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News - September/2010

These days, RGA resides at his home in Southern Italy and here in Canada. Back in this country temporarily, he has recently embarked on a series of concerts, playing at local coffee houses, etc. He is introducing many of his new songs to the public for the first time and offering his CDs for sale. Some of his new songs include:

  • Goin. To The Java Hut
  • At The Local Java Hut
  • Hangin. Out At Decades Tonight
  • Lone Wolf
  • If You Open The Door
  • If You Were In My Shoes
  • We Get By
  • Get Close To Me
  • There Will Be Change
  • Quick Fix
  • Ugly Inside
  • Zero Tolerance

News - February/2010

From his new monastery home in Southern Italy, RGA lives a quiet retired life now. We still get copies of his latest song lyrics and news about his life on occasion. A triple song title listing for all his song titles is in the works now; a numerical, chronological and alphabetical listing that will allow readers and researchers to match up dates and numbers of song titles, etc. Some of the newest song titles we.ve recieved from RGA recently include the following:

  • No One Ever Told Me
  • I Paid The Price
  • Song For Haiti (Haiti In My Dreams)
  • We're Just Friends
  • It's Looking Like Christmas
  • Breaking Tonight For You
  • The Colorado River
  • Talk To Me
  • Going Through The Motions
  • I Was There
  • Kitsilano Days

August/2009 News

As RGA is now retired and living in an Italian monastery, we hear little from him. On occasion he sends letters and includes the titles and some lyrics to a few of his latest songs. From what we understand he no longer paints or writes but does write the occasional song in-between his chores at the monastery. Below is a listing of song titles from the last few months:

  • Red Lights And Stop Signs
  • Born With A Gypsy.s Blood
  • San Francisco
  • I.m In Love With A Girl
  • What Will It Take?
  • Questions In My Mind
  • Down The Line
  • I Wanna Know What.s Going On
  • Could You Love Me?
  • They All Sound The Same To Me
  • The Healing Ground
  • Is He Nice To You?
  • Direction In My Life
  • Hard To Find

April/2009 News

Except for a bit of songwriting, RG Anstey is now retired and living in a foreign country. (At least, this is what he told me. I think he's in a secret monastery myself.) The painting and writing have all gone by the wayside but a few songs seep out on occasion and find their way to me. Below I pass on a few newer titles from 2009.

  • Tonight
  • Just Getting Along
  • In The Middle Of A Crisis
  • Come And Dine With Me
  • Come Unto Me
  • Baby, Lay Down With Me
  • Lay Down Your Arms #1
  • Lay Down Your Arms #2
  • Lay Down Your Arms #3
  • In The Dark Of The Night
  • Gather Up Some Energy
  • I Just Wanna Hold You Tonight
  • Egg And Chips
  • Drugs Have Taken A Nation Down
  • Cottonwood Workers Song
  • Peace
  • Here I Am At The Theatre

August/2008 News

RGA/Book News
New book titles for 2007 include:

  • In The Kitsilano Moonlight
  • Songs, Ballads & Poems Of The Cottonwood 4
  • Voices From The Blue Room
  • Lyrics 2005-2006: Clocking The Miles
  • The Solitude Of Nights: Selected Poems
  • On Days When War Is Far Away
  • Muhammad Ali & The Big Five
  • The Olive & The Grape
  • Canadian Dreamland Vol. 60 (Song Lyrics)
  • Bella Italia
  • Messages From Utopia

RGA Song News
New songs have continued to be written of course and several new categories have been worked on. There were a series of songs for Chilliwack written in 2007. Another new Christmas song was written in early 2008 and a Christmas CD is planned for sometime in the future. New songs for 2008 so far include:

  • Hypochondria
  • If Memory Serves Me Well
  • The Adrenalin Is Pumping Tonight
  • Falling Apart
  • My Italian Bakery
  • Going Insane
  • Climbing Up Everest
  • What Is This Life?
  • Nobody Can Save The World
  • Stolen Heart
  • Don't Turn Me Away
  • This World Belongs To You
  • That Big House On The Hill
  • Love Is What Remains
  • What Do You Want From Me?

RGA Painting News
New paintings for 2007 include:

  • Italia In Siena
  • The Blue Room
  • Sitting At The Feet Of The Master
  • Vancouver

RGA CD News
New recordings are always being worked on and the latest release is Lonely Tonight. With some great acoustic tracks and soft vocal backings this album is an easy-listening gem.

