Summer Nights 2017…Catching Up With Alan Doyle Part One.

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For the past couple of years I have created posts that highlight Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies North American summer season including their tour. These posts have been regularly visited over the past couple of years by fans and others wanting information as they contain links to articles, photographs, social media posts and the occasional officially released and bootlegged videos.

The Order of Canada…

Alanthomasdoyle Alan Doyle The Order of Canada. Quite an Honour. Humbled and Grateful. Thanks so much. (From the official Twitter account of Alanthomasdoyle)

One of the highlights of the Canadian summer has been that Alan Doyle was awarded the Order of Canada for “His contributions to the musical traditions of his home province and for his commitment to numerous local charitable initiatives.”

In an article in the local Newfoundland newspaper, The Telegram titled “Updated: N.L.ers named to Order of Canada on Canada Day” published on 1 July, 2017 from the Canadian press provided a list of the people from Newfoundland and Labrador who received the award and a brief overview of their achievements including Alan Doyle.

In the article Alan Doyle is quoted as saying…

“…If you look into the list of people who get this award, are all exceptional people in their own work life and in their own artistic life or political life or business life or whatever, but then they're almost always very community-minded people and people who have tried to give back to their place, their town, their city, their province, their country,” Doyle said.

“It’s humbling to be in that company, in all honesty.”

“It's also quite motivational. It makes me want to do more stuff because I feel like it's important.”

When Doyle first started playing traditional music in Newfoundland and Labrador, he didn’t do it because he felt obligated. Or that it was the right thing to do. Or that it was good for him or anyone else. It just came naturally he said.

“I loved that kind of music and I loved playing it and I loved singing it, and I still love singing it,” Doyle said. “They’re great songs to sing, so I sing them.”…

Congratulations to Alan Doyle and all the other recipients for receiving the Order of Canada. The full article is available by searching The Telegram newspaper online. The interview has been edited for copyright reasons. No copyright infringement intended. 

In England and Germany…

Alan Doyle and The Beautiful Gypsies headed for a series of concerts in London at the Bush Hall and the Blacksheep Festival in Bonfeld, Germany. Fans came from around the world to these concerts and generously shared their thoughts, words, videos and photographs via social media. 

Alan Doyle wrote a FTR post on his thoughts about playing concerts outside Canada and North America. I have included a couple of paragraphs here.

“Sitting in the lobby of the hotel awaiting a car to Heathrow Airport, still buzzing about last night’s triumph at Bush Hall. There is something special about playing in London, a city that been the hub of the music world for centuries. There is something very special about the intoxicating feeling of momentum that comes with returning to a city to a bigger venue that is sold out to the doors with excited people eager for your return. There is something very, very special about getting a chance to sing songs for folks in a city that has had a few rough weeks. Not that a night with me and the band is a cure all, but it feels good to offer even the modest breath of levity and light when folks are hungry for it.

All of these things happened last night, I figure. And I am grateful for it all'.

The full post is available on his official webpage at alandoyle.ca. The post was edited for copyright reasons and no copyright infringement intended. 

Summer Summer Night Single Release and Video…

The day after the concert at Bush Hall, Alan released his new song ‘Summer Summer Night’ from ‘A Week At The Warehouse’ album. The full album will be released later on 13 October, 2017.

During the week the song was made available on all good digital and streaming music sites. The song was also available for fans to listen to on Alan’s Vevo music channel on YouTube. I have circulated a copy from there for any interested fans.

From all the posts on social media I read the fans responded extremely positive to the new single.

The official video for ‘Summer Summer Night’ was premiered on CBC music and now available on Alan’s official YouTube site. I have written about how Alan and friends created the video in a previous post and circulated a copy of the official video on my Google + page. 

Jackson Trigg Winery Concerts…

Blues Festival Ottawa...

Alan Doyle and The Beautiful also performed at the Bluesfest in Ottawa during July.

The interview…

In the article ‘How Jann Arden helped Alan Doyle record with Bob Rock’ published in the Ottawa Sun on 12 July, 2017 Alan Doyle talks about the creation of his third album ‘A Week At The Warehouse’ in Vancouver with Canadian record producer Bob Rock.

“Late last year, I did something kind of out of character,” he said in an interview this week. “I phoned Jann Arden. I know her fairly well: she’s a hero of mine. I said, I have some songs I think Bob Rock would like.” He’s one of the last guys who still does records with a band in a room as opposed to being computer-driven, and I really wanted to this record with my band, in a room with a producer and engineer they thought was awesome.”

The article has been edited for copyright reasons. The full article is available from the Ottawa Sun.

The review…

‘Bluesfest Review: Alan Doyle throws rollicking kitchen party’ by Aedan Helmer published in the Ottawa Citizen 13 July, 2017.

