Preparation is Key
As I write this update blog for you my tummy is full of Cabbage White Butterflies. This is due to excitement that my first gig is in less than a weeks’ time. I shall be performing three new sets of songs at The Miners Arms, Sheffield, S18 8XF. Read More…
Swinging and Swaying With The Karaoke King
Press Release
Join Russell A C Irwin, “Unofficial Karaoke World Record Holder” for a top night at the Miner’s Arms pub; packed full of well-known swing and traditional numbers, a fun and friendly night out for all.
Russell smashed the Guinness World record for the longest Karaoke Marathon by an individual in April of 2011. He broke through the 49 hours record with a massive 50.5 hours which earned him the “Unofficial” World Record Holder title.
“Darn those technical hitches recording the time!” says the budding film maker, “I lost my voice and the use of my both my legs for three days after the event so I’ve been drumming up new ways to make films and put the ‘bacon’ on the table”
Russell’s record making attempt put £600 into the kitty but there is still some way to go to raise the £80k he needs to make his much dreamed of feature “Love, Lust and The Real Thing”, which will be shot in and around Sheffield, North East Derbyshire and South Yorkshire.
Russell and wife Michelle have six children between them and they eat plenty of ‘bacon’ between them so The
Bacon Films Project is not just a labour of love but a real necessity.
Come support the cause, have a great night out in the process and you never know, if you play your cards right, you might even end up with your face on the big screen!
Russell will be playing at The Miners Arms in Dronfield Woodhouse, S18 8XF, on February 18th from 9pm. It will be a night of Traditional and modern swing numbers. As well as being a very entertaining night at The Miners Arms where this is always a warm welcome, Russell will have some Bacon Films Merchandise on sale to raise funds for “Love, Lust and The Real Thing”.
Pease find attached a photo of Russell A C Irwin. Russell is available for interview and can be contacted on 07765 404649.
2012. Maybe this will be the Year?
Hey there people. If you follow me on twitter then welcome to my personal web site and my personal blog. If you got here on your own then nice to see you and if you like what you see please tell others.
2011 was ultimately a very disappointing year for me. @BaconFilms Project was set up and had the aim of raising £100,000 to fund production of two short films and one feature film. I aimed to do this through the attempting and attaining of four Guinness World Records and the selling of associated merchandise and producer packages. I undertook and beat the Guinness World Record for the longest Karaoke marathon by an Individual, in April of 2011. The target was £25K and we raised £600. Not only that but it cost me £3.5K to stage the event so I took a total loss of £2.5K. Took it on my glass chin and went down like a sack of spuds. I sang for 49.5 hours, had no voice, lost the use of bothlegs for three days and lost half a stone in weight AND, because I didn’t record the time in the right way ended up with no Guinness World Record.
I did not take this apparent failure too well. I made the schoolboy error of taking on extra expense in the form of an office to drive things forward. Of course having drained my resources to a state where the steeple of poverty was peeking through this was always going to put too much pressure on my already fragile economic viability. I moved out of the office in September having zero pennys left and did so just in time to avoid the dreaded spectre of debt. The rest of the year was spent disillusioned and generally feeling sorry for myself.
Come December I was at a particular low as the second anniversary of my Mothers death approached. I did the worst thing possible and started smoking again and not just cigarettes. Drink in the form of Vodka popped back into my life and a half a bottle a night would disapear form my house. Towards Christmas I somehow managed to realise that this return to my old ways was not going to put Bacon on the table for me, the wife and our six kids. There was a need for the selfish tosser that was Russell A C Irwin to wake up and be the best that he could be.
I realised that with my Mother gone the only person that could get me back on track was me. And of course there was my wife. The woman whom I had married two years ago and whom had stopped smoking, changed her life and was ready to support me in the attainment of my goals. To lose her would inevitably mean the loss of most of my children and a gradual slide downhill to oblivion for me.
How would I turn things around? I thought growing up would help. Sounds simple but I have dealt with depression for most of my life and have found it hard not to let it interfere with my day to day life. In films these things happen overnight and resolution is achieved. Not in real life. It’s a bloody hard slog and the battle never ends, but the rewards are palpable each day.
The thing I have always had in my favour is a seemingly endless amount of talent in a lot of areas. You may find that an arrogant statement but like the Robert Redford character writes in his book during the film The Way We Were, “Everything came to him so easily”. This has meant I have taken so much for granted in my life and have found it easy to get sidetracked in my career. As a young man (18-25), I attained some success as an actor but was very naive and unable to maximise the opportunities I had thrust upon me. I was 18 going on 8 and felt totally alone in the environment I found myself in.
Drifting out of acting I found success in the training industry but was never going to feel fulfilled and left to attend University to study Film. Upon leaving I had managed to produce a child with my childhood sweatheart and no way of making a living in the film industry. Working in pubs only lead to the breakdown of that relationship, an alcohol problem and the attainment of a huge amount of debt.
The one thing that never left me though was my talent. I have no way of saying where my ability to sing comes from. I didn’t develop it really, it just was there, probably inherited from my father and my acting ability I believe comes from my Mothers exceptional ability to empathise with all and sundry. Wherever it came from it was and is there and there in bucket loads. But having ability is only 5% of the battle.
They say success is 95% persperation. I do believe that now and feel totally ready to undertake the sweat and tears that my talent deserves.
I have been rehearsing five days a week on a singing act that I aim to get booked in to pubs and clubs. This may not sound glamorous but if you’re in the industry you know that working in the entertainment industry isn’t glamorous. It’s bloody hard work and the only real reward is when you have an audience and your talent is released upon them.
I have my first gig booked in for February 18th at The Miners Arms in Dronfield Woodhouse (S18 8XF for those wanting to plot the route there via Sat Nav). I feel very, very good about this gig and my ability to undertake future gigs and bring in what will be sufficient to feed, clothe and house my family. I believe that my talent will shine through and success will come my way if I push myself. This first try out gig may not be the polished article but then some of the acts out on the circuit look more like dusty old brass-wear themselves.
As for the @BaconFilms Project, I have downsized my ambitions there. I still want to make films and believe I can but I have to be financially savy to do so. I aim to develop a commercial arm that will make training and corporate films whilst I develop more artistic projects on the side. I also still aim to develop a side the @BaconFilmsProject that will work with disadvantaged youngsters in Sheffield.
In short (yea right, 1000 words later), I find myself entering 2012 sober and clean and soon to be non smoking and looking to take baby steps with my career to achieve financial sustainability for me and my family. If fame and fortune come my way then so be it. If not, happiness certainly will as I’m doing the best with what I’ve got for the people that mean the most to me.
Hopefully this brings you up to date with where I am and what I’m planning to do this year. I promised an exciting journey to follow last year and quite frankly didn’t deliver. This year is already different and the possibility of following an exciting and entertaining journey is now a reality and not just a distinct possibility. Please pop by to keep updated or follow me on Twitter @RussellACIrwin or @BaconFilms. This web site will be invigorated with new material, videos, pictures and hopefully, entertaining blogs.
This has been me thanks for your support.