The Kitsilano album has been worked on over the last few years and Dan Anstey is still touching up some bits and pieces. Hopefully in the next little while this one will be available.

Marty Anstey has been restoring the original recordings of the now-legendary Canadian Dreamland album over the last few years and has now submitted the tapes to Dan for some final touch-ups. Hopefully this long-awaited (now fully- restored) album will finally make it to the finished stage. The album's 12 original RGA songs were recorded in 1976-77 by Ken Anstey and the tapes were put away and virtually lost for over 20 years.

Stay tuned for news about these and other new CD's.

July 29, 2008

Robert G. Anstey's latest album has been released and is available as a free download! You can read more about it here.

April 2007

New Releases/Books

  • The Creative Art Form Of Poetry - this new commentary on poetry gives the reader a great deal of insight on poetry and the poet. A helpful guide to writing and promoting your poetry.
  • Love Like A Left Hook - Another new poetry book by RGA with a great, almost prose style that is very interesting.
  • Lyrics 2005-2006: Clocking The Miles - The latest and most up-to-date lyrics book by RGA. Includes 100 new original song lyrics all written during 2005/06.
  • In The Kitsilano Moonlight: Poetic Tales Of Youth In Vancouver - A new poetry book by RGA that includes many poems taken from previous books as well as lots of new poems all focussing on growing up in Vancouver.

RGA Book News
2006 saw the release of 5 new RGA book titles including:

  • As Paths Cross On Dream Journeys (Poetry)
  • Canadian Dreamland Vol. 59 (Song Lyrics)
  • With Yesterday At My Heels (Poetry)
  • Love like A Left Hook (Poetry)
  • The Creative Art Form Of Poetry

This year we are already in the process of publishing the following new RGA book titles:

  • The Solitude Of Nights (Selected Poems)
  • Voices From The Blue Room (Poetry)
  • Adventures With Kon-Tiki
  • The journey From There To Here
  • Songs, Ballads & Poems Of The Cottonwood 4 Cinema
  • Broken Colour (Art Notes)

RGA Song News
The new RGA CD's (Kitsilano, Ballads Of Faith and Songs & Ballads Of The Cottonwood 4) are still not completed but are expected very soon. RGA's latest book project is called Songs, Ballads & Poems Of The Cottonwood 4 Cinema and a CD is planned to go with the book when it's completed. The CD will include approximately 15 new songs based around the cinema. The songs will include:

  • Running Behind
  • Ahead Of The Game
  • A Night In The Theatre
  • On A Saturday Night
  • Long Night
  • Cottonwood 4 Revisited
  • Popcorn Man
  • Cotton Candy Man

Other songs written during 2006 included:
  • A Sucker For A Woman
  • A Night Like No Other Night
  • Don't Wanna Be Alone At Christmas
  • Perfect Summer Day
  • In A Small Town
  • Faraway Man
  • Too Close To The Fire
  • Strangers From The Start
  • The Real World
The original 24 Christian songs written during 1974-1976 have been gathered up off the old reel-to-reel tapes and are being 'cleaned up' at the moment for a CD release sometime later this year.

RGA Painting News
Although RGA took a couple of months off from painting this spring, he is now back at it and has completed a few new paintings. Using mostly acrylic paint on wood panel these days, his new stuff is very interesting and creative. Paintings so far this year include:

  • Mixing It Up (24" x 24" - Acrylic on panel)
  • Sitting At The Feet Of The Master (24" x 24" - Acrylic on panel)
  • Ali/Foreman/Zaire - (24" x 24" - Acrylic on panel)

September 2006

New Releases/Books

With Yesterday At My Heels
This new poetry book by Robert G. Anstey is due out this month and includes all new poems.

Love Like A Left Hook
Another new poetry book by Robert G. Anstey due out in October.

RGA Book News
2005 saw the release of 13 new Robert G. Anstey books including:
* The Life & Death Of The Craft Industry
* Radio Waves (Poetry)
* Lyrics 2004: Building A Legacy (Song Lyrics)
* Songs For Richie (Prose/poetry)
* Beatles' Gigs
* Poems From Tuscany
* Acceptable Words (Christian Song Lyrics)
* Canadian Dreamland Vol. 58 (The Robert G. Anstey Songbook) 100 new songs.

