Wednesday 27 July 2016

Lives & Times Meets Billy Franks


For some chapters in the Lives & Times bowel cancer fundraising book I was able to combine business (not that I considered the book as work) with pleasure. One such chapter was photographing one of my all time musical heroes Billy Franks at The Union Chapel in London.

Billy was the lead singer in the 1980s band The Faith Brothers who I first discovered when they supported The Alarm. These days he is a brilliant singer songwriter and has just released his latest offering, A Far Cry From Sunset, which is a wonderful collection of beautifully crafted songs.

The original idea we came up with for the book photo was to photograph Billy in Fulham, doing a now and then type idea with present day Billy versus Billy from the 1980s. However when the concert at The Union Chapel was announced it was too good an opportunity to miss. For the first time in his career Billy played an acoustic show back by a gospel choir. To see his performed in such a way was truly magical and The Gospel Touch Choir were magnificent.

Billy is currently undertaking a 600 mile trek from France, across the Pyrenees into Spain, writing and recording songs for his next album along the way!

My Mum is now in a nursing home after 6 weeks in hospital following recent complications with the bowel cancer that has now spread to her brain. The most recent seizure has left her virtually paralysed down her right side, and her speech has also been badly affected. We got the devastating news three weeks ago that the cancer is now terminal.

ALL proceeds I receive from sales of the book are donated to Beating Bowel Cancer.

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