July 8, 2012 • 8:33 am 0
After their fantastic gig in the Norrington Room on Tuesday evening here is a video of the song that they wrote especially for the performance. It is a song inspired by Alice in Wonderland and is called Curious and Curiouser
Filed under: Alice's Day, Bookshop news and events, Alice's Day 2012, The Bookshop Band
July 4, 2012 • 1:10 pm 1
Curious and curiouser
Things aren’t what they seem…
Last night on the 3rd July, Blackwell’s staff and customers were treated to an intimate but astonishing show from The Bookshop Band.
The Bookshop Band comprises the talents of Ben Please, Poppy Pitt and Beth Porter, who can take as little as a new book and one or two hours to create beautiful songs about books. Normally to be found in Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath, The Bookshop Band are currently on tour sponsored by Vintage. In order to prepare them for the evening, we gave Ben, Poppy and Beth two new books for inspiration – Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, as a pre-Alice’s Day celebration, and Blackwell’s favourite and bestseller New Finnish Grammar by Diego Marani.
And I am afloat, on a great sea
In a boat, veiled from reality…
As the last week before the show came round, we realised that only four tickets had been sold… panic! How could we let people know how brilliant this band was? We spent the week creating posters, writing to newspapers and playing their CDs on repeat in Blackwell Music…
The Queen of Hearts is furious
This life is but a dream…
The hour drew closer and we were terribly excited to find out what the band had done with our favourite books – and still panicking that we’d have failed to provide them an audience… we need not have worried! Our lovely customers saved the day, and came streaming through the doors, filling the thirty seats we’d set out in our Norrington Room.
Playing the Norrington Room was particularly significant for Ben Please, as the room is in fact named after his grandfather – Sir Arthur Norrington… or as he was affectionately known in the family ‘Grandpa Eyebrows’.
The band’s first song ‘Curious and Curiouser’, based on Alice in Wonderland, was fast paced, frantic and exciting to listen to, conjuring up all the familiar images of smoking caterpillars and ‘Eat-Me’ cakes.
‘A Sea of Sound’, based on New Finnish Grammar, was slower and more gentle, but still full of intriguing images and capturing the confusion and difficulty of learning language.
Unknown sounds, echo emptily
In my mouth, But I cant repeat
A transitory feat, as they slip back down beneath
But I drag each word, back to the surface to be heard…
Once the new songs were finished, we were treated to a collection of The Bookshop Band’s earlier works, including songs based on The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness and Jamrach’s Menagerie by Carol Birch. A music-hall tune based on The Strange Affair of Spring Heeled Jack got the entire audience singing along to the chorus (which incidentally, I’ve had in my head all day)…
Smoke over London, looks jolly splendid, I’ve heard…
So, the evening was a complete success, and both staff and audience left not only with great music still ringing in their ears, but also with several new books on their ‘must read’ lists.
“We felt really privileged to play in such a magnificent and famous room of books. The commissions were great choices too – Alice in Wonderland is a real treasure trove of images and ideas – we had lots of fun writing about that one, and just in time for the Alice celebrations in Oxford too. We’ll try and get the video up online in time! Hope to see everyone again for Christmas. Any Christmas book ideas?” - Ben Please
If you’re currently kicking yourself for missing out on this amazing evening (and so you should be!) then never fear – The Bookshop Band are still touring the UK, and you can always find them at Mr. B’s Emporium of Reading Delights in Bath. Here at Blackwell’s, we have a selection of books from the band’s reading lists, and we’ll be keeping CDs and band merchandise on sale - so come and have a listen!
We’d love to ask The Bookshop Band to come back again, so keep an eye on our events page for to see when they’ll pop up next…
Curious and curiouser
Things aren’t what they seem…
Filed under: Alice's Day, Beauty of Books, Bookshop news and events, The Bookshop, Uncategorized, Alice in Wonderland, Alice's Day, Blackwell's, Diego Marani, New Finnish Grammar, The Bookshop Band, The Story Museum
June 25, 2012 • 8:19 pm 1
Tickets for The Bookshop Band only cost £5 – they are performing in the shop on the evening of 3rd July and will be unveiling two new songs, one inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and one inspired by New Finnish Grammar. Psst…pass it on!
