A Lone Bugler
At Christmas his spectacles had disappeared, and there was a search.
As they searched they listened to songs. Carols about The Little Baby Jesus and Sacred Holy Nights. Along with rocky celebrations of drunken, merry festivity as An Antidote to Uncertain Times and The Certainty Of Endings.
Eventually the spectacles were found, lying in front of the wooden nativity scene on the windowsill. That was where he had left them.
And somebody said as a joke: “Hey, baby Jesus has found them”.
And somebody else said that that might actually be the truth.
And The Truth, as it always does, tried to take sides. It was looking for a fight.
But the music, a lone bugler in No-Mans land, called everybody to share a few moments of peace.
Christmas Dinner
Christmas Dinner.
It can be a multi tasking challenge that takes you to the very limits of your psychological, emotional, and cognitional capabilities in order to provide a feast that fits particular social expectations and (perhaps) a half hour of fun and merriment before most of the evidence is gone and the creator collapses inward upon themselves, like a dwarf star drained of its last photons of light.
Or it can be just another meal on another day.
Whichever yours was, I hope it was a good one.
And I hope today is a good one too.
Happy Boxing Day!
Sometimes
Sometimes it’s better to be there, performing your song, with the risk, even the likelihood that it’s not going to be seen in its best light, than to bail out.
Sometimes you’ve just got to keep on looking for ways in which the show can go on, even if it’s not going to be the best show you’ve ever done.
Sometimes the audience turns up and engages simply because it’s you, and you were prepared to be there and to try.
But it is not always clear whether that is, or was, the right decision to make.
Sometimes it will all be a mess. Sometimes it will be a success.
And sometimes it will be a combination of the two.
That’s what Rosie and I learned (again!) in last nights Homesongs4Life.
Good News
I woke in the night with a sense of unease and foreboding. It occurred to me that I hadn’t had that experience for quite a while.
And that thought was the very thing which brought me back to a sense of calm. Because those unnerving, unpleasant feelings used to be a regular part of my life. And they aren’t anymore. Which is good news.
Other good news: I used to spend all day (even all week) dreading playing at a gig. And that too is a thing of the past. I often even look forward to them now.
Positive changes can happen. Bad things can become good things.
We’re never as a stuck in a rut as we sometimes feel.
Tokyo Godfathers
Today I would simply like to bring you a Christmas film recommendation. It was in turn recommended to me by one of my sons.
Tokyo Godfathers is a Japanese anime with noodle bowls full of soul, humanity and humour. For me it is a perfect seasonal film and we will be watching it with whoever happens to be home on Christmas eve.
However, I don’t know how or where you could get hold of it. You might need some of those tricky tricks that the young guy and gals possess, like some kind of automatic generational inheritance.
It’ll be out there somewhere though. Worth finding.
Like a Christmas star waiting to be seen for the very first time.
How To Become A Zillionaire!
Ye Auld Christmas Song is a genre in itself.
Sleigh bell like sounds? Check. Children’s choir if possible? Check. Snow references? Check. Santa, Wisemen, Robins, and/or Reindeer? Check. Appropriate levels of either, a. Celebration, or b. Wistful Melancholy? Check.
There are a lot of these songs around. Some people hate them. But Humbug to them I say! I love them. As long as I don’t hear one outside of a 3 week period in December.
It is very hard to start a new “Specific Time Of The Year” genre of course. Alice Cooper tried it with School’s Out, but didn’t get very far. Although possibly he spawned the musical film Grease. Not sure. I wonder if he get’s any royalties on that?
Anyway, these are my business tips (because I know that’s what you read this blog for!) as we approach the end of the year and A New Beginning:
Write a Christmas hit! Or start your own Genre!
Come on you merry Homesongers! I believe in you.
I’ve Been Songed
I discovered this song yesterday, one I’d not heard before, by way of a search for travel guitars. It’s always lovely to hear a new one (new to you) that pulls at the heartstrings.
For me it is always that certain combination of a lyric and a melody that does it. I can enjoy, appreciate, even love, a great piece of music or a fantastic lyric in isolation.
But it is a special combination of the two that causes the earth to move for me.
That’s when I know I’ve been Songed.
Stop Breathing!
Taking a break from lifetime habits. Accidentally or intentionally, it can be a good way of breathing new life back into a thing.
And speaking of breathing … have you heard the Frank Sinatra myth?
Allegedly he would swim lengths underwater (holding his breath!) as a way in which to improve his breath control while singing. It seemed to work out quite well for him.
And there were we thinking that Breathing was the one thing we shouldn’t be taking a break from.
Avant-Garde It!
Cutting Edge.
It refers to something that is at the forefront in its field, breaking new ground. When it comes to music we’re talking about something that sounds like nothing you’ve ever heard before.
To most of us there is comfort in music that has familiarity and accessibility. Cutting edge music can sound jarring. But, the musical line from Very comforting and Familiar to Completely Out There, covers a huge distance.
