Lost John Lennon letter to folk singer found 40 years later.

A lost letter by John Lennon has been found, nearly 40 years after it was supposed to be delivered to the then 21 year old Steve Tilston. The letter was originally sent to the now defunct ZigZag magazine after Tilston featured in an interview. In it he stated that he feared becoming wealthy because he thought it might affect his ability to write powerful songs.

Lennon wrote to him saying that "Being rich doesn't change your experiences in the way you think.

The only difference, basically, is that you don't have you worry about money - food - roof etc. But all other experiences - emotions - relationships - are the same as anybodies.

I know, I have been rich and poor and so has Yoko, (rich - poor - rich). So, whadya think of that. Love John and Yoko."

Lennon also included his personal phone number. However the letter was never delivered. Instead it was intercepted and sold off to any wood be buyers. The letter is now said to be worth about £7,000. It only came to the surface about five years ago when the it's current owner decided to track Steve Tilston down.

Steve Tilston on Youtube

Tilston's initial reaction was that of anger "I felt rather angry to start with to think that someone had just sold the letter rather than passing it on to me but you have to let these things go. I feel it was a rather brotherly letter really. Not antagonistic, just offering words of advice. If I had received it all those years ago my young self would definitely have rung him."

Commenting on what the letter said he stated "I said something about how becoming rich beyond the dreams of avarice might have a detrimental affect on my songwriting... Sadly I was never really able to test this theory out, but Lennon, who clearly had, put me right."

Steve Tilston has Since gone on to record over twenty albums, has recently published a novel and the 60 year-old will mark 40 years in the music business with a concert at St George's hall in Bristol next month. Good luck Steve!

Singing Irish Traditional Lullabies Reduces Stress in Pregnangy

Research at the University of Limerick's (UL) school of nursing and midwifery has discovered that learning traditional Irish lullabies can reduce stress for both mother and child during pregnancy. The research was spearheaded by Irish traditional composer Micheal O Suilleabháin who is also director of the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and professor of UL's world music centre. Other collaborators included the Irish Chamber Orchestra. The theory is that the average 60-72 BPM of the lullabies is at the same tempo of a resting human heart.

The research was carried out with expecting mothers at the Limerick Regional Maternity Hospital's antenatal education classes. The lullabies were in turn taught by Kathleen Turner of the Irish Chamber Orchestra and Oscar Mascarenes, director of the BA in voice and dance at the Irish world academy of music and dance. Expecting mothers were taught traditional Irish as well as international songs. Songs that have existed for centuries as well as more recent compositions.

Women learned songs and were asked to fill in questionnaires both during and after pregnancy. The data is currently being examined and the findings are expected to be presented soon. If I do hear any more news regarding this I will post it here.

Meanwhile you can see an article on it in the Irish Independent here

A folk song a day keeps the doctor away?

Jon Boden, who was named as the BBC's folk singer of the year has committed to a new project in which he has undertaken the task of recording a new folk song every day over the next year.

The project began last month on June 24th when Jon decided to go down to his friend's house and record an unaccompanied rendition of the well known tune "The Larks They Sang Melodious." Referred to as the Folk Song a Day Concept the project is designed to promote the lost art of social or communal singing (nowadays confined to the church and football terrace) by using the internet as a means of reintroducing a tradition that once thrived in our public establishments and at social gatherings.

The idea has been accused by some, according to the guardian as just a tool for self publication or a mad capped idea that is of little merit, but in my opinion anything that encourages people to experience traditional folk songs in a new and original way can only be a good thing.

Jon intends to release the songs as twelve albums over the next year, recording a total of 365 songs. His blog provides information on each of the songs, a great way of understanding the context of the music as well as the ability to listen to them. Great stuff!

Jon is an established solo artist with two albums under his belt, has had two appearances on Jools Holland as well as being the front man for eleven piece folk band Bellowhead.

Visit the folk song a day blog

Official website for Jon Boden

Never Miss a Tune at a Session!

Ok, so you're sitting in the cobblestone on a Sunday afternoon as the endless stream of traditional musicians play away in the corner when suddenly you hear that tune! it's eh... what do you call it?

That's when tunepal comes in. A program that recognises over 13,000 different traditional tunes. All you have to do is let it listen to what's being played and it will tell you what it is. It works with multiple instruments, though the website states that it will work best with "instruments such as the tin-whistle, flute, concertina, accordian, pipes, fiddle."

The program is the brainchild of Dr. Bryan Duggan (Phd), who originally came up with the idea twenty years ago while scanning traditional music notes into a computer archive. Eventually the computer technology caught up and now tunepal is available on android and apple phones. Indeed according to the tunepal blog, it's in the top 25 highest grossing apps on iTunes.

Here's a more detailed article from the Irish Times.

You can buy a book about how Dr. Duggan managed to do it Here

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Search Amazon.com for traditional irish music

Fave Albums of the 00's

My 21 fave albums of the Naughties. In no particular order...





Amy winehouse - Back to black

Antony & the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now

Aphex twin - Drukqs

At the Drive in - Relationship of Command

Bjork - Vespertine

Boards of Canada - The Campfire Headphase

Death from Above 1979 - You're a Woman I'm a Machine

Joanna Newsom - Ys

Kate Bush - Aerial

Kila & Oki - Kila & Oki

Marissa Nadler - Songs III: Bird on the Water

MGMT - Oracular Spectacular

Planxty - Planxty Live 2004

Portishead - Third (Advance)

Queens of the Stoneage - Songs for the Deaf

System of A Down - Steal this Album!

The Frames - For the Birds

Tom Waits - Blood Money

Tool - 10,000 Days

Martina Topley-Bird - Quixotic

Radiohead - In Rainbows