News

February 2022

Firstly, a Happy New Year to each and every one of you and I hope the festive season was enjoyed and now here we are in 2022.

Last year was very slow on the news front mainly because I was ill for nearly eight months of it but I’m pleased to report I am nearly at 100% again.

As you know Richard and I launched dad’s very own YouTube channel – https://www.youtube.com/c/MattMonroOfficial and put together a four-part audio documentary to celebrate dad’s special 90th birthday. The programmes were written and narrated by myself and feature an intimate portrait of the man behind the voice, drawing on previously un-broadcast interviews, extremely rare recordings previously thought lost, interviews with his family and friends and messages from some of his more famous fans.  I made a deal with Aviator so every two weeks we feature a rare television performance of dad and the YouTube channel still has all the ones you may have missed by not visiting yet. It’s all totally free and if you register the site will send you a reminder every time something new is added.

The latest album ‘Stranger in Paradise: The Lost New York Sessions’ has gone from strength to strength after spending an incredible 27 weeks in the charts so if you didn’t grab a copy, now is the time as Amazon are selling the double album at a ridiculously low price.

I was upset to learn nearly two years ago that a few albums available to upload were inferior in quality compared to what is available in sound today so after airing my complaints Universal gave the go ahead. Richard mastered them within weeks, has been paid for them, and they are still sitting in cyberspace literally waiting for someone to push a button which would make them live. It is absolutely crazy.

Whilst we still have no date for their release, we can now announce that Richard has completely remastered dad’s full Capitol catalogue for download and streaming. These will be the masters used for all of dad’s Capitol releases going forward. Whilst there are currently no plans to release the recordings on CD at the moment, if enough people ask, that may change.

The plan is to initially release the 9 original albums

  1. This is The Life – Full Album in stereo for the first time digitally from the original US master tape.

  2. Here’s To My Lady – Full Album in stereo for the first time digitally from the original US master tape.

  3. Invitation to the Movies – Full album mastered from US Stereo masters and UK Stereo masters for the UK recorded tracks. Previous releases have used 3rd generation dubs of the UK tracks.

  4. These Years – Stereo remaster from the original US master tape for the first time in more than 25 years.

  5. Invitation to Broadway – Full Album in stereo for the first time digitally from the original US master tape.

  6. The Late Late Show – Remastered from Original UK Master tape, without the use of noise reduction for the first time.

  7. Todo Pasara (also released with different track order as Alguien Canto) – Mastered from the original mixdown masters for eleven of the twelve tracks for the first time ever. Alguien Canto features in a new Stereo mix

  8. En Espana – Also mastered from the original mixdown masters with one track remixed from the original session tape due to damage on the master. “La Estrella Del Sur” and newly added bonus track” Ven Mi Amor” receive first time Stereo mixes

  9. We’re Gonna Change The World – First digital release of the full UK version of the LP (released as Close To You in the USA with fewer tracks). Mastered from the original mixdown masters and first-generation US masters for US recorded tracks. Features “Why Can’t I Touch You” as a bonus track which was exclusive to the US Close To You LP

At a later date there will be further releases collecting all the singles, tracks from compilations, rarities and out-takes in one place, plus a little surprise. More updates on that when we get concrete news of their release.  

At last, my new book, although it doesn’t feel very new anymore because of all the time delays, is due out on 8 March and will be available worldwide in paperback and eBook.  ‘The Autonomous Cruiser: The Complete Guide to Cruising For and With Disabled Travellers’ is a market first and I am so pleased it will finally be unveiled as this has been a project dear to my heart. Being disabled myself I have seen so many pitfalls for those not in the know, I thought it was time that all avenues for the disabled were addressed

Another MM product I have worked on is also ready to go, but it has been waiting for the track list to be approved. Not only are the record companies losing money but they are also losing me money which has an impact of what I can work on next. Looking back, EMI and especially Steve Woof were such a joy to work with and I am immensely proud of what we managed to produce over our 20-year relationship. In fact, it really all started with EMI when they gave me the green light to produce a dedicated website for dad. We released some fabulous albums, all in stereo and not just the standard ‘Best Of’ or ‘Greatest Hits’ titles. I was immensely chuffed with ‘The Rare Monro’ and ‘The Rarer Monro’ and it was good to finally expel the belief that if an album didn’t have ‘Born Free’ on it then it wouldn’t sell. It was fabulous to finish off with using the EMI building for the book launch in tandem with Titan Publishing. I have to say I was devastated when EMI closed its doors as I knew it would be an end to the freedom I’d enjoyed over those years but I am at least grateful that I managed to release nearly everything on my wish list.

I’ve only seen Max twice since he left here at the end of March because he has been so busy but I haven’t seen my brother in over two years, not since my 60th in April 2019. As you know my brother Matt and his wife Chandrika moved to Scotland to escape the rat race of London for a quieter life and live in a rural part of the Highlands, about 30 minutes from Edinburgh. The lockdown went on much longer in Scotland than in England and because Matt is self-employed got very little help from the government so he has been working all hours under the sun since he was allowed to go back. At one point he was commuting back and forth to England every week just to earn some money. It was more than two years since I saw him but finally on the 21 December, he came to visit for two days. We had lots of hugs and vegged out for the two days talking nonsense.

For those of you who follow Matt Jnr, you will know that he officially retired a few years ago but like all artists, who take time away from the tread boards, he got itchy feet and was set to tour last year. Of course, the whole industry was affected by the pandemic and everyone was forced to suspend their plans until theatres opened again and citizens were given the freedom to venture out again. The Matt Monro Story which includes video clips, home movies and even a sequence where Matt Jnr duets with dad, all play a part in this celebration of the life and legacy of Matt Monro. The tour kicks off on 3rd May 2022 at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley so grab your tickets now. For a list of all dates go to www.chimesevents.com

But good news, I joined Fred Olsen on 7th December. Can’t believe it had been 27 months since I’d been on stage but I was looking forward to the challenge especially as it was their newest ship, which they bought off Holland America, now named Borealis.

It was a fabulous trip and the covid precautions made me feel safer than on land. I was able to get off at every port in the Canary Islands and more importantly the shows went down a treat. It was as if I’d never been away.

Celebrity Silhouette is like my sea family and having worked on the ships for the past 12 years I have really missed cruising. I don’t think I’ve ever been at home for such a long period in my life but hopefully this year will bring better things.

Hopefully you’ve all had your jabs so we should all be able to travel soon, even locally, just to escape the four walls. At the moment I am due to join P&O on 28 February – 1st April so Richard will be doing the updates for me while I am away. Until March take care of yourselves and keep spreading the MM legacy.

Much love

Michele xx

Past News
December 2021
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
June 2021
May 2021
April 2021
December 2020 – March 2021