TwitterXmasSingle

Monday, December 17, 2012

A Twitter Xmas Single Thank You

Hello tweeps,

This is just a timely thank you to all who were involved in this year's Twitter Xmas Single - think of it like the movie credits at the end of a movie.

Directed by: Brenda Drumm
Twitter Xmas Single was an idea tweeted by Brenda Drumm in November 2011. Her tweet snowballed and a group of 140 went on to record the first ever Twitter Xmas Single. Holding on for Christmas is the Twitter Xmas Single 2 #TXS2

Writers: Holding on for Christmas is an original Irish Christmas song which was written by Ian Callanan, Brenda Drumm, Alan Chadwick and Gavin Byrne in 2012.

Producer and Arranger: Ian Callanan

Instrumentation:

Guitar, percussion, synth and programming: Ian Callanan
Uileann Pipes, Whistles, Bodhran: Darragh Ó Héiligh
Electric Guitar: Derek Dunne
Guitar: David Byrne
Drums: Kevin McDonnell
Synth: Gavin Byrne
Strings: Christoph Demetriou, Roisin Magee, David Byrne, Sarah Doyle, Katie Higgs, Leah Nolan, Timothy Telford, Dearbháil Mc Donald, Davina Baker and Sophie Higgs

Engineered and recorded at:

Sonic Cottage Studio - Cathal Molloy www.soniccottage.com
Seinn Studios - Ian Callanan www.seinn.com
Retreat Recording Studio - Paul Keegan www.retreatrecordingstudio.com
Live recording at The Westin Hotel, Dublin - Darragh O'Reilly www.mixmatters.org
Mixed and arranged by Cathal Molloy & Ian Callanan at Sonic Cottage Studio
CD and iTunes artwork by Anthony Curtis @735songs

CD Production:
Special thanks to Kelly Consultants who sponsored the CD duplication

Photography:
Paul Sherwood
Shane Murphy
Emily Gallagher
Brenda Drumm

Official video:
Video footage recorded by Brenda Drumm, Bryan Glennon, Padraig Meredith
Edited and produced: Ian Callanan

Venues:
The Westin Hotel, Westmoreland Street, Dublin

The Cake:

Twitter Xmas Single launch cake: Halo Cafe Celbridge

Public Relations:
With thanks to Host PR and Caroline Kennedy PR

Visuals:
Pull up banners prepared and sponsored by RPD Limited

Singers:
A very special thanks to all the voices on this year's Twitter Xmas Single - you will find a list elsewhere on this blog. Without all the tweeps coming on board we would not have had anyone to bring the song to life. Special thanks to those who have now taken part on Twitter Xmas Single 1 and 2.

Charity:
A word of thanks to @consoleireland this year's charity. Hopefully we have raised awareness and some funds.

Star tweeter:
Our star tweeter award goes to two people Tynan Hooper and Seamus Kearney who gave their heart and soul to sharing the song and getting it out there into the twittersphere.

Availability of song:
The song is available to download from iTunes at the following link for 99 cent and all monies raised will go directly to Console: https://itunes.apple.com/ie/album/holding-on-for-christmas-single/id582788441

The song is also available on all other online music stores.

Copies of the song are available on CD but we do not have a distributor so they are being sent out via Console and directly to stockists who have asked for them. If you want copies to sell please contact Brenda on 087 233 7797.

A huge thank you to all who have downloaded the song or bought CDs.

And finally:

We apologise if we have left anyone out.

A special word of thanks from me to Ian Callanan for putting together such a fantastic finished product.

I loved every minute of it - there were so many laughs and so many great connections made from Twitter Xmas Single 1 to #TXS2 and these stories will find their way into a book some day.

I am immensly proud of what we produced in a celeb-free zone! It is a shame that the song did not get the airplay it deserved or the attention of those in television land - a little sad really for such a good news story and such a worthy cause.

But sometimes the interest is only there when there is a celebrity involved.........

I hope everyone is very proud of what we have achieved for a second year in a row....

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.... you are all stars in my twittersphere.

