>> 2007 <<

Welcome to 2007.

Lets hope it will be a happy and prosperous year for all.

First up - "The New Years Eve Gig". Oh dear. Totally not my scene, man!!! I finally met some of the members of the "band" I was to play with at lunchtime on the 31st. Then I found out some of the numbers they's be playing. Nice to have so much warning. Mmmm.

For a player such as myself, I believe in 3 absolute necessities for every gig I play.

1. Preparation
2. Preparation
3. Preparation

Its fine if you're a seasoned reader, you can pick up a music sheet or tabs or dots or whatever and just get on with it. I can read, but just not fast enough to do that. I need to have some time before a gig with a definite set list of songs so that I can run through them a few times first. I do believe its known as practice! Then the music or tabs become memory aids and I can do my job well AND enjoy myself.

That's right. I'll put it in caps. ENJOY MYSELF. Because if I don't enjoy what I'm doing, what's the point in doing it? Being a musician and playing in a band is all about getting a buzz out of it. When you're enjoying it, you're entertaining your audience all the more, because they pick up your vibes. When the vibes are good, like when you're really enjoying yourself, the audience senses it and they enjoy themselves too! Conversely, if you're on a downer, your audience will beat a path to the exit so fast you'll wonder what happened. No one wants to be entertained by a misery guts!

(Unless, of course that IS part of your act - Van Morrison with his back to the audience at THAT gig springs to mind here...)

So back to the New Years Eve gig. I couldn't play a bunch of songs I'd never played before just by reading it out of a book. My performance would have been wooden at best, filled with mistakes and getting lost at worst, so we parted company there and then. Life goes on...

On a brighter note, the Music Factory band has a name... "Calibration" - I just found out! We got back together for our first rehearsal of 2007 and it is really sounding good. Predominantly 70's disco/funk, its a lot of fun. I've posted a link to our website opposite. We'll be ready to gig in a couple of weeks so anyone out there that wants to book us for parties, weddings, corporate shindigs etc, visit the site for contact details. A good night will be had by all.

I'm also joining the teaching staff at the Music Factory (see link opposite), specialising in bass (no, really!) and guitar. I will also be taking private lessons in your own homes in the Fuengirola area or if you are a bit further afield, you can come to me. Contact me by email (see opposite).

That's it for now, I'm still getting the blues article together and will post it soon.

Thanks for visiting this blog, come back again soon and tell your friends!

Terry Roberts