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Shut Up and Sing!
In March 2003 Natalie Maines from The Chicks, then known as the Dixie Chicks, famously criticised President George W Bush’s actions in Iraq from the stage during a concert in London. In response, the band were ‘cancelled’ and Natalie herself was subjected to death threats. In their song "Not Ready to Make Nice" (probably the classiest and most blistering “Sorry-not-sorry” takedown of keyboard warriors you’re ever likely to hear), the band details how Natalie was warned to “Shut up and sing”, or risk being killed during performance.
Black History Month - Sensational Women of Music!
In celebration of Black History Month, this October, we are focusing on some of the remarkable women of colour who have made their mark on music history.
Let The Music Play - Support Your Local Venues and Musicians!
Now I'm not normally one to rant. Actually, scratch that. I'm totally one to rant. It’s just not usually immortalised in print. This week, however, I read something that made me alternate between head-scratching incredulity and outright indignation.
Don’t Panic! How Learning to Sing Helped Me Overcome Panic Attacks
Breathing is something we take for granted. It comes as part of the package of being alive along with a beating heart and a functioning brain. We may feel that our brains work better some days than others, but our bodies keep breathing in and out without us having to give any thought to the process. The latter however is not the case for anyone who has had the misfortune to experience panic attacks. For those, the whole experience of breathing suddenly becomes a much less automatic response.
Thank You For The Music
“Mother says I was a dancer before I could walk. She says I began to sing long before I could talk.”
Have your New Year resolutions lost their sparkle already?
If you find you are already struggling with your New Year’s resolutions, you will not be alone! After the over-indulgences of the festive season (no matter our good intentions, we all tend to find ourselves eating more and exercising less!) the New Year has come to be viewed as a time for starting better habits and taking up new activities. While we may start these ventures with positive intentions, these intentions may be overturned quite quickly when we realize that some things prove to be less appealing in the cold light of day. Getting up early to go out for a jog may have the shine taken off it, after the umpteenth time you have returned soaked and wind-blown on cold January mornings.
Lucky Day by Liz
A little story by one of our members, inspired by a discussion at one of our Singing Sessions.
Not so Sound of Silence!
At our Singing Session on Wednesday
evening, we were in the middle of singing The
Sound of Silence when one of our ladies suddenly let out a yell and
retreated to a corner of the room. Somewhat startled, and with the rendition of
the song grinding to a halt, we looked down and discovered the cause of
her alarm - a large spider had taken up its place within our circle! The
spider appeared quite unfazed by us (unlike our member who, unfortunately,
is less comfortable around spiders!) and seemed either to want to join in
with the singing or to enjoy the performance. Perhaps spiders can sing? Who
knows.
We carefully removed the spider from the room and placed it safely,
nearby, where it could continue to enjoy listening to us singing and could join
still join in, if it wished!
We have a suggestion box where our ladies can add details of songs that they
think might be fun for the group to sing. Perhaps we will find a note in it,
written in tiny writing, suggesting something from David Bowie's album Ziggy
Stardust and The Spiders From Mars!
No Hairbrushes Required! Singing with Dynamic Meladies by Liz
I've
never been one to parade in front of a mirror with a hairbrush microphone,
doing a Kate Bush. But I always did like singing, after a fashion. Sadly,
my own fashion, which was just a few notes in the middle and a squeak for
anything high, and pot luck for the words. But that was ok, I only sang
in the car.
September Song
After all the lovely sunshine we've had over the last few months, September might feel like a little bit of a let-down. Officially, September is an autumn month, so it heralds the end of summer and, already, we are starting to see the nights draw in. It doesn't seem so long ago that we were leaving our Wednesday evening Singing Sessions after 9.00pm and driving home in beautiful sunshine. Now the street lights are on and the evening air is cooler.
Strawberry Teas Forever
Opening our first outdoor performance with a song that includes the lines “Not a cloud in the sky, Got the sun in my eyes” (Top of The World) was always going to be a risk. This is Glasgow after all! Fortunately for us, however, the sun was indeed in our eyes (hence the dark glasses!) and we avoided the thunder, lightning and torrential rain that hit other parts of Glasgow during the afternoon.
The Big Gig At Big Mouth!
Whose idea was it? The idea that we would like to do a performance, so that we could brush up on songs we had learned previously, and not let them just fade away, and so that we had a target to aim for. Worry that it might have been mine, Val’s an Jo’s. But others agreed.
What Happens When Take That Meets Black Eyed Peas? By Laura
So, it has been a year since the band got together and I find myself inspired to write. While I haven’t been singing with the ladies for a year, I feel like I have known them for at least that long.
Pitch Perfect Or Florence Foster Jenkins By Joanne
As we neared the end of March, our third singing workshop of 2017 with Dynamic Meladies took place focussing on pitch.
Advocaat – One Of Your Five A Day? By Liz
Saturday 7 January 2017 – Dynamic Meladies’ First Meet of the New Year
Feel The Burns By Joanne
Hello Ladies, and a huge welcome back to the first session of Dynamic Meladies in 2017.
Reflections On Singing With Dynamic Meladies By Joanne
As 2016 draws to a close I want to share something with you, I discovered in Spring of 2016 the most amazing group of ladies who sing for fun- it’s called Dynamic Meladies, run by the lovely Sheena and Karen.
Dynamic Meladies Performance 8th October 2016 – A Cat’s Eye View
Mummy is a little bit stressed.
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