Brenda

xxxx

Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Twitter Xmas Single 2 to be launched on 9 Dec 2012

So we are finally ready for launch - or Go for launch as they would say in NASA. The song is ready, the |CDs have arrived, the venue is sorted and we have most of our 140 characters ready to attend the launch of Twitter Xmas Single 2012.

The song is Holding on for Christmas, an original song written especially for this year by Ian Callanan, Brenda Drumm, Gavin Byrne and Alan Chadwick.

At 2.00pm on Sunday next, 9 December we will be back in the Banking Hall in the Westin Hotel in Dublin for the launch.

This year the Twitter Xmas Single is being done for Console. This is what they do:

`Console was established in 2002 by Paul Kelly after he had experienced the grief of losing a loved one by Suicide. Through his loss, Paul recognised a need for a dedicated Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention Service here in Ireland.

Since then Console has developed into a National Organisation supporting people in Suicidal Crisis and those Bereaved by Suicide through Professional Counselling, Support and Helpline Services.

Console is a National Service with Centres in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Athlone, Wexford and Kildare.

When we asked Twitter what charity should benefit from this year's song, one of the most common answers was something for suicide or something for young people. We have all read about the many tragedies this year of people young and old taking their own lives. Console is doing life-saving work and we are thrilled to be working with them for TwitterXmasSingle this year.

Now at this stage you all probably know how this all started! You don't? Well back on 19 November 2011 @BrendaDrumm a mum of two from Newbridge in Co Kildare and someone who is living with an incurable form of bone marrow cancer, tweeted a tweet. The tweet suggested that the people of Twitter come together to do a song and that is exactly what happened last year. The song was a beautiful cover of Winter Song and it went to number one on iTunes and number 8 in the Irish charts.

So Twitter Xmas Single was born and when it came to deciding if there should be a Twitter Xmas Single 2, Brenda tweeted a tweet to see who would respond this year. There was another great response and so #TSX2 was born.

The song was recorded on Sunday 11 November last in the Westin Hotel in Dublin. All the voices you will hear on the song are amateur singers. All the musicians and technicians gave their time to the track for free. In fact everyone involved - 200 people - gave their time and talents for free.

Holding on for Christmas is an upbeat original Irish Christmas song and it will be available for download from iTunes from Sunday 9 December and on all online music stores. CDs are also available and stockist information will be posted at a later stage.

This is the best of people's goodwill on Twitter coming together in real life for a wonderful cause and it is a real story of Christmas joy and hope.

Join in on Twitter by tweeting @brendadrumm or following the hashtags #TXS2 and #TwitterXmasSingle

Ends
5 December 2012

Monday, November 26, 2012

Update on what's happening with TwitterXmasSingle2

Hi there,

Brenda here with an update on what has been happening since we all got together on Sunday 11 November.

In short Ian, myself and other have been working hard behind the scenes on Holding on for Christmas and it sounds amazing.

Ian finished it and I heard the final mastered version of the song today and it sounds wonderful. I think you will love it, I hope that you love it as much as we do.

The artwork for the CD has been done and this is what the front cover of the CD will look like

Anthony Curtis @735songs is the very talented person responsible for the creation of the artwork which is gorgeous.

So what happens now?

Well we are working on the video at the moment. Ian is branching out and lending his talents to doing the video. We have some great footage from the Westin Hotel and from the other venues we used for recording the music and the pipes etc.

The song has been booked in with iTunes and other online music stores. But for the song to count for the charts we need you all to download it from iTunes or to buy it from one of the shops that it will [hopefully] be in. The song will be 99 cent to buy on iTunes.

We will have copies of the CD available at the launch for you to buy. These will cost €5. Now I know you are thinking why spend €5 euro when I can get away with 99cent? The answer is three fold:
1. Because it will be nice to have a CD memento of TXS to look back on and to play back in years to come
2. Because they will make nice Christmas presents for family and friends
3. Because the more CDs we sell, the more money we will make for Console Ireland, our chosen charity.

We still have a few hurdles to get over and we need as much media exposure and radio air play as possible.

The song will be sent by email to all radio stations in advance of the launch but it will be embargoed until the time of the launch on Sunday 9 December.

