The band decided a rehearsal was in order.
I've no idea why; they are truly ireedeemably shambolic (in the best possible way) and rehearsal seems to have done them no good in the past, but hey, let's go with the flow.
So this morning we turned up at the studio and … er … "rehearsed" (has anybody noticed that the word "rehearse" has "arse" in it?).
This (the little video at the bottom of the post) was the full extent of the rehearsal for an old blues number.
Neil suggested let's try "Walking By Myself."
I asked "What key?"
He said "E." to which I said "E? I've only ever played it in G; oh, well, let's give it a go", and turned on the video camera.
Sheesh! What a shambles. Hee hee.
Luckily the camera is tilted at such an angle that you cannot see much except the ceiling and occasionally my ass (easily my best feature), and - thanks to it being propped between my amp and Tony's drums, the sound is so bad that Neil's vocals are lost in the cacophony … which is probably just as well … he'll do much better on the night.
This is Tony (yes, Phil; he's on one of the studio's kits).
And this is my guitar with Rob and Neil in the background.We make the Rolling Stones look like a bunch of teenagers.
I just love the band's verdict at the end of this unlistenable mess:
"S'alright, innit?"
God help the poor wedding guests!
Hee hee.
Kids, be warned … This is what old people do when you let them off the leash. If you have old people in your family be sure and keep them locked up and sedated.
38 comments:
You led me to believe it would be terible. tee hee, glad to see you can still play!!!
You are SERIOUSLY good with that guitar.
Mum: It WAS terrible! I just love the fact that the band thought it was good enough. Hee hee!
Lynn: I am so rusty it hurts to listen to it. I've not played that number for at least ten years and never in that key. Sheesh!
But thank you for being so sweet.
What fun! S'alright indeedy. I'm so glad you figured out how the movie mode works on your camera. For not playing much anymore, you sure can rock!
Thank you, honey, though I think "crock" would be a better word than "rock."
As long as you don't mind me hanging around with my reprobate geriatric friends and playing one or two gigs a year I'll be fine.
I haven't listened yet (merci, Tour de France) but your descriptive word reprobate jogged this association: there is a "band" in Newport called The Reprobates. They're several guys who seemed to have been playing together since college I think and are now older than you are. One is "Fud" Benson, a world class stone carver who did the JFK grave and the Roosevelt Memorial in DC.
Cool, Lupine Lady!
Fud the Reprobate is a wonderful name, whereas Dive the Saggy, Middle-Aged Man lacks a certain something, I feel.
No way! You were great. I wish you hadn't turned off the movie. Let's have more!
absolutely fab, mr. dive! rock ON! the white-haired jimmy page has nuttin on you. will stairway to heaven be the slow dance of the wedding? first dance, maybe?
Lupine Lady: I am just glad I only have a small memory card in my camera.
Trish: Hee hee … One of the joys of being retired from gigs is that I shall never have to play certain songs ever again, and right up at the top of that list of shame are Stairway To Heaven, Smoke on the Water and Freebird. Sheesh!
Firstly, Thanks Katie for giving us back our "DIVE".. we missed him while he was wandering in the darkness!
Dive, it's good to hear you again and see you in action too. Glad you found your mojo again. More rackets please!
XXOO
Pru
Glad you enjoyed it, Pru.
I only play once or twice a year now, but now that Katie has shown me how to use the video function on my camera I may try to take something a little better next time I'm dicking around in a studio.
XXOO
As long as it's not SPOTTED! That I don't want to see thank you very much!
Hee hee hee!
God help the bride and groom! Hee hee!
Look at you with your little George Harrison moves! I can't comment on your backside as Katie is a pal, but I will say to Katie, "lucky girl. Talent and a nice . . . guitar lick too!"
For this you took off work??
Just kidding; you're terrific and what the hell, you're having fun. I agree with Trish...you rock! I love those little jivey moves, like you're really gettin' into it. Gosh, with a little practice, you'all could go on tour! :-)
The wedding guests will love ya!
(Have your business cards in a discreet location and maybe pick up another gig.)
That's SOME serious guitar playing! And "The Heads" rock! Sounds like a fun gig. And one advantage of being "old people" is if someone requests one of the unmentionable songs you mentioned above, you can either plead deafness or Alzheimers to get out of it.
Comments from a French former guitarist : if THIS means rusty, my, what am I, then ?
