A huge thanks to everyone who has donated either large or small amounts and helped spread the word about the God Help The Girl Kickstarter campaign. The film now has nearly 600 backers who have combined to raise a total of just over $60000 so far! Nevertheless, we still have a fair way to go and remember that we receive nothing if we don’t hit our target of $100k by February 12th.
As well as the enamel crew badges pictured above, there are a wide range of both new items and a few of the original ones left. . . you can donate anything from $5 for a digital postcard to $5000 for the first ever test pressing of Tigermilk, depending on your budget, and in amongst the rewards there is bound to be something to catch your fancy. The full list of rewards is on the Kickstarter page and you can follow the progress over the next 3 weeks using the widget below:
Thanks again to everyone who has helped so far, it really is appreciated. Even if you cannot help, you can still help us spread the word by sharing on facebook, twitter or with friends and family. Every little bit will really help get the film made!
Earlier this year, Bob, Stevie, Richard and Mick all played on ‘Fuerteventura’ the new album by Spanish songwriter, Russian Red. Her second album, it was recorded in Glasgow with long term B&S associate, Tony Doogan.
Since the sessions back in April, the album has been released around the world and received considerable acclaim: as well as reaching number 2 in the Spanish charts, she has become something of a sensation in South-East Asia, having visited and played in Korea, China, Taiwan and Japan. Here is a clip about the making of the record:
However, she is only now getting round to her first ever shows in the UK and reuniting with some of the personnel on the album. Lourdes, with Bob, Stevie and some members of her usual touring band play in Glasgow and London in January. Both shows are co-headlines with the excellent Scottish songwriter, Rachel Sermanni.
The Glasgow show is at the Mitchell Theatre on Sunday 22nd and is part of the Celtic Connections festival and the London show is the following day (23rd) at The Union Chapel. Tickets for the show in Glasgow are available from Celtic Connections and for London from See Tickets.
After the London show, Stevie and Bob are changing band as they head to Italy for four shows with the Vaselines who play:
25th January: Rome, Angelo Mai
26th January: Turin, Spazio 211
27th January: Pisa, New Caracol
28th January: Ravenna, Bronson
As those who have been following the progress of God Help The Girl will know, Stuart and the film’s producers are in the final stages of putting together the funding for the movie to allow shooting to begin in Glasgow during the summer.
With support already in place from a number of generous benefactors, commitments from distributors and the UK Tax rebate we are well on our way to reaching our target, as Graham Samuels‘ visual representation shows :
However, there is still work to be done! As well as our ongoing discussions with funders in the UK, we are launching a Kickstarter campaign – both to help fill a gap in the finances but also to prove to these funders that we already have an involved and enthusiastic audience in waiting for the film.
For those not familiar with the concept of Kickstarter, it allows us to raise funds and you to become involved in either a small or large way with the making of the film. To do this, we have arranged a range of rewards with the intention of inspiring you to invest in the film! These range from pledges as low as $5 (which gets you a personalised digital postcard to acknowledge your help) up to $3000, which will get you a walk on part in the film.
$10 will see you credited as a friend of God Help The Girl on the website. Larger donations could secure you a tour of film locations in and around Glasgow conducted by Stuart or 45 minutes of Skype advice on your film project from GHTG producer, Barry Mendel. B&S fans may be particularly interested in Stuart’s gold disc for Tigermilk or one of the props from the film.
Here’s Stuart and Barry pondering the film finance by way of further background:
To find out more and survey the menu, head over to our Kickstarter page and see if we can tempt you!
Our friends at Finders Keepers Records were among the labels that lost stock in the warehouse fire caused by rioting this summer. To help them recover from the loss they’ve launched a series of ten limited edition CD and MP3 compilations from their catalogue. As long time fans of the label we were delighted to be asked to curate one of them and have dived into their vaults and emerged with a collection of globe spanning psychedelic sounds encompassing Sabbath covers from Thailand, Hungarian hard rock, and Lancastrian folk. The compilation also features an exclusive anagram-jam edit, a slice of Turkish grooviness put together by the group’s own Dig Red Chess.
Other volumes in the series have been compiled by Jarvis Cocker, Gruff Rhys and Bob Stanley amongst others.