If you are someone who works on a radio or TV show or in other media then we need your help to spread the word about Twitter Xmas Single 2.

We are doing this for Console Ireland who do such amazing work. Many of us have been touched by suicide and we have read about the tragic deaths of so many people this year. We need to say NO to SUICIDE and to let people know that there are wonderful people like those in CONSOLE who can help and reach out a hand.

Hopefully Holding on for Christmas will raise money for their life-saving work and will raise awareness that they exist.

Come on board with us.

More updates soon.

Brenda
xxxxxx

Tuesday, November 6, 2012

A bit about Sunday

Just to update you about Sunday.

We are recording from 1pm in the Westin Hotel, Dublin. To give the hotel a chance to get organised please do not arrive any earlier than 12 noon - the day is going to be a long one!

Tea and coffee will be provided by the wonderful folks at the Westin Hotel but please bring a bottle of water as there will be a lot of singing!

If you could wear something Christmassy and bring something for your head - a woolly hat, a Santa hat, reindeer ears ...... you get the picture.

Because we are recording in the banking hall in the hotel, we will not have a studio or a soundproof area so once we start the recording it will limit us a little bit in terms of having an area for chatting or for children to play. We simply do not have the space! We will also be recording a video on the day so we will need to clear areas to set up some shots etc. I suppose we are looking at the Westin as a recording studio on Sunday and we want to get the choir section done and dusted as soon as we can so as we can let you all home.

Once the choir part has been recorded we will audition singers for the solo parts. We will make a decision based on the voice best suited to the track and the voices which work best together in harmony. It is not about picking one voice over another because one is better - it will all be based on the voices and how well they suit the track.

We have arranged for a sign in upon arrival so please leave your name, twittername and contact phone number. We will have some very cool teenagers on the sign in so be nice!

If anyone has any last minute questions please tweet @brendadrumm using #txs2

We are really looking forward to Sunday and Ian and I really hope that you like the song.

Brenda
X

Monday, November 5, 2012

This is why we are doing Twitter Xmas Single 2

So TwitterXmasSingle was great fun last year, a magical experience, a day full of laughter but there was a serious side to what we were doing - raising funds for Unit * in Holles Street and raising awareness of the wonderful work done for the tiniest babies who arrive into the world too early.

This year we hope that the recording will be just as magical an experience and that there will be lots of fun and laughter too. Once again, there is a serious side to what we are doing this year as we are trying to raise funds for Console.

This is who they are and what they do:

Console was established in 2002 by Paul Kelly after he had experienced the grief of losing a loved one by Suicide. Through his loss, Paul recognised a need for a dedicated Suicide Prevention, Intervention and Postvention Service here in Ireland.

Since then Console has developed into a National Organisation supporting people in Suicidal Crisis and those Bereaved by Suicide through Professional Counselling, Support and Helpline Services.

Console is a National Service with Centres in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Athlone, Wexford and Kildare.

So now that you know who they are and what they do please support us with TwitterXmasSingle 2 once the song is released. Download it and spread the word. You don't even have to wait for the song, you can donate to them now. All the information you need and all the different ways you can donate are available on their website at the following link: http://www.console.ie/index.php?contentid=donations

I doubt that there will be a single person in the TwitterXmasSingle choir who has NOT been touched by suicide. I know that I have. Last week when we made the decision to approach Console about the TwitterXmasSingle, I had no idea that within half an hour of contacting them, that I would hear about the tragic death, the sucide of a friend.

Please support the life-saving work that Console are doing and if you are feeling down, feeling suicidal then please reach out to someone.

See www.console.ie for information.

Brenda

XX

TXS 2 - what we still need tweeps

Okay so by now you probably know that we are doing a Twitter Xmas Single 2, right? Okay good.

We are announcing the venue and times later on today so stand by.

