Longstanton-based teacher Michael Furse-Phillips releases charity single

An assistant headteacher from Longstanton has written a new, crowd-funded single, with any profits from the song going to children’s charity Childline.

Titled Somebody Tell Her, Michael Furse-Phillips’ self-penned tune was released on Spotify and other platforms last Friday (December 8), under the band name Guild of Gold.

It was recorded at Gladeside Recordings in Bar Hill and on the track Michael, 47, is playing piano, violin and viola, as well as singing. Providing harmonies are Suffolk-based alt-indie sister duo Three Years Younger.

Michael, who studied classical music at the Royal College of Music, says that after completing his course at the South Kensington-based conservatoire, he eventually “went into other things”.

“I injured my back so I couldn’t keep playing the violin full time,” he explains, “and now I’m a teacher. I specialise in safeguarding at a secondary school in Hertfordshire, so that’s partly the inspiration for the song.”

On how he came to write Somebody Tell Her, Michael says: “Well I’ve been writing songs ever since I was 16, mainly for my own consumption, and this was a response to a personal… someone that I know had had a very difficult time, shall we say, and suffered some awful things.

“And I just wanted somehow to let them know that it wasn’t their fault, and actually there was hope at the end of the day.”

Michael has around three albums worth of songs he plans to release. “I’d like to eventually,” he says. “It costs quite a bit of money to record songs, but I’m working with a guy now in Barton, just to start going through and recording them.

“We’ve started one already, and at this rate it’s going to take a long time! But we’ll get there eventually.”

Michael, who calls writing songs “my way of relaxing”, adds: “I’ve always done it for my own benefit; years ago when I was at sixth form there was a girl that used to sing my songs to live audiences, but since then I’ve just written them for my own benefit really.”

Somebody Tell Her has received a positive response from listeners. A former social worker said of the song: “This is exactly what I wanted to say to some of the people, that it’s not your fault and it’s all going to be OK.”

The track is available now to download. For more information, visit guildofgold.co.uk. For more on Childline, go to childline.org.uk.