1) Paintings by Stefano Tambellini

Stefano is one of the animators working alongside Federico Parr (www.naturalistathemovie.com) on ‘Blind like a fool’. He has created these beautiful watercolours paintings which we are selling as part of the campaign.

2) An afternoon at Hookend Studios. Come down on 26th June in the afternoon and be a fly on the wall as we finish of recording the album.

3) Hire the incredible Joanna Quail (cellist to the Gods) for one hours performance – she can come and serenade you wherever you wish!

Click here to pledge for one of the above. http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/tallulahrendall
Xx Tallulah

Also I thought I would drop you a line and introduce you to a couple more of the wonderful artists involved in the project.

The first is Kilford – http://themusicpainter.com/
A fine young fellow who paints whilst you sing and creates these beautiful canvases of colour. Kilford and I met pretty recently when he invited me to come and perform at his one love night at the social, and he seemed a perfect candidate to be captured into the world of Rendall chaos! His song is called ‘Alive’.

The second is the wonderful cartoonist Gray Jolliffe, who has been a family friend from many a long while.

Lastly we have Frederico Parr and his wonderful team of animators. Federico was recently recognised for his incredible animated film Il Naturalista http://www.tallulahrendall.com/wp-admin/

I have given Frederico a song called Blind Like A Fool. As soon as I had written it, I was reminded of Les Triplettes de Belleville (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npro9kjyaJk, which if you haven’t seen you must – it is fantastic) and I really wanted to find an animator to do something in a similar vain… where upon I stumbled across Fred. He is incredible and I cant wait to see what they create.

This week is our last week of rehearsals before we head off into the studio. Thank you so much to all of you for your support. We have two more weeks to go to reach the pledging target so fingers crossed. If any of you can think of people who would be interested in not only supporting me but also the Pachamama Alliance please do pass on the word and ask them to join us in the campaign.

Take care and have a wonderful week.

xxx Tallulah

It has been a really busy couple of weeks.

Last weekend I travelled up to Yorkshire to fulfil a pledge for the very lovely Greenwood family, who had pledged for a special solo performance as a birthday present for their mum Angela. So off I headed to perform to five in their living room! It was officially the smallest gig I have ever done… until later that night when at 3am I had to fulfil another birthday message to the lovely Gavin. Via the wonders of a mobile phone video and youtube I managed to upload the following link and make a bunch of drunken and lovely folks from Kent very happy.

Next on my list of adventures has been recruiting Artist John Bishop. I have given John my song ‘Colour-blind’ which sonically reminds me a little of Portishead’s ‘The Rip’.

Here is a little bit of info on good ole Johnny boy ‘Jonathan Bishop’s works are an impressive collection, paying tribute to his own eclectic style and exposure to various cultures. Most notable throughout his collection are his creation of Ci Men and later on, his Stickmen, both of which encapsulate the ever-present emotion and enigma within his work. http://www.jonathanbishop.net/’

Lastly I have not only been rehearsing but getting a Russian project that I worked on back from the printers. Last year George Piskov the Chairman of UNIASTRUM BANK commissioned me, to record an early 19th Century Russian love song, KALITKA in Russian! His idea being to bring such songs to an appreciative UK audience.

Ok so bare in mind I have never spoken Russian, know very little about Russian “Romantic/Silver Period 19th Century music” and have about a week to learn, arrange and record a song. I found a singing teacher who was somewhat confused as she began banging away on her piano as to why I had a very silent and blank face. Her confusion soon became desperation when she realized I really had no idea what the melody or the lyrics were let alone how to articulate them. What then began was a journey into patience – this woman deserved a medal – my Russian was quite simply non-existent and the situation was not added by the fact that certain phrases sounded very different to an English ear. ‘Smillie houst’… coming out a bit like smelly horse. Nevertheless this stoic woman and I battled on with Matt Ingram who produced this track with me patiently listening on. By some miracle I managed to develop a sort Russian/English accent and managed to write a melody I liked. And now you can buy the result on I tunes!

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/kalitka/id373093594

I was then asked to produce a music video for the song, and after much contemplation decided that puppets were the answer. Puppets, glitter, lots of snow and some of Andrew Logan’s dragonflies.. (these feature in all my videos..)
The video came back from the printers to today but can be viewed online here..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-PPY1XmdI8

Next on my list of challenges is to sing Kalitka this Saturday at a Russian Ball. I am never normally nervous about singing, excited yes, but the thought of singing a song in Russian to a room full of Russians is actually almost comical. I am quite simply petrified someone or all 500 are going to suddenly cotton on that this girl’s Russian is a little wonky. But never to be put off by a challenge off I go.

Next week we also start our last week of rehearsals and so sometime between now and then I have to raise the rest of the Pledge money, finish some lyrics, learn all my guitar parts and sleep. I definitely feel a challenge Anika/Rocky training montage kicking in.
Have a great week xx T

We have also successfully filmed two of the artists involved in the project. The art they have created has totally exceeded my expectations and I feel incredibly honored that they have given their time and energy to my songs.

Next up we have the wonderful Beshlie McKelvie http://www.beshliemckelvie.com/ whose beautiful paintings filled the pages of my last album Libellus. The song I have given her is called ‘Underground’ and it is a story about the beauty of love and its delicate nature. Sounds very girlie but actually with Jay’s fantastic guitar lines and Jo’s sweeping cello lines it has become something of an epic. Below is an image of one of Beshlie’s paintings from Libellus.

