Kafka at last
Having been told Nigel was going into semi-retirement or was going to take a three year break so he could 'get it together' and write his own stuff, it seemed like THREE YEARS was a world away. But as far as we know no one whithered away due to waiting, although at times we felt like it. None of us got so involved in anyone else's music, our hearts didn't miss a beat whenever Nigel's name came up on one of countless afternoon quiz shows -Crosswits and Today's the Day are the main offenders of taking his name in vain or using it as one down.
Was it worth the wait? We ask some of those who waited.
Janet Smith, Solihul
I was on holiday when Kafka was released and it was awful waiting to get back of holiday to buy a copy of the CD. Yes, it was worth it now. I love 'Melody in the wind' and, in fact, I love all the tracks.
Tatti Becker, Germany
Kafka is the greatest addition to my CD collection so far, it is beautiful!
Sue Cannell, Dudley
I have always loved Nigel's classical music, but I am disappointed with Kafka. It will not be added to my CD collection. It's all a bit of a noise.
I loved the spirit and depth of the Brahms, that was a Classic, and Kafka will never be a Classic.
Di Jolley, Bath
When I put Kafka on the CD player and the first few bars played, I panicked and was totally devastated that someone so talented could possibly be allowed to release such a racket. As I listened I must admit I got more 'into it' and by the time 'Melody in the wind' finished I was in tears at the beauty of it all, well most of it.
So you see not everyone was thrilled with it. I must admit having had a sneak preview a long time ago and waited along with everyone else, and I really feel it was worth every minute/second/bored sigh. Even if 'From Adam to Eve' brought a gasp of amazement when I tumbled the meaning.
Well if yo have been reading the reviews, you have just read some of the 'professional' opinions....umm. Yeah! they actually get paid BIG MONEY for that!
You may note that the opinions are as mixed as the ones we stated earlier. Well, at least it got a mention and it's typical of Nigel to cause such consternation, isn't it?
Some of the questions that have been sent in are:
Why Kafka?
Frans Kafka, a German writer of mainly short stories, often featured a sense of change in his stories. From the nightmarish torture machine in 'THE PENAL COLONY' to a man changing overnight into a beetle. I gather from those in the know that Nigel feels as if he has undergone a change from the classical musician into a freeer more 'all round' musician. Good on 'im, I say!
I gatherd that there might be some of the Hendrix stuff on this CD but I was wrong, why?
If you have two piles of work and had fought to get your own work accepted and released by the record company you may as well go the whole hog and have a CD entirely of your own music, so people can judge you as the composer and not you as the interpreter of Jimi Hendrix' music. I know recently there has been a lot of media built controversy about Jimi's work and music and I suppose it would be wise to stay away from being dragged in as being part of a large royalty package for someone unkown as yet.
