All posts by diana Stone

About diana Stone

Diana Stone is a performing composer and musician playing Piano Violin & Guitar. She currently plays with Orchard and The Sonic Boomers. Previously with Rock/Roots band Elephant Shelf and also the Delta Ladies who mixed roots acoustic music and electronica until the death of Vicky Martin who formed the band which was active for 17 years. Diana composes in a variety of styles from pop to rock to Jazz and and classical music. Diana is also expert in multi-media recording and music production.

Spectrum Picnic 18th July 2009

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

Went along to the Spectrum Picnic and blagged a couple of free drinks today in the delightful company of Lucy Coleman, Dawn, Helena Love, (which is a great name BTW, sort of like a porn star from the 70’s ) Jenny Treacle & Ash & co from Dance Macabre and a cast of thousands. A very good turnout and it didn’t rain either, though I could feel the wet grass and it gave me a slightly soggy arse … Noticed many pictures being taken but couldn’t be bothered to take any myself I as I was too busy talking. Looked like every one was having a really good day out too.

It took me a while to find out where everyone was as I wandered off in the wrong direction and did a couple of circuits around the Diana Memorial which is a little strange as it puts me in mind of a run off from a storm drain but then what do I know about art? By the way that was retorical so please don’t start a debate on it’s artistic merit or otherwise as I am a philistine where the visual arts are concerned though I have never owned a print of the ‘Green Lady’. Younger folks will have to look that up on Wikipedia.
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Just me

Things are not quite going the way I expected on the whole.It’s coming up to 2 year’s  since I left the Civil Service and nothing has gone as I planed. I have learned a lot and mostly I feel less stressed and apart from a few minor lows I have not had any re-occurrence of serious depression but the plans I hoped to put in to action to support myself have flopped quite badly.

I have achieved quite a few things that I am proud of including:

  • National Radio play for one of my Glass Cage songs
  • Local radio play for Elephant Shelf
  • Performing in a fringe festival
  • Performing regularly as an accompanist in a west end venue
  • Singing lead vocals live with a band regularly
  • Telling  jokes as part of the duo act
  • Recording and mastering a CD for Elephant Shelf  and getting 1100 pressed
  • Playing at some very well known and respected venues
  • Joining PRS

I could go on, its been quite a learning curve so on a personal level it’s been good and worth doing but financially its not going well.
I had hoped to do some IT freelancing but on the last project I got unwell and had to stop though ironically I seem to be functioning better than ever now. But I fall apart under any sort of pressure. There has to be something that I can do to make up the short fall financially without cracking up again.