Take pleasure in your faults
Listening to In Rainbows. Can't decide if the whole album really is a visit to the days of old, when vitality ran through the veins of the five, or if they're just having a wank.
Anyhowser, the week of 'leave' from the desk job has been a schizophrenic mash-up. Family meetings and the wedding versus the Table Mountain Blues Summit last night and getting really pissed on Thursday night for Ben's homecoming. Spent my first day at the Overtone office a few days ago, left really late but feeling that we'd broken the ice. Who knows where it goes, really.
"John's a frustrated musician," says my mother over the table to another host of unfamiliar people I am obliged to get to know. It's true.
Also got loads of catching up to do. Pivotal right now is finding a place to rehearse. A place where I can set up my gear and make some noise; a place where I can invite deserving, hard-working musicians to collaborate. A place like the Long St rehearsal rooms. So, gotta contact Simon about that, when he's not too busy with the Kolo Novo Movie Band.
Freshlyground was great. There were a few minor pitfalls, but nothing that cannot be praised on the whole. Good feeling getting in there with them. Since then, it's been liasing with The Beams about their upcoming, self-titled EP and nailing the aforementioned TMBS.
I've been digging into the Encyclopedia of Rock & Pop lately, a behemoth of a book with loads of interesting anecdotes and pics, arranged by date from around 1950 to 2002. Wicked resource, even if it does end on Eminem.
It leads me to wonder where our little pond fits into the whole ocean. There are those legendary gigs -- the Woodstocks, the Cavern A&R sessions, the Sex Pistols at that school hall in 24 Hour Party People -- you know the ones. The ones that just spark something off. Something dormant gets woken. If I could be at one of those in my life, I'd be happy. Especially if I'm there, pen in hand, camera around wrist. Or, even better, up on stage.I've also made a rare, headstrong decision -- I don't want to be the centre of ignorant attention. I'd rather be in the background of intelligent attention. In other words, I want to make music for musicians, not for everyone. In fact, I take pride in hearing musical laymen claim that my music is weird or sucks. Thank you, little one.
So, where do we fit in? What can we offer that is not imitation? Something African? Is that our ticket? I dunno. I'll speak to Dan Caleb about it sometime.
Roll me over, back to work again.
History of SA -- Music of South Africa.
Roll me over, back to work again.
History of SA -- Music of South Africa.