the age of 16 upward. I hate playing covers, for the most part, and don’t see the point unless you make your version original, I guess.
Many of your songs are quite dark, some highly political, or at least controversial. Even your beautiful love songs have a tough edge alongside the tenderness (which is to say “real” love songs). What draws you to these kinds of songs?
It has to be personality, you are what you are and I guess, and I’m quite a lonely, sad, dark guy. My songs are about me, they come from me and it’s just the way I express myself. It’s almost like keeping an emotional diary of life, the universe and everything. When I’m down I cry and when I cry I need to write and cry completely, that’s just the way it is. I get challenged from time to time when people say, “Why don’t you play something happy?” I think, if you came here today to listen to Jonathan Taylor, then listen to Jonathan Taylor. Do you want the truth or something simply pretty? Though I don’t think most of my material is sad, it’s more reflective and thought provoking. My songs have to say something or what’s the point? The minute you write what people want you’re not being true to yourself, and writing purely from a commercial standpoint. You lose the artist inside. I don’t have any rules when writing, other than to be myself. I guess because I don’t have rules I just go for it, to see what happens. If it makes me cry, hopefully it’ll make the audience cry and then that’s a song worth writing. Music for me is about expressing emotion, nothing less. It comes from the heart. I’ve never written to be controversial, that’s just a by product of the process; it’s called real life. If a song has swearing in it or a controversial verse, it’s because it needs to be there I hate it when people just swear for effect – boring.
Some of your material is ballad like in nature while some has an almost punk or hard rock sensibility. Yet they work together as a unity, unmistakably Jonathan Taylor. So, what are your musical influences, and what inspires you?
A story, first and foremost, whether it’s victims of 9/11 or the Holocaust, it’s the story. If you have a story then you have a ballad. Everything starts with the story. I pick up the acoustic and it just flows. People find me hard to work with, not as a person but as a non-professionally trained one. Though I struggle with term “professionally trained,” as I don’t think I am skilled enough to own it. I prefer singer-songwriter. I’ve seen so many first class musicians play, and I’m not one of them. Every song I write stands alone at the very beginning, just the acoustic and vocal. If the song doesn’t work live naked and solo, then it’s not my song. Everything else gets put on top afterward, even the drums, usually last. Percussion is so beautiful when used as a complement, drums are an instrument in their own right and should be appreciated, not just the ‘thump thump’ of a strong rythmn in the background. The timing changes throughout, obviously, but the songs connect with my emotional delivery, as they should. I hate a fixed, constant beat. That’s not the way I work. I have never used a click track to maintain timing too when recording – yuk! But that’s just my opinion.
You involve musicians from different backgrounds when recording (and sometimes performing) – not only different musical backgrounds, but cultural ones as well. Recently you’ve worked with some amazing Bulgarian musicians, for example, Bulgaria being the country in which you now reside. What do other musical styles bring to your material and, does what you hear even drive you change what you’ve already written?
Well, yes Bulgaria was a turning point for me. It wasn’t until living here and being forty that I guess my songwriting blossomed. I’ve written my best, if I can say so without coming across as arrogant, while here. And all the interest of the Bulgarian press and TV only serves to encourage me. I’ve been knocked down so many times over the years, but here I feel sincerely appreciated and that makes me feel good about my work. I enjoyed much success in the UK and elsewhere, don’t get me wrong. Bu there’s such a hierarchy in the UK, and breaking through depends more on who you know rather than what you do. In the UK I was a blip on the radar, but here I am a definite clear blip! I’ve been blessed to work with so many top pro-musicians, both here in Bulgaria and the UK and I can’t name them all. You run the risk of being accused of name dropping and there’s also the danger of making one person more important than others and that’s certainly not the case. The greatest musicians I know are not the technically brilliant ones, they are the ones that hear the song and just do it. Add something that’s beautiful and it transforms my stuff into something else, takes it somewhere else. Even when it’s just a single note, well that’s what I call a musician. I’m working with a promoter now, Yordan Yordanov, and feel that the future is good. A sense that I’ve, after all these years, finally arrived at a creative stage I want to be at. It’s not about fame or money, though it does put a smirk on my face when I get recognised in the supermarkets, of course it does, but it’s about my music. People appreciating my songs for what they are, genuine. I’m working on new projects and cultural fusions and, for the first time in many, many years I’m keen to put a band together. My experience with previous bands has always been sadly one of a battle of egos and being quite a withdrawn, shy guy I always kept to the back. It’s my turn now, I’ve worked hard for it and I’m most certainly going to enjoy it. Without wanting to sound big headed about these things I just want to say, “Get out of the way and just let me through…’
I write to my surroundings and that is now Bulgaria, and the musicians here are so easy to work with. Inevitably they bring their own feel to the music. I guess my music is evolving into something akin to Baroque Balkan Folk/Rock, yeah, I like the sound of that.