Where does a Homesong kinda song fit on this spectrum?
Well, in truth, anywhere. Me personally? I’m a middle aged guy playing acoustic songs with a few jaggy edges. Maybe I’m typical of a “Homesong Artist”. But I’d like to think that, in the long run, I won’t be.
Because a HomeSong kinda song could be anything you want it to be. It just has to be a song that is played in a home. If you can find an audience for it, fill your boots!
Avant-Garde it!
They Are Still There
I walk quietly in the woods. I am at one with nature.
Well, that’s how it felt yesterday as I stopped and watched a roe deer, which ran a few metres away when I came into view, but then stopped and looked at me for a while, as I stayed still and watched myself being watched. And then the young buck seemed to relax, and started eating.
It was magical.
After a while there was a bark (yes, a bark!) from another deer further down the hill. And “my” deer ambled away in that direction. But not just that deer. It turned out there was another deer I hadn’t seen, closer even, within 5 metres of me. It also wandered away, and I couldn’t believe I hadn’t spotted it.
And now, ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to hammer an encouraging music related little metaphor out of that story:
Because for songwriters who perform and/or put our music out on the internet, it might sometimes seem like nobody is paying attention.
And yet still they are there.
We will not see everybody who IS paying attention, because not everybody will comment or applause. Or be visible in any way.
But they are still there.
Appreciating what we do. Maybe even loving what we do.
We are oblivious to them.
They are still there.
The Finger Gym
My fingers are thicker than they used to be. All muscle, mate. Hand digits like Schwarzenegger on steroids!
I exaggerate, but honestly, I used to have such skinny fingers.
All down to the amount of time I play the guitar, I’m sure.
Welcome to The Finger Gym!
Wish I had before and after pics.
Something Like This
Survivor’s guilt is what sometimes happens when we survive and others don’t.
Late last night I heard of a tragic accident that killed the father of a young family that we know a little bit because the oldest boy, in the family of five children, is friends with one of our foster boys. And his dad, just 33, used to play football with our eldest son.
And I realised I was driving up at the same time as the accident happened, on the same road, in his direction, to the gig I was playing on Saturday. Oblivious to what was taking place a few miles ahead of me.
These sad occurrences are happening daily, somewhere. Often they don’t affect us, but if we live long enough we can’t help but be affected by the sadness that is forever out there in somebody’s life. Because sometimes it’s people we know. And it might have been us.
That is why it is so important to try and share the burden, share the pain, of those who are suffering. Even though that is nigh on impossible. Because we are all in it together. Sooner or later it will be we who need some comfort and understanding, though we always hope it won’t be something like this.
And the guilt? The guilt is unnecessary and unhelpful. Tragedy should simply serve to remind us that we need to appreciate life while we have it.
RIP Roddy Mc.
Room At The Inn
I was able to play a wonderful Homesong gig on Saturday evening at Clachan here in Kintyre. Lori hosts her Homesongs in a a kind of big shed/garage by her house. She decorates it for the occasion and it has loads of character. Heating supplied by a small calor gas heater, so coats were worn by the audience and me. But it didn’t feel uncomfortable for the 2 hours or so we were there.
The gig had all the features I like. A decent audience considering other events on the night. An intimate, unplugged set with good banter and the chance to chat to everyone who attended. I tried out a couple of new tunes along with a selection of older material. Only a couple of cock-ups on lyrics and guitar. A nice pot of half-time chilli. A few extra (funny!!!) songs from my mate Chris. Great feedback. And I sold all but one of the CD’s I took along.
All in all a lovely warm up for Christmas.
ps. Lori’s mini -barn features in the Homesong video we made a few years ago.
All Crazy Now
When I was a lad down in Auld Ingerland, a fella would introduce themselves to another fella with a handshake.
Personally, I’m adaptable, quite malleable, and not too averse to change. So as other forms of greeting evolved - hugging, fist bumps, high fives, upside down handshakes, elbow-to-elbow, it wasn’t like I was going to get all uppity and old mannish about it.
But that doesn’t prevent confusion. I just bumped into someone, an old friend of one of my sons. I went in with the back to front, thumbs up handshake. He, fully aware of my old man status, came in with the old fashioned English Technique.
And that, my friends, is what the world as a whole feels like at the moment.
It will all settle down. But while change is happening, and whether that change be good, bad, or indifferent, we better get used to riding the wave.
Because, Mamma, we’re all crazee now.
.
Nearly Yuletide
The days are getting very dark now. The weather is cold, wet and grim.
It happens every year. The seasons dictate all of that when you live far from the equator. And although British weather has plenty of uncertainty, it’s still roughly predictable.
And so we have Christmas, and before that Yule. Festivals where people in the Northern Hemispheres try to bring some light and merriment into the shorter days and longer nights of the Winter Solstice.