For those of you who are state side, LA to be precise, Stevie is taking part in a Music Master Class at Urban Sanctuary on Friday 9th December, from 7 – 9pm, and he would be delighted to see you there!
The wee series of public works brings Stevie together with Nicola Atkinson / NADFLY artist and curator, and Lee Ivett / Baxendale, architect and urban designer. Nicola has previously collaborated with Stevie and Lee separately on numerous works: public art, music, installation, shop, dance sets, design and environmental actions since 2005.
As part of the project, Stevie and Nicola have created four new Scottish work songs, including “Moving“, and will bring them to Boyle Heights as a collective, presenting several wee interventions, including singing and exchanging objects for discussion about the impact of working in a wee way.
You are welcome to attend the music master class on Friday 9th December at 7pm, complete with singing and acoustic instruments (please bring your own!), and then you will become part of the performance at the wee opening reception on 10th December.
Please contact nadfly@googlemail.com to sign up, and click HERE for a copy of the masterclass songsheet.
urban:sanctuary
2026 E. 1st
Boyle Heights
CA 90033
Music Master Class in the Gallery
Friday 9th December 2011
7 – 9pm
$10
wee
Opening reception on Sat 10th December 7 – 11pm (with music at 8pm)
Until 12th Jan 2012
Wed 6-9pm / Fri 6-9pm / Sat & Sun 12-6pm
A new Abagail Grey single, produced by Chris with Tony Doogan, will be out on 5th December. The festive themed release consisting of two songs, Winter and Icicles, will be available as a free gift if you sign up between now and 6th December at http://abagailgrey.com/
Early subscribers will receive the download a few days in advance of the general release, on 2nd December. There will also follow a short tour – details below.
Bag this free badge set when you purchase any t-shirt in the b&s online store today!
Hi folks, it’s Stuart here.
I just wanted to mention that as well as keeping an eye on most things Belle And Sebastian flavoured, I’m being kept busy with the “God Help The Girl” movie project.
The “God Help The Girl” website has had a bit of a facelift, the script is being mulled over, and the producers are in Los Angeles wheeling and dealing as we speak!
I just wanted to check in with you guys in case anyone fancied themselves as coming in as one of the producers. I’m not kidding here!
In a month or so we’ll be doing the ‘crowdfunding’ thing with God Help The Girl, asking people to chip in and help make the film, (but with enough prizes and benefits attached to hopefully make it worthwhile.)
In the meantime I’d like to post this note to anyone who is interested in coming aboard with us in a more substantial way as an executive producer, and investing a hunk of (mostly tax-sheltered) cash in this thing. That would get us off to flying start!
If you’re serious, then myself or producer Barry Mendel would explain where we’re at and what we’re trying to do. You can get in touch with us at info@godhelpthegirl.com.
In the meantime, I just posted up #30-11 of my Top 50 actors, with clips. If you want to spend half an hour that you’ll never get back, go watch John Cusack in action, or maybe a bit of Molly Ringwald..
Stuart is taking part in a discussion with Lawrence – the leader of Felt, Denim and Go-Kart Mozart – and the film director Paul Kelly at the GFT in Glasgow on Sunday 4th December at 6.30p.m.
The discussion follows the showing of Kelly’s film about Lawrence (Lawrence of Belgravia) and his previous documentary, Take Three Girls: The Dolly Mixture Story, about the late seventies/ early eighties female pop group, whose work has recently been re-discovered and re-issued.
The event is organised by the Monorail Film club, and tickets can be acquired (advance booking is a good idea) from the GFT.
Here’s a Guardian story about the film and a reminder of Felt at their peak.
We have now taken delivery of both CDs and vinyl copies of Stevie’s album, ‘(I Can’t Get No) Stevie Jackson,’ which are available exclusively from the Belle and Sebastian shop.
There are three options depending on your preference for CD, vinyl or download. TheCD comes in a gatefold sleeve priced £10; the vinyl – also in a gatefold sleeve with download code (and on heavyweight vinyl) – is £17; and if you prefer a simple download, that can be purchased either directly from Banchory (£7) or from iTunes (£7.99).
If you want to hear the album, it is available to stream for a limited period on the VPRO website.