So far this year (2006) two new RGA books have been published and they are:
* As Paths Cross On Dream Journeys (Poetry)
* Canadian Dreamland Vol. 59

This year we are already in the process of publishing several new RGA titles including:
* With Yesterday At My Heels (Poetry)
* Love Like A Left Hook (Poetry)
* The Creative Art Form Of Poetry

In the works at the moment are:
*The Journey From There To Here - A RGA autobiography that is due out early next year.
* Lyrics 2005 - All original song lyrics from 2005. However, as 2005 was a fairly sparse year in regards to song lyrics from RGA, we have decided to join the lyrics from 2005 and 2006 and put them into one book. This should be completed early in 2007.
* Because Is Not An Answer - A humourous collection of short stories and jokes. This book has been delayed a bit but should be out in 2007.
* The Bachelor's Guide To Easy Food Preparation - A collection of simple ideas and recipes for bachelors and people on the run. It will probably be available some time in 2007.
* Voice From The Blue Room - This is a poetry book based on a church history. Due out in spring 2007.
* Adventures With Kon-Tiki - A Kon-Tiki commentary with a lot of interesting stories and info. Due out in 2007.
* Poetic Tales Of Youth In Vancouver - This is a poetry book about growing up in Vancouver. Due out in spring 2007.
* Broken Colour - Notes on painting, painters and art. Includes b/w pictures of many of RGA's paintings. Due out in 2007.

RGA Song News
A new RGA CD has been worked on over the last year or so and includes 10 new songs. (Actually, most of the songs date back to 2005.) At this time it is nearing completion and should be ready by spring 2007. Dan Anstey has been working on overdubs with Marty Anstey and, in fact, all the Anstey boys have been involved in this project. So far a title for the CD hasn't been agreed on. Songs on the CD include:
* Kitsilano
* Heavy Heart
* Just Don't Want To Be Left Alone
* No Motivation
* Vancouver Dreams
* At Home In Kitsilano
* Nicole's Coming
* In The Living Room
* Having A Hard Time

Some of the arrangements, back-up vocals and musical additions to these songs are really beautiful. This is a really relaxing, beautiful album.

Although RGA hasn't been writing as many songs as he has in the past (mostly because of time commitments, not to mention the many book projects and paintings that he's involved with) 2006 has still seen a significant number of quality songs including:
* Theatre Crew (Hollywood Rain) - A song written for the employees at the Cottonwood 4 Cinemas.
* Walking On The Money Line
* Living On Charity
* I Just Wanna Spend A Little Time With You
* Going Back To The Well

Another series of RGA songs has been started as a tribute to Chilliwack businesses and is planned for a CD. So far the songs include:
* I Fly For Pie (Chilliwack Airport)
* Cottonwood 4
* Hofstede's Country Barn
* Dave's Roadhouse
* Triple-O's
* The Bookman
* At The Victory (The Victory Restaurant)

RGA Paintings News
New paintings have continued to come from the brush of RGA in 2006. Most are acrylic on canvas, canvas board, cardboard, wood panel, etc. Paintings so far this year include:
* Making The Connection (18" x 24" - Acrylic on canvas board.)
* Legends Of The Gods (16" x 20" - Acrylic on canvassette)
* Voyage Of Discovery (20" x 28" - Acrylic on cardboard)
* Woody Guthrie (9" x 12" - Acrylic on canvas board)
* Seven Faces (16" x 20" - Acrylic on canvas)

Web Links: Check out these web links for some great ambient music:

BlueMinor Records
Walltapper

July 2005

RGA Book News
Last year saw the release of 15 new Robert G. Anstey books from WCPP including the following:

  • Musical Icons Of The 60's
  • Self-Publishing The Easy Way
  • Hockey Goaltenders Of The Past
  • The Beach Boys: The Musical Evolution Of America's Band
  • In The Place I'm Bound To Be
plus eight more volumes of the Canadian Dreamland series (up to and including Vol. 57) and two more of the RGA Lyrics books (2002 and 2003.)

