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March 2009 |
"If you have a
question for me, enter this room.
It exists just for us. A place for
you to come to ask me whatever you
wish. A chance for us to get closer.
Share your thoughts, tell me your
story, ask me your questions. They
will be answered."
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Hi Candice, how are you? Like yourself
I'm a native Long Islander (Sachem Grad '88)
and am a recent convert to Blackmore's Night
as it has exposed me to a style of music
that I most likely wouldn't have paid much
attention to. Just yesterday on satellite
radio I heard a song called 'Locked Within
the Crystal Ball' and absolutely loved it. I
came home to find out it was on the 'Secret
Voyage' CD from 2008. I also noticed it has
been discontinued by the record company.
From what I understand this release did
fairly well sales wise so why, only a year
and a half later, would this go out of
print? Also, would you know of any way to
get this CD without paying an arm and a leg
for it? I looked on Ritchie's website and
didn't see any way to purchase CD's from
there but if I overlooked something, please
let me know. I would really love to own
'Secret Voyage.'
I'm really looking forward to your new music
in the future as well!
Chris
Hi Chris,
Always good to hear from a neighbor! I am
not aware of the cd being out of print, but
if you ever have problems getting any of our
cds yo can always go to the merchandise
store at
blackmoresnight.com
or
Amazon
and they will always be in stock and
available there.
Enjoy!
Love and light,
Candice |
Dear Candice, how are you doing?
I am one of the biggest fans of
Blackmors night that ever exsisted. the
music is wonderful, lyrically amazing
and vivad.
I have a question for you and Richie.
Do you belive in fairies, elves and the
like. cause I sure do.
Are there plans for a 2009/2010 cd
release?
what are your favorite songs from the
blackmores night catalog?
may the peace,light,love of the fairy
and elven realms ever be with you!
Ron
Hi Ron,
Of course I believe...I believe in
realms of possibility...I believe in the
existence of beings not visible to our
eye. It doesn't mean they don't exist,
perhaps it means that much of humankind
is just not ready to see...
I believe in magic and myth and faerie
tales and all that inhabit the
realm...How sad would it be not to?
Yes there will be a cd release in
2010...
My favorite songs vary by day and by
night but some of the standard favorites
for me are : Faerie Queen, Windmills,
Hanging Tree, Fool's Gold, The
Circle...I like the "story" songs...the
ones that weave tales and enchant you to
the tales of another realm.
Love and light,
Candice
Dear Candy,
Happy New Year to you and Ritchie! I am
looking forward to your new CD in 2010. I
love to read your website and like the
snowflakes that cascade down.
I have a couple of questions about
instruments you play in certain songs,
1) in the Clock Ticks On, when Ritchie is
playing the hudy gurdy - it is a box like
shape on a chair and Ritchie turns a crank
and you are playing a woodwind instrument,
which one are you playing?
2) Which woodwind instrument are you playing
in Fire at Midnight and what is the woodwind
instrument you play in Locked Within the
Crystal Ball.
3) Would any of these been used to introduce
the Queen in medieval times? If not which
was used to introduce the queen? shawm?
trumpet?
Thank you for your time.
Love and light to you all in the New year.
Katie Panteliadis
Hi Katie,
Soon those snowflakes will be changing to
welcome the spring! Nature is such an
amazing miracle...
Ritchie does play the hurdy gurdy in clock
ticks on. He prefers it to be places on a
stool that he constructed as a stand. Most
layers play it on a strap, similar to a
guitar strap, around them as they play- but
ever the innovator Ritchie found a new way
to play it. I do play the shawm in that
song, though some more historically accurate
instrumentalists will tell you that if it
has a wind cap it isn't really a shawm, but
they are at a loss for what to actually term
the instrument. When I purchased it from
David Marshall, he termed it as a shawm, so
I will stick with that description. It is a
double reed woodwind. The shawm that I play
in Locked Within The Crystal Ball and Fires
At Midnight is a medieval shawm, with no
wind cap. It is the same instrument. The
instruments used to announce the Queen in
all her pageantry would be shawms,
rauchpfiefes , sackbutts, crumhorns and
instruments of celebration. It is a very
regal sound when you have an ensemble like
that!
Best for you in the New year as well...
Love and light,
Candice
Dear Candice,
I have been listening to Blackmore's Night
for about the last year. My fiance turned me
on to it, and I haven't been able to turn
it off since. And we both love watching your
DVDs when the mood strikes. My fiance and I
were high school sweethearts 35
years ago and lost touch when he left for
college. We had no contact for 30 years.
Back in those days, Deep Purple was his
favorite band, and he would always talk
about how talented Ritchie was. I remember
that clearly.
Fast forward 30 years. I asked him one day
if he still listened to Deep Purple, and he
replied that he definitely does, but that I
need to hear (and watch) what he's up to
these days. He played the DVD Castles and
Dreams for me, and the rest is history.
