I am Paul Marie Mendis of Mediaeye Music. I handle all my father (Nimal Mendis’) material. I am a video/sound editor and play Sri Lankan ethnic drums, Tammattama and Yak Bera. I use Final Cut pro to edit video and Logic pro for music production.
Mediaeye Music has a back catalogue of over a hundred songs from the 60’s up to the present day. My intention is to get some of these songs re-recorded and covered by new artists. I have already started this process with Gresha Schuilling who has recorded the Christmas single “Cold Cold Night” and five other songs including “ Ganga Addara” of Nimal Mendis'. Two other young Sri Lankan artists have covered the hit Sri Lankan song “Master Sir” and “Nim Him Sewva”. I am currently negotiating other songs which I hope will be recorded in the coming year.
Kandyan Records is our in house label which digitally publishes all our releases. All Mediaeye Music songs are registered with the Performing Rights Society and Mechanical Copyright Protection Society in the U.K.
There are some amazing songs and music being written everywhere in the world that all deserve much more exposure. I hope to do what I can to make all this beautiful music known to as many people as possible.
The Passion Report is approached as a news commentary and is in two parts. It uses the 'Stations of the Cross from the shrine of Lourdes, France. it is also an appreciation of the great artists who have depicted the Passion in their work.
Nimal Mendis is a Sri Lankan songwriter and singer. He is one of a handful of Sri Lankan musicians to make it to the BBC television programme Top of the Pops in 1968. The song "Master Sir" English and Sinhala versions for a film in Sri Lanka "Kalu Diya Dahara"(A column of black water) for Manik Sandrasagra has been a popular 'hit' for over thirty years and still is.
Nimal Mendis was involved with music from his childhood, and has lived for many years in London travelling often to Sri Lanka. He now lives in London with his wife Ranjani and son Paulmarie.
Nimal was so moved by the devastation of the tsunami in 2004 that he composed a song in aid of the victims. British Parliamentarians commended his composition in a motion in the House of Commons. The British Parliamentarian, Linda Perham MP sponsored an early day motion 638.
He has 22 songs published in Britain and has written music for films in Sri Lanka. "Kiss Kiss Kiss" was Nimal's first song that was recorded in Britain and sung by Mary Marshall on the Columbia label. "Kandyan Express", "Cherry Blossom Tree", "Oh My Lover", "Butterfly in the Rain", "Champagne Blues", and "Goodnight Kisses "' were number-one hits in Sri Lanka .
"Kandyan Dance", an instrumental, was his second piece in the West. Recorded by Friedel Berlipp and his Orchestra in Germany it went on to be number two on Radio Luxembourg. It was also released in the United States.
"Black Pearls & Green Diamonds" has eight of Nimal's songs on an LP for Decca by One Two and Three, a folk group in Britain.Record Producer Ray Horricks says this on the album " His work combines an awareness of western melody and harmony with great originality in his story ideas, while there is a very exotic eastern flavour about his choice of words. Also, he features several unusual rhythmic feelings.Most of the songs are like nothing what I have heard before, and when it came to making this album I found myself preferring his numbers to the many, better known folk items that the three singers have in their repertoire."
The performance on the popular BBC television music programme "Top of the Pops" was with singing partner Sandra Edema in 1968 as guest artists with his song "Feel like a Clown". They were also featured with the song on Beat Club in Germany that year.
Eugene Wright bass player with the original Dave Brubeck Quartet arranged and recorded five of Nimal's songs only with him playing bass. He also arranged and produced one other song "Singing Fish" with electric guitar, bass, and piano. They were sung by Sandra Edema.
In the seventies Nimal recorded a number of songs in London. Many of these songs were of a spiritual nature. He made a twenty-minute audio documentary on the Way of the Cross called "The Passion Report." Another audio documentary "Ferryman" was about the tea estate worker and the farmer in Sri Lanka. It traces their history from the British colonial period. He also wrote "Bread of Life" for the Eucharistic Congress in Sri Lanka.
In the eighties, Nimal Mendis went into the production of documentary films with Ranjani his wife and Paulmarie their son. Paulmarie, deft with computers and editing visuals, assisted them. He was only seven years old when he accompanied his parents filming in the war zones of the North and East of Sri Lanka.
"Dawn of Terror", was their first documentary filmed on the ethnic conflict, and could be called an anti-war film. It was made for the Centre for Society and Religion in Sri Lanka. The film, although made on VHS, was taken for distribution by Concord Video and film in the UK.
"Shattered Pearl" on women affected by the war in Sri Lanka and the 'right to life' was made for Channel 4 television in London. It was a major film by Sri Lankans on British TV at the time. It has been shown in many parts of the world.
"Three Women Speak Out" was made for "Article 19" in Britain on freedom of opinion and expression, and they edited "Z for Zero Concern" on homeless children in London for the Children's Society.
"Water Water Everywhere", filmed in Bangladesh, is on women and water-management, made for CAFOD.
"Blessed Are the Poor" compares poverty in Britain and South India and the positive effort people make to change their lives. This documentary was made for the Methodist International.
They have also been researchers for three major British TV productions. Three of their documentaries were at the Monticatini Film Festival in Italy: "Shattered Pearl", "Seyllan to Paradise", and "Stop Killing Start Singing" (which was based on three songs). It was the first time that Sinhala songs were featured as a documentary.
Nimal did his own stage show "It's What I Am" with Sri Lankan musicians in 1984; the highlight was the song "July '83", a song on the riots of that year. He also made two audio cassettes, one for Air Lanka "A Taste of Paradise" and the other for the Ceylon Tourist Board "Pilgrim Places of Sri Lanka."
In the nineties they formed their own enterprise Mediaeye Productions. with a publishing arm Mediaeye Music. Their indie label is Kandyan Records.