In the craft of songwriting, I believe you work on melody first, then write lyrics to fit. But what comes before that? The inspirations for you songs are pretty varied, I understand.
Many songs are written in the time it takes to play them, you obviously craft them and change them later, but the song is there immediately. But some take years. For example one I have just finished for the new album ‘The Blacksail Studio Sessions’ took 22 years to finish. Many, many more just get binned. I keep only what I release – if it’s not good enough to put out there in the public arena then scrap it, move on. It’s hard to explain. Let’s take my latest song about a Bulgarian partisan. I have the tune, I have the melody but I just can’t find the lyrics. But as always I know that if it’s not to mind immediately it won’t come by forcing it. Writing lyrics for the sake of it doesn’t work, you don’t get the emotion. I know that one day I’ll just be strumming away and it will happen there and then when it is supposed to. I’ve got all the basics in place, now I just need the right moment.
Other songs the story is in my mind long before a tune or melody. I hear things, quotes, see or read something and just think, wow, there’s a song in there somewhere. I can have an idea in mind months before it gets put to a tune. To sum it up, though, the story and the tune first, the lyrics develop later, whether within minutes or years. I’m not a perfectionist, quite the opposite, and sometimes quite lazy. If it doesn’t need a chorus or a middle eight why spend hours just doing it for the sake of musical convention? The classic, the mid-way key change, same chords same melody but just shift it up a key, well if you need to do that there’s something wrong somewhere, isn’t there?
You’ve released a number of albums independently. What are the pros and cons of that? I mean, for instance, that sales of CDs, even in the big stores, are dropping (in much the same way that ebooks are taking over from print), and file sharing means that artists’ works are
effectively being stolen.
Yeah, tell me about it. I can upload a new track and within days it is available free and everywhere so what is the point at all? Well, accept it and don’t do it for the money, there isn’t any. Just appreciate the fact that it’s worth stealing, I guess. The digital age is brilliant for independents, you can now do it all, the whole process, beginning to end from a bedroom and be all over the world without actually spending any money. But this also means everybody can do it and the competion is fierce. Without the backing of a major label promoting you, you become just lost in space. The money is in performing and gig merchandise sales and that’s how it will remain for the foreseable future. When was the last time I myself bought a CD? I can’t remember, to be honest. So why spend a fortune making them? Stick with digital uploads, as that’s how I and everybody else enjoys listening to it, and how we all buy music these days. And that’s where you build an appreciative fan base, online. All the mainstream music retailers have gone, that’s reality. So adapt and use the new technology to your advantage. Consider it as free promotion and fingers crossed, one day in the right place someone will find you. Sponsorship deals, advertising and marketing (think Jeans ads) or film/movie soundtracks, that’s how indies break through these days and that’s when the majors will pick up on you.
Let’s face it, I’m an indie with my own label, Brittunculi, but that hasn’t stopped me. The new age has allowed me to get TV, radio and press airplay all over the world. Twenty years ago I would have had to rely on somebody else to do it all for me. Believe in yourself, be honest with yourself and don’t heed the advice of others too much. Take it on board but take it on the chin. I used to listen to too much advice from other songwriters, then you reach a point where you become more assertive and confident and just say no, I don’t agree. It’s my song and I’m doing it my way. And that’s when I started to get noticed!
