A musical interlude

Fans of Dexys (Midnight Runners) won’t have failed to notice that the band have a new album out today. But it is an older recording by Dexys vocalist Kevin Rowland that has played a part in my project. Searching around for a title for the project I came up with My Beauty, which it then occurred to me was also the title of Rowland’s divisive solo project.

The album is all about love and beauty, coming at the end of a tough period for the singer of big hits such as Geno and Come On Eileen. I listened to it intently, including the track above, which was left off the finished CD due to lack of clearance from The Boss. Rowland changed the lyrics, which was the deal breaker…

“Show a little faith, there’s magic in the night. You ain’t a beauty but, hey, you’re alright.”

from the Springstein original became

“Have a lickle faith, there’s magic in the night. This is your beauty and hey, you’re alright.”

This resonated with me, as the project looks a lot at the past, using those in the present to do so. I am taking photos of the women who take part, but I don’t want this to be a simple then and now comparison. ‘Woman older then she was 50-years-ago’ is not what I am after. Inevitably, that will be one reading of the project, but for me the project is about untold stories, hidden histories and the beauty of then and now. The badges I’m handing out read ‘This is MY BEAUTY’. I like to think Kevin would approve.

You can hear me talk more about the influence of music on my work on Academy FM from around 10am on Sunday (5 June) morning.