As a result of receiving great accolades from many attendances at the annual ‘Kirstyfest’ (Soho, London) from Kirsty MacColl’s fans as well having great passion for Kirsty’s inspirational music Karen J White set herself the project of creating a tribute to Kirsty’s life, music and legacy to inspire others regarding a major influence in Karen’s own music. This two year plus project culminated in two studio albums, a pocket guide to Kirsty and a live show. Both the albums and show tell stories of love and betrayal, happiness and sadness, innocence and raunchiness through some of the best British music published during the 80s and 90s. Certainly Kirsty had a phenomenal following in the UK and worked both in her own right and with many of the top names of that era. In Australia perhaps the song she is best known for is her duet with Shane MacGowan of ‘The Pogues’ and their song ‘Fairytale of New York’ which around the globe still finds itself in the top of music charts at Christmas!
On 23 & 24 January 2020, as part of ‘Fringe World Festival 2020’ at 7:45pm in The White Room at The Wembley Hotel (thewembleyhotel.com.au), Perth (WA Australia) Karen J White will be presenting the world launch of her personal tribute to the life, music and legacy of the late, great Kirsty MacColl ‘My Tribute to Kirsty MacColl’. This will be followed by five shows at the ‘Adelaide Fringe Festival 2020’ in March.
Karen’s two ‘Kirsty’ albums, ‘In These Shoes?’ and ‘Soho Square’, were produced by Karen and Nigel Pegrum at Nigel’s recording studio ‘Pegasus Studios’ in Cairns (QLD Australia) – Nigel having grown up in the UK as a drummer with the ‘The Small Faces’, ‘Steeleye Span’ and ‘The Barron Knights’ amongst others, now a music producer in Queensland for the likes of ARIA winner ‘Seaman Dan’. Karen’s albums have been critiqued by many including one of Kirsty’s co-writers Philip Rambow who said (extract) “I … want to congratulate you in a really really excellent and in depth work. The playing is excellent throughout, all the arrangements are spot on. But the vocals and especially the harmonies are right on the money. Trying to get the layering and effect of Kirsty's great vocal sound is so so difficult and you've achieved that better than anyone I've heard.” “My personal favourite is actually The Butcher Boy, and maybe that's because there's less to try to get in from Kirsty's original, so being sparer, there's more room for raw emotion which is here in a profound and touchi
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