Monthly Archive: May 2012

May 31

Day 46: Bluegrass Bohemian Rhapsody plus pop music and the war against terror update.

This from the lady I mentioned in this post from a few days ago: The only inaccuracy I would point out is that I wasn’t talking about file-sharing but audio and video piracy. In Pakistan the majority cannot afford computers or internet connections. But most people will have some kind of second hand CD and …

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May 30

Day 45: day off. Sailing heaven!

Brillliant day sailing: my diesel-fitting skills seems to work and the engine ran perfectly. Apologies to Dave Holden for calling him Dave Holland in yesterday’s post! Share this:

May 29

Day 44: rehearsal with knobs on.

Excellent rehearsal tonight (although frustrating: I’m the M.D. but can’t play as the show is on the evening of our wedding anniversary!) The boys in the band (Dave Holland, Joel McBride and Jon Hockings) did brilliantly. I’d applied the professional maxim that rehearsals are not for learning tunes but for polishing performances of tunes you’ve …

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May 28

Day 43: MD for The Voice contestant’s showcase gig, a challenge.

I’ve been asked to be the M.D. (that’s Musical Director, kids!) for a private showcase gig for one of the contestants on The Voice UK (regular readers will know which one.) My challenge (should I choose to accept it, which I have!) is to arrange tracks done on Logic using loops and software instruments for …

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May 27

Day 42: setlist suggestions for nudist gig and a mild rant.

First, a little fun: someone cracked a joke about doing gigs for nudist clients on a FB post. It set me wondering: what songs would you play at a nudist gig? First offer from me is “Can’t Take My Eyes Off Of You.” Anymore for anymore? Now a mild rant: I did a wedding gig …

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May 27

Day 41: Eurovision my arse.

As a protest against the shocking travesty of music that is Eurovision I will pretend not to be a musician today. This will put me firmly in line with all the acts appearing in the “show.” Actually, I did a covers band gig at a wedding: I’ll post about it tomorrow. It’s late, I’m tired, …

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May 25

Day 40: songwriters and the A Team

I spent the morning with the lap-steel: funny how the mind works. I woke up this morning (sounds like a song?) with a clear understanding of how to transition from a VI minor to a IV major chord in C6 tuning. Why can’t my mind do useful stuff when I’m asleep, like invent something to …

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May 24

Day 39: I am a diesel fitter, and Bob Wills

Spent the day getting the engine on my boat going. The yell of triumph that rang out over the Strood channel when it fired up was a thing of great beauty…. My portfolio career now includes diesel fitter. I replaced a separator filter and a bleed screw in the line feeding the injectors. It worked! …

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May 23

Day 38: pop music in the war against terror and the glorious art of Chuck Sabo.

OK: remember a few weeks ago in this post I mentioned that someone had presented me with the most original argument in favour of file-stealing I’ve ever heard and that I would post it here when I had time? Well, I’ve got time. The lady in question is of Pakistani origin (and of relatively high …

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May 22

Day 37: More loudness madness and portfolio career again

What???? What????? What?????????? Is the world going mad? This on the BBC (after but certainly not inspired by my post “How loud is too loud:” Plan B backs plans to hand out free ear-plugs at gigs. Jeez……… TURN THE F&^%$%G VOLUME DOWN, YOU IDIOTS!!!!!!!!!!!! On the same subject: this came in from Stephane at audiocheck.net: …

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