Appearing on Desert Island Discs, Totnes-style
By rob hopkins 9th December 2014
On Friday, at St John’s Church in Bridgetown, Totnes, I was the subject of a rather unusual version of Desert Island Discs. The Winter Concert, organised by 2 local choirs, Global Harmony and Viva, and by The Bogg Boys, invites a local person to choose 8 tracks which are then performed interspersed with stories from that person’s life. It was a real honour to be chosen for this year’s, and to have my somewhat eclectic choices reinterpreted by choirs and a band. Sadly though, ‘Shut’em Down’ by Public Enemy wasn’t chosen from my original longer list of choices: the choral reworking of that will have to wait for another occasion.
The event raised £1,800 for the Atmos Totnes project. Local poet and performer Matt Harvey chaired the event, and the whole thing was a magical evening, very moving. I’d like to thank everyone who contributed to it, especially the choristers who got their heads round my trickier choices, it was very special. Thanks.
Here is my recording of the evening. My stand-out track was Song to the Siren, which you’ll find at 35:50, but the whole thing is fantastic.