Now, here's where you can relearn how to write a definitive excellent song for the wedding :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXTx_Cfquu4
Prepare your stage outfit
Yay for guys with guitars!
Cali: Hee hee! I shall say no more.
Cynthia: I am really glad I'm only playing one gig with the guys. They are tremendous fun but it doesn't exactly … er … stretch me musically.
At least next time I do anything more adventurous in a studio I know my little camera can take video.
Ms M: No, that is decidedly UNserious guitar playing. Fortunately, the one thing the Four Heads are NOT is serious. They are tremendous fun and harbour no illusions about being musicians. That's why I love them.
Bonjour, J-A!
Bonjour, Kim!
Happy (belated) Bastille Day to you both!
Hee hee, Arthur; I remember seeing that wonderful Neil Hannon piece on the Culture Show. It was great to watch it again.
Katie says we must get together in October and make a music video.
I can't wait!
Our very own Eurovision.
Do Katie and I get to wear flowing, fluffy, feathery dresses?
Hee hee, Kim!
Eurovision costumes get scarier by the year.
Hmmm, I thought I left a comment here yesterday, but I guess it didn't stick. What I meant to say was that this is actually fun and good and I'd be happy to have this band playing at my wedding were I to have one.
Robyn: yes, the old guys are indeed fun, though that's all they've got going for them. Musically - as you heard - we make a noise not unlike a car wreck.
No, no, Dive. Really. As you know I've been to more gigs than I care to remember and, not to do my ex down, he was great of course but wow! I'd like to see and hear more please. Seeing is important too. Don't ask. Ok that sounds wrong - nothing meant, Katie, just that seeing makes it all happen. Oh. Shall I just stop here? You know what I mean lol.
Hee hee, Lynn.
I have stacks of old videos but no means at present to transfer them to m4a files for YouTube, so that will have to wait.
If you want to listen (rather than look at my butt - hee hee), there are all the "Let's Make A Racket" guitar music posts to trawl through again, but then again maybe not.
Lynn (and Cali) no offense taken (hee hee!). I'll see if I can convince Dive to post more little clips from the practice session, as I wouldn't want to deprive his fans of the chance to see him really shake his booty, I mean show off his guitar playing skills.
Ha!
You REALLY don't want to see my embarrassing dancing in one of the other clips.
Having just seen Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood in concert, I am duely impressed by your talents. You Brits have talent with a guitar. That guitar of yours is a real beauty. Dive you are too humble. Hope we get to hear more.
Are these your guitars ?
I like your guitar, definitely - and, sorry to say so, I like the way you play it too.
Reading these comments they should have seen you in the days of the "jumping about and hitting your head on the lights and overhead fans!" maybe I should post some of the pics from the Geldeston Wherry when you Full and Ian and more had real fun.... those were the days....
J-A: I've done a post for you today to show you my guitars.
I can't wait to meet yours!
What do you have?
Mum: I have those on video and when I can figure out a way of converting them to m4a files I'll post them.
That was SO AWESOME Dive!!! LIVE video makes it all so much more fun!! I wondered why you never did that before. Yeah for Katie!!! Thanks for sharing the gig! Was that you laughing at the end? I couldn't tell. :)
Hee hee, Shan!
Yes, it was me laughing at the guys saying it was "alright."
Sheesh! That was a total mess, but they seemed happy with it.
Now I realise why they never seem to get any better even though they rehearse a lot.
Oh yay! I didn't imagine you to sound that way. I've so far imagined Robyn and Katie wrong. I just know I've got Mme and Maria pegged though. :)
Not many people reach your level of skill no matter how often they "practice". If I'd done any of those other performances, I'd pat myself on the back and say "I'm a natural! I need no further practice!!" Baha It is funny how it sounds like you could play in your sleep you know the notes and can freestyle it so well. So impressive.
I have many laughs, Shan; that one's my embarrassing cackle.
You are too kind, but - having lived as long as I have and having been playing on stage since I was a little kid - if I hadn't reached a reasonable level of competence by now then something would be very wrong indeed.
It's not practice - after all these decades I gain whatever "skill" I have through a process of natural geological erosion.
Hee hee.
The highlight of my day...I'm grinning from ear to ear.
Ah, the outh of today; laughing at an old man's crappy dancing.
Hee hee.
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