Between The Rock And A Hard Place: Newfoundland, Great Big Sea, Alan Doyle, And Even Russell Crowe

"The Time Of My Life & The Life Of My Times" - Merry Men (aka 'The Boyz In Da Wood') Having A Whale Of A Time In Wales

ETA: This from the most authoritative (and much appreciated) of sources...

For those who wondered, Alan Doyle was there too, front and center.. - Murphsplace, June 28

I do believe this is cause for yet another Alan/Arthur Black Horse celebration. Not that there was cause to doubt Alan's presence there - guitars and singing and Summer of '69, after all - but it is so wonderful (and kind and generous and sweet) to be told for sure that Alan was indeed there having himself a grand time with all the rest of the Boyz. Front and center - right where he belongs. There are times when I'd dearly love to hug Russell Crowe almost as much as I'd dearly love to hug his deadly gorgeous troubadour/warrior/songwriting partner/Boy Pack member. Almost.

Here's to saying "Thank you so much".

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I'm supposed to be in bed and sound asleep by now, but I was too restless for sleep and so I wandered online to see if there was any news from the other side of the Pond. Sure enough there is, welcome news indeed, news much too sweet for it to wait to be shared:

Fron WalesOnline

Film star Russell Crowe’s £600 tip for pub’s barstaff

Jun 28 2009 by Clare Hutchinson, Wales On Sunday

BARSTAFF at a West Wales pub were left with plenty to Crowe about – when Gladiator star Russell left them a whopping £600 tip and treated them to an impromptu gig.

The macho Hollywood star showed his softer side during a break in filming for his latest movie Robin Hood, which is being shot on Freshwater West beach in Pembrokeshire.

He gave the three-figure tip, which will be split among 10 staff, after feasting on mussels and a Jamie Oliver-inspired chicken dish at the Carew Inn, near Tenby.

He paid the £240 bill for nine mates and then stunned staff with an extra wad of notes for their services.

One member of staff, who worked behind the bar when Crowe made last week’s surprise visit, said: “I’ve worked here for two and a half years and the bar staff don’t usually even get tips. Our boss has shared it between all of us who worked that night so we’ll be taking home about £60 each.”

Staff were also treated to Crowe’s singing skills as he whipped out his guitar and began belting out the Bryan Adams classic Summer of ’69 with help from ER actor Scott Grimes and X-Men star Kevin Durand, who play Will Scarlett and Little John in the film.

“Now if anyone badmouths him I tell them to shut up,” added the worker. “He could have paid and just left but they stayed instead and entertained us. Then he paid us that tip – it’s the last thing you expect.

“He seemed quite friendly and chatty like a really nice guy, and he had a great singing voice.”

Crowe led his nine merry men through a rendition of Everly Brothers hits and folk trio Peter, Paul and Mary’s number one song Leaving On A Jet Plane. The Oscar-winning actor has previously dabbled in rock music, releasing CDs under the name Rus le Roq and 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts.

Another staff member said: “They were singing in harmony as if they had been practising. It was surreal.

“When they first got here they sat in the garden but people started trying to sneak around and take pictures of them so they moved inside.

“Two of them were some kind of bodyguards because they were walking around constantly, it was quite intimidating. But later he came into the kitchen and gave us all his autograph and we had a quick chat.

“Then he gave my boss the tip and they left. We were like: ‘Did that just happen?’”

Crowe, who used to be famed for his hellraising behaviour, reportedly quit booze after his 2005 Oscar-nominated film Cinderella Man. Staff at the pub let slip that he ordered one vodka and lemonade before moving on to bottled water.

Meanwhile, despite rumours the star had demanded a helicopter to ferry him between a posh Windsor pad and Pembrokeshire, it seems he is so taken with the rugged welsh coastline he’s decided to stay on set.

The star, who was born in New Zealand but moved to Australia as a child, has been seen going back to basics and slapping steaks on a home-made barbecue in the actors’ seafront camp.

One local witness said: “He seems to be down there most nights driving around on his quad bike. They’ve been taking odd bits of wood from the burner used on the set and driving it back to the camp to make a barbecue. It looks like they’re having a whale of a time.”

