Coventry Music Museum curator Pete Chambers BEM writes for the Observer.
Danny Ansell
Danny Ansell is a songwriter and writes about what he sees and what he feels, so when his beloved mum passed just a few weeks ago, it was so understandable that such raw emotion would translate to a song – cathartic and celebratory of a life of one of the kindest women I have ever met.
Maureen Ansell was a great fan of music in general and a magnificent supporter of the 2-Tone Village in particular, so this song is bound to hit a nerve with a host of people, friends and family of those lucky enough to know ‘our Moe’.
Danny said: “I’ve been regularly at the studio as usual and wrote the song a few weeks after my mum passed away.
“I quickly realised this song would strike a chord with many people across the city and beyond.
“Any monies raised from the song will go to the Coventry Music Museum – a place my mum loved dearly.”
The song will be released as a single in May and followed closely by another single and video in June (We Can’t Wait).
A new LP will be released later in the year.
Danny added: “I’m really proud of this song and what it stands for.
“The song is a tribute to anybody who has ever lost anybody close to them recently (and there seems to be a lot at this moment in time).
“I want to say a massive thank you to Patrick Beard and Austin Bannister who work with me and whose belief in my songs is immeasurable.
“I can’t wait to play it live as I’ve missed playing live big time – as I’m sure local musicians and musicians around the world will agree.
“But the time is getting nearer and I’ve some great gigs to look forward to.
“I’m especially looking forward to performing the new songs live.”
Sam McNulty
If you know local music, you will know local legend Sam McNulty – more recently famed for running the acoustic tents at Coventry’s Godiva Festival.
Travel back in time though and you will discover that Sam’s musical career is an exemplary one.
His CV includes Coventry punk giants Squad (the band that launched Terry Hall), The Giraffes and later The Two Giraffes with the late great Steve Edgson. Though up to about now, Sam has never released a solo record, but that is about to change with the release of ‘The Boy Who Invented Everything, The Land of The Broken Hearts’.
As is to be expected, it’s a superb song, and any song that references The Velvet Underground, Roxy Music, Bebop Deluxe and Bowie is good as far as I’m concerned.
But, being serious, this is the kind of intelligent song-writing we have come to expect from Mr McNulty.
It ticks all the boxes vocally, lyrically, and musically.
I hope it gets the support that it and Sam deserves.
It will be available from May 3.
