Rob and Tom met at school in the early 1960s and played in bands in the Warwick and Leamington area. Before long they decided to pool their songwriting efforts and, bit by bit, original Ashmore-Payne material began to find its way into the sets. In 1968 the pair’s confidence was sufficiently misplaced for them to make their first visit to Denmark Street, London’s “Tin Pan Alley”, where their song “Spanish Blood”, met with some gentle encouragement at Pan Music. Later that year, on a second visit, they found that two firms, Pan Music and Mills Music, both wished to publish their song “When Diana Paints the Picture”. One thing they liked on the demo tape reel was the faint sound of distant bells - these were in fact the partially erased bells from the “1812 Overture”, playing backwards on the other side of the tape recording engineered by Chris Ward. Much to the chagrin of Pan Music, who already had plans for the song involving Cilla Black, it was eventually published by Mills Music, and recorded by Rob, under the name of Robbi Curtice, at London’s Regent Sound Studios in 1968. The co-producers of the recording and Robbi’s co-managers, were Ralph Murphy and Vic Smith (later Vic Coppersmith-Heaven). They wrote what was planned to be the “B” side - “Soul of a Man” - the lyrics of which were handed to Rob moments before it was recorded, literally written on the back of an Embassy cigarette packet. Sadly, although playbacks of “When Diana Paints the Picture”after the session sounded superb, and the immortal words - “son, you’ve got yourself a hit” were uttered more than once, the final mix of the recording left much to be desired. Those bells came back to haunt Rob and Tom - unfortunately the producers insisted that they were included in the excellent arrangement by Cy Payne, (no relation to Tom), but they proved much too loud and intrusive and never really worked. As a result the recording failed to secure its UK release; instead the songs were released in USA only on Mike Curb’s Sidewalk Label, with “Soul of a Man” as the A side, doing well on the West Coast.Billboard December 7th 1968“Tower’s new master, produced in London by Ralph Murphy, is Soul of a Man by Robbi Curtice.”“picture the change in the colour of day as soon as she comes into view....”
WHEN DIANA PAINTS THE PICTURE (written by Rob Ashmore & Tom Payne) ROBBI CURTICE (1968)Ralph MurphyVic Coppersmith-Heaven Tom Payneis the inspiration behind the musical element of the Ashmore Payne partnership.He composes all the tunes and plays all the music. Rob Ashmore (Robbi Curtice)writes the words and provides all the vocals. New songs are usually born when Tom puts a tune to one of Rob’s lyrics.Between them the pair have written hundreds of songs, just a few of which feature on their website. He is the words ...... He is the tune ............... play us “ROBBI CURTICE 1968 KILLER POP-PSYCH!”The owner of Arisdisc store, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA was recently selling a copy of the single on eBay (deadline Nov 10). He commented “this was my personal copy, so unlike 99.9% of my listings, this disc 'was' played a few times. Can't blame myself, it's an outstanding British track that sold very well here in our city, mostly because 'Ed Ver Schure' whose name appears on the label, worked at our radio station for a while. It got 'tons' of airplay because of that, and, right or wrong, the record sold well.“The Soul of a Man - Robbi Curtice(Written by Ralph Murphy and Vic Smith (aka Vic Coppersmith-Heaven)
Picture a room where the water comes throughMine is the room you will see,Picture a fool with a hole in his shoe,You’ll see a picture of me.When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,When Diana paints the picture, there’s colour everywhere.Picture a life that was tattered and greyThat was the life that I knew, Picture the change in the colour of daySoon as she comes into view.When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,When Diana paints the picture, there’s colour everywhere.Picture the change in the colour of daySoon as she comes into view.When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,There’s colour everywhere,Colours everywhere, colours everywhere,When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart.
