BALSAMO COLLINS RILEY - Turn This Thing Around (Official Music Video)

During the first lockdown, Pete Riley, Steve Balsamo and Andy Collins began a series of regular Zoom meetings. Over time, these meetings became an outlet for their creativity as Collins explains: “Originally we started these sessions to shoot the breeze and put the world to rights but we quickly started sending each other voice notes of song ideas on WhatsApp during the week that we worked up on the Monday sessions.” The result is a forthcoming debut EP from the group, from which ‘Turn This Thing Around’ is the second single release. It’s upbeat, uplifting and, above all, brilliantly tuneful. The group’s melodic harmonies are engaging and absorbing, drawing us into a positive, hopeful response to the challenges they faced as musicians. Balsamo explains how the song came to be written:

 “It goes without saying the last couple of years has been devastating for lots of people, especially those in the arts. ‘Turn This Thing Around’ is literally about what we did on the writing sessions – pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps, making a stand by doing what we do, making some good music and moving forward regardless.” A rich, full sound is created with the support of Nigel Hopkins (Chris De Burgh) on Hammond Organ and Gavin Griffiths (Fish-Marillion) on drums.

 The song also features backing vocals from Platinum-selling American singer-songwriter Edwin McCain, who Riley toured with in the late 1990s and has worked with many times since. Riley says: “We were looking for another voice to harmonise with me, Steve and Andy and I reached out to Ed who jumped on it and has done a beautiful job for us.” It’s an effective combination, with the vocal performances of all involved being a highlight of the song. ‘Turn This Thing Around’ is a dynamic, optimistic response to the pandemic, created as a direct result of the dire circumstances we have found ourselves in. It’s a refreshing song and the debut EP from Balsamo, Collins, Riley early in 2022 will be one to watch out for. 

Premiere: Steve Balsamo Releases Powerful New Video for ‘Lighthouse Keeper’

 

Born and raised in Swansea, UK, Steve Balsamo started out singing in rock bands as a teenager before he came to the public’s attention in the mid ’90s by way of a beard, long hair and a loincloth! (His own words to describe his epic stint in the West End as Jesus in ‘Jesus Christ Superstar!) 

 Steve is back with a new song and powerful new video which we are thrilled to premiere right here on Lyric Magazine. Lighthouse Keeper was written with Gareth Lewis and Andy Collins, Steve’s old compadre from The Storys. Steve and Andy spent Lockdown collaborating over Zoom with Liverpool singer songwriter Pete Riley, formerly of Treehouse and currently part Edwin Mccain’s band.  They have an EP as Balsamo Collins Riley coming early next year. 

“I wanted to get Lighthouse Keeper out this year, to give BCR a good run at it next spring.  As we are still in a state of flux and pandemic recovery, a song about hope in a seemingly hopeless world seems a good idea!  We made a beautiful video with Rhys Davies of Furball Films, who I’ve worked with a lot over the years. I love how cinematic he is – he makes mini films really”, says Steve. 

 The video takes inspiration from the Wim Wenders’ classic Wings Of Desire and it features classically trained dancer Toby Seddon who is the grandson of the late, great Eric Woolfson – the writer and vocalist with The Alan Parsons Project. 
“I worked a lot with Eric, helping him develop the musical Poe. It was based on the life of Edgar Alan Poe, who I played at its conception and premier at Abbey Road Studios in 2004”. 

Toby was 18 months old at the time and tells Steve that the show and his grandad Eric inspired him to be in the arts. 
“I saw a clip of Toby dancing on Instagram and reached out to him to see if he wanted to be in the video. Toby is amazing and basically improvised the whole thing. I find it very moving”.
Both are so excited to ‘close the circle’, and Steve says, “I know that wherever Eric is, he’s smiling and very happy at this collaboration”.

 

 

Steve Balsamo Lighthouse Keeper out on 20th Dec 2021

Hello. Hope you're all doing good.

We are coming all guns blazing with Balsamo Collins Riley next year... but ending this year with solo midwinter offering...

Lighthouse Keeper out on 20th Dec, video 21st

More soon!

Steve

O Little Town of Bethlehem - Mal Pope & Steve Balsamo HD

Hello all

I was chuffed to be asked by Mal Pope to be involved with the ‘Everyone Deserves A Christmas’ campaign this year, and today we go live with a video of our Christmas single ‘O Little Town Of Bethlehem’.

Mal has put a lovely team together including Harry’s Youth Theatre Choir Swansea and the Morriston Salvation Army Band.... plus a few familiar faces...

 

 

 

https://distrokid.com/hyp.../malpope/christmas-with-the-pope Carolyn Harris MP was recently named Campaigner of the Year at the Spectator Parliamentarian of The Year Awards and is the driving force behind ‘Everyone Deserves A Christmas’.

Hello all

I was chuffed to be asked by Mal Pope to be involved with the ‘Everyone Deserves A Christmas’ campaign this year, and today we go live with a video of our Christmas single ‘O Little Town Of Bethlehem’.

Mal has put a lovely team together including Harry’s Youth Theatre Choir Swansea and the Morriston Salvation Army Band.... plus a few familiar faces... 

 

DOWNLOAD AND STREAMING LINKS 

 

Here is more information about the campaign... 

 

https://www.malpope.com/mal-pope-steve-balsamo-christmas.../

If you enjoy the video please share far and wide! 

 

 

Million thanks

Steve x

KEEP ME IN YOUR HEART FOR A WHILE Lee Gilbert & Steve Balsamo

(Steve)

Hello all

My mate and beautiful singer Lee M Gilbert asked if I'd duet on a song for his new album and we decided to do a Warren Zevon song, Keep Me In Your Heart.

 

We've dedicated it to our friend and a champion of the arts, the late, great Chris Needs MBE.

Chris was a keys player and singer and was part of Bonnie Tyler 's band in the early days. He went on to have a very successful broadcasting career and had one of the most popular shows on BBC Radio Wales as well as raising a lot of money for charity over the years. 

 

Always a supporter of Lee and me, this is a little thank you and to say we think of him often.

Recorded by Nick Lloyd at Oakwood Church Studios in Pontrhydyfen and the filmed by David Cooper. Thanks guys.

Gos played keys

Hope you enjoy

BALSAMO, COLLINS, RILEY - Keep This Love Alive (Official Music Video)

 

Hello all

We are super excited to let you know that the video for our debut Balsamo Collins Riley single, Keep This Love Alive is here!!!

The lovely folks at You Pick Acoustic https://youtube.com/c/YouPickAcoustic are hosting the video, and we'd like to say a huge thank you to them.

Also massive thanks to wonderful Paul Andrew who organised and put the video together, and considering what he had to work with, has worked miracles!

Next Monday (5th July) 7pm UK time we will be doing an Instagram live chat (and possibly a few tunes) on Steves page (Instagram.com/stevebalsamomusic) so please come and join us for that.

Thanks for the support and if you enjoy the vid, please share it far and wide.

See you next Monday.

Love BCR x

Hello all I'm super excited that my new song Armour Of My Soul has been added to BBC Radio Wales A list next week. Huge thanks to Ed, Bridget and everyone there for their support. 

It will get the first play on Jason Mohammad's show on Tuesday from 8 am, then Behnaz Akghar in the afternoon and Wednesday on Wynne Evans's show. If you hear it and like it then please let Radio Wales know (and if you don't hear it, maybe request it - everything helps spread the word - X). 

In the meantime you can watch the gorgeous video made by awesome Rhys Davies for Furball films here 

It takes a lot of work to keep on keeping on making music, especially during the year we've had, and I am very grateful and thankful for all the support! Love Steve x