“…The band rocked I Can’t Dance Without You, from his 2015 solo effort So Let’s Go, with it’s accordion and fiddle playing off each other at centre stage, while Doyle thrashed his trademark locks in approval…”

“He can rock with the best of them but Doyle showed his sensitive side, and ever the master storyteller, he told some of the tall tales behind his best-loved tunes...”

“…Doyle previewed his new album-his upcoming third solo record, which he recorded with Canadian rock legend Bob Rock – with the single Summer Summer Night, which Doyle noted has already found a home in several top ten lists…”

“We’re gonna be famous!” he joked. “This is a song about my favourite thing I used to do back home in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. Everybody would come home for the summer and word would get around town that there’s gonna be a fire on the beach…And half way through those parties, I would say to myself, ‘Thank God I learned to play the guitar!”

The review was edited for copyright reasons. Attached to the article was a great collection of photographs in the form of a slide show of the artists and musicians including Alan Doyle. I have included a screen shot of one of the photographs here. There were also a great collection of photographs of the fans at various concerts during the festival who at times, well to be honest mighty uncomfortable as they were pushed against the rail at the front.




The bootlegged video…

I found a great bootlegged video of Alan and The Beautiful Gypsies and the audience singing the Great Big Sea song Wave Over Wave. The bootleg was by Metalchop. I have circulated a copy of this video on my Google + page. 

Russell Crowe And A Tourism Video…Out of Range.

Russell Crowe recently shared an amazing music video using the Scott Grimes song ‘Out Of Range’ from The Indoor Party album ‘The Musical’. Russell made the video in cooperation with Destination NSW highlighting the diversity and beauty of the Australian state of New South Wales.

Russell has always shown a great appreciation of the physical environment of his adopted city Sydney and home state of New South Wales shared through photographs and words on his official Twitter account.

I have been lucky enough to experience many of the places captured in this video. The video is totally stunning and makes me very proud to be Australian, even though I don’t live in New South Wales.

I would happily visit Sydney and New South Wales again when the opportunity arises. I also would encourage any person who has the opportunity to come to and experience the wonder and excitement of Australia to visit.

The photographs I have included in this post are my own. I took these on previous visits to New South Wales and include Sydney, Manly beach and the Blue Mountains. I have also included a photograph of a waratah, the state flower of New South Wales.

I have copied the official press release here and circulated a copy of the video on my Google + page. No copyright infringement intended.

NSW CELEBRATED IN RUSSELL CROWE’S LATEST MUSIC VIDEO

Destination NSW has partnered with Russell Crowe’s musical project The Indoor Garden Party for the band’s new music video for the single Out of Range, which features an array of spectacular New South Wales vision.

Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said the music video was a celebration of the beauty and unique landscape of the State.

“The Out of Range music video showcases more than 15 different spectacular locations throughout NSW, highlighting the depth and breadth of our exceptional State,” Ms Chipchase said.

“This music video not only celebrates the beauty of NSW, but highlights the vast range of landscapes, attractions and experiences on offer to visitors travelling to every corner of the State.

“From the stunning coastal shots stretching from Bondi Beach to Newcastle, the hinterland and ranges of the Blue Mountains and Snowy Mountains, to the red dirt of Broken Hill and lush farmland of Russell Crowe’s own Nana Glen property, the video reinforces that there is nowhere quite like NSW,” she said.

The decision to showcase NSW in his music video comes as no surprise from Crowe, who is passionate about his home state. Having grown up in Sydney, the Oscar-winning actor and musician is also part owner of South Sydney rugby league side the Rabbitohs.

Out of Range is the latest single from album The Musical which was released on June 16, 2017. The album was curated by principal songwriter Crowe and features Canadian folk rock icon Alan Doyle and producer Carl Falk, as well as vocalists Scott Grimes and Samantha Barks. The album is available on all major outlets.

Russell Crowe Slams His Music Critics…A fan responds.

“…you take way music out of my life and you’re taking away some of the most important and individual experiences of my life…” Russell Crowe in the London Evening Standard, 17 July, 2017.

Recently there were a series of newspaper articles where Russell Crowe answered those who criticised his music and who say he should stick to acting. This is my response to that criticism.

Personally I thought those critics were a bit hard as I love Russell’s music and lyrics with all of his collaborators much more than his movies.

I must admit I have never seen Russell’s appearance in the movie Les Miserables but it is on my bucket list of movies to see. I have read a lot of praise and criticism of Russell’s performance from professional reviewers and fans. I do admire him for stepping outside his comfort zone and doing it. 

His music although probably his first love has always been more of a hobby than the way he makes his living as it has been for other actors. Russell loves a wide range of music which he shares with fans who follow him on his official social media accounts including Twitter.

