Time passes in the blink of an eye! Christmas gone and we’re only a few days away from another New Year!..
I hope whatever you did and however you kept the holidays, that it was a time of goodness for yourself, your family and all you love. I also wish you and yours an enriching new year.
So then, back to the theme - ‘It’s Been a While AND 2 Days’…
It’s been a while since what?
And what are the 2 days?
Simply answered - it’s been a while since the last blog and I’ll share more about the 2 days later…
Firstly, the span of time since the last blog has primarily been due to a massive change in direction.
A couple of years ago I experienced a MAJOR shift and to be quite honest a disillusionment, disillusionment with what? Sharing my creativity in a way that was not of my nature, a bit of a ‘plastic’ and ‘networky’ type way (I’m aware networky isn’t actually a word lol). Therefore, I took stock at this time of shift. I wasn’t going to STOP being creative, writing and releasing music, NO, I was going to reFORM the WAY I did what I did and rather than focusing on ‘programs and products’, I was going to pursue MY purpose even MORE!
What is my purpose and how can this be of encouragement to YOU?
Essentially and in essence my purpose is the passion of connection, creation and YOU? Because, I write from a point of view of self-empowerment (my own powerful experience of permitting myself to be limited) and somewhat belated self discovery (though in life and in truth, it’s NEVER too late).
This is where the 2 days comes in - TWO DAYS UNTIL MY 58th birthday! In truth, I can’t believe it and I certainly don’t feel TWO YEARS SHY of my 60th! In life, it’s NEVER too late and I’ll continue to endeavour to buck the music business trend, in fact I’ll SHAKE IT UP (we’ll come back to this in a moment).
The below quote (I’ve lifted a small section of it), has been circulating in ‘social media’ for some while now and I think it brilliantly illustrates, in life it’s NEVER ‘too late’ to realise your passion purpose and unique direction:
“Morgan Freeman landed his first MAJOR movie role at age 52.
Kathryn Bigelow only reached international success when she made The Hurt Locker at age 57.
Grandma Moses didn’t begin her painting career until age 76.
Louise Bourgeois didn’t become a famous artist until she was 78.
Whatever your dream is, it is not too late to achieve it. You aren’t a failure because you haven’t found fame and fortune by the age of 21”.
I rejected a record contract in my late teens, back in the 80s and my life went in a completely different direction. However, I have effectively launched a writing career in my 50s and have achieved more in the last couple of years doing things ‘MY WAY’!
Dear friend, be YOU! Everyone else is taken and whilst others can help you, support you and offer guidance, no one is the ‘expert’ on YOU, except YOU! This is my parting message and the primary message I share through my music and all of the creative projects I engage in with others.
We are HERE, BElong!
Find YOUR light and shine YOUR light bright! In fact - ‘Bring YOUR OWN light and TOGETHER, let’s light the SKY’!
Below are highlights of just this year gone by and video/musical links (BOTTOM of The Page) for you to visit and strengthen YOUR reSOLVE to BE the BEst YOU and FULLest YOU!
Love,
Ray xxx
2023 Highlights:
Early January ‘Galaxy Starman’ by OverSoul & The Architects of Passion (MORE on this PHENOMENAL song/story in an upcoming Spotify streamed podcast).
Mid January ‘This Life’ (an award winning song in a UK Songwriting contest).
Early February ‘The know No Song’ & OverSoul & The Architects of Passion Album ‘Indignation’
Early March 1st release from collaboration duo Minstrel & Bard - ‘Pic ‘n’ mix’.
Mid March a very moving tribute to Michelle Roche’s late brother John B Chesworth ‘No Ordinary John’ (Raising awareness and profits for MacMillan Cancer Support & The RNLI)
Early April 1st release from The Architects ‘Judas Wept Too’.
Mid May 2 singles released for International Mental Health Awareness Week
‘Fish Tank’ OverSoul & The Architects of Passion
‘Flowers Die’ The Architects
May continued to be a phenomenally productive month ‘A Pagan Dream’ An incredible collaboration with Natasha Rose Swift! Wow!
‘Carnival of Light’ inspired by Geoff Moore of The Blackpool Carnival CIC & featuring The BMS Contemporary Choir
Bit slow in June lol…
July (OFFICIAL release 02/08/2023)
‘Love Is’ with magical lyrics from Laine Dadson and also a video featuring British Sign Language (BSL) from June Buckingham!
Driver Training Road Rage Televised piece With Gethin Jones @ The BBC
Early September
‘Who Is Our Common Enemy’ a single released by The Architects
09/09 RNLI performance and children dancing in the audience to ‘Who Is Our Common Enemy’
OCTOBER WAS QUIET LOL (NOT 🤪)
06/10 ‘Chronos’ (The single & ‘The Timeline’ Album by OverSoul & The Architects of Passion).
13/10 ‘Our Songs’ Ray Coates (a collaboration album with a total of 9 songs written/inspired by others)
20/10 ‘Some Kind of Divine Plan’ The 1st Album From The Architects
27/10 ‘One Voice, We Are One’ The completion & Release of The 1st Community Anthem Project (CAP) Song
Also ‘Lost & Found’ Single With Incredible Lyrics by John Cheetham, in a tribute song to the Legend Meatloaf (More to come from myself and John early in the new year)
‘We Are Not Demons’ a Single release by The Architects
Mid November
‘Find Silence That’s Your Own’ Ray Coates
CAP COME TOGETHER
WHO IS DAN new band live performances at Bootleg Social Blackpool & Waterloo FY4 (With In Good Company Blackpool)... Soon to be released our 1st Single - 'Shake It Up (Spin 5)'
What about 2024?..
Let’s SHAKE IT UP… OFFICIAL New Years Day Release of five different versions of the same lyrics (POWERful lyrics by the AMAZING Caroline Brown) same chord progression; same lead vocalist ALL released @ the same time 01/01/2024!!! Wow!
Watch this space and in fact check out the ‘Shake It Up’ page for EXCLUSIVE early listening opportunities! I wonder which spin YOU will choose?
To be continued…
Ray Coates
OverSoul & The Architects of Passion
Minstrel & Bard
The Architects
Who Is Dan!
Happy birthday for yesterday Ray - hope it marks the start of another incredible journey around the sun for you as it appears from your blog that you have had a wondrous year.
58 is a grand age as it has the value 13/4 - the number of magic.
Belated Yuletide blessings to you both