What are you ambitions? I believe you have some potentially interesting stuff in the pipeline, but I wondered how you see yourself in the coming years — with a band, an orchestra, doing very different kinds of stuff? Or (don’t laugh!) going pop?
Pop? Ummmmhh, it all depends what that means. If it’s popular then what’s wrong with that? We all want to be popular, don’t we? But if it means commercial, well that’s different. It goes back to doing something safe because you know that’s where the money is, but really? Pop is here today and gone tomorrow. I’d rather be seasoned and timeless and an unpopular artist if that’s the case. I mean, what is selling out? For me that’s when you do something just for the money, but selling out is definitely not the inevitable musically evolutionary path that all writers take. So if you are popular for something and you don’t evolve because that’s what people expect of your music, then that’s selling out, isn’it? Take Dylan, he didn’t sell out he just continued to develop.
So I am just doing what I want to and enjoy the process, and if people come along with me that’s great. You embrace the reality of the situation. In Bulgaria they expect covers so, in spite of my feelings about them, I always do some. Just a handful, as that’s the culture here. But it doesn’t detract from my own music, it brings a new culture to them and they listen. In all my years I’ve never been boo-ed or heckled, I’m proud of that fact, but it was also here in Bulgaria that I was asked to stop playing at a gig, the first time ever. The manager loved it but the audience, well, there was a grumble that they didn’t know the songs and one rather drunken lady demanded the DJ be brought back. I can laugh about it now, but at the time it hurt. I said I’d never play there again (lol). Which doesn’t really matter, because the venue has now closed down. Probably because inevitably people get sick of the same old thing all the time. I’m putting the band together because I want to move away from the solo acoustic stuff and develop a more rock sound. There’s no other reason. It won’t change my song writing at all, just change the sound of it. The reality is that means more people to pay and thus less work, but I want to do it, that’s it.
There’s other stuff in the pipeline and, yes, an orchestra is part of it. We’ll say more about that when it happens, but can you imagine…? An orchestra. That’d be something great. Unimaginable, but amazing. Fingers crossed. The new album is finished, completely different from stuff I’ve done before, and I am just waiting on one change before I formally release it. Dimi, a superb violinist with the Russe and Dublin Philharmonics will come back into the studio for the track, but she’s busy just now. But I’ll wait – she’s worth waiting for! And Valdy Totev, to add some more piano, too. And next month, I’m very excited to be working with the hugely popular Bulgarian band, Kottarashky, on a joint project, a song I wrote about, well, drinking rakia! It’s got a very strong Balkan Roma feel to it, again something completely different.
Crossing over into my area, of fiction writing, you drew my attention to a book called Meat – Memoirs of a Psychopath. Very disturbing it is, too, sick puppy that you are. More disturbing, however, is that the serial killer is a fan of your music, and yourrsong, Big Jesus, is
a soundtrack for at least one of his murder sprees. Fact masquerading as fiction or fiction masquerading as fact….how do you feel about being a vicious killer’s favourite songwriter?
OK, so there’s a psycho out there who likes my music. It feels a bit like being Wagner in Nazi Gemany and your biggest fan is Adolph Hitler. Not a moment in time to be proud of. Apparently this killer has made a “Holy decree” that I am “an untouchable.” Evidently, as a fan of my music he has secured my personal safety. Meat – Memoirs of a Psychopath is by all accounts his life story and there is some reference to one of my songs, ‘Big Jesus’ that I released years ago. To think that he has killed people whilst listening to the song turns my stomach, but the song was written and released long before he corrupted it. I’ve had many journalist probe me about this story (there will be an audio version, too, which I recorded myself – talk about revenge being sweet), but I’m telling you first because I believe that you, as a writer of crime and horror, will understand my dilemma and that your readers will see the bigger picture.
Well, so long as Gabriel 13 is true to his word, and you’re safe. Finally, is there anything more you’d like to say about yourself and your music?
