The Grant Wright Project
The story
This latest version of Hold Those Memories Dear was released in November 2024.
“I decided to re-record Hold those Memories Dear as it seemed that the song, if re-recorded, could provide a link between the various projects on this site; and as I felt the song had further potential.
The original recording had keyboard and programmed drum parts, whereas the new version is performed using real instrumentation.
The original, recorded by Grant Wright and Keith Smith was subsequently recorded by The Grant Wright Band. Those versions and a live recording are available on the site as well as further information on the theme of the lyrics.”
Grant Wright – vocals
I was joined by the following musicians:
Gavin Beckwith – Piano, violin, viola, guitar.
Edward Benstead – Trumpet.
Nick Mills – Trombone.
Delroy Murray – Bass.
Alex Savva – Drums.
I thank all of the above and Gavin of GB Sound additionally for undertaking sound engineering works.
Artwork in pastel by Grant Wright.
In July 2023 Grant completed recording the latest song in his acapella trilogy, In the Flesh, written by Deborah Harry and Chris Stein and first recorded by Blondie. In the accompanying video interview, Grant talks about his love of New York and his admiration for that city’s music scene of the 1970s and 1980s, of which Blondie were one of the leading lights.
Other wholly acapella tracks are
Sorrow and
Blabber and Smoke and Blah, Blah, Blah; all are available on this website. Grant is currently working with other musicians on further recordings.
Speaking about the track, Grant says: “In September 2022, I heard via radio, the song, In the flesh, by Blondie, which I had not heard since playing the LP, many years prior. On re-hearing Debbie Harry’s vocals, I thought it might be interesting to use the ambiguity of the title and sung lyric, to take Blondie’s song in a different direction and to purely do so, by acapella means.
I took inspiration from the original vocal line for my main vocal, changing some of the lyrics from female to male and added a short spoken intro and outro to add to the potential for interpretation of meaning and themes. I wrote and sang all the vocal lines and spoken parts to create new patterns, phrases and emphases. I thank Janet Fisher for her performance of the female spoken phrases, which were designed to both underscore location and to add a teasing and playful, converse perspective. I have also added reflective tones to conflate a tribute to my late beautiful Australia wife, Cheri.
As with many of my song’s lyrics, where I blend and juxtapose themes, to widen the scope of interpretation, I have done so with the recent associated collage prepared for this song, particularly playing with location and time.
I hope you and Blondie’s fans, find the piece of interest and that it takes the great original in a new and contrasting direction.
I thank Gavin Beckwith of GB Sound for his engineering skills.”
Blabber and Smoke and Blah, Blah, Blah was released September 2022.
Grant says: ‘The acapella piece is a homage to the late Don Van Vliet, aka Captain Beefheart, for the pleasure his works have brought me and in recognition of his concerns expressed in Blabber and Smoke of some fifty years ago. The piece also recognises the huge efforts of the calls for action from Greta Thunberg, regarding the matter which I have always deeply cared about.
I have taken inspiration from the original song for the main vocal line; re-arranged scanning, added a third verse, added an outro and sung and spoken all newly created lines and phrases.
I hope you find Blabber and Smoke and Blah, Blah, Blah unique and of interest. I also hope it adds to the awareness of the cause and of the need for rapid action to save the environment.
I thank Gavin Beckwith of GB Sound for his engineering skills.’
This is an alternate version of the most recent release: Blabber and Smoke and Blah, Blah, Blah by Grant Wright which does not have the spoken commentary.
When the show goes well
Interview where Grant describes the pleasure of performing.