I am very excited to see that Russell has taken control of his own music on ‘The Music’ album and let the music speak for itself through great studio recordings and videos rather than through previous methods of bootlegging opportunities by fans at concerts. The hits on the official videos of music from ‘The Music’ album on YouTube and the responses from the fans about how much pleasure Russell’s music has given them have been phenomenal. The videos have had close to over 10 000 hits in less than a week.

“…I’m impelled and compelled simultaneously to express certain experiences in poetry – it’s the way it is. It’s what I do. That doesn’t mean that we’re all deadly serious when we do the shows – it’s the exact opposite. They are a lot of fun and we tell stories…” Russell Crowe in the London Evening Standard.

I have included a gorgeous poster from the concerts in United Kingdom later on this year. The poster is from the official Twitter account of Russell Crowe. No copyright infringement intended

I have copied an article here from the London Evening Standard “Breaking out” ‘Russell Crowe wants to be judged on his music no his fame’ by Alistair Foster published on the 17 July, 2017 for interested fans. The article has been edited for copyright reasons. No copyright infringement intended. I am unable to share the article via Google + .

‘Breaking out: Russell Crowe wants to be judged on his music not his fame’ by Alistair Foster published 17 July, 2017 in the London Evening Standard.

Russell Crowe says his critics should ignore his Hollywood fame and try to understand his music “objectively” — as he announced an intimate concert in London.

The Oscar-winning actor will perform with his five-piece band, Indoor Garden Party, at the Union Chapel in Islington in September.

The line-up includes West End star Samantha Barks, who appeared with Crowe in the 2012 film version of Les Misérables.

Crowe, 53, started recording music in the Eighties, before his film career, and said anyone who thought he should stick to acting was “ridiculous”.

“I went through a period of time where people thought I shouldn’t be involved in music because I was famous in something else,” he said.

“To me it’s ridiculous — you take away music out of my life and you’re taking away some of the most important moments and individual experiences in my life.

“I’m impelled and compelled simultaneously to express certain experiences in poetry — it’s the way it is. It’s what I do. That doesn’t mean that we’re all deadly serious when we do the shows — it’s the exact opposite. They are a lot of fun and we tell stories.”

He added: “I’d played guitar from a young age, it was something natural to me. If you criticise it, go ahead, whatever.

"But in a funny way, and maybe I’m being over-protective of it, when people are overly critical of my music, I know they haven’t listened to it properly.

“Because if they could simply listen to it with an objective ear, beyond whatever they think of my reputation or my acting, there is a reason that I write songs and it’s a really good reason.”

The Gladiator actor, who separated from his wife Danielle Spencer in 2012, bares his soul on his latest album, The Musical.

Its lyrics describe his difficulties balancing his work and family life, and include the line: “Everything I touch bursts into flames.”

Crowe, who has two sons, Charles, 13, and Tennyson, 11, said: “In a funny way, my songs will tell you so much more about who I am. They end up predicting your life sometimes. I was a father before I became a man. There is no man who is ready to be a father until it happens.

“Sometimes it’s hard to get that balance right between your work life and your family life, and that [lyric] was probably really connected to a period where I wasn’t working that balance as well as I could be.”

His other bandmates are American actor Scott Grimes, who played Will Scarlett to Crowe’s Robin Hood in 2010, Swedish singer/songwriter Carl Falk and Canadian artist Alan Doyle.

Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Gypsies…What is in a name?

Recently on social media a big name Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Gypsies’ fan Lynda Elstad or Lynda Here had taken it upon herself to change the name of his band from Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Gypsies to Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Band without there being any announcement of a change by Alan Doyle or his management at least on social media.

After contacting Alan’s management group Sonic Entertainment and his agent on Twitter for a confirmation that the name was indeed changed I received no response. Lynda Here stated on her Twitter account after another fan raised the issue, that she was just following Alan Doyle’s lead. I don’t watch her bootlegs so if the name change was mentioned on stage I have no idea. However, after a search of official social media and fan sites I found there had been no discussion by Alan Doyle or the even the fans who went to recent concerts and may have heard this.

Some of the fans including myself and Lynda Here were involved in a discussion that was raised about the use of the word ‘Gypsies’ in the title of Alan Doyle’s band in connection with the cultural group Romani earlier this year. I agree that as an outsider when referring to the cultural group Romani that they should not be called ‘Gypsies’ out of respect. ‘Gypsies’ is considered a derogatory term when referring to Romani as they have been discriminated and persecuted throughout history.

