M1-6 My Way
Pete Challis is a genial musician and artist who used to live but a few minutes' walk from my home studio in Notting Hill. With his friend Phil Diplock (RIP - see below) they put together this strange synthesized mockney take on a Sinatra classic. The extraordinary thing is that on Miniatures 1 there are not one, but two Sinatra classics. Both uncalled-for (by me, that is). The odds against this happening are colossal. Or as Oscar Wilde wrote in "The Importance of Being Earnest" - "Losing one parent is a misfortune, but losing both parents is plain carelessness." It was my carelessness and lack of quality control that allowed such a situation to happen, and I apologise profoundly for it.Actually, not. I had, since 1956 (when I was 6) been a fan of Frank's brilliant Nelson Riddle-arranged album "Songs for Swinging Lovers." The scintillating big band arrangements grabbed my imagination, and still do. It was also the first ever number one album in the UK, so I guess my parents got caught up in the rampant British enthusiasm for this jewel of an LP.As for "My Way," in 1985 when I moved to Japan, it was about the only English-language song available in most karaoke bars (the other was "Yesterday") so I found myself having to grit my teeth and sing it (not easy, that) to the best of my abilities, though if the mood took me I would give it a bit of the Sid Vicious treatment. No-one seemed to notice. (Interestingly, the strings on Sid Vicious's version were arranged by Penguin Cafe Orchestra leader, the late and much-missed Simon Jeffes, who appeared on both Miniatures albums.)I met Sid once at the famed Speakeasy Club in Soho, where he was grabbing girls at random by the scruff of the neck demanding that they buy him a drink. They seemed to like it. Between grabs I had a chance to exchange a few words with him and he asked me what instrument I played. "Piano," I replied. "That's not very violent, is it?" he insisted. "You haven't heard me play, mate," I quipped.OK, enough digressing (although if there ever was an album that merited digression, it is this one). Pete and Phil seem to have kept a pretty low musical profile since the 80's, so there is not a great deal more I can say about them. Pete now lives in Tuscany amid natural splendour and tranquillity. He did once paint a picture of yours truly and my doppelgänger from a photograph I sent him of me sitting in a WWII submarine (it was in Tampa, Florida, and was open to tourists. I had holidayed there soon after Miniatures 1 was released, on a £10 ticket provided by Freddie Laker Airlines). I recently asked him what became of the painting and he kindly sent me this photo of it (click to enlarge):
I like the inclusion of the lovely old school clock (both painted and real). Pete added this note: you can of course do whatever you want with the picture - it no longer exists - I dumped all of my art work when coming here - the weight of history got too much.Which reminded me that on leaving the UK to live in India, (then Belgium, then the US, and now Japan) I sold my apartment and handed over my entire tape archive to Pete - all my demos, masters, Miniatures recordings used and unused - the whole shebang - to erase and record new music over, to his heart's content. None of the recordings exist any more, as far as I know. Yes, I'm afraid the weight of history was already bearing down on me at the tender age of 32 and I needed to cut free and head for new pastures. Apologies to those who might have been hoping for some bonus Miniatures tracks, out-takes, etc. - they're gorn. Most of my possessions and instruments including rarities such as a VCS3 and a Clavioline also went for a song.I guess "My Way" is appropriate indeed: "Regrets, I've had a few..."But then again,Too few to mention.(PS - Phil Diplock passed away on May 12, 2011. Sincere condolences to all his family and friends. Pete Challis has placed a memorial song for him on youtube.)Next up - another very British, and very beautiful, approach to Sinatra...Read/Leave Comment
