A couple of pro type acoustic guitar pins – solid brass (right) and solid brass with epoxy (left)
VALENTINE’S Day. We don’t pay too much attention but we do swap cards.
We also both ignored our ‘no gifts’ rule. Margaret’s got me a nice gig shirt…and I’ve got her a….erm…power washer! She’s been wanting one for ages.
I do a little work on some prototype brass guitar pins. The first sound hole goes right through the brass so I fill it with black epoxy. The next one is more like I intend. I quite like both versions.
In the studio I try to tidy up a bit and start setting up the space to begin recording sessions for the new album…it’s looking like the Kickstarter is gonna reach it’s target 🙂
Late afternoon the wind’s died down a bit – I haven’t had a paddle in a month and decide to head out on the loch for half-an-hour.
Back in the studio I do a video Kickstarter update, post it around my socials then head back to the house to make dinner.
After our black pepper beef noodles we watch a little telly and I find an email from Kickstarter telling me that Creative Scotland has supported the campaign through its Forward Funder scheme.
That, along with a couple more generous pledges this evening, means I just need £78 more in pledges to reach the £4,000 target. Happy days!
A still from Meet me in the City video footage at the Voodoo Rooms, Edinburgh
WE SLEEP in and I’m not feeling 100%…there does seem to be some kind of lurgy hangin’ around me.
After doing some Kickstarter promo to my mail list using the live Still Friends video from Saturday as a hook I deal with my socials.
Next job is pulling some stills from the footage of Meet me in the City with me playing the guitar Geoff Peck put together for me. He’s asked for some pix.
I sneak into the office to make a Valentine’s card for Maragret. I don’t agree with all the hype and commercial crap so refuse to spend money on Valentine-specific stuff (although I have ordered a surprise gift for her)…but wanna have a card for her. For as long as I remember I’ve made my own Valentine’s, birthdays etc cards.
I go and pick up Betty and bring her along for dinner and we have a grand night catching up before I drive her home.
AN EARLY start to get the old PA from the studio to the house before my morning guitar lessons. Someone has bought via Facebook and is coming to collect later.
The first guitar session is online in the studio and followed immediately with one of my weekly in-person students at the house.
All go good and there’s a few minutes after the in-person session before the buyer arrives to pick up the PA.
Margaret’s away with the car all day so I need to get the bus to Balloch for my session at the school. The service isn’t;t that regular so I get to Balloch a good hour and a bit early.
It’s colder than I expect when I get off the bus and I’m starting to need a piss so go to a coffee shop, meet my needs and stray warm with a coffee and WiFi.
The school session is good but West Dunbartonshire Council is completely useless in sorting out my PVG/disclosure and still haven’t even responded to repeated requests form both myself and the school.
The scheme requires ‘the employer’ to start the process but while it’s a requirement the council still hasn’t bothered.
Back home I investigate and find I can join the PVG scheme via the Musicians’ Union (MU). I start the ball rolling. Fuck the council folks.
Fiona’s coming for dinner and I’m making fresh pasta…by the time she arrives I’m covered in flour 🙂
FREYA has us awake and up at the crack of dawn and I get my sourdough in the oven.
I have a lot of stuff to get done in the studio and Margaret takes Freya swimming. They get the bus to the village and I’ll go and pick them up later.
Meantime, I pack the car with stuff to go to the dump later. Shoulda gone ages ago but opening times and the availability of ‘appointments’ have made it awkward. While I completely disagree with folks dumping stuff, I can see how frustration might tempt them to do just that!
I bring Margaret and Freya home, we have lunch then I get back to work until it’s time to head to the dump. Catriona’s meeting us in the car park nearby to collect Freya.
WE’RE both knackered and the lurgy seems to have gripped us now the adrenaline of the last few days has faded. We sleep until after midday!
I drag myself to the studio to unload and try and tidy up a little then do some work on the Kickstarter campaign round my socials and stuff.
I also create a campaign landing page on my website.
A courier drops off a new microphone I ordered from GuitarGuitar – a hypercardiod Shure vocal mic. The engineer in Aberdeen had one on loan and I liked it so much I ordered one on Saturday morning!
I do a few tests with my wee PA in the studio and it’s really nice – clarity, power and much better feedback rejection than my trusty old SM58 and SM58 Beta.
It’s getting late when I get back to the house. Margaret makes dinner and I edit a bit of video from the Edinburgh show.
We chill and watch the first of three films about American music – American Epic. There was a reference to it on the radio during a piece about the new Led Zeppelin doc and although I couldn’t find it on any of our streaming services, I found it on YouTube 😉
Thank you all for coming out to the Edinbrugh show \../
AFTER a lazy morning catching up peon emails, socials and posting some ‘on the day’ promo for to ngiht’s show in Edinburgh we hit the road.
We stop in Stonehaven for brunch then again in Dundee to pick up some shopping.
It’s bang on load-in time when we get to the Voodoo Rooms and gig rep Evelyn is waiting for us.
Engineer Craig has done my sound a few times at the venue and is first class.
Once sound checks are done we’re fed then we hang out in the dressing room ’til it’s time for Trevor to open the show. It’s a full house and there’s a few familiar faces in the crowd.
As usual, he goes down a storm then it’s my turn to hit the stage…then a couple tunes together at the end.
All in, a fantastic night. We drop Les off in Edinburgh then head for home. Knackered.
Trevor joins me for an encore at the Voodoo Rooms 🙂
WE’RE all up kinda late and sit round for breakfast.
I have some online merch orders to pack up and drop at the post office then pack the car.
We’re waiting on the postie dropping off some Kickstarter promo flyers so I can put them out at tonight and tomorrow’s gigs – as soon as we have them we head off to Aberdeen.
Trevor and Emma follow us and we rendezvous at the hotel we’re staying in just south of the city.
Load in and sound check’s a breeze. We’re in the bigger downstairs room at the Blue Lamp and engineer Chris is fantastic. They have a pretty slick rig in there now too 🙂
We head off to get some chips and get back just as doors open….then Trevor hits the stage.
He plays a blinder then it’s my turn.
There’s a good crowd in and we have a really good night 🙂
AWAKE before my alarm to get the Kickstarter live.
Then there’s the obligatory posting round socials and Facebook covers to follow….and a mailout to my email list.
I have a community hydro society board meeting that lasts all morning then check in on the Kickstarter. Looks like it’s off to a good start.
After lunch I run through some more of my set for tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday shows.
I get my gear packed ready to go in the car in the morning then sort the merch out with Margaret.
Trevor and Emma rock up in plenty time for dinner, Margaret serves up a fantastic kung pao tofu and we have a grand evening, finally turning in around 2am.
AFTER my regular Wednesday morning guitar student leaves I get some more brass pins and necklaces into ‘production’. I wanna have three of each for the merch table at the weekend.
Margaret’s off to Glasgow for some shopping and drops me at the school in Balloch.
Turns out there’s no kids around so I’m ‘surplus’ and get away early. I walk to the bus stop and am home by 3pm!
Although I seem to managing to keep the lurgy (mostly) at bay I’m knackered and end up having a nap on the couch before hitting the studio where I run through some of my set for the upcoming shows.
The new album Kickstarter campaign goes live tomorrow (Thursday) and I need assets to promote around my socials. Facebook covers, vertical video etc…so I get busy….
