Alan Gruner - What have I been up too ? Jump in and I will share some old and very recent music.
Although I spend most of my time passing my musical message on to the next generation,
I have been a reborn songwriter in the last few years as you will hear.
I also include my Game Show Theme collection and my Icky and Wicky CD for young 2 to 7 year olds.
Hope to put this online to buy soon.
Still playing with Mercyzone a souljazz instumental outfit and.. Dex and his Soulmates, a fully fledged soul funk band.See Bands Page.
Still playing piano in pubs, and performing in Musichall and 40's events..
Dip in and tickle your eardrums!
Composer
TV Game Show themes and incidental music that have been broadcasted or piloted A CD of the Game Show music is available for sale on this site - just go to the CD's page for details
Knock Knock!
1989
BBC children's game show
Headline Hunters
1990
Cymru2 (Wales)
Match Game
1991
Germany/Scottish TV
Der Preis ist Heis (The Price is Right)
1991
Dutch & German TV
Tic Tac Toe
1991
German TV
Let's Make a Deal
1991
Central TV
Family Feuds
1992
Greek TV
Familien Duell
1992
German TV
Newly-Wed Game
1992
German TV
Play Your Cards Right
1992
Portugal and Greece
Wheels of Fortune / Cardsharks
1993
Portugal and Greece
Dating Game
1993
Greece
Blockbuster
1993
Turkey
Who's Bluffing Who
1993
BBC
Supermarket Sweep
1994
ITV (incidental music)
Lyricboard
1994
Pilot
Personals
1995
ITV Pilot
Cooking Channel (incidental music)
1995
US based
Natalie's Holiday Promotion
1996
Independent
Game Show Music Samples
Der Preis ist Heist
Snap Chat Cat
Sax Desire
70's Flash 11
Theme from the Cooking Channel
Who's Bluffing Who
Gruner the Tutor
Tutorial Services
(just when you thought it was safe to learn something)
I have wide knowledge and experience teaching various instruments including:
Piano / keyboard
I use my own technique and approach mostly, as I am self taught but do utilise Associated Board Grades up to Grade 5 and am keen on Jazz Sylllabus up to Grade 5. Always remember playing piano is not just about grades!
Bass Guitar
I teach Bass Guitar to all grades
Guitar
My main day job. I teach basic classical technique up to Grade 5 but often find students more interested in picking, blues, chords and folk styles. Some stay on course but most are on a journey to......
Electric Guitar.... kerchhhanggg
Wide knowledge of styles and songs and utilise the Rockschool syllabus in all grades if required.
Rockbands Facilitator - a post I created myself!
Presently doing Rockband workshops in three schools for years 6 - 8. Lessons range from 30 - 60 minutes with regular performances.
Personal tutorial lessons are £25 00 per half hour - use the Contact page for enquiries
Musicals
I have often dabbled in the wonderful world of musicals as a musician, writer, performer and MD.
I spent a year at the Young Vic in the 80's and co-wrote several projects with Peter Gruner including "Sweeny Todd" (before Sondheim).
As I got into teaching I wrote and adapted more musicals for schools.
Tubular Tales
A busker and a comedian meet in a subway.
Written and performed with Peter Gruner.
30 mins
1982
The Lorax
Dr. Seuss story adapted as a musical.
30 mins
1995
Bash Street Kids
Musical based on Beano characters.
70 mins
1996
Animal Farm
Composed songs for adaptation.
70 mins
1998
Little Fir Tree
Children's story adapted for Christmas.
30 mins
2001
Dick Whittington
Musical version for Junior School.
75 mins
2002
The Boy who Forgot Christmas... and other things...
Infant school production.
Original story and music.
30 mins
2003
Brats
Unpublished scripted musical about a boy making it big in the TV world and sinking as a teenager.
60 mins
2005
The Innkeeper
Based on a book by Nicholas Allen about an Innkeeper who can't get to sleep when all the nativity guests arrive...
30 mins
2008
Humph
The story of a monosyllabic camel who only says "Humph" and comes to life when a certain baby boy is born in Bethlehem.
30 mins
2009
Songwriter
You Crazy Fool / Out of my Head
Anchor Records
1978
You Can Do
Cowritten and recorded with Lee Kosmin
EMI
1979
Stay with me Tonight
Co-written and recorded with Alex Ferguson
Red Records
1980
Favourite Positions / Do Whatever you Do
Logo Records
1981
Dearest Charles
Embarrassed Records
1981
Getting So Exciting
Recorded by Lee Kosmin
EMI
1981
Getting So Exciting
Recorded by Bonnie Tyler on the album 'Faster than the Speed of Light
CBS
1983
Brother / I Wish I Could Be Different
Two songs that appeared on an ITV sitcom and album 'Roll over Beethoven'
Towerbell Records
1985
RECORDGRAMS
These were personalised songs I sang and composed based on clients' events such as birthdays etc. I produced celebrity Recordgrams for Dave (Kid) Jensen, Ken Livingstone and Terry Wogan that were all broadcast on local radio.
ARV Recording
1985/6
During this period I wrote with many writers but mainly Bob Andrews (Brinsley Schwartz/The Rumour) before he moved to the States.
Then came Game Show music - see the Composer section of this site.
Various
1986/8
Funny Old Game - MC Gruner - song on compilation album.
Rainman Records
1995
MercyZone
A Soul,Jazz,Funk band that is available for all functions.
The Band is..
Alan Gruner - Bass
Pat Leacock - Drums
Martin Bush - Keys
Russell A Smithson - Guitar
Paul Clark - Sax
Showreel from a tight spot in a fish and chip restaurant !!!
My Latest Songs
What Can you do
Turning Me Upside Down
Beautiful Dreamer
Icky & Wicky and Other Songs / Game Show Music CD
Below is a video featuring one of the tracks from the Icky and Wicky CD.
Icky and Wicky is a CD of original children's songs for ages 2 to 7
Perfect for Key Stage 1 in schools. My children won't stop playing it. Sonia - School Teacher.
Get a compilation of my game show music on CD for ten pounds plus £1.00 p&p
Game Show Music
You can buy Icky and Wicky now for five pounds plus £1.00 p&p via PayPal
You don't need a PayPal account, just click the Buy Now button and you can use a debit/credit card Icky & Wicky
Mark Unwin - Minstrel of Walthamstow...
I was born on the Sussex Downs,
nurtured in the Ashdown forest.
Moved to Salisbury Plain, a mile from Stonehenge.
Used to walk across the fields and scramble over the menhirs, my first whispers of inspiration.
Went to boarding school in England.
Music...Let there be drums...
During break time a coeval and I would mouth percussive salivated versions of the Sandy Nelson hit, until a monitor strutted in with the cane.
Father refused to sign my grant form for Westminster Tech . Broke, I escaped to Dorset to explore my first love, poetry. I became a floor singer in all the local pubs.
Returned to London and started to write songs especially through the pervasive influence of Alan Gruner.
Herein lies evidence of that collaboration from early danes to modern strains.
I gabble in the hinterland of rock and roll and fear no parking meters !
Alan has supplied this trading post to broadcast my wares…
Here is a link to my website where you can peruse my recent creations markunwinmelodies.com