I am hooked. Thanks to the invention of the
computer that I was able to find the love of
my life and am now planning our wedding.
And through the computer I am able to
communicate with you to tell you how much I
adore your music. You have the most
beautiful voice, I love your lyrics, and
Ritchie's talent, of course, goes without
saying. All of the band members are
terrific.
Your family must be so proud of your
accomplishments and talent. Do you have
siblings? Do your parents enjoy your music?
And I also note on your website your love of
animals. How many pets do you have? I would
love to know more about you.
Thanks in advance for your response,
Candice. I am truly a devoted fan and hope
one day to see one of your concerts.
Warm regards,
Gina
Tijeras, New Mexico
Hi Gina,
What a wonderful story! I am so happy that
you have discovered us. It must be
incredibly spiritual to listen to music that
moves you and live in the desert of New
Mexico. I haven't been there for years but
remember touring with Rainbow in Sante Fe
last time they were there. We took a tram to
the top of a mountain at Sandia Peak..the
view was breathtaking!
To answer your question, I do have siblings:
1 brother and 1 sister, both younger. We are
all very close, though they now live in
North Carolina. Its so important to me to
have a strong family connection. My parents
do love the music! As a matter of fact my
father , who is a podiatrist, has been known
to give out our cds to his favorite
patients! Ritchie and I have 2 cats, my grey
Persian and our ginger Maine Coon. Both of
whom have appeared in cat magazines and
photo sessions throughout the years. You can
see some of the pictures in my Written Word
or Images sections. But of course we also
have the outdoor animals that visit us here:
from hummingbirds to deer to possums and
foxes and raccoons the list goes on...We
love it!
Thanks for writing...
Love and light,
Candice
Dear Candice,
I've been a fan of Blackmore's Night for
years, and I still find new thoughts and
comfort from your music. Thank you for that!
I've seen you on stage once (in 2006 if I
remember correctly). Last time you performed
in Finland I couldn't make it to the
concert, and that made me really sad. I was
wondering if you're coming to play in
Finland this year? (Since it's been nearly
two years from the last time...)
There's another question I've been meaning
to ask you. How do you get in that calm mood
that allows you to be creative? How do you
forget all the pressures to do something
that "makes money fast" or takes you to some
"higher goal" that's approved by most of the
people? For me forgeting all these goals set
by other people is difficult. And I'm the
one who reminds the artistic me about the
certain landmarks to follow on the road to
future. That's why it's sometimes very
difficult to consentrate on creating - with
a ghost howling on a back of my mind, saying
you must do this and this for university,
for work... Even on holiday it keeps on
howling. And yet I know that I need my art,
my writings, my dancing and singing to be
happy. But all the creative ideas seem to be
burried behind the mish mash of must-do
thoughts. How do you get past them?
But I can say that your music helps
sometimes. I often play your songs on the
background when I'm drawing or painting. I
also can't wait to hear your solo recordings
- when is your cd coming out?
All the warm thoughts from chilly Finland,
hope to see you performing here again soon.
Love, Lady T
P.S. I really like the fact that you're in
Facebook nowdays
Hello Lady T,
I am so glad that our music brings you
comfort and an escape from the pressures of
todays world. Music truly is magic. Finland
is always a great place to play for us- and
one of our fastest selling gigs when we tour
there! You are right, we are due to return.
The agent is discussing tour dates with us
now, so as soon as we confirm them we will
post them, but Finland is definitely one of
the places we will be looking at to see if
it works with the routing.
To answer your question, as music is my
great escape, I don't get caught up in that
pressure to attain what others may expect. I
enter in that world, reluctantly, when I
have to, but music is a path far greater
than that petty world and its demands. So
when I do escape, whether it is walking
through the woods or feeling the ocean
breeze, even if it is for a few moments,
that is when the creativity flows. In those
moments I am able to write, to play , to
sing and to go to another place which allows
us to create our music together. So the 2
worlds never really collide...
There are priorities that we must accomplish
each day to get through the day: work,
bills, responsibilities, university, etc.
But another priority must be to make that
all important time for you. If you don't
make that time for you, for your spirit, no
one else will and time runs too fast to ever
try to reclaim ...
Creative ideas will present themselves, as
you say, and sometimes at inopportune
times...you cant control them or tell them
when to appear. So I always keep a pen and
paper around or a tape recorder so I can
write them down no matter where I am and if
I can't explore them at that moment, at
least I have them to delve into later on
when my time is right. But if you ignore
them they will go away and not visit
again...at least not the same ones...so try
to capture as many as you can when they come
to you. Live with them, explore them, dream
them...
My solo cd is actually ready to go, now the
business side comes in...ahh how I dislike
that side of music. But it must be done so
we are now in negotiations with some record
companies to see who will distribute it.
I'll keep you posted!
Love and light,
Candice
Email
questions to Candice at
nightanswers@aol.com
If selected your answer will be posted here.
Five questions a month will be answered,
so please keep checking back. |
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