WEBVTT 00:00:05.370 --> 00:00:08.609 Chatterbox, when the stars talk, they talk to 00:00:08.609 --> 00:00:32.149 Nick and Sue. Welcome back to the Chatterbox 00:00:32.149 --> 00:00:35.340 Redux podcast. My name's Nick and I'm your host 00:00:35.340 --> 00:00:39.659 and today my guest is Xander James Le Petit of 00:00:39.659 --> 00:01:03.009 the Rock Choir. Nick and Sue with Chatterbox 00:01:03.009 --> 00:01:06.609 giving you all you need to know about musical 00:01:06.609 --> 00:01:14.189 entertainment. Oh yeah! Chatterbox, the best 00:01:14.189 --> 00:01:18.609 interviews with Nick and Sue. Chatterbox, the 00:01:18.609 --> 00:01:30.299 best news And now on Chatterbox UK, we're just 00:01:30.299 --> 00:01:33.359 lucky enough to welcome back Sandra James Le 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:36.459 Petit of the Rock Choir. Sandra James, welcome 00:01:36.459 --> 00:01:38.700 back. How are you? I'm very good. Thank you. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:40.560 Thank you very much for having me. That's great. 00:01:40.599 --> 00:01:41.939 Great to have a catch up. It's a great thing 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:45.840 that you guys do. Now we've got a bit to talk 00:01:45.840 --> 00:01:48.579 about, really, since we last spoke. Obviously, 00:01:48.579 --> 00:01:51.739 it's the festive season. And before we go too 00:01:51.739 --> 00:01:56.950 far, the last release that we chatted about Well, 00:01:56.969 --> 00:01:59.849 we had the Coldplay cover and we put that in 00:01:59.849 --> 00:02:02.290 our hit -and -miss show on a Sunday and it was 00:02:02.290 --> 00:02:06.090 voted a smash hit by our listeners So they absolutely 00:02:06.090 --> 00:02:08.389 walked it. They loved it. So hopefully we can 00:02:08.389 --> 00:02:12.710 have the same with with the new release okay, 00:02:12.870 --> 00:02:17.150 so we're in the festive season and It's I see 00:02:17.150 --> 00:02:20.189 here. It's the 20th anniversary of the rock choir 00:02:20.189 --> 00:02:23.259 this year Yes, yeah, we're just coming up to 00:02:23.259 --> 00:02:25.759 our 20 years. Yeah, we've got some some exciting 00:02:25.759 --> 00:02:30.819 secret plans Coming up very soon Okay, but they're 00:02:30.819 --> 00:02:38.020 gonna remain a secret for now. Yeah We're doing 00:02:38.020 --> 00:02:41.240 this interview recording it on the 6th of December 00:02:41.240 --> 00:02:48.080 and That's the release day of It now explains 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:51.280 me is it two singles or is it like a double A 00:02:51.280 --> 00:02:54.500 side or how's this one working? Yeah it's a it's 00:02:54.500 --> 00:02:57.120 a double A side in in the olden days yeah but 00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:01.520 it's these days it's just a double release of 00:03:01.520 --> 00:03:07.379 our two singles yeah so yeah we got hallelujah 00:03:07.379 --> 00:03:11.319 hallelujah and we've got uh uh what Christmas 00:03:11.319 --> 00:03:14.780 means to me which uh sounds right with no uh 00:03:14.780 --> 00:03:20.120 via Stevie Wonder yeah yeah Okay, why did you 00:03:20.120 --> 00:03:26.870 choose those for the 20th anniversary? The first 00:03:26.870 --> 00:03:30.050 one, hallelujah, we wanted really to start getting 00:03:30.050 --> 00:03:32.169 more and more of our members involved in our 00:03:32.169 --> 00:03:35.629 single releases. And Caroline Redmond -Lutcher, 00:03:35.830 --> 00:03:38.830 who is the creator, founder of Rock Quire, she's 00:03:38.830 --> 00:03:41.509 just been on a massive tour around the whole 00:03:41.509 --> 00:03:43.830 country trying to visit as many Rock Quire members 00:03:43.830 --> 00:03:46.889 as possible. And while she was doing that and 00:03:46.889 --> 00:03:49.610 gathering together thousands of members at a 00:03:49.610 --> 00:03:52.370 time, she thought, well, why not record these 00:03:52.370 --> 00:03:55.180 members live in the room? and add them onto our 00:03:55.180 --> 00:03:58.719 single release. So the Hallelujah track has got 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.800 Caroline's solo over the top, but it is backed 00:04:01.800 --> 00:04:06.500 by 6 ,000 rock choir members. And it's just a 00:04:06.500 --> 00:04:08.419 real favourite of a lot of the members across 00:04:08.419 --> 00:04:10.479 the country. So that's why we chose that one. 00:04:11.379 --> 00:04:14.939 And then our second song is What Christmas Means 00:04:14.939 --> 00:04:18.740 to Me by Stevie