The 600-strong cast and crew of the Ridley Scott epic will begin the process of packing up and moving on when filming at Freshwater West ends on Tuesday.

The combination of "They were singing in harmony as if they had been practising" and "It looks like they're having a whale of a time" is putting a happy smile on my face. They are having a wonderful time, and even if the writer doesn't know who the heck Alan Doyle is to identify him in the article, there's not a bit of doubt in my mind (especially not when they're singing Summer of '69) that Alan is having a wonderful time right along with the rest of his Boy Pack.  And that is an absolutely delightful thought; I'm having my own whale of a time taking pleasure in thinking it.  I am so glad Alan said "Yes".

This song seems particularly appropriate to the occasion:

One more version, this my favourite of all the times I've seen Company of Fools performed so far, though I would dearly love to see both co-writers - along with appropriate Company - performing their tune one day.

Shag sleep. Instead, I am going to paddle downstairs and get myself a Black Horse (tip of the hat to Alan and Arthur) out of the fridge. Then I will offer up a proper Sunrise Toast to all the Merry Boys - the "Boyz In Da Wood" - in general, and to a very Dear Boy in particular...

Here's to having a whale of a time. Here's to singing in practised harmony. Here's to wonderful detours and grand adventures.  Here's to much-missed sweet faces.

Here's to saying "Yes".

"Lonely Prince, Lonely Castle" - The Once And Past King Of Pop

Most of the time, my predominant response to Michael Jackson's life was to feel sad. I suppose it's not much of a surprise that his death would engender more of the same.

Growing up in Los Angeles has left me deeply wary of two things: Endless summer, and the pursuit/acquisition of Fame. It's impossible to know - as it is always impossible to know - whether Michael Jackson would have led as bizarre a life in benign obscurity as he lived in an all-too-often-malignant spotlight, impossible to know how much damage he brought with him into a circumstance that almost inevitably does more than its own fair share of damage. It's even more impossible to believe that the unrelenting (and lifelong) pressure of that Fame made him stronger or healthier than he would have otherwise been without it. 

Whatever else Michael Jackson was or was not, he was inarguably and indisputably a splendid entertainer, one whose passion and intensity left a lasting impact on those who saw his performances and appreciated his music, an impact that extends beyond his own industry out into his culture and his times. "The King Of Pop" is a title that comes with its own agonisingly sharp double-edges; it is a title Michael Jackson embraced fully, to the bone, with painfully predictabe results. The King is dead; long live the King.

I'm going to remember the boy.

"I Am My Own Invention" - Wonderful Detours, Grand Adventures & Bold Choices; Video Puffins, Found Objects & Pints At The Blind Rabbit...Alan Doyle, Explorer

First up, something very beautiful for all those who Google in search of Alan Doyle the (Sweet-Faced) Unbearded Person, this from the Gander show last August:

Followed by the first of a number of views of Alan Doyle On Wonderful Detour - set shots from the Wales location filming of Robin Hood:

Left to right: Kevin Durand, Alan Doyle, Scott Grimes (rear), Russell Crowe

Funny what routine teaches us to accept as normal isn’t it? This whole Film Unit, from the actors to the grounds keepers has grown into a very familiar workplace. Folks discussing their weekend’s activities over Monday morning coffee and hoping for the weather to be suitable for the days ahead. All very routine and regular, till you step outside of it for a moment and realize that the person next to you chatting about their local laundry supplies store is driving a bloody arrowhead into some dude’s neck. Same old, same old. Funny.

Also funny is the fact that I have a whole group of friends and colleagues who have only known me as a bearded person. Several times over the past weeks, a person from the production has approached me explaining that they googled the band, or myself and saw all these pictures of me without my beard. They find it very weird to see me with no facial hair.

