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THE STORY OF....."Tinsel and Marzipan"...
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Christmas time is coming soon…
Hello all…..
In the late summer of 2006 plans were hatched to put together a live show in Dublin’s Vicar Street venue to raise awareness of Epilepsy. Amongst many great Irish acts invited to play was our boys The Pugs.
Rick O’Shea had been the instigator of all this good stuff. Apart from being one of Ireland’s top D.J’s and a diamond geezer, Rick is the patron of epilepsy. The sheer goodwill and exuberance of all involved got the project (now entitled Brainstock) to the 11th hour but a decision had to be made on whether the gig could go ahead at a loss or pulled and a re-think needed. The gig was pulled which saddened everyone involved, artists and organisers alike.
But…........Pug-Person #1, Thomas, had other ideas!! Over the last few years a few un-successful attempts at writing a “Christmas” Pugwash song had not lessened the desire of finally, one day, completing one. So, following on from the initial request of our Label-Leader Daragh and then the collapse of Brainstock, Thomas finally dotted the “I’s” and crossed the “T’s” on a Christmas song, in association with Brainwave entitled “Tinsel and Marzipan”.
And the rest is….......Coming Up
The song was quickly demo’d by Thomas and Keith in an hour at The Pugs spiritual home The Glebe. Everyone who heard the song felt it was a winner so 1969 Records gave the go-ahead to get the project up and running with immediate effect as it was late September (And I really should be back at school..Sorry!!) and the buy-in’s for Christmas stock in the music world had already begun. The first task was actually to record some kids singing the chorus and our dear friend Mr. Peter Fitzpatrick set up a wonderful fun day for all at his home in Dublin, where he coralled his own kids And the neighbours!! A great start indeed.
Studio time was now booked in Keith’s own Bunker Studios in Dublin and over 3 days the guts of the track was solidified and all that was needed now was….......Our Guests!! Thomas had written the track with various parts for people in mind. It wasn’t a case of where can we fit this person in so it was a very organic process and natural to have our special guests involved If they could do it. Lots and lots of our close musical buddies did all kinds of playing and singing on the track (All for free. Love still exists in the Pug-world) and you can all have fun reading who they are on the C.D sleeve but our extra special guests began with the incredible Eric Matthews doing his Brass yard thing from his palatial home in Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.
He not only played and sang his parts to an MP3, but he also arranged some string parts, played some Tubular bells and glockenspiel and did it all in a matter of hours!!!!! A true genius, thank you Eric. One of the few ways that Thomas had thought of paying back Eric for all his help was to hopefully get Neil Hannon to perform on the track and sing along with some of Eric’s backing vocals. Eric is Neil Hannon’s Biggest Fan. So, could Neil get on board? Well, Neil had become a fan of The Pugs through meeting up with Thomas, swapping C.D’s and sharing stories of their Love of the Electric Light Orchestra !! So after some frantic e-mails and close-calls Neil, Thomas and Keith arranged a day in The Bunker to record Neil’s vocal overdubs.
It was an Amazing day and an honour for the lads to work with such an icon of the worldwide music scene. In addition to all that, Mr. Hannon has now become a Spokesman for the track, mentioning in numerous recent interviews that it will be the Irish Christmas Number One.
During all the behind the scenes madness that goes into completing a project like this the band would sneak little sessions here and there and got people in, sometimes for half an hour only. A great example of this was our old mate MUNDY. Edmund performed a Krusty The Klown and got his few lines down in a matter of minutes!! Great Fun and again a real honour for Thomas. Thanks Mundy
The Big One for The Pugs was next though. The legend Dave Gregory formally of XTC was coming to Ireland to see Thomas, Daragh and the band for a little Non-Rest & Recreation and everyone was hoping that Dave could get on the track. Dave made it by hours literally as the track had to be mixed and mastered asap. The few hours that was spent in the studio with this amazing man was dream come true stuff for Thomas and Keith.
Apart from some piano over-dubs and some more bits and pieces, Dave was the last to record on the track and it was a fitting end to an amazing musical adventure. It was bloody hard work but we believe you’ll all agree that it was well worth it!!
We need you ALL to go out/download this new Chrimbo-Classic when it hits the shops and your computers on December 8th. All relevant details of how to obtain the single will be posted shortly. It’s for an incredibly worthy cause and hey…..It’s bloody good too.
xxxxx
Discuss...
Commenting is closed for this article.
Feel free my Pug-friends, to leave comments on everything posted here!! Good, bad or indifferent ok…..?!!?
TW.xx
ooops
Cool beans, genes! Can’t wait to hear the muck… bring it. Hope all is well… wes.