Wonder. And this one we are releasing 00:04:18.740 --> 00:04:22.459 to raise money and an awareness of cash for kids 00:04:22.459 --> 00:04:25.699 and their mission Christmas. And what they do 00:04:25.699 --> 00:04:29.120 is they collect together gifts and cash and create 00:04:29.120 --> 00:04:32.180 experiences for children at Christmas time that 00:04:32.180 --> 00:04:35.100 wouldn't normally have it. So the title of the 00:04:35.100 --> 00:04:37.100 song and the lyrics in the song about what Christmas 00:04:37.100 --> 00:04:39.779 means to someone. That's why it's really important 00:04:39.779 --> 00:04:41.800 for us to to have that message coming across 00:04:41.800 --> 00:04:45.139 while we work with a really good charity. Absolutely, 00:04:45.379 --> 00:04:48.560 absolutely. You always do choose a good charity. 00:04:48.660 --> 00:04:53.360 I think it was, was it Mindglass Time? Mental 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:55.279 Health Foundation we were working for with Fix 00:04:55.279 --> 00:04:58.120 You, yeah. We'll make sure that it just runs 00:04:58.120 --> 00:05:00.060 smoothly so we just say the right one, except 00:05:00.060 --> 00:05:06.000 for me asking. No, that's great, I remember that 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:11.019 very well. Okay, now, Are we going for some sort 00:05:11.019 --> 00:05:13.420 of record with the 6 ,000 people all singing 00:05:13.420 --> 00:05:17.040 on it? Is that the record for you guys now? I 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:19.079 don't think it's a record, but I think that's 00:05:19.079 --> 00:05:21.660 what we're aiming towards. We're getting bigger 00:05:21.660 --> 00:05:24.800 and bigger recordings and we're aiming to hopefully 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:28.360 very soon break the record of the largest recorded 00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.839 choir with a single, yeah. I know you're going 00:05:30.839 --> 00:05:33.079 to do it. You know you're going to do it. We 00:05:33.079 --> 00:05:38.379 hope so, hope so. Definitely will. okay so on 00:05:38.379 --> 00:05:40.240 the same day the singles are released so the 00:05:40.240 --> 00:05:43.259 day we're actually chatting today to interview 00:05:43.259 --> 00:05:47.800 tickets go on sale for the rock choir's biggest 00:05:47.800 --> 00:05:51.800 ever arena headline show at the BP pulse arena 00:05:51.800 --> 00:05:56.779 on November 29th 2025 and if you're over a certain 00:05:56.779 --> 00:06:01.139 age that's the NEC yeah so We can't actually 00:06:01.139 --> 00:06:06.120 talk about that yet because there's been a delay 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:10.180 on the contract being signed so the members don't 00:06:10.180 --> 00:06:11.680 know about that yet and we're not making that 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:15.199 announcement just yet. Sorry. Don't worry, that's 00:06:15.199 --> 00:06:17.920 going to get quite exciting. It is really exciting. 00:06:18.319 --> 00:06:20.279 That's our secret plans that are coming up very, 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:22.339 really shortly. But yeah, we can't actually announce 00:06:22.339 --> 00:06:24.639 anything yet until our contracts are signed with 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:28.939 the NEC. Well, I think at some point in the new 00:06:28.939 --> 00:06:30.680 year you could come back for another 10 or 15 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:32.579 minutes and then tell us your good news and we'll 00:06:32.579 --> 00:06:37.029 play. Yeah. I'm happy to do that. a few times 00:06:37.029 --> 00:06:40.069 a year with you guys it's all good so yeah that's 00:06:40.069 --> 00:06:44.990 it will not go out i promise thank you no problems 00:06:44.990 --> 00:06:49.129 uh yeah we talked about caroline a bit so that's 00:06:49.129 --> 00:06:52.410 great so now one thing we must mention about 00:06:52.410 --> 00:06:56.670 caroline of course is her autobiography so it's 00:06:56.670 --> 00:06:59.750 uh sing the story of the rock choir and it's 00:06:59.750 --> 00:07:03.620 just become an instant bestseller so uh assuming 00:07:03.620 --> 00:07:06.620 that is available in the bookshops and also for 00:07:06.620 --> 00:07:09.240 you know the download reading thingy um i'm sure 00:07:09.240 --> 00:07:11.620 this can make quite a few good presents for people 00:07:11.620 --> 00:07:14.120 that enjoy you know music of such quality