I look forward to the summer as a quiet time, but this summer has been anything but.  Perhaps it’s just that I’ve been using the time to catch up with tasks that I haven’t had the opportunity to tackle before.

This summer, I have finally succeeded in downloading video from both my JVC Everio (read how awkward that episode managed to be) and also from my JVC tape camcorder, which was used to film my show last year – How to Get On In Society! – a review of the life, poetry and broadcasting of Sir John Betjeman.

I was able to edit the files to produce videos of five of the songs that I sang, musical settings of Betjeman’s poems by Madeline Dring and Mervyn Horder, and uploaded them to YouTube.  Watch them at my YouTube channel. 

Performing at How to Get On In Society!, Leicester, September 2007. Song of a Nightclub Proprietress, poem by John Betjeman, music by Madeline Dring.

I also uploaded a video of Tom Chambers, a friend of my son George, reciting A Subaltern’s Love Song.  He really was the right age for it.  JB sounds just a bit too old and leery when you listen to him.

Well done Tom!

First published 21st September