Category Archives: Music

Looking Back at New Music

My New Year resolution in 2018 (I haven’t made any this year!) was to listen to more music that was ‘new’ to me. Some of it was new to me but not to most of the rest of the world and usually involved artists that everyone has heard of but I had never really listened to. Having said that, I did find in all but one case that I knew more songs by these artists than I had previously thought. Billy Idol, Tom Petty and Glen Campbell fall into this category.

Eleven artists later (the resolution failed at the last hurdle, being too busy in December…then it was January and…oops!) and I’m taking the opportunity to look back at some of my favourites.

My first favourite is Billy Idol, who worked with Alfie in Classic Quadrophenia and whom Alfie himself recommended to me in an interview in 2015. Although I knew of Billy Idol, I hadn’t really listened to the music that much and was consequently surprised when I knew quite a lot of it. This was the song that caught my ear:

I enjoyed all the other ten artists and it was difficult to choose the ones I like best, but, as I regularly ask you to choose your favourite Alfie Boe songs, I thought I’d go for Tom Petty and Glen Campbell. But it was really hard! All these three were inspired by Alfie’s recent choice of music so maybe that’s why I like them so much??!!

I love bluegrass sounds and rhythms so it’s no surprise that I chose this in the Glen Campbell piece:

I decided on Tom Petty for this series after hearing Alfie sing Wildflowers at Scarborough last summer:

But, the Tom Petty that I remembered and found I loved belongs to Won’t Back Down:

Thanks for taking this journey with me – suggestions welcome for ideas you want to see on thoughtsofjustafan in future!

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Alfie Boe’s Best Live Song 2019: Number Eight

In at number eight in our quest to find your favourite Alfie Boe live song this year is a song that entered the chart in 2018 at number four and is from Together:

St. George’s Chapel, Windsor, June 2018

Alfie has been singing You’ll Never Walk Alone for a long time, and not just because he’s a Liverpool fan! This version in the glorious setting of St. George’s Chapel showcases Alfie’s classically trained voice superbly.

Despite it’s undoubted footballing connotations in the UK, the song is of course originally from the 1945 musical, Carousel, which Alfie appeared in 2017. However, Alfie’s character, Billy Bigelow doesn’t get to sing this song and it was a pleasure to hear Brenda Edwards’ Nettie sing it in the ENO production. Here is Alfie at the VE Day celebrations in 2015:

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Pre-Order Animal Requiem

Alfie Boe will shortly be appearing at the premiere of Rachel Fuller’s Animal Requiem and the good news is that you can now pre-order the album! Due out on March 8 2019, Alfie features on some tracks; click here to pre-order:

To download on 31 January, click here.

There are still a few tickets available for the premiere at St. James’ Church, Piccadilly, click here.

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Alfie Boe Quiz 2019: Answers!

The question today is how well you know what Alfie Boe did in 2018?  A week ago I asked you the questions, now it’s time for the answers – and you’ll see if you won a prize!

  1. What UK album chart position with As Time Goes By did Alfie achieve in 2018?  Number 10 (week of release)
  2. On which bass baritone’s new album did Alfie guest on in 2018? Bryn Terfel – Dreams
  3. How many summer concerts did Alfie do in 2018? 5 (Kelvingrove, Kenwood, Fleetwood, Scarborough and Llangollen)
  4. Which song was voted number one in the latest best ever recorded song poll? Anthem
  5. Which TV show did Alfie host for the second year running in December? Christmas Carols on ITV
  6. What was the name of the daytime TV programme Alfie was featured on in November? Homefront Heroes
  7. Alfie sang at St. George’s Chapel this year – who got married there in 2018? Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Princess Eugenie and Jack Brooksbank
  8. In which countries did Alfie sing live at in 2018? UK, USA, Japan
  9. Which two Classic BRIT awards did Alfie and Michael Ball win? Best Album and Best Group
  10. Which two charities did Alfie become ambassador for in 2018? Rays of Sunshine and Willow Foundation

Who got ten out of ten? I should hope everyone?!

There was a competition attached and the two winners of a signed St. George’s Chapel programme and a Blackpool Illuminations programme are:

Katharine Peace and G Heys

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Alfie Boe’s Best Live Song 2019 – Number Nine

Two weeks into our annual quest to find Alfie Boe’s Best Live Song, we come to a song that Alfie first sang on the Together Again Tour 2017 and again during the summer concerts of 2018. Featuring at number three in last year’s poll, it’s slipped a bit to number nine this time around:

One of the reasons so many of you love this song is the joy Alfie and his band members get from playing and jamming together – not only is it great to see Alfie playing guitar but to see the other band members get their moment in the sun.

Wagon Wheel has not been recorded by Alfie as of yet and currently, it’s difficult to see where it would fit, other than a radically different album to those of recent years.  Having said that, I would love to hear such an album!  Judging by these votes, I’m not alone in that.

Wagon Wheel is a song from a US country band, The Old Crow Medicine Show and is actually a hybrid of a chorus and melody from Bob Dylan (him again!):

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Alfie Boe’s Best Live Song 2019: Number Ten

Number ten in our first poll of 2019 means only one thing – An Evening with Alfie Boe kicks off in just ten weeks time (next Sunday to be precise).  Anyone excited yet??? I guess that’s all of you, then!

