“Une Pause Dans Le Temps”
A quick website tour
There is a lot of stuff on this site (more than 90 pages) - so don’t miss anything!
The primary purpose of this website is to inform about and promote the band ‘French Lessons’, originally formed in West London during 1977. We have a new CD out (in case you missed that!), comprising new recordings of songs written back in the 70s.
However, the site has now evolved into an information hub about all things relating to members of the band, such as other projects with which they are involved. I also admit to hijacking it to some extent to incorporate my musical back-story, complete with recovered recordings where possible. These also feature some members of French Lessons, plus other people who were around and influenced us and/or wrote some of our material.
You can read about the history of the band here, with some contemporary 70s images which may be nostalgic to those of a certain age. We made some demos in the 70s as well - listen to them here.
Read about the current project ‘A Stop In Time’ here and please take time to read about our loved and much-missed bass player, Dave Gillbe.
General biographies of the main contributors can be found here - Ian Lee-Dolphin, Martin Plumb, Derek Edmond and Richard Gleave.
Read about the CD production here and click here to read about the origin of all of the songs. Many of them are influenced by specific events in the 70s life of Ian and Martin, although suitably embellished!
For those interested, you can see which instruments were used here, the artwork here and read some facts about Golden Riddy Music here. Listen to excerpts from the songs, with accompanying lyric sheets from here onwards.
Various photos of us, then and now can be found on four pages starting here.
There is a blog, which I update from time to time and importantly - a CD order page. If you have downloaded mp3s, you can download the accompanying CD booklet here - either as high resolution, or low resolution.
Gig lists for Martin, Derek and Richard’s various current bands can be found here.
Martin’s involvement with Ashwater Press (writers and publishers of books about all things Fulham FC) can be found here.
Richard’s old school band ‘The Blue-Berries’ has quite a large section, as a great deal of old memorabilia has come to light. It starts here and don’t miss the comprehensive gig diary that was kept by Paul Swan - original band member - 1964-1965. Pictures of us all then and now can be seen here. Other reminiscences from Richard, Richard Higgins and David Henderson are included. Richard Higgins’ new CD, featuring new recordings by The Blue-Berries can be heard here. Demo studio recordings made in 1974 by Richard H, Dave Gillbe, David Henderson and Richard G, newly restored, can be heard here.
Pre-French Lessons bands ‘Blazer’ and ‘The Intermittent Folk Band’ can be heard here, where you can find tracks that were later recorded or played by French Lessons.
I have devoted a page to my late friend and ‘Spreadeagles’ accomplice, Malcolm Jones, here.
Finally - please leave us a message here or in the guestbook here. It would be great to hear any comments - we don’t bite - honest!
Richard, April 2014
A completely new section dedicated to Trish Abey has been added here. Please support the Motor Neurone Disease Association by buying Trish’s lovely CD ‘Is That It…?’, or by downloading tracks.
Richard 2016