and 00:07:14.120 --> 00:07:18.740 singing so yeah yeah yeah so this is a a real 00:07:18.740 --> 00:07:22.519 honest account of from caroline so you know own 00:07:22.519 --> 00:07:25.079 words she's the one who's written it um and she'll 00:07:25.079 --> 00:07:26.959 tell you yourself that they'll tell it yourself 00:07:26.959 --> 00:07:30.600 no god she'll tell you herself that she's not 00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:34.759 a um an author by any means but she wanted to 00:07:34.759 --> 00:07:37.879 be the person that writes this story of how rock 00:07:37.879 --> 00:07:41.579 choir started 20 years ago with one choir in 00:07:41.579 --> 00:07:45.300 one room and now here it is in 400 rooms across 00:07:45.300 --> 00:07:49.420 the country with nearly 30 ,000 members so yeah 00:07:49.420 --> 00:07:52.120 it's all the gossip all the backstage stuff you 00:07:52.120 --> 00:07:54.560 know all of the nitty -gritty all the all the 00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:56.540 successes and the supports and all the struggles 00:07:56.540 --> 00:07:59.589 that Caroline's had from from creating rockwear 00:07:59.589 --> 00:08:02.290 from its seed to what it is today. Yeah. This 00:08:02.290 --> 00:08:04.750 is Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving you all 00:08:04.750 --> 00:08:06.949 you need to know about musical entertainment. 00:08:09.370 --> 00:08:17.889 Chatterbox Chatterbox Chatterbox It takes two 00:08:17.889 --> 00:08:25.209 to tangle and two to present a radio show. So 00:08:25.209 --> 00:08:33.080 here's Nick and Sue. Your musical duo. And you're 00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:35.539 always recruiting new members. Well, technically 00:08:35.539 --> 00:08:38.100 that's not necessarily the right wording. New 00:08:38.100 --> 00:08:41.480 people are welcome to join. And I remember having 00:08:41.480 --> 00:08:44.159 the chat with yourself before and other people 00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:46.740 who have represented the Rock Choir over recent 00:08:46.740 --> 00:08:49.460 years that we've had interviews with. And of 00:08:49.460 --> 00:08:51.840 course, it doesn't matter, listen to the listeners 00:08:51.840 --> 00:08:54.519 really, it doesn't matter if you can't sing as 00:08:54.519 --> 00:08:57.779 such. no come along make yourself known contact 00:08:57.779 --> 00:08:59.980 the rock choir because there's always something 00:08:59.980 --> 00:09:01.960 there for you where your voice will fit so that's 00:09:01.960 --> 00:09:04.480 basically about right isn't it Absolutely, yeah. 00:09:05.220 --> 00:09:08.799 One of our missions is to make music as accessible 00:09:08.799 --> 00:09:12.379 as possible to as many people as possible. And 00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:14.759 gathering together in a room and singing as a 00:09:14.759 --> 00:09:17.899 choir, it gets you out of the house. It is so 00:09:17.899 --> 00:09:20.279 good for your mental health. It gets you feeling 00:09:20.279 --> 00:09:23.200 good. And whether that's singing, whether you 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:26.279 think your singing is great or not, that's not 00:09:26.279 --> 00:09:29.399 the important part of it. But what you will find 00:09:29.399 --> 00:09:30.879 is the more and more that you sing with other 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.970 people, the better and better you'll get. uh 00:09:32.970 --> 00:09:37.809 -huh yeah absolutely absolutely um now i know 00:09:37.809 --> 00:09:41.210 you've got a lot of plans over the next year 00:09:41.210 --> 00:09:43.809 and i know some are a little bit secret still 00:09:43.809 --> 00:09:45.269 but hopefully we can talk about them the next 00:09:45.269 --> 00:09:49.629 time uh what you what you can say that's official 00:09:49.629 --> 00:09:52.549 what can we expect from the rock choir as we 00:09:52.549 --> 00:09:56.570 enter 2025 well say we have a chat at some point 00:09:56.570 --> 00:09:59.029 between january and easter say what would you 00:09:59.029 --> 00:10:01.970 be telling me of what what's already No, signed, 00:10:02.110 --> 00:10:05.049 sealed and delivered and set in stone. Yes, we've 00:10:05.049 --> 00:10:09.250 got. our big national things that are still happening. 