John submits a guitar entry for Mateus Asato Suhr competition, improvising a guitar solo over a pre-recorded backing track. Check out #asatosuhrcontest for other stunning entries.
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Kevin Bridges & Friends
The Vintage Apollos were delighted and privileged to have played a part in Kevin Bridges’ night in aid of the Euan MacDonald Centre, at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh on Monday 24th November. All profits raised were donated to the Euan MacDonald Centre for MND Research.
This is a wonderful cause, and the audience were treated to a truly special line-up that included Dylan Moran, Rich Hall, Gary Little, and of course Kevin himself. The Vintage Apollos then ended the evening by playing select tracks from Polyphony.
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Who are The Vintage Apollos?
The Vintage Apollos were originally a songwriting partnership formed by John Elliott & Robert Paulley, as a means of creating musical interpretations of Robert’s superb literal works. This culminated with the debut album Polyphony; an album incorporating a fantastic scope of influence and genre, wonderful songwriting and performance, and which furthermore was written and produced completely independently. It simultaneously provides a musical ‘companion’ to Robert’s soon-to-be-published work ’19 Songs & Sonnets’.
In addition to this, John has also enjoyed collaborative songwriting experiences, not least with award-winning author, journalist and presenter Guillem Balagué. Plans have been made to begin work on a collaborative EP in the very near future.
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Guillem Balagué Collaboration
E.P. ON THE WAY!!
A very exciting and experimental songwriting partnership with award-winning author and renowned journalist, presenter (and songwriter!!) Guillem Balagué. Borne from an original lyric written by Guillem, we composed El Faro – the first Spanish-language song either of us has penned. This was followed by versions in Catalan, and then English.
Below are sneak-previews of early demo versions of the tracks, and we plan to release a 4-track EP later this year featuring full revamped versions, together with 3 superb brand new tunes!
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Band Tracks
The album was recorded, mixed and mastered during a 5-day session in September 2013, at Glasgow Music Studios.
All songs performed by John Elliott.
Thank-you to Paul Kelly (drums/percussion) and both Alistair Morrow & Amanda Brown, who sang backing vocals on ‘Electric’.
John would like to thank… everyone. My special mention to Ryan, who makes being a legend seem the norm. This album is for Robert’s friends and family – even those I don’t know as well as I would like to are simply legends.
My love to Jason, Margaret and Robert Snr. x
Abrazos a todos.
Besos a mi esposa y mi hijo
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Robert’s Story
Robert Paulley’s main interests were theatre, film, literature, music and football. He held a BA in Literature and worked in the media for a few years after graduating, before eventually finding his calling in Social Care. He worked for a charity called Includem for six years where he helped to start a football team, a drama group and even an Arts Council. He loved his job passionately and built lasting relationships with a variety of young people as well as colleagues.
At 27 Robert was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease and stopped working. He got on with his life as best as he could, and after being diagnosed he; climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge, jumped 10,000 feet out of a plane, was best man at a wedding, drove coast to coast across America, reached the final table of a poker tournament at Caesar’s Palace, starred in and wrote his own play, wrote a book of poetry and prose, together with his memoirs. He then co-wrote and produced the album Polyphony; a series of songs based on his poetry.
Robert liked to keep busy.
Robert had far closer friends than I, but nevertheless I could personally never thank him enough for giving me the opportunity to realize a lifelong ambition and record an album. The fact that we wrote the songs together and created new interpretations of his wonderful poetry made it all the sweeter. This was typical of Robert: he could identify someone’s strengths and their gifts, and he would encourage and cultivate these gifts.
How many people care to do that for and to others?
A short time after completion of the album, Robert succumbed to his illness. This album, if it is not too bold or grandiose to say, is part of his legacy. He battled against his illness, and maintained phenomenal dignity, grace and courage. Robert had wonderful friends, and a devoted family. The Vintage Apollos would not exist without him or them.
Whatever may become of the band, its roots will always be within Robert’s very own words.
– John