Rob and Tom met at school in the early 1960s and played
in bands in the Warwick and Leamington area. Before long
they decided to pool their songwriting efforts and, bit by
bit, original Ashmore-Payne material began to find its way
into the sets. In 1968 the pair’s confidence was sufficiently
misplaced for them to make their first visit to Denmark
Street, London’s “Tin Pan Alley”, where their song
“Spanish Blood”, met with some gentle encouragement at
Pan Music.
Later that year, on a second visit, they found that two
firms, Pan Music and Mills Music, both wished to publish
their song “When Diana Paints the Picture”. One thing
they liked on the demo tape reel was the faint sound of
distant bells - these were in fact the partially erased bells
from the “1812 Overture”, playing backwards on the other
side of the tape recording engineered by Chris Ward. Much
to the chagrin of Pan Music, who already had plans for the
song involving Cilla Black, it was eventually published by
Mills Music, and recorded by Rob, under the name of
Robbi Curtice, at London’s Regent Sound Studios in 1968.
The co-producers of the recording and Robbi’s co-
managers, were Ralph Murphy and Vic Smith (later Vic
Coppersmith-Heaven). They wrote what was planned to be
the “B” side - “Soul of a Man” - the lyrics of which were handed to Rob moments before it was recorded,
literally written on the back of an Embassy cigarette packet. Sadly,
although playbacks of “When Diana Paints the Picture”after the
session sounded superb, and the immortal words - “son, you’ve got
yourself a hit” were uttered more than once, the final mix of the
recording left much to be desired.
Those bells came back to haunt Rob and Tom - unfortunately the
producers insisted that they were included in the excellent
arrangement by Cy Payne, (no relation to Tom), but they proved
much too loud and intrusive and never really worked. As a result the
recording failed to secure its UK release; instead the songs were
released in USA only on Mike Curb’s Sidewalk Label, with “Soul of a
Man” as the A side, doing well on the West Coast.
Billboard December 7th 1968
“Tower’s new master, produced in
London by Ralph Murphy, is Soul
of a Man by Robbi Curtice.”
“picture the change in the colour of day as soon as she comes into view....”
WHEN DIANA PAINTS THE PICTURE
(written by Rob Ashmore & Tom Payne)
ROBBI CURTICE (1968)
Ralph Murphy
Vic Coppersmith-Heaven
Tom Payne
is the inspiration behind the musical element
of the Ashmore Payne partnership.
He composes all the tunes and plays all the
music.
Rob Ashmore
(Robbi Curtice)
writes the words and provides all the vocals.
New songs are usually born when Tom puts a
tune to one of Rob’s lyrics.
Between them the pair have written hundreds of songs,
just a few of which feature on their website.
He is the words ...... He is the tune ........
....... play us
“ROBBI CURTICE 1968 KILLER POP-PSYCH!”
The owner of Arisdisc store, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA was
recently selling a copy of the single on eBay (deadline Nov 10).
He commented
“this was my personal copy, so unlike 99.9% of my listings, this
disc 'was' played a few times. Can't blame myself, it's an
outstanding British track that sold very well here in our city,
mostly because 'Ed Ver Schure' whose name appears on the
label, worked at our radio station for a while. It got 'tons' of
airplay because of that, and, right or wrong, the record sold well.“
The Soul of a Man - Robbi Curtice
(Written by Ralph Murphy and Vic Smith
(aka Vic Coppersmith-Heaven)
Picture a room where the water comes through
Mine is the room you will see,
Picture a fool with a hole in his shoe,
You’ll see a picture of me.
When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,
‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,
When Diana paints the picture, there’s colour everywhere.
Picture a life that was tattered and grey
That was the life that I knew,
Picture the change in the colour of day
Soon as she comes into view.
When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,
‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,
When Diana paints the picture, there’s colour everywhere.
Picture the change in the colour of day
Soon as she comes into view.
When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,
‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,
There’s colour everywhere,
Colours everywhere, colours everywhere,
When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,
‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart,
When Diana paints the picture it’s a work of art,
‘Cos it isn’t what she sees but what’s inside her heart.
Tom’s original chord sheet for “When Diana Paints the Picture”