Just that music is my life, John. I can’t imagine a world without music and song. It would be like someone teaching you to sing and then striking you mute. Music is everything to me. Care for it and respect musicians and artists for their hard work. If it’s worth listening to, it’s worth paying for. Don’t steal it! And if I could achieve just one thing, it would be to record a track with my second cousin, Bob Johnson, of the legendary folk-rock band Steeleye Span. That’d be something very special. Thank you, John, it’s been a pleasure to talk with you and I wish you too every success with your writing. I am a real fan of yours and absolutely adored Bone Machines. Maybe there’s a song in there somewhere too…
UPDATE 6 February 2012: We have just heard the sad news that a fellow musician and producer of the Priest – The Blacksail Studio Sessions 2013 album album, Jonny Afterwish, died suddenly on Monday evening, at the age of 47. Says Jonathan: “I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear this news, a friend, a broither sadly missed. baba Marta vidoe will be dedicated to him.”
Priest – The Blacksail Studio Sessions 2013 album
Jonathan Taylor on Facebook (please “like” his page)
My good friend, songwriter and author, Jonathan Taylor has created a brilliant Christmas gift idea. He’s doing customised, musical ringtones for mobile phones/cellphones. All he needs is the full name of recipient, first name of caller, if at all and a few words about hobbies and tone, (funny, swearing, naughty etc.) Cool, completely original, and a bargain – barely the cost of a stocking filler! Here’s the youtube promo for a sample and details of how to snag customised ones for your friends, families – or enemies, come to that!
British actor, Robin Sachs has narrated the audiobook versions of my Glasgow-based crime novels, Bone Machines and Kali’s Kiss, published by Blackstone Audio, Inc. The books were released as audio exclusives by Blackstone Audio, Inc in August and September 2012 respectively. Robin generously agreed to an interview for my blog. For the Kendrick Chronicles series (the collective name for my books featuring DI Tom Kendrick), I can’t imagine a better voice actor. Robin has that combination of sexy and sinister that is, I feel, the perfect tone for the novels.
First, some brief biographical stuff. Robin was born in London, the son of Leonard and Eleanor Sachs. His onscreen acting credits include roles such as Adam Carrington in Dynasty: Reunion (we all watched Dynasty, didn’t we?), several characters in Babylon 5, Ethan Rayne in Buffy The Vampire Slayer, and General Valen in Star Trek: Voyager. He’s also appeared in major movies including Galaxy Quest, and Lost World: Jurassic Park. Not only that but he’s even voice acted characters in video games – in particular my Xbox favourite, Mass Effect (2 and 3). Recently he has also made an appearance in the British scifi series, Torchwood (the Miracle Day episode).
AudioFile magazine listed Robin as the best voice of 2011 in the Mystery and Suspense category for audiobooks.
First of all, Robin, congratulations on the AudioFile plaudit. Which makes it a double honour for me that you’ve narrated my novels – brilliantly, I should add. Can we start with the basics? How did you first get started in acting and what do you consider your first big career break?
Many thanks for the “brilliantly”, John. It’s always a huge compliment when an author tells you he/she enjoyed your reading of his or her book – after all, as the guy who created the characters and brought them to life so vividly (and quite excellently, may I add), there’s always a fair chance my intepretion of your creation may not be exactly what you had in mind. So, again, thank you!
As to how I started out in acting – well, my parents were both well-known actors in England – my father was a very prolific character actor, but was probably best known for his 32 years as chairman of the BBC’s The Good Old Days and my mother, Eleanor Summerfield, was mostly recognised for her wonderful comedy performances – she was at one time dubbed “the British Lucille Ball”. With that background, it was highly unlikely I’d turn out to be a brain sugeon or a merchant banker.
So, having spent most of my school life studying French, Latin and English and playing Rugby, Athletics and boxing (only one term of that as too many noses got broken) – actually, most of my school time was dedicated to trying to get as many of the girls at the Corona Acting School into bed as I could – they were just across the road from my school, Latymer Upper – I realised the thing I really wanted to do was act.