There are still some things we need help with:

A graphic designer to design the cover for the single for iTunes and other online stores and to the design for the CD insert
On the subject on CDs we will only be able to produce CDs if we get sponsorship so any person out there who might be able to sponsor the CDs, we would love to hear from you twitterxmassingle <at> gmail.com
Banners and visuals for use in the venue - anyone who can put together a couple of pull-up banners and a backdrop of Christmassy stuff and the words Twitter Xmas Single 2 and the hashtag #txs2
If anyone would like to do props like the delightful ones we had last year of twitter birds etc, then that would be
We might still have some musical slots to be filled but we will update this later.
Press photographers would be particularly welcome to the recording on Sunday 11th November.
We will have more information about other photographers once we have the venue confirmed. [Just to clarify this - amateur photographers are welcome of course. Up to a couple of days ago we thought we would be in a recording studio and space was very very limited for photographers. In trying to manage expectations, we asked non press photographers to bear with us until we had more information. We now have the venue confirmed and space is NOT an issue so 'amateur' photographers are welcome but as with everyone taking part on the day, they will have to register with @brendadrumm using the hashtag #txs2. Hope this is now very very clear!]

Updated: 5 November 2012

The TwitterXmasSingle 2 List

Below is a list of all those who have signed up to take part in Twitter Xmas Single 2. Please email me at twitterxmassingle@gmail.com if your name is not features. We have had no many tweeps signing up that we may have missed one or two. Names from Facebook will also be added later today:

The List

@brendadrumm
@icannanan
@ckennedypr
@mduffywriter
@TheWestinDublin
@maidrinruadh
@bingobaa
@carolinefraher
@ciaramcduffman
@maireadflanagan
@doalty
@SpNeedsParents
@cagssoc
@clairehearty
@bsweetmanmorris
@detteus
@pekalton
@lightnessalways
@mariondublin
@goldenplec
@50ftroman
@EK_Tobin
@h_a_quinn
@emma_clerkin
@ancabhancailin
@speedyhargo
@niamheyb
@iacanlune
@elleplace
@fleurman
@heres_Ty
@eileen27
@davidclearskies
@thechurch_ie
@jilliangodsil
@toruairc
@phil_garland
@jasminkagriffin
@meadejonathan
@samanthaelong
@munstermaid
@subuckley
@sab_mc
@clairemaryr
@kevinmcdonnel
@carenkennedy
@aideenkelly
@lisaok
@itscherrysue
@barbarascully
@missblt
@sandracoffey
@JFTaxi and his lovely wife
@bryangln
@dionsis
@johnivory
@dleacht
@hylandireland
@mralphleonard
@angharadW
@735songs
@juneshannon
@suejleonard
PaulMurray
Astra O Leary
Noel cuddy
Moya Muldowney
Roisin Magee
@claireguckian
@nightlord2009
@digitaldarragh
@consoleireland [Our charity of choice this year]
@marketmusic
David Byrne
Aoibhin Redmond
Heather Aiken
@aisling_larkin AislingLarkin
Charlie Heron
Sandra Coffey
Joey [not the one from Friends]
Eileen White
Louise McCartney
Gavin Byrne
Christine Saloranta
Jennifer McKeever
Kevin McDonnell
Eimear Smith
@auntyamo
@madelineXD
@klutzyclayur
@piperhawk
@hollyfrodo
@mauradonohoe
Chloe Lahart
@enda_story_
@swimmerdonegal
@buachailldana2
Clare O'Driscoll
Davinia Murray
Kieran Murray
Alex Cuddy
Aideen Kelly
Darren O Reilly
Niall Murphy
Alan Chadwick
@embergreen
@powersflowers
@seamuskearney
@aislingcahill
Brenda Kador
@denisedeegan
@marysweetman
@aineeco
@daveleavy1
@talkpiece
@sarahisnothere
@IrPsych
@pdrgmrdt
@carm_m_h
@grawbod
Student 1
Student 2
Student 3
Student 4
Student 5
Student 6
Student 7
Student 8
Student 9
Student 10 [names to be confirmed]
Leah Nolan
Leah's Mum
Karen Nolan
Rachel Fitzgerald
@shane_murphy
Anna Murphy
@DearbhailDibs
@richjm612

There are some more names to be added but just sourcing twitter handles for them. There are also some people to be added who contacted us by email and we will add those shortly.

Apologies if your name is not on the list. We have asked people to opt in this year so if you want to be involved then you need to tweet @brendadrumm using the hashtag #txs2

Ends