Dame Shirley Bassey - The Royal Stamp of Approval

Documenting the making of her album 'The Performance'

Dame Shirley Bassey & The Royal Stamp of Approval

Today is quite a special day for me. I can now declare that ‘The Embargo’ has been lifted. No, it's not a WW2 Battleship. Quite simply, an Embargo! You know, something that can only be revealed on a certain date. Well, today is that day. So, let me give you some background or context to this little secret.

It was a 4 a.m. start for me on a surprisingly cold morning in July 2009. My taxi arrived at 4:45 a.m. I arrived at the airport at 6 a.m. I checked in, then made my way through security and aimed towards the gate. This was an early flight, and I was heading to Dublin. Funnily enough, I had no idea where I was going in Ireland. All I did know was that someone was meeting me. I can't remember how many times I have flown to Dublin, but I would guess it’s at least 50-plus. London to Dublin is a relatively quick flight. As soon as the aircraft gets up and levels out, you descend into the Emerald Isle. I was travelling light, hoping to return to London the same day.  I had my camera bag and a small overnight bag, just in case. Actually, that’s what I should call that bag, ‘Justin Case’.  

Once I got through immigration and into the arrival hall, I saw a cheery chap holding a sign with my name. We nodded knowingly at each other, and as I got to him, he grabbed one of my bags; his name was Ray O’Hara. We marched out of the terminal, jumped into his vehicle, and off we went. I was so tired that I found it hard to keep my eyes open. I had been shooting nonstop for the previous few days and finally got to bed at around 2 a.m. the night before. As I mentioned earlier, it was a 4 a.m. start. So, after only 2 hours of sleep, I was already struggling.

Ray played great music as we travelled along the roads through Ireland on this early morning. We chatted a bit, and then I dozed off for a bit in the back of his car. Finally, after an hour or two and many pretty winding country lanes, we drove up a long drive with high-sided hedges through a gate and arrived at a recording studio. No ordinary studio! This was the world-famous ‘Grouse Lodge’. Ray pulled up and parked his vehicle by the main entrance, and staff members came out to greet me. I was welcomed, taken inside, and asked to sign the guest book immediately. There seemed to be a stack of older guest books there, too—and some interesting items that caught my eye. Maybe if I have a chance, I will come back and have a read-through of who has signed in recently & in the past. Once I had added my name to the book, I was shown through to the main studio complex. Grouse Lodge really is a beautiful studio complex. There are many outbuildings, and it's quite a large, sprawling estate that still looks like a very classy Irish farm. In many ways, it is the perfect place to chill out and be creative while recording music. Many big names have done just that at Grouse Lodge.

So now I was inside, and it wasn’t long before I bumped into the uber-talented David Arnold. David is world famous and well known for many musical triumphs, including the composer of quite a few James Bond films.  Obviously, there is a link here. Before David’s time, Dame Shirley sang Diamonds Are Forever in the James Bond film of the same name. All those years later, here we are, and David was producing Dame Shirley's new album, which I was documenting the making of. The album is called ‘The Performance’.

Dame Shirley was getting ready in her lovely luxurious bedroom suite. So, I dropped my bags in the control room, quickly wandered around, and looked at the studio and grounds. It wasn’t long before I was informed that Dame Shirley would arrive in the studio's control room in a few minutes. I rushed back over there and as predicted, she arrived. We all said our hello’s, and then she turned to David Arnold and her musical Director, the brilliant Mike Dixon, to discuss the next song and what vocals she had to sing. David had it all under control and whilst chatting about the song, he walked with her into the vocal booth. As usual, I already had my cameras out and was taking fly-on-the-wall shots. Dame Shirley spent the next 10 minutes or so doing what I assumed were vocal warm-up routines—saying that I wouldn’t know if that was the case or if she was just singing in the booth. Either way, it sounded remarkably impressive. I mean, she is utterly brilliant. To be there in such close proximity is something I won't ever forget. I felt that each time I was with her and she was singing.

So, when the control room started the song that was now in Dame Shirley's ears, she started to sing. As always with her, it really was wow. The song in question was written by David Arnold and Don Black. This song sounds so ‘James Bond’ it’s a brilliant song.  

