Not So Silent Movies…

I am very happy to announce that Tim Minchin will be joining our band for a Not So Silent Movies… evening gig at Kings Place, Hall One on June 29th 2012.
If you’ve never heard of Not so Silent Movies… how can I explain what you’re in for..?

Well, I LOVE silent film, not the mawkish sentimental stuff (no names mentioned) but the slapstick, zero CGI, sharp as a nail comic timing of geniuses like Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd.

I also love playing & writing soundtracks with my friends… but not the arduous process of rehearsing. Our lovely band provides a live soundtrack to these incredible films… but there’s a tiny catch;

There are no rehearsals.
There’s no sheet music.
None of the musicians will have watched the films in advance.
Improvisation before a live audience will begin as the film rolls…

What self-respecting musician would want to put themselves through it?
Well, I’m very happy to say that the band lineup for June 29th is as follows;

Tim Minchin – guest pianist
Elspeth Hanson – violin & electric violin
Julia Thornton – harp
Pip Eastop, Horn, trumpets & Phatterboy
Geoff Dugmore – drums, teaspoons & llama toenails
Mark Neary – Pedal Steel guitar
Pete Furniss – clarinet, bass clarinet, sax & recorders
Guy Pratt – Bass
Philip Sheppard (me) – cello & electric cello

If you’d like to know more.. watch this clip of one of our earlier gigs:
Tickets & further info from here…
Let us know if you’re planning to come!
best
Philip Sheppard x

I’m hugely excited to announce the launch of Not so Silent Movies…

This monthly event takes place at the wonderful Kings Place in London. First gig is Sunday October 2nd at 3pm. Tickets from here.

The photo of Harold Lloyd is appropriate, as what we’re going to be doing is risky, thrilling and often hilarious.

Here’s the pitch:

Great silent film comedies,
Great musicians together on stage,
No sheet music,
No rehearsing,
No plan,
& No watching the films in advance…

Yes… it’s totally improvised (spontaneously composed if you want to be pretentious..!), utterly great when it all clicks, and unintentionally hilarious when it goes awry.

Our band is amazing… we have Guy Pratt on Bass (he’s been in Pink Floyd & Roxy Music for starters), Geoff Dugmore’s playing drums (He’s an incredible drummer – one of the greatest session players in the world), Pip Eastop on Horn (he’s a stalwart of the London Sinfonietta, a Professor, stunning soloist and one of the wittiest people I’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing), Elspeth Hanson (violinist currently wowing audiences in Bond, was also glimpsed by about two billion people on a bus with David Beckham & Jimmy Page), Mark Neary (Pedal steel player and alchemist of weird and wondrous noises – last time I saw him he was laying down some lines for Flood!), Me (I play the cello a bit), and some amazing surprise guests too (not Jimmy Page… yet… but we’re working on it! see photo).

Geoff Dugmore, Jimmy Page, Me & Guy Pratt at a recording session

Future Not so Silent Movies are featuring Dame Evelyn Glennie (world famous percussion soloist), Robin Millar (Sade’s producer), Steve Mackey (Pulp’s bassist), Julia Thornton (wizard harpist & percussionist), Pete Furniss (Reeds – a mainstay of the extraordinary Impropera), Roger Eno (maverick keyboardist), Stephen Warbeck (composer, Oscar winner), Cherisse Osei (Mika’s drummer), David Le Page (former Menuhin pupil, Subway Pirhanas, Orchestra of the Swan) and many, many more…

You can probably tell I’m a bit excited about this…

Come and join us for the greatest comedies ever made – (featuring Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd, Joe Keaton, Fatty Arbuckle & co), and to see a group of musos having a busman’s holiday. We may even get you up on stage to take part!

Let me know who else we should invite, and which films you’d like to see us tackle!

Philip

Philip Sheppard

NSSM article

Not So Silent Movies…

music on the edge

Tim Minchin joins Not So Silent Movies

Not so silent movies – the first gig!

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