Current work:
Together with son Paulmarie they are compiling songs, audio documentaries, and film material on CD and DVD. New songs too have been recorded. "Tsunami Sri Lanka", "Earth Mother Crying" on war and the the environment. They have also released two of Nimal's songs , one on Autism "Open Every Door" and "Yesterday Today Tomorrow" an eternal love song by sensational Sri Lankan singer Gresha Schuilling. Another of Nimal's songs is Gresha's "Cold Cold Night" a Christmas single. These songs are available for download on ITUNES, NAPSTAR and AMAZON MP3.
The MP3 of "WHEREVER DID WE LEARN TO KILL" is available on itunes
"Open Every Door" Nimal's song for Autism and sung by Gresha Schuilling was for the UK Autism Foundation. The song was featured on CNN on an interview of Ivan Corea of the UK Autism Foundation for World Autism Day 2008. There are 500,000 people with autism in the UK and 39,000 people with Autism and Asperger's syndrome in Sri Lanka.
We have released a Christmas Single "Cold Cold Night" sung by Gresha Schuilling. The MP3 is available for download at these stores.SUPPORT NEW SRI LANKAN ARTISTS!
Thank you for the gifts of your friendship and music.
As Christmas approaches I would like to wish you and your family a very special Festive celebration.
"Beautiful is the moment in which we understand that we are no more than an instrument of God; we live only as long as God wants us to live; we can do only as much as God makes us able to; we are only as intelligent as God would have us be." Archbishop Oscar Romero, from his last homily, March 23, 1980.
I hope you like my Christmas card and poem and additional card / pictures. May your love “glow.”
Paul. X
“Candle in the window.”
“A light as pure as an Angels Glow A gentle breeze sparks a flickering light to Heavens Path. Through the open window flies a brown majestic Moth He dances round the table cloth Fluttering flirtatiously enticed to the flame Like water to a cloud and flowers in the rain.
An aura of starlight Glowing embers of radiance so clear You take away the darkness The hopelessness, the fear.
Calming, graceful, romancing, dancing on the window sill A light for my memories Inspiration for my dreams A candle by the open window God Bless the Grace you give me A moment so serene.”
Poem.Paul Weston. Artistic design.Chris loughlin and Paul Weston. Photograph.Chris Loughin.
Just stopping by to say hi and to have another listen to your amazing music!!! Keep those beautiful songs coming!
“Sending you Heart Island Vibrations:
Green is for Life Red for Love Yellow for Joy, Happiness and Light. Passions that Drive us to Divinity are represented by White”
My Tribal Dancers are doing a signature move performed by break dancers worldwide…‘The Arm Wave’…ocean wave type of energy transference :)… hope you like the move :)
The lovely heart shaped island above is called Galesnjak, and is located in Croatia (my former country…was part of former Yugoslavia...torn by war). The Island of Love survived the war, and is 100% privately owned now, so permission is needed to visit the place?...aah…either way...I know that it is not a small wish but I still love that place and I want to go there again :)! Wishing you a beautiful week ahead. Love. Renee~
Just stopping by to say Hi. I love your work and hope everything is going well for you. You are always in my thoughs and prayers.
Also, sharing some of my latest work. Photo was done exclusively for Renee~Paul...by my favorite artist..."My Mom" (won a tiny artistic award just recently from an Awesome Zazzle Community) I hope you like it :)
"Every dictator is an enemy of freedom, an opponent of law. It is a power thing”. Demosthenes~
"It is that moment before the show when your mind, body and soul have grown so harmoniously together. The unity that comes from within is good for all. Dancers can change the world...for we move as one, we move as one…”
Since you went away My love lies bleeding Your loss cuts through me Like a wounded warrior caught In a war that nobody needed Nobody wanted and where nothing was achieved. I believed your love would last forever My hope danced in the wind like a pure white feather I never waivered or faltered and stayed resolute A prayer at the alter was left for you A song from my heart was sang for you A flower from my garden I now give to you I will try to start again Through my pain and anguish Hope springs eternal for those apart Heal me like nature Who knows what it takes To bloom, to mend, a bleeding heart.
Humans. We are part of nature too. We can heal and re-new.
Have a Wonderful Easter Celebration.
Peace love and happiness. Paul X
Renee~Paul
For more information on the Renee~Paul web shop. Songs, Cards and Jewellery See http://www.renee-paul.com/
I was thinking of all of you and just wanted to say Hi. I hope everything is going well with you and the work you are doing. Wishing you a beautiful and peaceful day.
How we talk and how we act is a matter of choice. Thank you for contributing to the WATF Song Project and for taking the time to help us make a positive difference in this world! You are in our thoughts and prayers.
“The long journey to peace will start from a small stream and then build to a river and then one day reach the sea.”
Dee Z. Photo-The spring of river Bosnia-Sarajevo
Oceans of peace love and happiness. Paul, Deborah, Renee and WATF Team.
‘To give love and kindness, is to live with love and kindness. Love grows by giving. We give both to make a difference in this world.’ Thank you for your love, kindness, and for contributing to the WATF Project. Our shining stars...that's what you are!***
Frank Heller Photo. 'This Morning Around The World' No.1/Seattle-USA
We wish you a wonderful week. A snowflake on your cheek. Peace, Harmony & Grace. Double Happiness and Love Always.
“A smile takes 1 second of time. A kiss, 5 seconds of taste divine A hug,10 seconds of never let me go. Love lasts forever and takes a second to show. Together…you’ll know.”
“Wishing you a wonderful New Year of Love, Joy and Togetherness. It only takes a second.”
We thank you for contributing to the WATF Project and for encouraging harmony and co-operation. Love never fails and peace matters. What you do matters. Wishing you peace, love and happiness in this holiday season and always.
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