So, having told my parents my intentions and waited a bit while they pulled the (figurative) arrows out of their hearts, I followed their extremely sage advice and auditioned for RADA. While I was waiting to hear whether I’d got in or not, I spent 3 months as an assistant stage-manager at Windsor Repertory and then went on to RADA. The rest is history – or my career, anyhow!
Stage acting versus TV and film. Do you prefer one over the other (I noticed that you’ve been doing Shakespeare recently)? And if you have a preference, tell us why.
Always a tough question, John, but since I’m now based in Los Angeles, I guess you could say I’ve made the choice through location. I have always loved the immediacy of theatre and the joy and thrill of being in front of a live audience, but I also delight in the intimacy of acting in front of the camera – that ability to fine down the performance to it’s subtlest tonalities.
For one reason or another you’ve done more than your fair share of science fiction and fantasy in TV and film. As it happens, I am a huge sci fi, fantasy and horror fan, so now it’s triple-cool that you’ve narrated my books. How did that trajectory come about?
Well, my first movie and actually my second gig out of RADA (after a couple of months at Harrogate Repertory), was a Hammer Horror vampire flick which, I believe, has become a bit of a cult classic, called Vampire Circus, which was great fun to do, so I never had that disdain for “genre” movies which was so rife back then. Now, of course, everyone wants to do ‘em as they’re frequently seem to be among the top grossers at the box-office! Also, some of the best screenwriters – and authors – around write them, so there’s absolutely no reason not to want to be in them!!
In terms of voice acting (we’ll get to audiobooks later), you’ve done animation like Square Bob and Sponge Pants and, as I mentioned before, the Mass Effect console game. Can you say something about these experiences, what the challenges are for an actor, and so on?
Basically, the main challenge is the fact that you have to get everything done, in terms of character, solely with your voice. So any physical attributes and abilities are of absolutely no use whatsoever in front of the mic, other than being able to stand there for up to eight hours at a stretch and do the lines over for multiple takes – so, I guess a good set of pipes and breath control comes in handy! Also, for some reason, I seem to get to die, or at least be horribly wounded, in practically every DVD-ROM game I’ve done and for that you really need to be able to yell, scream and make generally very loud noises indicating that you are being/have been/are about to be killed in as many and various ways as the director/writers/producers can think up for what always seems to be an inordinate length of time. That, I must admit, can be a touch wearing on the larynx!
You’ve been narrating audiobooks for a while now, notably, though not exclusively, mysteries and suspense. How did that come about, and what is it that appeals to you about narration?
I’ve actually only been narrating books for a couple of years, but was fortunate enough to be picked up right at the start by two of the biggest production houses in the business – the huge and extremely loyal Random House Audio and the wonderful and prolific independent, Blackstone Audio.
Two very dear friends introduced me to them: Ros Landor (this year’s audie winner for Solo Female narration) introduced me to Dan Musselman and Janet Stark at Books On Tape (Random House’s Los Angeles production studios) and they have both, along with the New York based producers, Dan Zitt, Orli, Aaron and Kelly, been very kind and loyal in their continual use of my narrating abilities. I was first introduced to Blackstone by a wonderful audio director and close friend, Yuri Rasovsky –sadly, recently deceased and a huge loss to the world of audio – for whom I was playing Norfolk in his adaptation of Shaw’s Saint Joan for Blackstone Audio. Yuri then told the much-venerated narrator Grover Gardner, who does a great deal of the narration casting and production origination for Blackstone, that he should use me. Grover and I got on extremely well, so we tried a couple of books and, happily, he and Blackstone keep asking me to do more!
What appeals to me about narration work is that not only do you get to play more characters in the space of a dozen hours than most actors do in a decade of work, but you also get to read out loud – and get paid for it! – some of the most wonderful books around, both new and, occasionally, old. If your voice can hold up for eight or so hours per day of continual use, what could be better. And narration doesn’t exclude you from the more traditional acting gigs – in fact, producers rather like it if you’re appearing on TV and film too – raises the visibility quotient and helps sell books!
