Colin Slater

The Fulbridge Academy Music Room Project – The Cavern……….

Sept ’22

‘Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing. Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty. What would life be?
Without a song or a dance, what are we? So I say thank you for the music. For giving it to me’.

(Thank You For The Music – Goran Bror Benny Andersson / Bjorn Kristian Ulvaeus)

Another trip down Memory Lane. The third of my four projects working at Fulbridge Academy again took me back to the room referred to as The Cavern, which I painted in 2016.

As a wall mounted visual display unit had been moved to be located on top of the classroom white board, a space had appeared which offered the opportunity to add more figures to the collection of musical personalities I’d painted previously. Principal Ben Erskine had taken me on a ‘walkabout’ around the school to discuss the four projects when I visited in July, and when we reached The Cavern we had a conversation about whether one, two or even three figures might fit comfortably in the area that would be revealed.

Not only that, we also discussed who might be placed on the short list for consideration taking into account the individuals and genres already represented. In order for the update to appear as a seamless addition I suggested that two figures, a main and a supporting character, might sit comfortably within this space that had been opened up.

Although musical theatre was not represented within the room my first thought was to include a film composer. I had drawn Andrew Lloyd Webber on the wall back in 2016, but after reading a controversial news article concerning him one evening after returning home from work I then washed him off the following morning. For the supporting character I therefore put forward American composer and conductor Bernard Herrmann, who had composed the scores for many films across a broad range of styles through his collaborations with directors such as Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, Francois Truffaut, Brian De Palma and Martin Scorsese.

Coincidentally Ben’s thoughts were along similar lines, his suggestion being John Williams, also a composer for film and who actually was the better option. John Williams’ work features in so many critically acclaimed and popular movies from the modern era that his CV is without comparison. The Star Wars saga, Jaws, Close Encounters, Superman, E.T., Home Alone 1 & 2, the Indiana Jones films, the first two Jurassic Parks, Schindler’s List, three of the Harry Potter series to name but a few……….the list just goes on and on. Basically, most of us are very aware of the work of John Williams even though we may not know what he looks like.

Ben already had a clear idea for the main figure. He asked for Ed Sheeran. All the personalities included in The Cavern have a back story, either because of their association with their musical genre or through their influence on social history. Most are therefore unknown first hand by children of Primary School age which prompted the late inclusion of Adele back in 2016. Right now Ed Sheeran is not only very popular, he’s a household name. He also has an interesting personal story outside of his music career, and his childhood experience could be one which children can relate to.

So, just like a good album that has been re-mastered and re-released with the addition of a couple of new bonus tracks, The Cavern mural has been revisited and updated. Occasional chips, blemishes, marks and scratches have been repaired and new electric cable trunking re-painted. Despite the mural being six years old the room is still greeted with surprise when the door is opened and it looks pretty much the same as it did when I’d finished the last time around. Nevertheless, it’s different, and hopefully, as Eric might say, ‘You can’t see the join’.

Fulbridge Academy, Keeton Rd, Peterborough PE1 3JQ