00:10:09.710 --> 00:10:12.509 We've got Edinburgh Fringe coming up next August 00:10:12.509 --> 00:10:15.370 where we're taking even more choir members up 00:10:15.370 --> 00:10:17.529 to perform every single night of the Edinburgh 00:10:17.529 --> 00:10:21.690 Fringe in August. We are starting now to take 00:10:21.690 --> 00:10:25.090 our members again to Abbey Road. So we used to 00:10:25.090 --> 00:10:27.990 do an Abbey Road recording experience for our 00:10:27.990 --> 00:10:31.929 members and that stopped when Covid all happened 00:10:31.929 --> 00:10:34.690 and it's taken this long for us to get back around 00:10:34.690 --> 00:10:37.919 to getting choir members back in there. So there's 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:42.200 quite a few sessions of recording with Rock Choir 00:10:42.200 --> 00:10:45.240 members at Abbey Road Studios. And we're going 00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:47.559 to start hitting some more festivals this year 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:50.659 as well. This is our plan for 2025 is we're trying 00:10:50.659 --> 00:10:53.820 to get into more of those festivals. So keep 00:10:53.820 --> 00:10:56.019 an eye out if you're a festival goer, because 00:10:56.019 --> 00:11:00.000 we will hopefully be at all of them. Brilliant. 00:11:00.159 --> 00:11:04.120 Fantastic. OK, now. Before we do the social media 00:11:04.120 --> 00:11:08.500 bit, there's something we must, must mention 00:11:08.500 --> 00:11:13.759 about these two songs and that's Hallelujah and 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:18.279 What Christmas Means to Me are officially listed 00:11:18.799 --> 00:11:22.700 by the official officials here officially listed 00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:26.460 by the official chart company and The the proper 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:29.080 chart here in the UK UK singles chart that radio 00:11:29.080 --> 00:11:31.039 one plane is recognized by the Guinness Book 00:11:31.039 --> 00:11:34.980 of hit singles blah blah blah they are recognizing 00:11:34.980 --> 00:11:40.379 the songs and have listed them as Potential Christmas 00:11:40.379 --> 00:11:44.159 number ones 2024 now when they've listed they've 00:11:44.159 --> 00:11:47.600 been very serious. They really for a chance That's 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:49.879 great. They mean it. They mean it. Yeah. And 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:53.120 I really hope so. We've always battled for this 00:11:53.120 --> 00:11:55.320 Christmas number one spot. And it's going to 00:11:55.320 --> 00:11:58.000 happen one year. And hopefully, with two singles 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:01.000 in the running that's been listed by them as 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:03.000 contenders for that Christmas number one, maybe 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:05.080 we'll get double the chance this year. Yeah. 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:08.779 So that's amazing. Brilliant. I mean, yeah. You 00:12:08.779 --> 00:12:13.360 couldn't pay for that sort of publicity. It is 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.580 great. And the mere fact that that's coming out 00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:18.210 as press releases. by the official charts company 00:12:18.210 --> 00:12:20.730 is only not only what's come out on your press 00:12:20.730 --> 00:12:22.950 release obviously we hear from the official charts 00:12:22.950 --> 00:12:25.730 company as well and uh yeah we've actually heard 00:12:25.730 --> 00:12:29.269 it straight from them as well so yeah yeah yeah 00:12:29.269 --> 00:12:33.269 so yeah you can get us a christmas number one 00:12:33.269 --> 00:12:35.529 at the same time is changing lives of children 00:12:35.529 --> 00:12:38.889 at christmas so it's a double whammy so get get 00:12:38.889 --> 00:12:40.750 downloading our single as many fans as you can 00:12:40.750 --> 00:12:44.009 as well and it's probably what 79p or something 00:12:44.009 --> 00:12:47.559 it's not much is it for us something cheap anyway. 