In terms of the Kendrick Chronicles books, I realise as the fine actor you are that you could probably do any accent under the sun. Somehow, though, you’ve captured the flavour of the Glaswegian dialect perfectly. And, having lived in that city for over 25 years, I know that Glaswegians would claim it’s a language unto itself, and not a mere dialect. How did you go about pinning it down?
Aah, a subject and a city I’m very fond of, John. I’ve actually spent quite a lot of time in Scotland, filming and touring stage plays and I was lucky enough to spend four months in Glasgow, playing Frank Osbaldistone in the BBC serialisation of “Rob Roy” back in the days when BBC Scotland was tucked under that little bridge Clydeside. I got to work with some wonderful Scots actors, including Ricki Fulton and the late great Fulton Mackay. I had the best time in Glasgow – this was before the Gorbals was “renovated” – and have an abiding fondness for the Glaswegians and their ability to be hugely welcoming and funny and extremely quarrelsome all at the same time. I’d love to spend more time there at some point.
Tell us about your current and forthcoming projects.
A: Well, there’s one very exciting TV drama project with a long-time producer friend, which I really can’t say anything about as it’s in the middle of rather delicate negotiations with one of the networks!
Narration-wise, I’ve just finished four books at the Books on Tape L.A. studios for Random House – the new Jo Nesbø, The Phantom; Peter Mayle’s wonderful Marseille Caper; a lovely, elegiac yet extremely witty novel by John Banville, Ancient Light; and Andy McDermott’s action-packed new novel in the Nina Wilde-Eddie Chase series Return to Atlantis – and one for Blackstone – The Old Ways by Robert Macfarlane, which is a beautifully written book about walking the ancient paths of Britain, Spain, Tibet and Israel and the amazing people he meets along the way. Macfarlane’s written it much more in the style of a novel than one’s come to expect from this type of book and it was one of those projects, as a narrator, you really never want to end!
Right now, I’m working in my home studio on a Moriarty novel – I set the studio up because I was being asked to do more and more projects for independent publishers and producers who don’t have a base in Los Angeles. In fact, Bone Machines and Kali’s Kiss were both recorded in my home set-up, as are most of the projects I do for Blackstone. The Moriarty book I’m working on is for AudioGo (latterly B.B.C. Audiobooks) and is called The Revenge of Moriarty by John Gardiner and is the second in his Moriarty series after The Return of Moriarty, which released in June this year. Gardiner wrote these back in the 1980’s and is widely regarded as the best of the many novelists who did follow-ups to the Sherlock Holmes books and I’m really enjoying narrating this new one as there is no pretense to being Conan Doyle, while at the same time keeping the tenor of the times and characterisations that Doyle wrote about so wonderfully in the originals.
Finally, Robin, is there anything else you’d like to say that I haven’t asked?
Only that I really enjoyed reading (both aloud and to myself) Bone Machines and Kali’s Kiss and look forward to both reading and, hopefully, narrating any new Kendrick Chronicles you may come up with in the future – or anything else you may have up your sleeve!! Take care, John, and keep on writing!!!
Please check out Robin’s own website for all the latest news on Robin and his work.
Well, the big day has finally arrived. The second novel in my Kendrick Chronicles series, Kali’s Kiss, is out now as an audio exclusive. You won’t find it in print or e-book format yet, though. But the lovely people at Audible.com are offering the download version free with a trial subscription. Of course, you can also buy it as a cased CD set, or on MP3 disc. And if any of you do pick up a copy, reviews, comments and feedback would be appreciated. I try to respond to everyone personally.
I recently made the acquaintance of a terrific singer-songwriter, Jonathan Taylor. Like me, from the UK but now living in Bulgaria. The following song is one I had the privilege to hear live at a party in our home a few weeks back. It’s inspired by a true story of a man who left a message on his wife’s answer machine just before he died in the twin towers on 9/11. Very moving. Jonathan has a number of albums out, and song downloads. I do urge you to support him by purchasing some of his music. Jonathan will also be the subject of one of my occasional blog interviews with creative people Look out for it.
Bone Machines 