I Took A Day Off Work For This??!!

Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGOD OHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHGODOHF@%$INGS%$TF@$%INGAAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!!!

As predicted, the gig in the orchestra pit of hell was excruciating. Lousy stage location ~ right under the motorway overpass at Darling Harder Harbour on a brick paved area, resulting in acoustics similar to those of the EntCent when it's empty. The 'band' before us took almost as long as their allotted set-time to tune up & then played a full set, leaving our lot barely enough time to haphazardly throw our gear on stage with no sound-check to do battle with passing trade, jetboats & complaints from nearby restaurants that it was too loud. And as for the supplied guitar amp I used, well...

Afterwards, when we'd unceremoniously thrown our gear off stage so the next (last) band could ply their blues/boogie banalities, there was the offer of commiseratory drinks at a nearby bar. Ron the BassBeast & I were unable to attend, for various reasons, but while I was travelling to my next appointment, I received a call from (I'm the) Leader of the Band (I am), asking if I'd be interested in doing another gig with the same lineup next week. In accordance with some of my new Rules of/for Life, I respectfully, but firmly declined to share a stage with the drummer ever again.

An evening with 2 friends, ending with a demonstration of the soporific capabilities of Died Pretty's 'Doughboy Hollow' CD. Verdict: Effective... although I'm very fond of the album!! & a drive home to the 'Manor where I've completely failed to sleep at all.

Maybe I should have put on 'Doughboy Hollow'...

A gentle day ahead, guitar practice, home recording, domestic duties & some vague plans for the evening TBC.

Drinks Are On The House

It's nice to find that something you've been putting off for a while, thinking it would be too difficult, turns out to be easier than you thought.

I spent this afternoon avoiding the glorious, brilliant sunshine, bunkered down in the computer room at the 'Manor recording guitar parts for various tunes, realising I hadn't written enough lyrics & trying to get back into last week's headspace to write more ~ a task I didn't enjoy quite so much, but 2 out of 3 ain't bad...

Having mastered the art of recording with both DI & microphone inputs, tomorrow's challenge is to multi-track vocal ideas over the top of today's hard-won guitar lines, then playing with the various on-board effects to make my voice sound interesting or, at the very least, palatable.

Home from an early drinks/dinner engagement, nowhere near as drunk as I'd like to be. Given that I didn't get anywhere near as drunk as I wanted to be last night either (post-nightmare gig), I feel I owe it to myself to open a bottle of red, finish writing some lyrics & watch House 'til I start seeing 2 Hugh Lauries, then go to bed after the novelty & pleasant surprise of 3 Jennifer Morrisons starts to wear off...