Was up front for your Village gig recently, met yiz rafter, thanks for the natter! Am a huge Dave Gregory/XTC fan. cant tell you how chuffed for you I am!!! Please play some more Dublin gigs. Will pick up a copy when released. Cheers
Thanks Joey, I remember the chat and good to hear from you Wes!! We really need everyone to get the single on the week of it’s release (December 8th) and for all our foreign fans you WILL be able to download the track (As well as buy physical copies but the downloads will count towards the Irish chart) either from i-Tunes or a page which will be up on the 1969 site or a link to it from here. Either way we will be reminding you all well in advance so don’t grow to hate us if we keep annoying you over this, it’s a great cause and a lot of people have put a lot of faith in us so we don’t want to let them down.
Thanks again…..
TW.xx
Have been lucky enough to get a listen to the new Pug xmas track and I think I can safely say its destined to become an Xmas classic!!
Great tune and great cause lads I hope it goes all the way to No 1 for ye, I know a few people in the extended Dilner family who will be getting a copy in their Christmas stockings this year! ;o)
Slainte,
– Neil -The payback is pretty damn good as I now have a CD here at the house where my hero and I can be heard singing together. The great Neil Hannon, composer of the decade(s).
And I learn just now, since the credits on the CD sleeve lack credits – gentle jab, that David Gregory is on the track…! The imaginary paycheck just got sweeter. XTC’s George Martin (by my estimation), the guy who played piano on “Rook”, holy crapp!.
So, to Thomas, Keith, and everybody involved, thanks a million for getting me involved. And to all a Merry Christmas.
And be sure to guilt/encourage your friends into buying big stacks of the CD as gifts. Yes, to spread a great Christmas pop-song around, but mostly to help stop the nightmare that walking down the street is, minding your own business, and then suddenly falling to the ground. I saw this happen once and I knelt beside the man to offer help. He said through his gritting, frothy teeth that he was going to be ok in a minute. His eyes looked into mine and I saw kindness and peace through all of the indignity of the suffering. That was in Boston 16 years ago and these afflicted tend to only get worse as time crawls on. POP + CASH + GENIUS = BETTER LIVING FOR POOR SAPS LIKE THAT FELLOW.
I sometimes think of him.
Hey Thomas finally I get to leave a message on your board but what better reason to do so then this . I recently had the plesure of listening to Tinsel and Marzipan in Keiths and I can only say it’s the best christmas song I’ve heard in a long long time, it seems everbody else has forgotten how to write them like this.
Thank you Eric (Ya’ looney!! ;-) and thank you Barry!! It’s been a while since we hooked up in ANY way Barry, must rectify that by Christmas? I’ve said this to a few people about the Christmas song but it seems to be a song that’s everyone else’s bar mine and I’m REALLY enjoying that element of this Pug-release.
I worked f****ng hard on it don’t get me wrong but I’m loving the fact that other people are really getting it and I’m blissfully oblivious in a way, it’s another string to the many wonderful bows of songwriting. I always thought that the “Artist” had to bleed and bleed and BLEED every drop of artistic blood before they let go but no….......!!
It feels very good, thank you all.
**********************************************
On a strictly web-site matter now, we are ironing out a few blips and glitches that you may have encountered since the wonderful new-site went live. You’ll see that the “Click-On” sections at the top of the page are now lit up for your even EASIER enjoyment and we are seriously disscussing the setting up of a Forum so we’d like to hear your views on that? Here or at the my-space sites :
http://www.myspace.com/pugwalsh and….......
http://www.myspace.com/pugwashthomas
We’d also like to let you know about something that we’ve only noticed and that is when a new news item is put up the facility to post any comment on a previous news item get’s closed off. We’re very sorry for this but it will be sorted out shortly. Anyways keep posting as often as you want on any subject you want under any of the numerous pages around the site, your input is ETERNALLY invaluable.
A new news item will be posted shortly and included will be the news that we’ve secured the 9th of December slot on the “Ryan Tubridy TV show”, the day after release which is WONDERFUL NEWS!! Especially as the appearance will include a smattering of those very special guests who appear on “Tinsel and Marzipan”.....!! Keep checking in for that news ok…..
Love to you all and hey remember, Eric Matthews sublime new opus “Foundation Sounds” is OUT NOW!! Treat yourselves and a friend for Christmas and beyond, you won’t be dissapointed.
Thomas.xxxxx
Brilliant stuff and I haven’t even heard it yet!! That’s how good it is. Number 1 with a bullet and make no mistake! I’m going to sit in especially for the Tubridy gig with a hot brandy, a roaring fire, some tinsel around the telly and a large slice of marzipan Christmas cake to soak up the songwriting brilliance. Are you playing the Late Late Toy Show also? I vaguely remember you saying you were going on it to promote the song when I was speaking to you guys after the recent Stables gig? Maybe I was just hearing things. If you play the Late Late Toy Show it would be a brilliant way of introducing some great music to my five year old nieces. Coming down to The Stables anytime soon? It’s been 3 months since the last gig. That’s way too long. Go Pugs!
Hiya Ken…..
