Jean Claude Vancell

Have yourself a merry little Panto :)

jcvancell — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:55:52 +0000

I’ve been to panto today… I just love the feeling of the city bustling just before the performance and people gathering in front of the theatre Scarves and gloves are shielding us all from the cold. It’s been dark since 4pm and everyone’s been waiting for tonight! As you might have realised I’m not talking about Malta here.

I’m in Edinburgh at the moment, having some (well-deserved) rest! The weather is pretty cold, but it’s nothing one can’t bear. I’m still waiting for the snow but I’m keeping my fingers crossed that we’ll get some next Saturday! This is the place to get into the Christmas spirit. The place is covered in fairy lights (and classy ones unlike the flashy stuff we soooo like in Malta) and some incredible decorations. Now I’ll just have to wait for Santa…

The panto (Robinson Crusoe at the King’s Theatre) was amazing The theatre was homely, with amazing decorations, good lighting and was a great venue for the performance. Robinson Crusoe was great…the dancing, singing, acting, the costumes, the jokes - simply great! They also featured Susan Boyle (no, not the real one…this one was funnier!) so the panto was complete. I always enjoyed panto performances, but I never watched one abroad… when returning to Malta, I plan to go watch our own version, taking the mickey out of all our TV presenters and, more-importantly, the politicians.

Jean!

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Thank you for helping me find my missing…

jcvancell — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 19:21:58 +0000

Someone must have read my blog last night or this morning…I finally received what I’ve been waiting for! Now my outfit is complete and I can sleep at night wiiiiiiiii

So dear postman (or whoever it may have been for that matter), thank you for bringing me this blessed package which I now embrace. You have made me a happier man today! And for all those readers who left me comments about the previous blog, asking ‘how extravagant is this thing if you can’t even wear it out clubbing?’, I’ll just say ‘Come to the BMAs and you’ll understand’.

Lots of Automatic Pop-Electro Love

Jean X

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Please help me find my missing…

jcvancell — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 23:32:24 +0000

Preparations for the BMAs are well under way… Everyone is prepared to go on stage next Friday for the rehearsal - the routine is well rehearsed, my backstage team are eager to work, and everything is ready - well everything except maybe my outfit…part of it is still in transit somewhere on Earth. To avoid any inconveniences, I prepared another outfit just in case the one I ordered online wouldn’t arrive. Most probably I’ll have to go with the backup plan! I’m praying that somehow I’ll get my order by next Friday - so dear reader, if you work at Maltapost and you see my name on a package… do not panic - just give it to the next *emergency* postman and tell him/her to deliver it urgently!

For those who are thinking that I ordered this thing a week ago, think again. It’s been over a month that I have had this order shipped, and now I’ve become desperate to receive it! I’ll be quite disappointed if I don’t receive it, since it is pretty useless if I get it after the awards ceremony - it’s not exactly something I’ll wear to a club any day.

Enough ranting…I will be giving an amazing performance next Saturday, with or without this thing hehe. Today I rediscovered an old hobby of mine, which a friend of mine and myself used to practice very often: singing in the car, and finding all the second voices to a song. When the song finishes, we usually start arguing from which album and the year in which it was released, and who made the best cover out of it. I just love it! My friend is a music guru who I gladly look up to, and has shown me that no matter how much time passes, true friendship never dies. And I’m thankful.

Jean

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Sweet November

jcvancell — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:24:15 +0000

No this post is not about the film. I really liked it when I watched it first, but at the moment I’m too busy to watch films.
At the start of this month I secretly hoped I would have a good break from my hectic life and settle back to university life, but oh how mistaken I was! Don’t get me wrong - I’m not complaining. I like to be busy all the time, and even though my parents seem to think that I’m just another lazy bastard, I don’t know how to stay idle. Thankfully, this month I’m busy because other people want to give me recognition, and not because of a project I’ve come up with.