Filed under: Bookshop news and events, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, New Finnish Grammar, Norrington Room, The Bookshop Band
June 20, 2012 • 12:18 pm 0
The Bookshop Band in the ‘Grandad Eyebrows Room’
The tour of independent booksellers by The Bookshop Band is well under way now. On July 3rd they will play the Norrington Room. Yesterday they popped into the shop to say hi and to pick up the book that we are asking them to turn into a song to be premiered on the night.
They will turn Alice and NFG into songs!
Us being us we couldn’t choose just one book so we happily handed over a copy of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and - surpise, surprise - New Finnish Grammar. Our breath is truly baited to see and hear what they turn these two books into.
We are always proud to show off the Norrington Room to visitors but on this occasion I was well and truly trumped – it turns out that Ben, the founder of the band, is the grandson of Arthur Norrington – or Grandad Eyebrows as he was known in the family.
The Bookshop Band turn each ‘season’ of songs into a CD and their collection from their first year will be available in the shop soon. Each ‘season’ has a theme and a reading list:
Tickets (£5 only) are still available for what promises to be one of the most exciting events of our Summer season through our Customer Service desk or by calling 01865 333623. You wouldn’t want to miss a song inspired by New Finnish Grammar now, would you?
Filed under: Bookshop news and events, The Bookshop, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, Arthur Norrington, New Finnish Grammar, Norrington Room, The Bookshop Band
June 8, 2012 • 9:46 am 0
Another set of cracking bookshop events in July, music, storytelling, natural history, one of oue very best comic writers and Elizebetah espionage! It would be lovely to see you at any or all of these:
The Bookshop Band
Blackwell’s Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford
Price: £5
The Bookshop Band write and perform songs inspired by books and the members of the band take it in turns to describe the inspiration for each song. During last year, they have completed 18 author events, and written 36 songs inspired by 21 diverse books.
The band is made up of three British musician/songwriters: Ben Please – part of indie-folk band Urusen who have recently recorded an album with platinum-selling producer Steve Osborne (KT Tunstall, The Happy Mondays, U2, Doves); Poppy Pitt – an artist and sculptor who also tours with her own band, Poppy and Friends; and Beth Porter – has played with Peter Gabriel, currently tours with Eliza Carthy and has recorded for Newton Faulkner, The Unthanks, and Maximo Park.
This promises to be a stunning evening and one that, we are sure, will be talked about for years to come…
Tickets cost £5 and can be obtained by telephoning or visiting the Customer Service Department, Second Floor, Blackwell Bookshop, Oxford. 01865 333623
Walking the Landscapes of Britain
Blackwell’s Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford
Price: £2
Philip Hughes will be joining us to discuss Tracks: Walking the Ancient Landscapes of Britain. This book focuses on eleven iconic walks across beautiful ancient areas in Britain, each expressed through Hughes’ artwork in paintings and drawings as well as maps, aerial photographs and short introductions about the surrounding area.
Tickets cost £2 and can be obtained by telephoning or visiting the Customer Service Department, Second Floor, Blackwell Bookshop, Oxford. 01865 333623
Alice’s Day
Blackwell’s Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford
Free activities throughout the day – come and join us!
Join us for a day of frabjous activities taking place in our magical children’s department here at Blackwell’s Bookshop from 11am – 5pm. Loose yourself in our all day storytelling of Alice in Wonderland or take part in our Alice trail in the Norrington Room. Be transformed by our face-painting artist or entertained by our comical Alice’s Day musicians. Have a balloon made by our balloon sculptress and get creative with our range of Alice themed craft activities, there’s lots to do for all the family and we hope you can join us!