This year we have already completed the publishing process for several more RGA books including:

  • RGA Poetry Anthology
  • The Life & Death Of The Craft Industry
  • Radio Waves (Poetry) (Cover design by Dan Anstey)
  • Lyrics 2004: Building A Legacy
  • Sandalspring Notebook - a companion book to Sandalspring: The Life & Times
  • Songs For Richie (Poetry)

In the works also at the present moment are:

  • The Journey From There To Here - A RGA autobiography
  • Poems From Tuscany - Poetry
  • Soft Jazz While The World Rages - Prose and Poetry (Cover design by Dave Anstey)
  • Because Is Not An Answer - A humourous collection of short stories and jokes
  • Beatles' Gigs - A comprehensive listing of every gig The Beatles performed between 1957 and 1966.
  • A Bachelor's Guide To Easy Food Preparation - A collection of simple ideas and recipes for bachelors and people on the run.
  • Several more volumes of the Canadian Dreamland series including volumes 58 to 61.
  • Acceptable Words - A collection of RGA Christian song lyrics. (Possibly in two volumes.)

There has been some thought about a collection of RGA drawings being put into book form in the future. A few of those drawings have already been used in Radio Waves, etc. No doubt more new book ideas will come up throughout this year which will be embarked on. That seems to be the way it goes. Something will stir something and a book idea will crop up that ends up coming together very quickly depending on the level of inspiration involved.

RGA Song News
Last year proved to be another fairly prolific one for original RGA songs although the inspiration was a bit lacking at times. A few songs were written for birthdays and other occasions and several bigger projects included the following: A series of 12 songs were written called Songs For The Old Neighbourhood. These songs were based around the family's home in Kitsilano in Vancouver and the area surrounding it. The titles include:

  • I Went Back
  • These Old Streets
  • Broadway And McDonald
  • The Old House
  • The Old Neighbourhood
  • Songs For The Old Neighbourhood
  • Granville Island
  • Kitsilano
  • Vancouverite
  • Eighth Avenue - 1972
  • The Beaches Of Vancouver
  • The Schools Of Vancouver

Another series of seven RGA songs were written for the passing of Richard Anstey late in 2004. Some were performed at a Memorial on December 18th in Richmond. The song titles include:

  • Richard's Song
  • Heavy Heart
  • Say Good-bye
  • Too Soon
  • It Just Ain't Right
  • Gotta Let Him Go
  • Miss Him (Now That He's Gone)

More new songs may be added to this collection this year and a CD will be made available later this year. Recording (with Dave and Dan Anstey) is in the works now. Also this year some recordings of RGA songs will be in the works and it is hoped that several new CD's will be available before too long. (One of them to be called In The Living Room.)

An interesting note to report is as follows: The old Canadian Dreamland tapes (from 1975-76) have been recovered and after much extensive work by Marty Anstey, they are nearing completion. It is hoped that later this year a new CD of these remastered songs will finally be ready. More on this at a later date.

RGA Painting News
New paintings have continued to come from the brush of RGA in 2004 and 2005. Most are acrylic on canvas board with different styles being used. The "guitar" theme seems to still be prevalent in most of the paintings (which he calls "guitart.") Late in the year (2004) some mixed media paintings were embarked upon showing a possible new direction for this year. Paintings from last year included:

  • Dylan In Concert (Jan/04)
  • The Guitar Of Life (Feb/04)
  • Lovin' It (Mar/04)
  • The Marriage Of Two Guitars (Mar/04)
  • Arrival Of The Angels (Apr/04)
  • Live At The Coffee House (Apr/04)
  • Jimi Hendrix (Apr/04)
  • Wrapped Up In It (Apr/04)
  • Safe In The Arms (May/04)
  • Adam In The Garden With A Guitar (May/04)
  • Peering From Guitarlight (Jun/04)
  • The Beach Boys (Jul/04)
  • Village Of Guitars (Sept/04)
  • The Beatles (Nov/04)
  • My Studio (Dec/04)

Paintings from this year so far include:

  • Guitar Player (Jan/05)
  • Intersection (Jan/05)
  • Bull In A China Shop (Feb/05)
  • Nicole With A Bike On A Summer Evening (Girl With Red Hat) (Feb/05)
  • Voices From The Deep (Mar/05)
  • Technical Advances (Mar/05)
  • Collaboration (Mar/05)
  • Vision Of The Eye (Mar/05)
  • Richie (Mar/05)
  • Music Connection (Mar/05)
  • Night Music (Mar/05)
  • Forest People (Mar/05)
  • Over The Hills (Mar/05)
  • Music In The Boudoir (Apr/05)
  • Sandalspring (Apr/05)
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