Ode To Sneyd ('You Shine' album version)

THE STORY BEHIND THE SONG

In September 2019, 16 members of Mossley Big Local funded community art group walked to the local Sneyd Reservoir to take photographs of the landscape which they later used as reference to make into drawings and paintings.

Real Arts Workshop, who facilitated the project, asked the art group to revisit their photographs and artwork along with their memories and experiences of Sneyd Reservoir and the nearby Essington and Wyrley (‘Curly Wyrley’) canal for a Creative Black Country ‘Bostin News’ project.

Discussions were had about the project in a private Facebook group and via video conferencing meetings and direct messages in Messenger – asking the group to submit written work: poems, thoughts, ideas and words, about what these spaces mean to them – and in particular during the lockdown and 'stay alert' periods of 2020.

Alex Vann was able to write some song lyrics, and he set these to music that he composed in the style of traditional canal songs.

This song has now been recorded and mixed at M2 Studios in Coven, with additional musicians Nick Chadd and Richard Smith and is available on Alex's album 'You Shine'.

Useful links:
https://alexvann.bandcamp.com
https://www.alexvann.net
https://www.madhat.co.uk
https://www.creativeblackcountry.co.uk