Disability Studies & Rehabilitation Services.International Organizational Leadership.Music & Entertainment (Lambuth Campus Only).
#EDWIN WATTS MEMPHIS PROFESSIONAL#
Physical Education Teacher Education (MS)Ĭollege of Professional & Liberal Studies.Exercise, Sport & Movement Sciences (MS).Educational Psychology and Research (MS).Educational Psychology and Research (PhD).Instruction and Curriculum Leadership (MAT).Instruction and Curriculum Leadership (EdD).Music - Jazz and Studio Composition/Arranging.Earth Sciences - Interdisciplinary (MS).Computer Science: Artificial Intelligence.Any band that can sound like a cross between The Associates, Sparks and Japan are alright by me and I find the combination of arch theatricality and simple smilyness very charming.
I’ve recently become a complete Walt Disco fanboy, too. That man should have been a big star in the ’70s, but at least an increasing number of people are finding his work. In recent years I’ve got heavily into Bobby Gentry for that reason, discovered the very wonderful Jimmy Campbell (now, he was quite eccentric) and been working my way through my pal, John Howard’s, back catalogue. I’ve been, more or less accurately, described as working ‘within the tradition of the great eccentric English songwriter’ and I do prefer individualists. I jumped ship as I felt that 18 odd years of largely instrumental music was enough, I was a decent singer and I had things to sing about. Plenty of music out of that little lot and it tends to be a life affirming sound, as opposed to doomy. My main bands were State River Widening, which I co-founded with Brian Eno biographer David Sheppard, Phelan Sheppard (same deal, more ambient), leading the Anglo-Japanese outfit Smile Down Upon Us and partnering Katie English in the flute-centric littlebow. I was a fully paid up member of the post rock and neo-classical fraternity from the late ’90s until around 2017, when I metaphorically ran away to join the circus. But my band is really amazing they simply clicked right back in with each other.Ĭan you outline your background in music and what you have done previously? Peace Signs’ music needs a ‘live’ feel, though, so it took a while before we could all get back into our Lightship 95 floating studio and get to work. After a while I was able to hook up with Jenny, my pianist, so that helped move things along. It’s a harsh discipline but, frankly, I’ve never worked with such a purpose. You use whatever moments you have or you can’t do it at all. When you’re caring for someone with dementia you’re never really off duty, so all of the ‘having to be in the right mood’ to songwrite goes completely out the window. The year I mention was also the first year of lockdown so, like most other writers, I was working on my tod. What was the writing and recording process for it? Looking after a parent with dementia is very tough but, in some ways (if you can hack it) it’s one of the most important (and even best) things you may ever do. The title itself is quixotic but it’s a refusal to bow to pressure and to unhappiness. But even more, there’s a push against the restrictions of the situation and many of the songs are almost ridiculously upbeat.
For example ‘You’ve Got Your Mother’s Love’ is reflective of the fact she didn’t always know who I was, and ‘I Don’t Know How We’re Getting Home From Here’ is a child-turned-parent song which was engendered when she ceased to recognise her own home. Part of the album is directly concerned with that. All of the songs on the album were composed while I was caring for my late, dementia suffering, mother in the final year of her life, in what had been my childhood home. The Strange Brew asks Keiron 5 questions:Īre there any particular themes that thread through the lyrics of ‘Bubblegum Boogie’? Keiron Phelan follows up the critically acclaimed Peace Signs album, Hobby Jingo, with his blend of 70s glam pop for new LP ‘Bubblegum Boogie’.