Band spotlight: The Zillionaires
Musical collective The Zillionaires are hoping to raise thousands for children's hospices with their latest project.
Following a year-long collaboration between musicians, film-makers and producers, The Zillionaires – which began in 2000 as the brainchild of pianist Chris Towndrow – are to launch their Christmas charity single at the end of this month with a special live performance.
The power-pop ballad, Angel, will be raising cash for East Anglia's Children's Hospices (Each), a charity that cares for children with life-threatening and complex conditions and supports their families.
Although Chris, who is based in Woodbridge, formed the collective nearly ten years ago, the line-up has been constantly changing and currently features Pat Grueber, on bass guitar, cellist Hannah Garnham, drummer and percussionist George Double and Mark Flanagan, who is usually seen playing guitar for Jools Holland.
Singers Ashleigh Lartey and nine-year-old Neve Grueber, Pat's daughter, appear on versions of the single, while Chris has also roped in youngsters from Ipswich's Amberfield School Choir for the project.
"I wrote the song about 10 years ago and it never really found a home," explained Chris, who said he takes his song-writing inspiration from artists such as Cat Stevens, Van Morrison and the Talking Heads.
"I went to an open evening at one of Each's hospices a year ago and played them this song, and one of the fund-raisers really liked it.
"Since then my wife, Diane, and I have rewritten the song, The Zillionaires have recorded it, and we've just done the final mix of the song and a video to go with it.
"If we can sell the first 2,000 CDs we'll raise 7,500, but obviously we would like to sell much more than that.
"I want Simon Cowell to know his X Factor acts have got some competition."
The Zillionaires are due to launch the CD with a performance on Angel Hill, in Bury St Edmunds, on November 29, coinciding with the last day of the town's Christmas Fayre and Each's fund-raising Santa Run.
Meanwhile, copies of the CD will be available from Each charity shops, selected Tesco and Asda stores and online from www.each.org.uk and www.zillionaires.co.uk – while the song can also be downloaded from iTunes at www.itunes.com and Amazon at www.amazon.co.uk
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Wednesday 23 May 2012
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