My favourite kinds of songs are ones which do something fairly similar. They are also the kind of songs I most often try to write. Taking a difficult or sad subject and attempting to find some hope and a way forward. To keep on going till the Springtime.
Here’s a bit of mish-mash of a Christmas song that I wrote and recorded 3 years ago to commemorate one hundred years since the end of the First World war. It was lovely to have family members, (my sister and 2 grandchildren) involved in the production of this one.
I hope that you have a lovely Christmas time when it comes, and are reminded that, although times are strange, sad and difficult for many, our near ancestors have came through far harder circumstances.
In the end they reached a season of peace and light. We will too.
Find Me!
If you’re having a festive party this year -
(I know, I know. C19 will, along with Santa, Mary, Jo, The Wee Wean and a Donkey, still be amongst us, and making everything uncertain for so many reasons. Maybe this particular blog is only applicable to the UK Government )
- Why not make space for a bit of original music?
Invite someone along (you might even know that someone) who, as well as playing some jolly singalongs … “SO HERE IT IS MERRY CHRISTMAS!” … will also throw in one or two of their own tunes.
People might not even notice after a glass or two of your extra potent Fruit Punch, and also because … well … just because you haven’t heard a song before, doesn’t mean it’s not a good song.
There are an awful lot of unknown, but very good songs out there, songs that you might end up requesting in the future, that are just asking you to … Find Me.
Why not give an Original Tune a home this Christmas.
(PS. David McCann from the link above is playing next Wednesday’s HomeSongs4Life).
Wide Awake Music
The received wisdom is that your audience need to roughly know what to expect when you perform. They would like to hear the songs they know and love. And when they’ve come for some heavy metal, they don’t want you to start singing confessional ballads.
It can be a dilemma for many creative artists though. Creativity doesn’t feel like it is something that should be tied down then tied up with a ribbon in a pre-defined box.
One answer to the dilemma might be to get people into the habit of expecting the unexpected. Or to seek out an audience that actually prefer things that way in the first place. (Personally, I’d be in that audience).
All creativity that speaks to people involves a fine balance between creating something that is both familiar enough and unusual enough. Where we place ourselves on the spectrum between those two end markers is a very personal decision. In truth, the wrong decision can hamper our progress, turning the listeners perception of us either into something that is dull and predictable or, at the other end of the scale, completely inaccessible.
Although given the choice, it might be better to play with fire and risk complete alienation, than send anyone to sleep.
Staying On The Bus
I was listening to another Homesongs performer, Donna Canale, play online last night on Rowland Jones “Talking Songs”. She used the phrase “staying on the bus” in regard to trying to find a following for her songs, simply by keeping on keeping on.
We don’t like to think of our creative endeavours as a competition. We are Artistes! We spend our time waiting, working and listening…for Inspiration. And then we Give Birth to that inspiration.
Well, yes, maybe something like that happens.
But…and this isn’t a given of course…if we want our “inspiration” to find an audience to inspire, then we inevitably find ourselves in competition with other Inspired Folk, who are also targeting that audience.
Yep, it turns out there are many (Many!) other inspired and talented creators out there, all hawking the crowd. All trying to grab the attention of a limited number of listeners . And some of them will be reaching out to our particular audience. And they might even be better than us. God forbid!
If life as a Creator was, to some degree, a competition, then the name for that competition could well be: “Staying On The Bus”.
We need to work and get better at our creative endeavours, obviously.
After that?
Well then we damn well don’t give up.
Taking Care Of Home
Confession. There is one thing about hosting a Homesong that I still haven’t nailed. It causes the most stress. In fact it’s the only real stress now.
I’m still haunted by the question: who the hell is going to turn up?
For our particular Homesongs I’ve got a mailing list from our small town of 4,000 of over 50 addresses. People who in theory are interested in coming along. I send them out 2 or 3 emails before the gig, and ask people to respond if they are planning to come.
Some people do respond. Either to say they plan to come or that they can’t come. Some of those who do come don’t tell me. Folk who have said they were coming don’t always come. Some tell me at the last minute that they can’t. And some people were initially happy to be on the list, have never responded at all.
The upshot is that I only have a vague idea on the day of the gig who will be there. Sometimes I’m hopeful and end up disappointed at the turnout. Sometimes I’m anxious and end up being delighted.
The perfect scenario is of course that there is enough demand that I need to put a limit on attendances. And I still think that’s achievable, but it hasn’t happened so far.
My own take on this is not: to build a bigger mailing list; do more facebook promotion; seek more local advertising. It’s too easy to start trying prematurely to make something bigger when in fact it simply needs to be made better. And Homesong should be first and foremost about the community who are already in existence. I want to value them not lose them. I want them to always want to come along to the gig (Covid and Life Circumstances allowing).
So my first step will be to try to appreciate and look after those people better. I don’t know quite how yet. But it’s pointless talking grandly about Homesong networks and tours, if I’m not taking care of home.