Musical progress
... slow musical progress ...
I played at the regular (every 2nd Wednesday of the month) Songwriters Open Stage at the Nags Head in Rochester last night. The long suffering Daughter-of-Furtheron came along to support me - although to be fair she was reasonably enthusiastic. Mrs F was having a hair done!
Last time I was there was back in December or January I can't remember, December I'm sure and it was cold, snowy etc. and there was only a handful there. Good news is that it has picked up as the lighter evenings have come and it was a reasonable crowd in. Rules are simple, first come first served for a slot - 15min slots from 9pm onwards and original songs only. This latter stipulation setting it apart from many open mic nights and to me adding the greatest asset of it - original music, stuff people have crafted themselves exposed to the world, often for the first time.
I played a new song "In Your Eyes" that I've been working on over the last few weeks - a nod to the fact that some regular bloggers who read this blog actually were instrumental in the inspiration for some of the lyrics. Once I get time and figure out a more elaborate instrumentation for it I'll record it and then I'll explain on here in a subsequent post probably. It is another "recovery" song of mine without any doubt.
One other act really caught my ear - two guys, acoustic guitar and vocals and a fretless bass (an old 80s Westone no less, which is odd as a mate had a photo up on Facebook only yesterday of his old 80s band with.. a Westone bass in it - like London buses they are...) Anyway nice tunes, catchy lyrics etc. however just the addition of the bass from the typically solo acoustic guitar and vocals most of us performing really caught my ear. I've an old colleague and friend who lives near by who is a bass player and we talked a couple of weeks back about getting together after he'd heard my stuff up on the web and declare it "Paul Wellerish", which from him I took as a real compliment. I WILL now contact him - maybe if only for him to be my partner in crime at future open mics like this. Also my brother-in-law, another bass player, is interested in a band get together and I have a friend who has been learning drums who says she needs to get playing with others to stretch herself. I'm not sure if that'll just be a covers thing or what at all yet.
So I'm really blogging here to get myself off my arse and getting with other people. The solo thing is good as I have total control over the material and no issues with booking rehearsals and all that hassle but it has a limitation sound wise I ought to look to move in other directions on.
Here is a photo taken by the official photographer for the night... Daughter-of-Furtheron!
I played at the regular (every 2nd Wednesday of the month) Songwriters Open Stage at the Nags Head in Rochester last night. The long suffering Daughter-of-Furtheron came along to support me - although to be fair she was reasonably enthusiastic. Mrs F was having a hair done!
Last time I was there was back in December or January I can't remember, December I'm sure and it was cold, snowy etc. and there was only a handful there. Good news is that it has picked up as the lighter evenings have come and it was a reasonable crowd in. Rules are simple, first come first served for a slot - 15min slots from 9pm onwards and original songs only. This latter stipulation setting it apart from many open mic nights and to me adding the greatest asset of it - original music, stuff people have crafted themselves exposed to the world, often for the first time.
I played a new song "In Your Eyes" that I've been working on over the last few weeks - a nod to the fact that some regular bloggers who read this blog actually were instrumental in the inspiration for some of the lyrics. Once I get time and figure out a more elaborate instrumentation for it I'll record it and then I'll explain on here in a subsequent post probably. It is another "recovery" song of mine without any doubt.
One other act really caught my ear - two guys, acoustic guitar and vocals and a fretless bass (an old 80s Westone no less, which is odd as a mate had a photo up on Facebook only yesterday of his old 80s band with.. a Westone bass in it - like London buses they are...) Anyway nice tunes, catchy lyrics etc. however just the addition of the bass from the typically solo acoustic guitar and vocals most of us performing really caught my ear. I've an old colleague and friend who lives near by who is a bass player and we talked a couple of weeks back about getting together after he'd heard my stuff up on the web and declare it "Paul Wellerish", which from him I took as a real compliment. I WILL now contact him - maybe if only for him to be my partner in crime at future open mics like this. Also my brother-in-law, another bass player, is interested in a band get together and I have a friend who has been learning drums who says she needs to get playing with others to stretch herself. I'm not sure if that'll just be a covers thing or what at all yet.
So I'm really blogging here to get myself off my arse and getting with other people. The solo thing is good as I have total control over the material and no issues with booking rehearsals and all that hassle but it has a limitation sound wise I ought to look to move in other directions on.
Here is a photo taken by the official photographer for the night... Daughter-of-Furtheron!
i haven't done an open mic in about three years... just lazy, i think. but i did drop in with a group of musicians from the office to play rock and roll at the summer picnic last year -- and the joy of working with a band, finding harmonies, trading leads was delicious! and a LOT of work. which doesn't go well with that "lazy" thing. Good luck! Looking forward to hearing the next recording.
ReplyDeleteAn open mic night for original songs only sounds a great idea. I'd be looking for a couple of others to do it with as I don't like going off playing on my own much - I like the social side of getting together with other musicians to gig.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea. I don't think anyone needs to hear Look Back In Anger ever again. Well done - I know when I used to play by myself for years it was a joy to get together with other people (especially if they're the sort of people who "get" what you're trying to do without laborious arguments/ discussions/ over-long rehearsals.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy to see you getting out there into the stream of life! Very kool!
ReplyDeleteMrs F was having her hair done? Hmm, yes ...
ReplyDeleteNo, it sounds great and your ideas for getting partners in crime also sound good if you can cope with it! I hate it when I have to work with someone on a piece of writing!!