Alice in Wonderland: The Big Story Read:
We’ll be celebrating the 150th anniversary of the telling of Alice in Wonderland with an all day reading of the story by a range of exciting special guests including children’s authors Sally Nichols, Steve Feasy, Jen Campbell and MG Harris! Drop in to listen to a chapter or stay all day to hear the story in full, join us in celebrating this wonderful occasion. If you are as mad as a hatter and would like to take part as a storyteller, a sign up sheet is on display in the children’s department, please sign up before Alice’s Day to have a guaranteed place
For further information, please telephone our Children’s Department: 01865 333694
Lunchtime book signing:
Jasper Fforde / The Woman Who Died a Lot
This is the new Thursday Next novel from Number One bestselling author Jasper Fforde.
The BookWorld’s leading enforcement officer Thursday Next is four months into an enforced semi-retirement following an assassination attempt. She returns home to Swindon for what you’d expect to be a time of recuperation. If only life were that simple.
Thursday is faced with an array of family problems – son Friday’s lack of focus since his career in the Chronoguard was relegated to a might-have-been, daughter Tuesday’s difficulty perfecting the Anti-Smote shield needed to thwart an angry Deity’s promise to wipe Swindon off the face of the earth, and Jenny, who doesn’t exist.
And that’s not all. With Goliath attempting to replace Thursday at every opportunity with synthetic Thursdays, the prediction that Friday’s Destiny-Aware colleagues will die in mysterious circumstances, and a looming meteorite that could destroy all human life on earth, Thursday’s retirement is going to be anything but easy.
Jasper Fforde traded a varied career in the film industry for staring out of the window and chewing the end of a pencil. He lives and works in Wales and has a passion for aviation.
All are welcome, no booking required, please just come along!
Hugh Warwick / The Beauty in the Beast
Blackwell’s Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford
Price: £2
The Beauty in the Beast is a delightful portrait of some of the UK’s best-loved wild animals and birds and the colourful enthusiasts who champion their causes. Meet the water vole-woman from Shropshire, the owl-man from Somerset and Gordon, the dancing toad-fancier. These and many other fabulously engaging characters carry a deep knowledge of their chosen species within a distinctly quirky shell. Other animals making an appearance include otters, bats, dolphins, dragonflies, foxes and adders. Hugh Warwick, animal enthusiast and hedgehog fanatic, writes a series of affectionate and lively homages to the animals of the British Isles, composed of fieldwork and interviews with the people who love and conserve them.
Tickets cost £2 and can be obtained by telephoning or visiting the Customer Service Department, Second Floor, Blackwell Bookshop, Oxford. 01865 333623
SJ Parris / Sacrilege
Blackwell’s Bookshop, 48-51 Broad Street, Oxford
Price: £2
Perfect for fans of C.J. Sansom and The Name of the Rose, the third historical thriller featuring Giordano Bruno, heretic, philosopher and spy. In the pursuit of power, nothing is sacred! Summer, 1584. The Protestant Prince William of Orange has been assassinated by a fanatical Catholic, and there are whispers that Queen Elizabeth will be next. Fear haunts the streets of London, and plague is driving many citizens away. Giordano Bruno, radical philosopher and spy, chooses to remain, only to find that someone is following him through the city. Confronting his stalker, he realizes it is the woman he once loved — she is on the run, having been accused of murder. Bruno travels to Canterbury to help clear her name, and also on behalf of Sir Francis Walsingham. The Queen’s spymaster has long suspected Catholic influence in the ancient centre of pilgrimage, and instructs Bruno to work to expose any enemy plots. As Bruno begins his hunt for the real killer, he is drawn into the heart of a sinister conspiracy hiding in the shadow of England’s holiest shrine!
Tickets cost £2 and can be obtained by telephoning or visiting the Customer Service Department, Second Floor, Blackwell Bookshop, Oxford. 01865 333623
Filed under: Bookshop news and events, Alice Day, Alice's Day, Blackwell's Events, book events, Hugh Warwick, Jasper Fforde, Jen Campbell, MG Harris, oxford events, Philip Hughes, Sally Nichols, SJ Parris, Steve Feasy, The Bookshop Band
May 29, 2012 • 3:27 pm 0
Love books? Love music? Then you will love, love, love The Bookshop Band
On Tuesday 3rd July The Bookshop Band will be visiting Blackwell’s as part of their tour of independent bookshops and festivals. We are most excited! Ben Please is the founder and guitarist, here he answers some questions about how the band came into existence and what the future holds for them:
How did the idea for a Bookshop Band come about?
