Roy Stannard's Blog

When you think you know it all, ask the next question

Roy Stannard

  • Hey, I made a film today

    The days are passing quickly before the political event of the Millenium – the Referendum on the new voting system. Two contemporary characters sit in a clean white office in Hoxton debating the issues of the day. They represent the Zeitgeist. He really wants her vote. She really wants him to disappear. They could be… Read more

  • Why saving theatres is great theatre

    Since Christmas something rather remarkable has been happening in Worthing. Because of the cuts in Central Government spending, the Town has been looking under its moth-eaten bed to see what obsolete pieces of social detritus it can afford to get rid of. The Town Council has decided in its wisdom that Theatre is the defunct… Read more

  • Fair Trade in Football?

    Football has become about big money and small characters. Even the ball itself has become a metaphor for big business and exploitation. Major brands like Nike, Adidas, Reebok, Mitre (UK) have recently discovered a conscience in these matters because links with child labour are not a great platform for sales in the hothouse supersales arena… Read more

  • A Place in the Sun – my love affair with Tracey Thorn

    I first stumbled across Tracey Thorn on the Cherry Red compilation ‘Pillow and Prayers’ in 1983. She had three songs on the album under her own name, The Marine Girls and Everything but the Girl. I was astounded by the maturity, magical resonance and mellifluous marshmellowness of her voice. I also loved the feeling of… Read more

  • As in Photography, so in Life.

    In Minimalist Photography the technique is the palette. The palette informs the technique. It speaks of space. The image on the canvas is the art in itself. It doesn’t pretend to be something it’s not. If you can read messages, meanings and morality into the creation, then that is your mind’s neurological pathways conspiring together… Read more

  • The Hirsch SB-1 guitar makes its debut – and ‘The Messiah will come again’

    Jon Hirsch is a dreamer, inventor, perfectionist and musician. He combines all these qualities in the form of his life’s obsession. Creating his own guitar. Like me, he’s listened to all the greats, wondered at the strange blend of spiritual transcendence and sheer down to earth sweat and toil involved in making a guitar sing.… Read more

  • January Laments – New Indie Love Songs

    It’s January 2011 and the Atlantic rain is driving in on the unlimited causeway of my mind as I sit in one of the quieter moments of another new start, new year. As always at these times, I have the music. Read more

  • Standing at the doorway of the year (what I’m doing next)

    Waiting for stars to come into alignment, precursor angels to whisper in our ear and a sense of imminent goodness to happen. Sure, 2010 was a tough year and some aspirations have had to be put on a ventilator for a while – but day by day that infant we call hope will grow imperceptibly… Read more

  • My Top Ten Albums of 2010

    Roy Stannard’s often requested Top Ten albums of 2010 – with the next ten thrown in for good measure. Read more