However, as many fans including myself pointed out that using words that refer to cultural groups like ‘Gypsies’ and others appropriately context is everything. In a general search of the definition of the word ‘Gypsies’ from online dictionaries and reference material the term also refers to free spirited people that travel the world without a home. And this is the context in which Alan Doyle and the Beautiful Gypsies use the word ‘Gypsies’. The name of the band does not refer to anyone else other than the members of the band including Alan himself.

The social media discussion which I was a part of was interesting. There is evidence that some so called ‘fans’ love to cause trouble for a popular artist or musician when they see an opportunity. And this time some so called ‘fans’ latched onto the use of the negative stereotype of the word ‘Gypsies’. These ‘fans’ seem to take delight in speaking for cultural groups which they have no actual personal association with, little knowledge of and only a fleeting interest in.

To validate their causes these ‘fans’ shared material that does not come from in my opinion credible academic sources or from representatives of the cultural group themselves. They forget than anyone can write anything and post it on the Internet and because something is posted on the Internet doesn’t make it true or a valid and reliable source. On a lot of occasions theses ‘fans’ perpetuate the negative stereotypes they are allegedly challenging and make absolutely outright false statements. For example one fan who joined the discussion stated ‘Gypsies’ are indigenous to Europe, failing to realise the origins of Romani and many Romani are found in many countries including America and Canada. These ‘fans’ fail to recognise that identity is complex, multi layered and constantly changing.

For many of these ‘fans’ on social media who take on a particular cause like this, their social media accounts show their interest is fleeting and do not have a track record of being genuinely interested. For many social media users likes, favourites, retweets and shared posts provide many with a false sense of social activism that generally has no positive outcomes other than to make giver and receiver engage with the topic and feel good about themselves for a couple of seconds. The discussion may be evidence of trolling.

For many cultural groups there are negative stereotypes associated with them and the countries they come from including Newfoundland and my own Australia. That is not to dismiss the significance of the historical discrimination experienced by the Romani throughout the world. There is significant research and shared experiences from those cultural groups are available online for those wishing to explore them. As I am neither a Newfoundlander nor a Romani I will not attempt to try explain what their experiences are but briefly relate them to my own as an Australian. Not that my experiences can begin to be comparable to those two cultural groups.

In a recent Buzz Feed article titled “20 stereotypes Australians are tired of hearing” by Brad Esposito posted on the 27 August, 2014 discussed stereotypes by foreigners about Australians. I was surprised and horrified to read about the stereotypes that exist of ALL (not some) Australians. They ranged from the somewhat true to the outright ridiculous. I was surprised to think that some foreigners think ALL Australians are always drunk and horrified to think they think Australia has no culture. There are the ridiculous stereotypes that ALL Australians have pet koalas, ride kangaroos to work, live near the beach and surf. The list goes on. I realise that Buzz Feed is not the most reliable source and the information was collected from posts on social media but still it is frustrating these negative stereotypes exists of me and my fellow Australians which are just not true. Australia’s people and its environment are considerably diverse.

Recently Alan Doyle’s music partner and friend Russell Crowe changed the name of their group and the name of their new album. The new album is called ‘The Musical’ and the name of the group the Indoor Garden Party to be more inclusive of all the artists and musicians that contributed. Alan Doyle has provided a cover for his new single ‘Summer, Summer, Night’ for the song loaded up on to his official vevo account called ‘Alan Doyle. A Week At The Warehouse.’ There is no mention of the Beautiful Gypsies although this name continues to appear on posters advertising concerts. Alan Doyle seems to have decided that he is still maybe, very much a solo act with the full backing of the band. Fans seem to be able to adjust to name changes to be inclusive of those involved in the production, whenever they happen.

If Alan Doyle did make a casual reference to his band ‘as his beautiful band’ at a concert I am sure it wasn’t meant to be taken literally. Lynda Here seems to have taken this and changed their name literally. I believe the change she made to the name of the band started with the bootlegs she posted of the concerts in London and Germany on June 21, 2017.

Lynda Here has contacted Alan Doyle almost daily on his official social media accounts including Twitter and Instagram sharing comments, photos and bootlegs and did not raise the name change with Alan. Lynda Here has not been responded to by Alan for over two and a half years, although he has responded to fans who share her bootlegged videos of other people’s copyrighted material. Lynda Here’s actions on social media indicate to me the name change was allegedly due to being frustrated at not being acknowledged on social media rather than any genuine concern for any cultural group of discriminated and persecuted people.

Perhaps if Lynda Here was really interested in following Alan Doyle's lead then she should just refer to Alan Doyle by his name rather than make up some band name that might not really exist now or in the future. But in the meantime until I hear different I will refer to Alan Doyle and his band on my blog as Alan Doyle And The Beautiful Gypsies as he intended. There have been no complaints about me using the word ‘Gypsies’ in my blog in the context of this band.