Nic Bottomley, the owner of Mr B’s Emporium of Reading Delights, asked me if I wanted to come in and play at the shop’s new series of author evenings. They didn’t want them to be normal ‘author evenings’ where an author might just read something from their book and answer a few questions. Instead they gave the evening a theme, of which the author formed a part, but which also included themed food and drink… and themed music. The first season was called Travels from your armchair, and each night was based on a different part of the world; Russia, Greece, Central Europe, Japan and then Brazil. Nic asked if I could put together a little group of musicians to play a cover song relating to the theme, to start the evening off. I could have said yes, but I’m awful at doing covers, so I just said I’d write a song instead. As I walked out of the shop I realised how silly and unworkable this was, so I immediately phoned up two other local musicians who I had recently become friends with. One was a songwriter called Poppy Pitt. Just the previous month we’d had a lock-in in a public house and we had agreed not to leave until we had written and recorded a whole album. And we did, well, nine songs. Poppy is amazing like that. If you play a guitar idea to her for four minutes, she will have written a beautiful and insightful four minute song by the end of it! She had to be on the team, I thought. Then there was Beth Porter. Beth is a cellist who, if you ask her to play or sing over some music, will do so in a such an easy and musical way. She’s one of these people that naturally create music that is wonderful to stop and listen to. She’s also a great songwriter and singer as well, so she had to be on the team too. Luckily they both said “yes”. We went straight into the season of events, and over the course of two months we wrote two songs for each of the five nights. Instead of responding to the actual book, we chose instead folk stories from each of the theme countries. We didn’t have very long to write the songs, most were done in half a day, so there wasn’t time to read the books properly. For the first few events we didn’t have a name. The In-house Band, or once I think we even went crazy with “The Lost Art Of The Mix Tape”. But by about the third event we unanimously decided to call ourselves The Bookshop Band, because that is what we were. After the first season Nic asked us if we’d like to do another. After saying yes, we decided to go for it. This time we would all read the books in advance, and write the songs in response to them.
How do you write songs about books?
These books, which authors invest with so much of their creativity, time and so many ideas, are wonderful songwriting starting blocks. As to how exactly a book might inspire a song, it’s different for every book. Some songs are about a really specific moment in the book, others might be a character or a place or even a mood. Some songs are inspired by just one sentence, while others might try to be an overview of the whole thing. I think the key is that we need to find something within the book that we can emotionally connect to, then the songwriting becomes natural and can just flow. Something in the book usually resonates with something happening in one of our lives, so the songs are definitely an amalgamation of our own personal experiences, all mixed up with the imagery, narrative or emotions from the book.
How’s it gone so far?
It’s been a real eye opener for us in terms of songwriting, each book inspires a whole range of completely different songs. It takes us out of our individual comfort zones, to somewhere much more exciting! The response, from bookshops, publishers and people who love books, has been amazing, and really motivating for us too. What does the future hold for The Bookshop Band? We have just finished recording all the songs from the first four seasons of events from last year. These will all be ready in June, and we’ve made a nice box to put them all in. Our ‘Complete Works – Year One’. We decided to go exploring the UK and play some of these songs in other bookshops. It was something we all wanted to do, and it felt like the perfect way to round off the year’s work. You can see our tour dates here: www.thebookshopband.co.uk Since recording the last four albums we’ve already finished season five at Mr Bs, so there is another one to record if we ever get the chance. There’s a lot more bookshops and literary festivals in the UK to play at, let alone the rest of the world. And we think it’d be a wonderful way to see it. Poppy has also been desperate to write a whole album specifically based on children’s books, so one day, we’ll definitely do that.
As a very special treat for Blackwell’s customers we have agreed with The Bookshop Band that YOU can suggest a book for them to turn into a song and that one of these will be played on July 3rd. Please leave suggestions in the comments…
Tickets for this very special event cost £5 and are available at our Customer Service Desk on the second floor of the shop or by calling 01865 333623
Filed under: Bookshop news and events, Guest Blogs, The Bookshop Band