Number ten is a song that has featured in both best live song poll and best recorded song poll of 2018 and is A Thousand Years:

This is Alfie by himself…with a few comments about Mr Ball!

The song was originally performed by Christina Perri for the 2011 film Twilight: Breaking Bad Part One. Written by Perri and David Hodges, the song also featured on the soundtrack of Breaking Bad Part Two, as a duet with Steve Kazee. In addition to Alfie and Michael, the song has been covered by several other artists, many with millions of YouTube views!

In 2018, this song ended up at number six in both live and recorded song polls – and I only just realised now!

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Vote for Alfie Boe’s Best Live Song 2019!

Starting off 2019 as we mean to go on, here is your chance to vote for your favourite Alfie Boe Live Song!  We have four new songs this year:

  • In My Daughter’s Eyes, nominated by Chelley
  • Volare at Fleetwood, nominated by Janet
  • Radio Gaga, nominated by Roberta Kappus
  • We Are The Champions, (also Roberta)
  • Who Wants to Live Forever (Roberta again)

It’s a short voting period this time as the song at number ten will be revealed on Monday – here are all the songs on the list:

You’ve got until Sunday morning (UK time) to vote:

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Nominate Alfie Boe’s Best Live Song 2019

It’s January 2019 and Alfie Boe fans around the world are already getting excited about his UK tour which starts in just over ten weeks!  Now, an Alfie Boe tour just wouldn’t be the same without our annual poll to find the best Alfie Boe live song.  in 2018 we had eight new songs nominated but the runaway winner was, again, Run.  Can it be topped at all? Whatever happens, it’s up to you to nominate and vote, so let’s do it!

These are the songs already nominated from previous years:

If your favourite Alfie Boe live song isn’t there, then nominate it on the form below:

Now, due to Alfie’s next tour getting underway in mid March, there’s only a short time to nominate before voting starts – so don’t miss out!

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Happy New Year 2019

Happy New Year from thoughtsofjustafan – lots of exciting Alfie concerts to look forward to this year, the first one, Animal Requiem in just a few weeks.

In the traditional way, Christmas and New Year is the time when we look back at the previous year and I’m no different; luckily, it’s a delight to look back at Alfie Boe’s career in 2018 and choose my highlights.  In no particular order, here we go!

  • Alfie’s Homecoming concert at Fleetwood – an astonishing concert that will live on forever

  • Fundraising over £2,500 for Trinity Hospice through our Youtubeathon and for Alfie’s birthday.  I saw Alfie recently and he sent us this message:

  • Speaking to and videoing so many lovely fans at the London album signing

  • Chatting to a very relaxed Alfie in London, also at the signing, along with helpers (of the Three M’s), Linda and Cecelia

  • Two nominations and two wins at the Classic BRIT Awards for Alfie and Michael
  • As Time Goes By – love this album!
  • Meeting and greeting with Alfie at Kenwood and getting him to sign a Trinity hoodie
  • Exploring lots of new (to me) music – more about this to come in few weeks
  • Alfie’s video message to celebrate thoughtsofjustafan’s 4th birthday

Thank you to everyone who reads thoughtsofjustafan – your messages of support are very much appreciated.  Last year I reported that we had sailed past 250K hits…we’re now well over 300k!

As always, there are some special people to thank who make this whole thing happen:

Debbie Bannigan for believing in me and helping me go from strength to strength.

Carole Hunt for continuing to allow me the use of her photo for the site banner.

Linda Wellington for the use of her wonderful photos and videos. Thank you to everyone who allows me to use their videos here.

Roberta Kappus, Cecelia Powell, Claire Shorter and Annie Lloyd for being such wonderful guest reviewers.

Linda Anstee, Linda Wellington, Carole Hunt, Karen Rogers, Pat Watterson, Cecelia Powell, Sue Redfern for being there – thanks for keeping me sane with doughnuts.

Linda Anstee, Ellen Rook and Chris Coats for being my top social media sharers.

Cathy Haley, Sue Redfern and Cecelia Powell for being my top commenters.

Huge thanks to Andrea, Penny, Anis and Holly at Vector and to Ash and team at Decca – you’ve been amazing and a joy to work with.

Finally, it’s a massive thank you to Alfie for your unstinting support and generosity – without you, there would be no thoughtsofjustafan!

Have a very Happy New Year

xxxx

Merry Christmas 2018!

Almost the end of another year and as Alfie will be appearing on Christmas Carols with ITV tonight at 11.45pm, let’s look back on Christmas Eve 2017:

This is a wonderful arrangement of a wonderful carol and as we know, was your favourite Alfie Boe Christmas song.

This year has been another amazing journey on the musical train that Alfie takes us on – we never quite know where we’ll end up but every minute is fabulous.  Alfie achieved another top ten album position with As Time Goes By and I’m thrilled to say that I have one signed copy to give away as a competition prize! To win, just answer the question (make sure you’re subscribed):

Who duetted with Alfie on As Time Goes By?

Winner will be drawn after New Year – good luck!

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