Word from the Navigator Mine..

Posted By: Tom Rose 04.12.08, 02.30am

Been enjoying reading Rufus Causley’s insightful Radio 2 Website blog for Mike Harding.. seems he’s being well looked after on the Under One Sky tour.. some sad news from that tour.. Graham Coxon won’t be able to appear at The Sage or Alnwick dates due to family reasons.. quick thinking John McCusker got on the blower to his mate Norman Blake of Teenage Fanclub though and he’s stepped in to fill Grahams position.. which should be top. As a young lad I once dj’d at a TFC show.. on their 2nd album, Bandwagonesque tour when it came to Derby.. for some strange reason I never saw them again until last year when they were playing Glasgow and it was non stop hits and John was guesting.. must have been donkeys years ago, both times they were totally amazing.. look out for their new album next year...

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Monday, and back to the coal face...

Posted By: Tom Rose 25.11.08, 10.07 PM

The mine donkey is unpacked, back down the shaft for me and on with the work..

The Christmas single has become reality, artwork is in, masters have arrived for the Jon Boden and Angel Brothers albums, Boo’s sent me music by Lucy Wainwright Roche (the real Rufus’ other sister) and I’m enjoying a world of music on my desk again.. there are a billion things to do, Lau have orchestration and Canadian things, Bellowhead wonder about Japan, adverts need approving for lunchtime, radio sessions need fitting into tours where really no time should allow, I confirm Dean Owens to open for Joan As Police Woman up north, look through the new Navigator Web Store (www.navgator-webstore.com)...

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FolkArts England and AFO Conference - Day 3 and 4!

Posted By: Tom Rose 25.11.08, 10.07 PM

5.45 am Hannah (that’s Mrs Rose -navigator - reveal) is up and off to work but I’m not long into bed and there’s a distinctly vague memory of her instructions about what I needed to do for the kids before they go to their various clubs and friends houses this morning.. fast forward almost three hours and Oh Lord… yes.. I’ve woken up late and a blind panic sets in, to find ballet shoes, football boots , presents for children’s parties and a parent’s birthday card which needs posting to arrive on time on Monday.. Henry (who’s 8) is making Holly (who’s 5) breakfast and quietly leading from the front as I flounder about the house.. I’m thinking VERY BAD DAD!!!! when 20 minutes later than I am meant to have dropped off the kids at a friends , that very friend arrives to check we are alive and in fact aware of our lateness.. and Holly’s impending 9.30 am Ballet class.. oops.. and 10 minutes to get Henry to football.. (and pack my stuff, as I’m not coming home tonight) – all is in place finally and Hen arrives at his match with a minute to go, before kick off..

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FolkArts England and AFO Conference - Day 2

Posted By: Tom Rose 25.11.08, 10.07 PM

Steve Heap , Joe Heap and Alan Bearman (who have been doing a lot of the running of this conference) welcome us again, it’s day two and I’ve warmed to the idea of speaking a little more , but not enough to take the lead on the second session, thankfully seasoned pro Steve K from our distro Proper is there and he finds it easy to talk facts and case studies.. there’s some debate about releasing music or not in the busy Autumn period and my view contradicts his likely saner approach to this business.. I’m more for mixing it with major labels and trying to get coverage at a time when people are in the shops more and he’s of a mind to try and fit smaller albums into quieter periods..

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FolkArts England and Association of Festival Organisers Conference - Day 1

Posted By: Tom Rose 25.11.08, 10.07 PM

It’s a rollover! Wednesday night is becoming Thursday morning and I’ve packed up the Navigator donkey with hundreds of CD’s, posters and flyers and printed information about our artists and tours and ready to leave the coalface for a few days.. It’s early in the morning now and there’s only 5 hours left til I’m meant to be up and dropping the nippers off at school and away.. time for sleep….. But there’s been some interesting instant message / emailing of music with Dave Derby (Gramercy Arms) and Kendall Meade (Mascott) both artists who are based in New York and still awake their side of the sea.

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3029 new songs...

Posted By: Tom Rose 25.11.08, 10.07 PM

I Have been spent sorting out the final running order for a Chris Wood Anthology I’m putting together and planning for the other 2009 releases including Lau, Mawkin:Causley, A CAMP (Nina Perrson of the cardigans), Sandy Wright and some upcoming touring by Under One Sky , Mary Hampton, Joan As Police Woman and listening to as many of the new cd’s piling up on my desk as possible..

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