My Music

Below is a selection of my solo recording work. The selection includes original music composed by me, cover versions, parodies, and rearrangements. They are presented in reverse chronological order, with the most recent recordings first.

Astley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag artwork
Astley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag

Astley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag

Type: Interpretation

My arrangement and recording of a couple of traditional English hornpipes, Astley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag - also known respectively as Ashley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag.

The hornpipe is a folk tune and dance strongly associated with naval traditions and is often danced by naval display teams, though in this case, the Astley in question appears to be Sergeant Major Philip Astley.

Of course, this is inspired musically by Mike Oldfield's treatment of similar music forms, taking similar traditional music and arranging it in a modern form, such as he did with the tunes The Sailor's Hornpipe (at the end of Tubular Bells side 2), Portsmouth, and Barnacle Bill (the theme from Blue Peter). I use the same synth sound Oldfield frequently used for the first part of my arrangement - the Roland SH-2000.

Recorded in Cubase Artist 11 using a combination of virtual instruments, including the excellent Superior Drummer 3, triggered using the Alesis Crimson 2 electric drum kit, along with various bits of percussion.

My late paternal grandfather, Frederick Chivers (in the colourised cover photo), served 25 years in the Royal Navy at the close of the 19th and start of the 20th century, through to the early 1920s, and then a further six years in the Royal Navy Reserve, and despite my being born about as far as possible in the England from the sea, I always feel a strong connection to the sea and appreciate the very crucial role those who have served in the "Senior Service" have played, including of course, my grandfather, whom I never met, so I'll consider this a bit of a nod in acknowledgement to him.

Song List

Astley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag artwork
Astley's Hornpipe and Astley's Flag
Sumer is icumen in artwork
Sumer is icumen in
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, Part 1 (Allegro) artwork
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5, Part 1 (Allegro)
Wie komm' ich am schnellsten zum Ausgang? artwork
Wie komm' ich am schnellsten zum Ausgang?
Wæs hæl! (Here We Come A-Wassailing) artwork
Wæs hæl! (Here We Come A-Wassailing)
My Massive Swelling Organ artwork
My Massive Swelling Organ
Where There's a Will artwork
Where There's a Will
Albion Sunrise artwork
Albion Sunrise
Nagasaki artwork
Nagasaki
Dance with the Devil artwork
Dance with the Devil
As We Go Along artwork
As We Go Along
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen artwork
Es ist ein Ros entsprungen
Ich armes welsches Teufli artwork
Ich armes welsches Teufli
In the Nick of Time artwork
In the Nick of Time
Sad Sing artwork
Sad Sing
Synth Bell Prog artwork
Synth Bell Prog
Charging for Nothing artwork
Charging for Nothing
EV Convoy artwork
EV Convoy
Чокаблок (Chokablok) artwork
Чокаблок (Chokablok)
Hollow Horse artwork
Hollow Horse