Many funny and odd aspects to this wonderful detour I find myself exploring. - Alan Doyle, June 8 journal entry

From a trusted source on site re Sheila's post from yesterday: "It is incredible what people think they see. I suppose it is the power of suggestion of the press. Obviously there are choppers on the set, one with a wes cam attached and the other for emergencies. Russell is living the gypsy life in his trailer along with the rest of the Merry Men. They have built their own pub out of found objects, called The Blind Rabbit." - Murphsplace, June 21

Oh, to be a fly on the (potentially figurative) wall of The Blind Rabbit. What better place could there possibly be for an intrepid explorer to spend his evenings pondering the odd and wondrous discoveries of his Grand Adventure than a beachside pub made out of "found objects"? Not to mention being able to hang out with his Boy Pack - Heaven on Earth will have to do.

Ever since I read about The Blind Rabbit, each time I start missing Alan again, the image that follows immediately after that thought is one of him and the rest of the fellows (aka Merry Men) being foolish boys and thoughtful men there; I think of Alan in the midst of his Found Objects as he gazes out on - and makes his way in - a brand new world, surrounded by a whole group of people who know him as someone different, someone new...Alan the bearded person, Alan the actor, Alan the friend and colleague, whose "other life" is fodder for curious Google Image Searches. Alan the self-determined man, the man of his own invention. It is a world for exploring and discovering, a world for learning and growing...a world for choosing and changing.

And when I get to this point in the thought process, I am so busy feeling proud of him for embracing the risk and reward of his grand adventure and so caught up in wishing him boundless wonder and acute delight every step of his wonderful-detour way that for a few moments I almost forget how much I miss him.  Almost.

I've been on a bit of an online break the past week or so, savouring the Summer that has been utterly splendid here up until the past few soggy days; it's been a good time in a good place, thoughtful and productive perfectly balanced with foolish and fun. And, best of all, it's been Real...bedrock beneath my feet - unyielding, unforgiving, reassuring, secure. I wonder if Alan has had the urge yet to kick any Movieland rocks to ascertain their veracity, or lack thereof.

While on my summer-savour break, I've fallen woefully behind on email and comments, with the usual promises to catch up as soon as I can, especially to those who've asked about travel plans for the upxoming shows (Yes, I did see the new Ontario shows, and thank you to those who took the time to tell me about them). As soon as I finish here, I'll put up all the comments, though I won't get around to responding till tomorrow, most likely. Looking at the weather forecast, it should be a perfect day for staying inside and tapping away on the keyboard all day.

One thing I have kept up with is information from the Robin Hood set. There's been a wealth of photos since the filming moved to the publicly-accessible Wales sea coast location, all of it generously shared among several Russell Crowe fan sites over the past week. I know that some who read here don't necessarily frequent all of those sites, which is why I'm now doing my own sharing in turn. Not all of it, of course - just that which best chronicles and celebrates Alan's Grand Adventure. Alan can be found in most of the photos below, though at times it might be a bit of a hunt to find him.

The photos are from all sorts of sources and clearly from differing types of cameras. Most were apparently taken from quite a distance from the set, so photo quality does vary. A more organised person would have kept diligent track of where each photo came from and would provide proper links, but I have a hard time treating online Celebrity Photo sites (and the photographers who sell their photos to such sites) with journalistic scruples, seeing as how all-too-often lack such scruples themselves.

 

Those last few photos segue beautifully into these two excellent YouTube videos, which give a broader view of the filming process and, much more important, porovide a revealing glimpse into the scope of the world into which Alan's Wonderful Detour has led him.

As much as I wholeheartedly approve of Alan for choosing to be where he is at the moment, I don't mean to imply that exploration and discovery - Grand Adventures and Wonderful Detours - can take place only if we change our physical location in some dramatic fashion. Not at all. Anytime a person reaches out to try something new, anytime a person takes the risk of stepping beyond customary and comfortable bouundaries, anytime a person embraces change and growth...they can create a brand new world, one full of wonder and delight, found objects and self-invention. True for all of us, but most of all so for those who refuse to let their own skill and accomplishment in one endeavour prevent them from venturing out in search of new challenges and successes - the Michael Jordan approach, the Ken Dryden approach, the Russell Crowe approach...the Alan Doyle approach.