00:12:47.879 --> 00:12:51.399 No, but every little helps and everything's going 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:54.460 towards Cash for Kids and their Mission Christmas 00:12:54.460 --> 00:12:57.080 this year. Yeah, download the tenors worth at 00:12:57.080 --> 00:12:58.860 least, every person that's listening, there you 00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:05.460 go. Yeah, absolutely. That's fantastic. So, well... 00:13:05.470 --> 00:13:07.570 i'm looking forward to the next time already 00:13:07.570 --> 00:13:09.809 there's so much you've wet my appetite on stuff 00:13:09.809 --> 00:13:12.330 that we can't talk about yet so we must get you 00:13:12.330 --> 00:13:14.370 back must get you back you know as soon as we 00:13:14.370 --> 00:13:16.649 can absolutely when we when we got that special 00:13:16.649 --> 00:13:19.730 so early in 2025 i'd love to be having an update 00:13:19.730 --> 00:13:22.149 with you about everything that's going to happen 00:13:22.149 --> 00:13:25.220 in 2025 Yeah, it's always a joy to come and talk 00:13:25.220 --> 00:13:28.059 to you, so the app will come back any time you 00:13:28.059 --> 00:13:30.460 like. Thank you. Right, let's do the social media. 00:13:30.519 --> 00:13:34.960 We've got a wonderful website which is www .rockchoir 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:38.879 .com and we click on that, which I'm doing. I 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:42.940 had done this already, so. Okay, you can book 00:13:42.940 --> 00:13:45.059 a free, there's a little link there, you can 00:13:45.059 --> 00:13:47.120 book a free taster. You can become a member. 00:13:47.899 --> 00:13:50.480 but the most important thing I think initially 00:13:50.480 --> 00:13:53.179 apart from the historical side of it and what 00:13:53.179 --> 00:13:56.340 you achieve what you're aiming to achieve another 00:13:56.340 --> 00:13:59.200 button find your local rock choir but also there 00:13:59.200 --> 00:14:01.899 are links straight to the social media if we 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:04.440 go straight to the bottom in the old days I used 00:14:04.440 --> 00:14:06.100 to ask people what's all your social and you 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:09.059 know try to remember it and reading it all but 00:14:09.059 --> 00:14:11.600 it is all here there's a link to the Facebook 00:14:11.600 --> 00:14:17.259 link to the X link to yeah um instagram and so 00:14:17.259 --> 00:14:20.580 it goes on yeah and all the places where you 00:14:20.580 --> 00:14:23.000 can download the single as well so it's an amazing 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:26.519 website and yeah when you're downloading that 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:29.899 single uh singles do take a good look at the 00:14:29.899 --> 00:14:31.940 website as well it's fantastic it's got everything 00:14:31.940 --> 00:14:34.600 you need explains all about the rock choir and 00:14:34.600 --> 00:14:36.919 yeah Perfect. And I hope that a load of people 00:14:36.919 --> 00:14:40.139 listening will become members by the time we 00:14:40.139 --> 00:14:42.440 chat next time. And yeah, looking forward to 00:14:42.440 --> 00:14:44.980 your releases next year and all your news next 00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:47.919 year as well. Yeah. Thank you so much. Thank 00:14:47.919 --> 00:14:50.700 you for having us. And to James Le Petit, thank 00:14:50.700 --> 00:14:53.659 you for coming back on to Chatterbox. And we 00:14:53.659 --> 00:14:56.320 are looking forward to next time already. Thank 00:14:56.320 --> 00:14:58.659 you. Merry Christmas. And to you. Thank you. 00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:50.460 Bye bye now. Bye. You've been listening to the 00:15:50.460 --> 00:15:54.700 Chatterbox Redux podcast with me Nick and today 00:15:54.700 --> 00:15:57.860 our special guest was Xander James Le Petit of 00:15:57.860 --> 00:16:01.559 the Rock Choir. Our email address is nickelbum 00:16:01.559 --> 00:16:05.820 at myyahoo .com and our postal address is P .O. 00:16:05.960 --> 00:16:09.740 Box 26, the old Observer Building, Telford Road, 00:16:10.059 --> 00:16:13.100 St. Leonard's -on -Sea, East Sussex, England, 00:16:13.500 --> 00:16:19.950 TN 38 9 LZ. Sue, myself Nick Twin called the 00:16:19.950 --> 00:16:22.330 tuxedo cats would like to thank you very much 00:16:22.330 --> 00:16:24.669 for your company And we look forward to welcome 00:16:24.669 --> 00:16:27.370 you again next time for another chatterbox redux 00:16:27.370 --> 00:17:16.519 podcast Until then take care. Bye. Bye This is 00:17:16.519 --> 00:17:19.779 Nick and Sue with Chatterbox giving you all you 00:17:19.779 --> 00:17:28.420 need to know about musical entertainment. Chatterbox, 00:17:29.140 --> 00:17:33.339 the best interviews with Nick and Sue. Chatterbox, 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:34.859 the best news.