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open mike report
So okay, while my mind was on anti-war songs, my iPod came up with Men at Work's "It's a Mistake". Which I like. So I adapted it for my funny-tuned guitar and learned it for tonight--figuring I'd better get on it before the line "Is it on then, are we on the brink?" becomes dated.
I'm not sure I'll be playing it much--I do like it, but it's a sardonic song, and I just don't know how to sing sardonically.
I've been doing this thing the last few months where, for various reasons, I end up writing a new song while I'm at an open mike, to be played that night. (Mostly dissatisfaction with the songs I know already--including the songs I've already written this way, since I write them under time pressure and I don't fix them for a while, if ever.) It's really rude--I spend the whole night ignoring the other musicians, I end up performing a half-finished song, I have to bring a cheat sheet and read off it, and I still make mistakes. So I feel guilty, but I keep doing it.
Take tonight--I'd made up my mind I wasn't going to do it, I was going to play "It's a Mistake" and one of the other songs I'm already comfortable with. I had my hands full just cramming for the one song, I couldn't afford to spend the whole time writing another one. But then someone said something dismissive about covers, and so I couldn't do two covers, and I wasn't happy with any of my guitar originals, and I didn't have any other instruments with me, so, there I was.
And it turned out okay. The song started out being about big life decisions, then it was a plaintive love song, and it ended up a kind of sinister song about corrupting youth. Which was, frankly, a relief. I don't need any more plaintive love songs.
I'm not sure I'll be playing it much--I do like it, but it's a sardonic song, and I just don't know how to sing sardonically.
I've been doing this thing the last few months where, for various reasons, I end up writing a new song while I'm at an open mike, to be played that night. (Mostly dissatisfaction with the songs I know already--including the songs I've already written this way, since I write them under time pressure and I don't fix them for a while, if ever.) It's really rude--I spend the whole night ignoring the other musicians, I end up performing a half-finished song, I have to bring a cheat sheet and read off it, and I still make mistakes. So I feel guilty, but I keep doing it.
Take tonight--I'd made up my mind I wasn't going to do it, I was going to play "It's a Mistake" and one of the other songs I'm already comfortable with. I had my hands full just cramming for the one song, I couldn't afford to spend the whole time writing another one. But then someone said something dismissive about covers, and so I couldn't do two covers, and I wasn't happy with any of my guitar originals, and I didn't have any other instruments with me, so, there I was.
And it turned out okay. The song started out being about big life decisions, then it was a plaintive love song, and it ended up a kind of sinister song about corrupting youth. Which was, frankly, a relief. I don't need any more plaintive love songs.