Speaking of which, I came across this video on YouTube, a bit of a teaser for the Puffins: Island Adventure Nintendo DS game and the score Alan wrote for it:

More on this later, when the boys have our copy of Puffins mastered. We dropped it off the other day and they got right down to busines - not letting such trivial issues as being in the middle of supper get in their way - getting as far along in the game in about 10 minutes as would have probably taken me 10 days. Or weeks. We'll be checking back in with them again this weekend.

Regardless of my own restless impatience, the calendar tells me that August is right around the corner, certainly much closer than it was at the end of March at the Junos Red Carpet. More than halfway there now. All I have to do is keep on thinking about Alan telling tales and making music at The Blind Rabbit, discovering found objects and rationales for self-invention, jumping puddles with Arthur and spreading his own wings a bit wider, exploring his wonderful detour and making the most of his grand adventure. August will come in due time, albeit it in frigging slow time.

I did say "Almost"...it is, after all, a very sweet face, with or without beard, in all of its incarnations, manifestations and self-inventions. A very much-missed face as well.

And how utterly splendid would it be to one day hear The Blind Rabbit Tales?

"It's Coming Over Me" - Proud Warriors All (Especially The Deadly Gorgeous Troubadour): "Robin Hood" set photos

The best of all that's good to follow:

Russell Crowe as Robin Hood, Alan Doyle as Allan A'Dayle

Too short of time to do a for-real entry, but this is all just too frigging great to wait - a photo taken on the Wales west-coast beach where Robin Hood is currently filming:

Proud Warriors/Merry Men left to right: Scott Grimes, Russell Crowe (front); Kevin Durand, Alan Doyle (rear). Photo from ComingSoon.net

Deadly gorgeous. Especially the beautiful furry warrior right behind Russell. Who's right over there, right over on the other side of the ocean I'm looking at outside the window as I type this.

This is all I have time for right now because I am off to pick up the Nintendo DS game the Deadly Gorgeous Troubadour/Proud Furry Warrior - who has yet another identity as the Sexy Skilled Composer - wrote the soundtrack for. It's been nearly impossible to find his game in town, because as soon as it comes in, it gets bought straight out again; but thanks to Steve at Jumbo Video, my very own copy of Puffins Island Adventure (follow the link to hear a bit of Alan's music) is waiting for me to come claim it. Which I am most certainly going to do, post haste. Then it's to the boys' house to hand it over for them to learn how to play it so we can listen to that soundtrack.

Now there's an idea...the Skilled Composer could make his own talented appearance in Robin Hood, right alongside  Proud Warrior and  Deadly Troubadour. There's nothing quite like a Multi-talented Merry Man; Alan makes for a spectacular Renaissance Medieval Man.

Alright, making time for just a few more, nost of these from amusingly named - and mistakenly named, in regard to this instance and these fellows - Accidental Sexiness:

Robin and the MM get around in a medieval dune buggy.

Actors doing what they do most of...waiting.

Note who's playing Robin's standard bearer.

And just because Russell rides so well...

Looks like the paps are going to be very busy during the Wales filming, which means there should be more of the Proud Furry Warrior/Deadly Gorgeous Troubadour and his mates to come. Works for me.  Oh Yeah. I'll keep my hopes up for the Sexy Skilled Composer to make his own appearance as well.

Speaking of whom, I have to go see a man, and then a pair of boys, about some puffins.

"There Will Be Some Consolation" - Making Dreams Come True: Daffodil Place Opens Its Doors

from VOCM

Doors are Open at Daffodil Place
June 12, 2009

Hundreds turned out for the grand opening of Daffodil Place. The building contains 24 suites, conference rooms and office space that was made possible through an agressive $7 million fundraising campaign, which saw donations from Steele Communications, the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, community groups, and individuals from all across the province. Chair of the Daffodil Place Campaign, John Steele gave Premier Danny Williams a personal tour of the facility which is warm, cozy and welcoming. Steele says that after the untimely passing of Ken Ash and Paul Magee, two friends and co-workers, the campaign was very personal for him. Williams on viewing the facility said it is five star all the way. The Chair of the Daffodil Campaign, John Steele became emotional when talking about why he became part of the Daffodil Place Campaign. He says he lost two good friends and co-workers, Ken Ash and Paul Magee in their 40's, and he was 41 when approached to get involved in the Daffodil Place Campaign.  He says that motivated him to do what he could. Premier Danny Williams says the provincial government contributed $500,000 to the campaign, and has introduced other initiatives to prevent and treat cancer in the province. Williams says government has enhanced two cancer care centres in central Newfoundland, and expanded the cervical and breast screening programs in the province. He says government has also invested in 12 new digital mammography units across the province

Pictures of the event can be seen here.