However, I was still doing my thing and photographing her. Little did I know that years later, The Royal Mail in the UK would be releasing a special stamp collection of the one and only DAME SHIRLEY BASSEY, including my photos. One photo, which I had just that second taken would feature on one of these stamps. As far as I understand, there has never been a female performer who has her own Royal Mail stamp collection in the UK. So, this is a first, and I am sure she and her family must be very proud. Funnily enough, mine are proud of me. It's not every day that, as a photographer, we have a photograph on a Stamp issued in the UK by our very own Royal Mail. Especially one that is two pounds. That’s money for my American friends, not its weight.

Above is my photo of Dame Shirley singing in the vocal booth at Grouse Lodge. Below is another photo of mine and one of my favourites. My photo is the one on the right where she is animated and wearing many chains. That was taken in London at another studio.

After the vocals were complete, we all went back into the control room. Everyone was very happy with the various takes.

Dame Shirley had just finished the most incredible vocals. This really is an amazing song. Performed by an Icon. Written by the brilliant David Arnold and Don Black. What a combination of total legends!

Let’s not forget the brilliant Mike Dixon in the photo below (left of Dame Shirley). He is Dame Shirley’s trusted Music Director. To the right of DSB is David Arnold.

Then suddenly, through the control room glass windows, I noticed more people arriving in the main entrance area. It was a BBC TV crew with Alan Yentob, who had just flown to Ireland to interview the legend, DSB, as we sometimes call her, for his cultural TV show ‘Imagine’. The crew set up, and shortly after that, an interview commenced. Whilst I sat on a nearby couch, I quietly managed to document.

David Arnold is discussing the making of the Album ‘The Performance’ with L-R:- David Arnold, Dame Shirley Bassey, Alan Yentob, and Mike Dixon.

Below are Alan Yentob and Dame Shirley at the end of their interview.

After the interview, Dame Shirley, her trusted assistant Jenny, Mike Dixon and I went and sat in a beautiful lounge area. Even though it wasn’t that cold outside, a log fire was burning in the room. It was all rather cosy. Then, I thought I would ask Dame Shirley about her days in Las Vegas. I wanted to know if she ever met Elvis. Well, that was a question that ignited her. She then started to tell me all about an evening she had with Elvis. I was gobsmacked. I will write all about that in another post soon.

Dame Shirley wanted a short break, and she went off to relax somewhere. Whilst that was happening, I wandered back to those guest books and things beside them. What I saw was a lovely heart-felt message to all of the folk at Grouse Lodge from Michael Jackson and his family. It turns out that there was a period when nobody knew where he was in the world. He was rumoured to be in Dubai for 6 months or so with his kids and family. Well, he was actually living at Grouse Lodge in Ireland. It was all kept incredibly secret. I took a few photos of the messages that he left behind.  

Above is the Guest book entry at Grouse Lodge, written by Micahel Jackson.

Below is a message on wood, written and signed by Michael Jackson.

A while later, Dame Shirley rejoined us in the lounge type of area. We all had afternoon tea and a few biscuits, and we carried on chatting whilst I was waiting for my driver to arrive. Then suddenly, I was informed that my driver had arrived. I said my goodbyes and went outside, and to my delight, yes, it was Ray O’Hara again. I jumped into his vehicle, and off we went. I was, for some reason, more awake now. Ray told me that he had his own radio show. That would explain his wonderful taste and his brilliant musical knowledge. I asked him if he had met Michael Jackson while he was at Grouse Lodge, and he just smiled and said, yes, I was his and his family’s driver. He told me some great stories on our drive to Dublin Airport.  We stayed in touch, and I recently learnt that Ray had left us and was probably chatting again to Michael Jackson up there somewhere.

My early morning shot as I arrived at Grouse Lodge. Complete with Free Range chicken in the middle of the drive.

The afternoon sky over part of Grouse lodge as I was about to leave for Dublin Airport.

More of Grouse Lodge is below. You can see what a great location this is for a quiet residential recording.

I got into the airport, through security, got to the gate, boarded the plane, got home and collapsed.

Today is the day that Dame Shirley’s Royal Mail stamp collection is released. If you want to grab a set, hurry up, as they will no doubt be whizzing out of the door.

So, until next week, when I will recount another of my days as a music photographer.

Best wishes,

Danny