Blog: I'm In A Band!

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Once again i headed NORTH last night, for sunny Derby. I arrived into a LOVELY evening, and sat in the scenic Derby Railway Station car park eating my chips and curry sauce, thinking "aaah! life on the road, it's Quite Nice!"

Soon it was time to get to the rehearsal room, and get set up as gradually we arrived. As FORETOLD by all concerned there was discussion of the two MAJOR issues effecting the country at the moment (Dr Who and The Fall's Peel Sessions box set, obviously) before we LAUNCHED into action. We ran through "Quality Of Life Enhancement Device" and "The Gay Train" for a WARM UP, then went over some songs we'd begun last time. "Mental Judo" is sounding LOVELY (with CABARET section present and correct), and Tom and Rob interacted in a DELIGHTFUL way, as Rob walked UP the bass and Tom DOWN the violin... er... or vica versa. It was nice anyway. Similarly we HAMMERED through "Looking At My Hands" and "Tell Me Something You Do Like", both of which ROCKED in a rather EXCITING WAY. So much so, indeed, that Tom broke a STRING. Luckily he had several more to his bow. AHA!

After this we began some NEW STUFF, during which we made an important improvement in our practice REGIME: Emma came and stood on my side of the room. I know this may not SOUND like much, but it made a GRATE difference - she HELD her microphone instead of having it on the STAND, which made HER feel better; I felt like I was singing WITH her rather than at her, which made ME feel better; and best of all, we got to share the WORDS to knew songs, which made us BOTH feel better. It was, in fact, a QOLED all of it's own. HOORAH!

With this ENACTED we began NEW MATERIAL, attempting a NEW SONG - a song SO VERY NEW in fact that I'd been writing it that afternoon, and haven't actually finished it yet. It's called "Better Things To Do" and I'd mostly thought of it as a song for the solo tape, but having discussed the fact we didn't have many "nice" or "quiet" songs we have it a go, and OOH it sounded quite nice. I was CHUFFED. After THAT we had a go at "Advent Calendar Of FACT" which may not end up being on the album but MAY be part of a SUPER SECRET SEXY PROJECT for later in the year... i tell you what, i felt WELL Christmassy by the end of that, i could SEE twinkly snow flakes falling from the ceiling as we played, it was LOVELY.

We then stopped for a discussion of the Global Consciousness manifesting itself through random number generators. I expect it is much the same when Oasis get together.

THAT done we had a JAM - Tom kicked off and we fell in behind him, and AGAIN it was LOVELY. Whilst playing it struck me how VERY VERY EASY it is to write songs in this way, but later thought that MAYBE it's easy for us because a) we are so GRATE (obviously) b) we've played together quite a lot now and c) we have TIM at the HELM. It was really nice to look over and see what was about to happen next, looking for the NOD or the WINK which'd say which way we'd be heading next, or even the EXTRA CYMBAL that'd give us a clue. The music we played we pretty quiet and gentle, but it felt EXTREMELY EXCITING to be doing it - at the end i started LAUGHING because it was SO MUCH FUN. It felt like i was a MUSICIAN! In a BAND!

This loveliness completed we WHIPPED through all the songs we'd worked out, and then headed off into the night - everyone else to their respective homesteads, me and Rob to his LOCAL. It was a PROPER local too - we got offered sandwiches from a previous function, and ended up being involved in a LOCK IN without realising it. PROPER!

I retired to the guest room very happy and very GLEEFUL at the prospect of recording all this ACE music. On the way to the station this morning we had our traditional Quick Listen to what we'd taped the night before, and LO! my excitement was WARRANTED! Hoorah!

posted 4/5/2005 by MJ Hibbett

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