The two editions of the Maltese awards (namely the Bay Music Awards and the Malta Music Awards) will be happening in the first two weeks of December, and with them comes a lot of preparation. I’m happy to be rehearsing my performance - doing stuff that I’ve never dreamt of doing before on stage, so whoever decided to nominate me deserves a truckload of thanks! Next month is the culmination of 2009, and people will get to see what I’ve been working on for the past year in the two great shows. I’m really glad that I’m part of such huge events… a year ago I wouldn’t have thought I’d be where I am now.

Best Male Artist…that’s what I’m nominated for! I keep repeating that to myself thinking this can’t be true, but yep it is. The Coca Cola Malta Music Awards will be held at the MFCC on the 5th December and I’ll be there waiting. I have never been nominated for an award before so this is one hell of a roller coaster for me! And being told that you’re one of the island’s best male artists is no joke. I just hope I’ll be able to live up to the expectations…not the people’s..nope…mine.

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Of Hopes and Dreams

jcvancell — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:44:11 +0000

Just yesterday I said that dreams do come true. Today, well, was one of those days.

Two years ago I was on the verge of giving up. I had lost track of myself and what I wanted to do. I felt like a failure - I was changing courses at university and it was the toughest time for me. I wrote ‘Faith In You’ one evening, hoping that one day someone would show some respect to what I do, who I am, so that maybe someday all those hopes and dreams would not remain as such, but become realities.

Since those days I have changed. I’m happy…and I’m doing what I love most. I finally managed to reach people with my music and that’s the greatest satisfaction an artist can get. My songs are small parts of me, which I share with anyone who listens to them, who relates to them. Without them I cannot be complete. I’m sharing my thoughts with strangers and friends alike - and it’s not a comfortable feeling, but somehow it’s rewarding.

Today I got to know that I’m nominated for the Best Newcomer award at the 2009 Bay Music Awards. I’m ecstatic about it, and still can’t believe it, but I’m there together with the best Maltese talent! I’m immensely proud of being part of the Maltese music scene, especially this year, since a lot of new talent and great songs went on air. You can check the Bay Music awards website here. For those interested in helping me out, you can vote for me by sending an sms with my name (Jean Claude Vancell) on 5061 5301.

Dreams do come true, you just have to believe in them too.

Jean

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Chocolate

jcvancell — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 21:05:31 +0000

Do you like chocolate? I’d die for it. I have a sweet tooth, so chocolate tops my food list, even though I wasn’t having much lately. To compensate I wrote a song about it… the kind of song inspired by those great black & white photos with little children in it - the feeling of nostalgia in those photos is great. So, I wrote a song called ‘Chocolate Cake’ back in August. It’s a story of a little boy and a little girl who grew up as the best of friends, but life led them to different paths. Anyway, the chocolate cake is what binds these two people together, probably forever. It was that kind of song that just happened - I had to record it quickly before I forgot it. In a matter of 3 hours I wrote, composed, and produced this song. Since I’m a perfectionist, that version was not good enough for me, so I had to record it another 3 times before I was completely happy. I’ll probably wake up tomorrow, hear the song and decide I can do better and give it another go. Yes, I am obsessive. I like to get it right.

I believe in ever lasting love - maybe I’m naive, but being my age I would want to believe that some things do last forever. Life is made of all sorts of horrid things and experiences, so happy endings are what I wish for. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for the realistic side of life - but through experience, I learned that you need to dream, and dream big, for stuff to happen. Dreams do come through - you just have to work hard at them.

Wishing you a piece of chocolate cake,

Jean

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Life is a Music Box

jcvancell — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 22:57:32 +0000

I’ve been really busy this past month. With starting my last year at university and coordinating a charity show, I had to leave all my other projects to the side. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about working on them some more. This October I was busy coordinating a show called Strummin’ the 80s - a show packed with 80s music, with a whole lot of energy, and a cast full of enthusiastic youths. It was a great experience seeing the audience enjoy themselves, but I’ve learnt to appreciate more the work involved in putting up such a show. I’ve made so many new friends, and been through a handful of experiences which I will cherish all my life.

