Bang a Gong

I woke up early Wednesday morning... I felt like a kid on Xmas Day, I was so excited. You know, that ball-in-the-pit -of-your-stomach kinda tingles of anticipation.

And it was only a bloody Box of Sox band rehearsal!

Unfortunately, Mick couldn't make it at the last minute (and Eddie was working), so it was just Julian on drums, Matt on guitar, and myself. We met at Julian's about 8.30, picking up the small vocal PA and all the assorted bits that have been living in his 'music room', which is cramped enough already as it is, with his 45,729-piece drum kit in there as well. heh heh.

How to describe Matt's parents' place...? Well, they live in a large rambling brick homestead about 10kms / 7 miles out of town, complete with a barn, a few chooks and ducks, a well for water. The main dining room area had witnessed an earlier incarnation as a recording studio... so we've set up in there as a band (even though nowdays it's set-up as a large dining room just off the kitchen! heh heh).

Oh yes, Matt told his parents about the whole thing, and they're fine with it. While they're overseas for 2 1/2 months (?), we'll base ourselves out there as a band.

Basically, with just the three of us, we played the BEST we've ever played together! I know I'm not supposed to boast and all that. But good god - it really worked amazingly well yesterday.

I ended-up playing my electric guitar for about 60% of the time, taking Mick or Eddie's role in arrangements. Basically - I had a wow of a time! We "did our homework" - we worked through the 10 songs we'd decided to arrange to satisfaction. Then we just kept going. In the end we easily covered about 40 songs together.

Bloody - good - FUN!!!!

Oh, and because the rooms is like four-times the size of where we had been, the sound was brilliant... everything was so clear and crisp... and as a result, I could actually really hear myself sing - and I thought I sung really well as well! {Blushes}. But yeah... we worked out some harmonies, and worked thru the songs I would normally sing anyways. Then we just kept going.

One of those truly inspiring musical days you hear about as a musician.

Another fun - and interesting and kinda revealing - aspect, was that where I happened to be standing, on the opposite was hung a huge mirror. So, not until about five minutes into actual playing did I realise this thing was even there! But yeah... watching yourself play and re-learning how to 'perform' on mic was a refreshing, if somewhat challenging, experience.

Julian had to head off just after lunchtime (1pm), so Matt and I hung around together kinda de-briefing each other and making notes and all that, for Eddie and Mick.

And I nearly fell-over when I found out how much Julian has invested into his Premier drumkit... $16,000! ($15,000 US / £7,359 / 9,607 Euro)! Holy shit!

I mean, his snare drum alone is worth about $3 or 4,000!!! I knew that, but I was totally blown away to realise how much his whole setup is worth... and he's got some bloody-fine equipment.

And he plays it... no, he caresses it - with the gifted touch of a master!

And he admits he isn't playing as well as he was a few years ago! Holy crap! The guy is a-maze-ing! A real inspiration and encouragement. Not an egotistical bone in his body to be found. Salt of the Earth kinda guy. Then, as a drummer and rhythmist, he's just... he's probably the best drummer I've ever worked with. And that's saying something, because I've worked with some damn fine professional touring drummers in my time! Sheesh!

And it all happened because Julian answered an ad Matt put in the local paper! Crikies! Amazing how these things come together sometimes!!!

So yeah, we were ready to gig two months ago. Now we're not only ready to gig (and do it outrageously well), but ready to put down some recordings as well.

I'm not trying to make us sound like we're gonna be the "next big thing" or anything like that... I'm really enthused and excited simply because it's not - very - often that five different guys can come together musically and really gel easily.

It's a special gift.

Stop Press... literally as I was typing this, Matt rang... then Eddie rang Matt at the same time! So yeah, the enthusiasm is contagious.

Stop Stop Press... we literally just got our very first email enquiry about playing at a private function next month! yay!

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Today I had another follow-up appointment with a medical-type person about the ongoing state of my mental health. Basically, it's all going positively for me and for them in their assessments and all that technical stuff. No no, I know it'll come as a surprise, but they are not gonna lock me away in a Psych ward somewhere either! lol.

Lately I've been traveling at about a 7, which is really good for me.

It's all about keeping a 'balance' between my highs and lows. While I'm not technically a Manic Depressive, there are elements of that in my depression symptoms and effects.

Oooh ooh oooh... and my case of bloody good wines arrived today, wholly intact. Yay!

Oh, and just a quick giggle... Matt's parents have access to some kinda whizz-bang cable TV with like 200 channels or something. Now, to me, who grew up on a glorious FIVE free-to-air networks here in Australia, it's just extreme... (I don't watch much TV normally as it is).

However...

Matt and I were channel-surfing on Wednesday arvo, and we accidentally (I swear it was accidentally!) came across an... erm... [cough] "adult" channel. At first we thought it was a joke, like the "Naked News" or something... but it didn't stop. We turned it off (of course) after about 30 seconds, simple because we couldn't stop laughing! It just all seemed so ridiculous to find something like that on TV mid-afternoon! hahahahaaa.

Ahhh... boys will be boys [blush blush blush. hahahahaaa].

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Peas be with ewe

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