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Johnny Pearson

 
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 18010
Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:37 am    Post subject: Johnny Pearson Reply with quote

I was saddened to hear about the death of Johnny Pearson this morning apparently at the age of 85

I'm sure we all recall the early days when he used to appear with his orchestra on Top of the Pops when the needle time agreement with the Musicians Union seriously restricted live performances by chart acts

He also went on to compose many of the great soundtracks and music we are all so familiar with on TV series in the sixties and seventies and until today I never knew that he also wrote the very familiar theme music for News at Ten on ITV

Whilst often he provided a supporting role for the great stars of his day he was a superb orchestrator performer and composer in his own right and I'm sure he will be sadly missed by all true music fans
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iwarburton



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland

PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Happy memories of pieces like Cast Your Fate to the Wind and Sleepy Shores. Did he also write the All Creatures Great and Small theme?

Ian.
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I believe he did Ian
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Tue Mar 29, 2011 8:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

iwarburton wrote:
Happy memories of pieces like Cast Your Fate to the Wind and Sleepy Shores. Did he also write the All Creatures Great and Small theme?


Interestingly, the "Creatures" themes were originally created simply as "Film and TV Library Music" which was available on record to film and TV producers who would then select tracks for use in their productions and pay MCPS for its use.

I have an LP disc on either De Wolfe or Chappell music somewhere with the full suite of tracks that were eventually used in All Creatures Great and Small. It's fascinating to hear, largely because it contains a whole range of different cuts - such as the full theme, 60 sec cut (for TV and radio commercials), 30 sec cuts, 10 second Ad Bumpers, etc., as well as different variations on the theme - such as full ensemble, piano only, recurring "bed" theme, etc etc.

And, yes, the whole set was credited to Johnny Pearson. Usually, musicians would get a one-off union payment but I guess Johnny Pearson also got writer and arranger's royalties too.
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iwarburton



Joined: 08 Dec 2006
Posts: 2133
Location: Northumberland

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ruddlescat, you may be interested to know that many years ago I lived at Helsby and then Chester. Though my heart is now firmly in Northumberland, I still love visiting the Chester area from time to time.

Ian.
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 18010
Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

That's interesting Ian

I met my former wife in the Bears Paw in Frodsham many years ago and my former mother in law,sadly now departed, used to live in Helsby quite near to Helsby Grammar School

I live on the Wales side of Chester but can be in the city centre in about ten minutes and it is a beautiful city but I guess it's the usual thing of not always fully appreciating what's on the doorstep

As I'm sure you know it gets crammed full of tourists in the summer but at least they keep the local economy going Smile
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 4:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The first time I visited Chester was in 1965 when we visited my mum's sister and her family who lived in what used to be Cellar Street to the north of the high street and near the canal. The whole area was redeveloped and after compulsory purchase of the property they moved out to Mold.

I loved Chester; we used to go boating down on the Dee because my aunt and uncle's lodger used to manage them, so we got use of them free!
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 18010
Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 5:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ah yes Colin the boat trips along the Dee are still superb

Back in the eighties I used to get entertained on summer evening boat trips down the Dee by various banks and building societies I used to do business with including free champagne and as I then lived in Westminster Park which was within walking distance of the city centre I didn't have to worry about driving
The Lady Diana still does similar trips for tourists but of course they have to shell out rather more than I did

Talking about Mold I also lived there for three years in a place called Bryn-y-Baal which apparently roughly translates into English as 'Hill of Stone' and I only had to attempt gardening to realise how it got its name Smile
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Schizoidman



Joined: 20 Sep 2010
Posts: 1140
Location: Rural West Sussex

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I like the Chester area a lot. Last time I was there was when my Cheshire born mother was very ill five years ago and I was taking her around to see her beloved Wirral / North Wales. She died a few months later so it was worth it.

Ruddles: is it true that there is a clock in Chester with three operating sides to the north, east and south. The one looking west towards Wales is blank!?
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
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Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Wed Mar 30, 2011 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Schiz, that's a very good question and I suppose you're hoping I'll have an equally good answer

I have heard the same comment before and I'm not sure where the idea originated but in actual fact the Eastgate clock tower has a clock face on all four elevations

It is, of course, possible that at some time in the past, perhaps when your mother was younger for some reason one of the faces could have been removed for restoration or perhaps for some other reason during the war
but as of yesterday morning it definitely had all four faces visible so my son tells me

Apparently it is the second most photographed clock in Britain after Big Ben
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ruddlescat wrote:
Apparently it is the second most photographed clock in Britain after Big Ben


Er, "Big Ben" is actually the name of the bell that is mounted in St. Stephen's Tower, Rudders!!!
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 18010
Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 10:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Do you know when I wrote my post about The Chester Clock I just knew someone would make the point about Big Ben being the bell rather than the clock

I was going to mention it but then the guy arrived from the curry takeaway place so I left it and then forgot to go back to it

Unfortunate but I couldn't let the situation ruin an excellent curry
Only £3 95 for a decent sized portion of beef curry delivered and with free pappadoms Very Happy
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 11:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ruddlescat wrote:
Unfortunate but I couldn't let the situation ruin an excellent curry
Only £3 95 for a decent sized portion of beef curry delivered and with free pappadoms Very Happy


Damned right!!!

Was there a BOGOF deal in there somewhere? Smile
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 18010
Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

In fairness Colin I had to spend over £5 to get free delivery so my elder son had a very tasty Char Sui - I think that was about £4 50 Very Happy
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ColinB
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PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

ruddlescat wrote:
In fairness Colin I had to spend over £5 to get free delivery so my elder son had a very tasty Char Sui - I think that was about £4 50 Very Happy


Char Sui? That sounds Chinese to me! I've never seen that on yer average Indian menu.
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ruddlescat



Joined: 16 Sep 2010
Posts: 18010
Location: Near Chester

PostPosted: Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

They do both Indian and Chinese Colin, and I think possibly some Thai dishes

My next door but one neighbour is Thai and she recommended the place so I imagine it's quite likely
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