And because where Alan Doyle belongs - one of several places the Multi-faceted Man belongs - is in his rightful place in the midst of any celebration of the spectacular success of the Daffodil Place Campaign Cabinet, because his own diligent efforts played a continuing role in the reached-our-goal-a-full-year-ahead-of-schedule achievement of that spectacular success, here are two videos from last summer's Typically Canadian Tribute Tour ceremony on the steps of the Confederation Building in St. John's, honouring the completion of the TC cross-country bike ride to raise funds for and awareness of several charitable causes, including Newfoundland & Labrador's Daffodil Place.

This first (recently-flipped) video is even sweeter than it is short, a comment (one I don't agree with) inspired by specific geography: Alan had been sitting directly behind the bicyle-shorts-clad fellows while they made their own initial comments.

And then Alan got to the heart of the matter, including one particularly powerful moment when he directs his audience to look across town from the Confederation Building steps over to the construction site that is the dream Daffodil Place taking shape before our eyes.

On that day, when the Typically Canadian bicyclists presented Alan with his very own yellow jersey in honour of his own fundraising efforts on behalf of Daffodil Place, I wished for arms long enough to hug them all. Out of all the many opportunities Alan has given those who love hinm to be proud of him, this one ranks near the very top of the list.

This is the face - and what a dear face it is - of the man who, along with the other members of the fundaising committee, worked long and hard and diligently to turn the dream into a reality.

Today, because of all that hard work and diligent determination - because of hope and faith and belief that never wavered - the dream comes true.

Very well done, indeed. Danny said it best: Five star all the way.

(If I catch any more official video news footage and/or text articles of today's Grand Opening, I'll add it in here later - post-game, for sure - and the original blog entry for the day of the Typically Canadian ceremony can be found here)

"On My Way To A Man" - GBS In Space; Alan Doyle's "Wonderful Detour"; & Newfoundland Songs, Whetted and Sharpened and Honed

First up, a great bit of news - Great Big Sea songs in space:

from the Canadian Space Agency:

For mission STS-127, Canadian astronaut Julie Payette will be bringing aboard the International Space Station, a sampling of music from across Canada in honour of Canadian artists of all musical styles and regions.

Follow the link to see Payette's out-of-this-world playlist with Great Big Sea's Fortune's Favour at the very top of that list.  Now that is frigging cool.

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As good as that news is, there isn't much of anything I'd consider to be better news than a new journal entry from Alan. As always, an engaging and endearing read, the gist of which is perhaps best summed up by Himself in this one revealing sentence:

Many funny and odd aspects to this wonderful detour I find myself exploring. - Alan Doyle

At the risk (more likely the certainty) of serious self-repetition, I am going to have to say (again) how much I love it that Alan has chosen to take his wonderful detour to his grand adventure, as well as how proud of him I am for being brave enough, bold enough, and confident enough to make that choice. Over the past 10 weeks, he has been learning new things, meeting new people, discovering new abilities and talents within himself, seeing life, and himself, from a totally new perspective - and that is about as grand as any adventure can be. I'm personally going to miss seeing him even more the next 10 weeks than I have the first 10, but there's still just about no other place I'd rather he be than on his wonderful detour.

Even though there were a few initial moments of "Mr. Big Shot Movie Star had better not hurt Alan" when word first came out about Alan's initial collaboration with Russell Crowe, I'd always respected Russell Crowe for his acting skill and admired him for his inarguable passion. I've since come to have quite an appreciation for his music and an outright affection for the man, on stage and off. But what I like most of all about Russell Crowe, what has completely and irrevocably won me over, is the way in which he has given Alan several opportunities to spread his wings a bit wider, helped him to realise he can fly a bit higher and faster and farther than he might have thought on his own. A reciprocal gift, I am guessing. May they both keep flying as high and fast and far as they choose, separately and together.