As a bonus, I was also the interval act on one night of the shows. I’d like to publicly thank my band (Malcolm Bonnici on guitar, Luke Vella Clark on percussions and Sean Borg on violin) for their time and patience during rehearsals. We had a great time entertaining the crowd and doing what we love most. It was a pleasure. Special thanks go to Raquela, with whom I sang our upcoming single, and a classic 80s tune! Kudos to you girl!

Back to my little project! After the Strummin’ gig I decided to include the band in the recordings, and record an acoustic version of THE song. Those who know me well enough know that I love this song. I’m talking about ‘When the City Lights Turn Blue’. It’s been a year that I’ve written this track and, still, every time I perform it something new is added to it. That’s why I decided to record the acoustic version of the track… we’re still in the process of recording, but the results so far are sounding pretty good.

Another track I’ve worked upon is the title track of the album…Music Box. This is, by far, the weirdest tune I’ve come up with till now and for that same reason I like it. I enjoyed working this one out especially since I hardly used anything else but my voice. Call me a narcissist, but hey it works.

Here are some photos from the Strummin’ gig - photo credits go to the talented Noelle Cardona!

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We’re not too far away

jcvancell — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 20:38:25 +0000

Two days on from the start of this project I’ve changed in a lot of aspects. It wasn’t the fact that I’m starting this adventure that changed me, but these last days have been a whirpool of emotions. So it was only appropriate to record a song called ‘Far Away’ - somewhere I wish to be at the moment. I intend to place this as the opening of the album, but things will probably change. I had already recorded a version of this song about 2 years ago but I wanted to give it a revamp and make it sound more like a lullaby, like it was originally intended, rather than the rock song which it previously was. Toni Sant had included that version in his podcast a looooong time ago, and I’m still grateful to him.

Far Away is a lullaby - not for children - more of an escapist song. It’s the perfect song to sing at this point in my life - it’s the perfect illusion that someday things will get better - and that day is not so far, that certain decisions were made for the best. It starts like any good lullaby should, with a music box playing the tune. Here’s a small taste of it:

No one said it would be easy

but no one told you to give up.

I just need you to hang on there

and with a stroke of luck,

We’ll get out of here,

away, afar.

We’ll get out of here,

we’re not too far away.

For those of you who either live in Malta or have been here for summer, know how incredibly hot it can get. So you can imagine recording in a small room, with no fan on and no air conditioning at 33C and over 85% humidity outside. I was basically melting away to get this song on the road. After mixing it, I have to admit it was worth it

Until we meet again,

Jean

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The Purpose

jcvancell — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:49:00 +0000

Hey there,

Here I am, writing my first blog… yes this is all new to me, but I’m doing this for a purpose. When I started off my website I wasn’t sure whether I should be included in the blogging world. I thought it would be a waste of time or an extra chore to do. For those who don’t know me, you should know that I lead a hectic life, and I don’t know how to do otherwise. If I’m not busy, I will probably start a new project in order to ‘use’ my time. For that reason I am always overworked - but I hardly complain about it.

My latest project, hmm let’s see - I decided to record a small concept album. Nothing fancy, recorded at home in the comfort of my little studio, but it’s an album nonetheless. What’s even better for you is that you will listen to the final product, most probably free of charge through my website. I haven’t set a deadline yet, but I’m hoping to finish this before my next set of exams in February (yes I’m a student - final year B.A. Communications & Theatre Studies wooo).

The purpose - yeah right that! Through this blog I will keep you updated on the progress of the recording. I will tell you about the songs, rant about how difficult it is to get things right and all that jazz… It’s a journey I’m willing to go through with all those who follow me. After all you’ll get to know the stories behind my songs, and why I chose them to be included in this album.

That’s all for now from me

Jean Claude

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