Bex Rox has also received her song ‘Go bathe in the light’. Bex is another kindred spirit who has shared many a dance floor with me, and is a fantastic artist. She has created her own label and successfully designed beautiful pieces of jewelry. http://www.bexrox.com/ This is an image of one of her incredible designs I wrote ‘Go bathe in the light’ after seeing Patti Smith at the Union Chapel last month (once again she has been a source of incredible inspiration – Hope Tonight being the last track she inspired). Anyhow this song was written about a strong intoxicating female striding along her path and enchanting those that crossed her way. It felt like the perfect song for Bex! Next installment next week xxxx Tallulah

On to the Secret Garden Party, Lynton Music Festival, Grassroots, Glastonbury and down a Rabbit hole through a lot of rain and mud… onto Port Elliot Festival where if it was not for the Paramedics and Nina I would have died of PSP toxic poisoning.

We have been across the land (10,000 miles of it to be exact), slept: in ditches, by the sea, near pubs that serve fine ale, and in selling her I feel I am selling a little piece of freedom. Melodramatic you may say but don’t try and come between a woman and her escape route!

Anyhow she is off back into the world and into the arms of the very lovely Heather and her two children.

If you are unsure of what or who Nina is, she was my magnificent Ford Transit campervan.

I have attached a wee video of us at Port Elliot Festival prior to my near death experience.

Once the money from her sale has cleared we will have reached just under half way to our full fundraising goal – yippee..

Long Live Nina…

http://www.facebook.com/#!/video/video.php?v=239229485446

As you all know we launched http://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/tallulahrendall the response has been amazing. So far we have 12% of the amount needed, which is, fantastic so thank you everyone.

However the most incredible element has been getting to know the unbelievably generous people who have pledged and their extraordinary stories. Money has been pledged by people with less money than me, and this is one skint little Rendall! People who themselves are trying to raise capital, in some cases by a woman who needs a certain amount of money so that she can pay for injections that keep her alive. This brought me to tears the fact that someone believed so much in me they spent money they truly needed. One other man who I have only ever met once after a gig has pledged £500. Even if we don’t meet the target the fact that so far 41 people have pledged their support and given their money so that they can own my next album is enough for me to believe that people really do want to hear my music and that I am not daft in risking everything to make this project happen.

I have been getting up at 6am every morning and working crazy 16 hour days (no exaggeration) to get this project running – writing and chatting away to all the different creatives involved. My boyfriend wonders why I cant just make an album like everyone else!

This week Amy Richardson Impey flew in from New Zealand. She has choreographed a beautiful hoop/pole/ballet dance for the song I have given her – ‘Ghost on the water’ and we are filming her next Sunday down at Taylor’s Farm (thank you to the wonderful Ben Taylor for letting us use his wonderful space).

I have also been to see the glorious and incredibly inspiring Andrew Logan (who makes a mean chicken stew) – he has had a brilliant idea for the song I have given him ‘Under the wire’ – he will be painting onto a huge sheet of glass and then making a piece of jewellery so we are off to film him on Friday.

I have also been approached by three other unbelievable artists who are now involved in the project… I will let you know more in my next instalment..

Music wise this week I had my first full day working with Tristan Ivemy who will be producing the album with me. I have written over thirty songs over the last couple of months. (I began writing when we were in Australia, New Zealand and Japan on tour). I really wanted to have a huge selection to choose from for this next album. From this thirty I have chosen 15. And from those fifteen, I have eight definites ready to go, from the other seven I just need to choose four and I am having difficulty deciding!

The songs on this record are much more up-tempo and punchier than the last. I was much happier when I began writing and I really wanted to have an album of more upbeat songs, as I do love a good rock and roll belter! There are also some really beautiful and delicate ones in there too, similar in style to Lay Me Down and of course my album would not be complete without a Black Seagull prog epic or two!

x Tallulah

CLICK HERE TO SEE HAUNCH OF VENISON BROCHURE

19.06.10 – The Middlesbrough Literary Festival

April

19.04.10 – The Social, Portland St - London – www.themusicpainter.com

17.04.10 – The Sound House Record Shop - Kent

March

08.03.10 – The Royal Academy -London

February

03.02.10 - The Pink Cow – Tokyo

04.02.10 – The Rock joint – Tokyo

26.02.10 – 40 Winks - London

January

06.01.10 - Brookfield Vineyard – Tasmania

06.01.10 – ABC News Australia

07.01.10 – O’Keefe’s Hotel – Launceston

09.01.10 – Cygnet Folk Festival

10.01.10 - Republic Bar - Hobart

13.01.10 – New Sydney Hotel

14.01.10 – The Corner Hotel supporting Toni Childs – Melbourne

15.01.10 – Paris Cat - Melbourne

16.01.10 – Darko’s Place - Melbourne

20.01.10 – The Vanguard -Sydney

22.01.10 – Oxford Arts Factory -Sydney

24.01.10 - Radio Show -Aukland

30.01.10 – Pole Revolution Studio - Aukland

31.01.10 – Cassette -Aukland

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE FACEBOOK EVENTS PAGE

CLICK HERE TO VISIT THE FACEBOOK EVENTS PAGE

November

11.11.09 – The Bathhouse - East end

October

07.10.09 – 40 Winks

08.10.09 – 40 Winks

28.10.09 – 40 Winks

31.10.09 – Supporting Never The Bride

September

05.09.09 – Off The Tracks Festival

26.09.09 – Hunga Munga Festival – London

27.09.09 – Wired Festival – London

August

4.08.09 – In Spiral - Camden

07.08.09 – Hamswell Festival – Bath

11.08.09 – Instore - Kent

22.08.09 - Taylor Farm – Surrey

July

14.07.09 – In Spiral – Camden

18.07.09 – Shoreditch Festival – London

24.07.09 – Port Elliot Festival – Devon

29.07.09 - Bedtime Stories - Mile End