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A perfectly timed segue back to the rotated videos of my favourite songwriter and his Newfoundland songs, this time versions of three songs that haven't been officially recorded/released as GBS tunes, not yet at least.

The first song is one of Alan's very best so far, high praise indeed for a songwriter with so many excellent tunes in his portfolio. "With this sordid offence/A town's innocence/Is lost now and no one can save it" is just a small.  sample of how well this song is written My own opinion, of course, but ir'a an opinion that the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television shares: The ACCT nominated Alan's Young Triffie (which was the title song for the Mary-Walsh-directed 2006 film Young Triffie's Been Made Away With) for a 2007 Genie Award. What makes this even more of a Newfoundland song than "just" being the title song of a movie about and by Newfoundlanders can be found in the songwriter's own inspiration: the still-unsolved 1981 murder of 14-year-old Dana Bradley, whose body was discovered near 11-year-old Alan Doyle's own small town and whose death marked the end of innocence for many.

Other GBS members play instruments on the film version of Young Triffie, but so far the song has not been officially released. I'm hoping it finds its way onto Alan's first solo CD. Or his second. I'm not fussy.

The second song, a song which looks longingly back toward an irretrievably lost part of Newfoundland's (and the songwriters') past - a wistful lament over the loss of a commonality of experience the song's speaker will never share with his own son - has been recorded and released by the Irish Descendants, appropriately enough, given that Alan co-wrote the song with Con O'Brien, the Descendant's co-founder and front man. Even more appropriately, the song appears on the (excellent) Southern Shore CD Alan produced for the Descendants:

No way am I going to let it pass by without mentioning that I dearly love how he looks in those clothes. That is Alan's sweetest "look" and nobody comes close to wearing it as well as he does.

Last up for today are a few versions of a song that apparently did not meet with Hawksley's approval for the Fortune's Favour CD. Looks like I am going to have to disagree with Hawksley yet again, Hawksley and/or whomever else kept this song off the FF CD while putting Heart Of Stone on it. Don't even get me started on Heart Of Stone instead of Where I Belong - and no offence at all intended to Kalem...I rather like his original version Heart Of Stone.

This one's been variously titled as 1-2-3-4, Here We Go Again, and Hold On For Your Life - the latter being my own favourite title, largely because it remimds me of the day GBS gamely went on stage just hours after having gone through a tour-bus rollover on the road into Vancouver, along with what an apt metaphor that rollover - and the subsequent need to "hold on"- is for the ups and downs of life in a travelling band. As a song about what the Road Experience is like, it's a classic GBS song and that makes it a full-fledged Newfoundland song too. I can't say for certain if this is an all-Alan tune or a co-write. But based on its content, I can say it is Alan's song. Hats off to those who understand the difference.

I'm including one more video of this song, not a vertical video but helpful for the purpose of deciphering lyrics, something I promised someone I would do when I put these particular videos up here. I'm going to keep my promise, but it is going to have to wait until a bit later because right now I've got something I have to go do before the hockey game but there's no reason to make the entire entry wait that long too. I am expecting it will take me a while to make a decent attempt at the lyrics. If anyone else would like to give it a good listen and a diligent try, please feel free and let me know what you come up with too. There are a few lines I have never been quite able to catch.

Of course, it would be even better if we were all able to hear this one again soon and catch the lyrics that way, perhaps as part of the testing-out-period for songs on the next GBS CD. Or it could be Track Two on Alan's solo CD. Works for me. Again, not a bit fussy.

And speaking of potential solo works by GBS members, anyone and everyone who is likely to be delighted about what might be the first of many solo GBS-band-member efforts to come should be keeping up with Sean's Twitter Page. More wonderful detours and more grand adventures - and more great Newfoundland songs - lie ahead...for all, I hope. After all, even the sky's no limit for a band whose music gets heard out in space. Talk about walking on the moon.

Now off to my errand before the puck drops. This could very well be the last hockey game of the season.