3 months since the Stables?? Jaysus seems like yesterday. I’m actually back down in Mullingar this Friday morning?? I was asked to play “Finer Things In Life” at the very intimate wedding of Justin (Blizzards manager and all round good egg!!) in the cathedral. IT’S NOT A GIG SO DON’T TURN UP!! ;-)
It will be weird and early but it’s an honour and a privelige so it was a no-brainer.
We were offered a Late Late slot but we really wanted to do Tubridy this time. He’s such a fan and has been very good to me as regards airplay. It’s also the day after the singles release and we really need you all to go out in that first week of release to purchase it so it can chart and we can have the ultimate profile for the Epilepsy organisation!!
Thanks for the kind words Ken, it sounds like you’ll be cosy as f**k for that TV appearance…..enjoy!!
Thomas.xx
Lads, well done on ‘The Last Broadcast’ last night – it sounded great, the singing sweet as icing – I had to go and get myself some Mr Kiplings after wathcing it!
PB
Yeah, Caught yis unexpectedly on Dave’ The Legend’ Fanning’s ‘Last Broadcast’ programme too.Unsurprisingly, it’s a fantastic song- an instant Christmas classic if ever there was one! If it’s not all over the radio like a rash this Christmas I’ll eat 10 tonnes of raw marzipan!
(By the way, you played The Stables about 5 weeks’ ago, not 3 months, as I said earlier! Just ignore me!)
thomas,
from where can the single be purchased?
I have people asking.
eric
HERE (in about 5 days time Eroc!!)
I knew I wasn’t going mad Ken…..!!
TW.xx
Thomas – I’m standing by for the 8th, Visa card at the ready (carrying a big balance but with still enough room left for buying the ‘Tinsel and Marz’ CD). Thanks for those pictures you’ve put up here too – great stuff.
Cheers from here in F#*king Cold Southern Alberta, and a Very Happy Christmas to you Thomas, and all those who have played a Pug-part this year – those who took part in the making of the music, and those buying and listening, all the Pug-fans ‘round this big blue marble!
John
Hi Thomas,
From everyone here at Brainwave, Thanks again for this amazing opportunity… The single is just super, listen to it in the car to get in the christmas cheer – would love to put on a constant loop in the office to livin up the place.
I am going to do a blitz of all our supporters today….. Hopefully the message will spread across the land fast.
Tell all the artists I can’t thank them enough for their time and the amazing talent
Fingers Crossed we go all the way to the top –
Well done again, Glenda & Wendy
P.S. There’s are few cakes in the office with your name on them whenever you’re passing
Just did the deed with the Visa card, and hoping the disc turns up before the big Yule pissup, so I can sing along and attempt to emulate the wonderful Mr.Gregory on geetar. Cheers Thomas! Have a nice Christmas and think of old times !
If you’d like to see a video of the show then get yourself over to this site :
http://soapbox.msn.com/video.aspx?vid=fbdd85e4-2537-4a12-b745-6fb85dbf1e51
THANKS Peter!
A great tune, and what a treat to see Dave playing again! I’m looking forward to receiving the CD. Nice job everyone.
Thanks for posting the video, looks great I missed the show as I was out at an xmas party, any chance you could put it up somewhere that it could be downloaded please Peter??
Slainte,
– Neil -Thanks again Peter, it’s a cracker groan and for a great cause too. Lovely to see Dave in the back there and ‘Santa’ Walsh in great form!!
Have a nice Christmas all…
Hi Thomas,
Well done on the single, man. I have a relation who suffered with Epilepsy all her life, so rest assured I will be rocking along to my local record shop in Kilkenny to get a few copies and support a very worthy cause.
Have yet to get me mittts on a physical copy (much as I’d like to go online, my visa card is weeping silently in a corner as it is and I daren’t take it out – ooooooh err Matron).
Any chance we could have a natter on air about the single? I’m doing a music slot on KCLR96FM on Saturdays and Sundays and I regularly and shamelessly plug the Pugs.
(I am one of the loyal crew that arrived in Cleere’s in Kilkenny (twice) and probably bored the bo**ix out of you afterwards in the bar. I am also from Drimnagh, as opposed to Crumlin where some papers think you’re from..cheek)
Take care and best of luck with the single. Hope it sells shedloads
Martin
Neil – I can probably get you an MPG of it. Will that work ? I could give it to Daragh or Wally on CD-R.
Gents – I am in the best Christmas spirit imaginable thanks to 30-40 listenings in the last day of my recent download of “Tinsel.” I am stunned with how wonderfully conceived and executed this ditty was – one is powerless to resist the urge to sing along at full voice with that big finish outchorus! Simply brilliant. A great cause, an impeccable cast, a giddily wonderful result.
Happy Christmas and All the Best to all of you Puggers, and bring us some more joyful noise in the coming year!
Eric Anderson
Hey Peter,
that would be great thanks!!!
if you drop me an email I will give you my address, Im sure I can post somethin on to you in exchange.
Slainte,
– Neil -