Musical highlights so far …
In my early twenties I worked at Parkgate Residential Recording Studios in Catsfield and one of my jobs was to ferry recording artists around the local area in my car, which, at the time, was an old, beaten-up Ford Fiesta. Front seat passengers included Ian McCulloch (Echo & The Bunnymen), and Paul Heaton (Housemartins, Beautiful South).
Whilst at Parkgate Studio I met composer and producer, Tim Cross (keyboardist and musical director for Mike Oldfield’s ‘Five Miles Out’ album and tour; producer for Hall & Oates; The Skids; The Adverts et al) and from that point onwards we worked together for over 20 years on various musical projects for television and radio, which included: writing the music for Floella Benjamin’s ‘Hullabaloo’ and ‘Jamboree’ television series for CITV and Channel 4; contributing to two albums for blues singer, Dana Gillespie; three albums for TV Smith, lead singer of 70’s punk band, The Adverts; and we also composed various production music albums for JW Media Music, ranging from House music to Christmas Carol favourites.
Back in the mid 90’s, Tim and I also played Christmas Pantomime dates at Leatherhead Theatre, where I played George Formby’s ‘Chinese Laundry Blues’ on mandolin, while Rodney Bewes’ character, Widow Twankey, mimed! Rodney Bewes was one of the main characters in the popular 70’s BBC television sit-com, ‘The Likely Lads’, which I used to watch when I was growing up, so this was a big deal for me!
More recently, in 2020 I signed a production music deal with Indiesonics, who partner with Warner Chappell and BMG, for my album of songs that I recorded with violinist and arranger, Simon Yapp and cellist, Brione Jackson, called ‘Double Rainbow’ https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/album/double-rainbow
In February 2023, I released a new album called ‘The Wood Wide Web’, again featuring the musicianship of Simon and Brione https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/album/the-wood-wide-web
At the end of 2023, I started working with bass player, Dave Coomber and at the start of 2024, I recorded four songs with Dave, Simon Yapp (violin, viola), James Chapman (drums) and Mishkin Fitzgerald (piano) . I have been slowly releasing these songs throughout 2024 and playing a whole range of gigs, acoustic sessions and festivals, solo, and as a duo, with Dave, and as a trio, with James. The songs are:
‘Living in Sound’ (April 2024) https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/track/living-in-sound
‘Lodestone’ (July 2024) https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/track/lodestone
‘The Beacon’ (to be released 31st Oct 2024)
‘Craving’ (release TBA)
In early 2025, I will be in the studio again to record some more new songs.
Other previous releases include the following:
How That Dust Jumps (album, 2015) https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/album/how-that-dust-jumps
Suitcase – a Live Collection (album, 2016) https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/album/suitcase-a-live-collection
Helicopter (ep, 2014) https://ianroland.bandcamp.com/album/helicopter-ep