PML …again
This song has now been performed three times live on video, alas none with the ultimate Sky, our dear Missy Io. That day will come (sometime this year I swear). This occasion was Hogmanay, or Scottish New Year. A neighbor in Montara has been teaching me a little bit of piano, which I’ve proven to be a marginal student at thus far. On the side, though, she’s also been helping me with arranging, and this little gig was an experiment towards that end. The teacher, Shauna Pickett-Gordon, was the hostess of a traditional Hogmanay house party, complete with an abundance of Scottish fiddlers, a violist, a flutist, baran players, to name a few. I snagged the viola player (David Lange) and one of the fiddlers (Bill Tillotson), Shauna stepped in on piano and Judi Engel, a local singer, took the role of Sky in Missy’s absence.
I feel there were an abundance of shortcomings with the performance, and most of them in hindsight were directly a result of things I could have avoided, but it’s a learning process. I especially loved the interplay between bass and viola (supposed to be cello) which is exactly what I’ve been hearing in my head for a couple of years, and finally got to see and hear it come to life.
Jeremy did the video and editing and one of my mistakes was to encourage him to use a tripod, as it kind of backfired in that he was unable to pan from where he sat to show anyone but the singer and the big doofus on bass. Still, that allowed me to study all the little things I failed to do right, such as playing at a completely different tempo than what I counted in. There was also a huge glitch going in to the first verse and the band was kind of discombobulated for a while, but eventually we kinda sorta recovered. The audience (most of them pretty savvy musicians) seemed genuinely impressed with the song, so that was nice.
I know when the lights go up on the final band including one fabulous Missy Io on piano and vocals, we will shine in glory. We’ll also have eight other immaculately rehearsed and impeccably arranged tunes to go with it. The dream is alive.
I do like the textures. But it just ain’t PML without Sluggomighty, not to my ears.
Bass player was just fine, however.
Comment on January 2, 2012 @ 11:07 pm
Expecting a front row seat and autographed program when it opens.
Comment on January 3, 2012 @ 6:47 am
An intelligent song, finely crafted and heavy on nuance, suffers the pressure of having to be performed with virtual impeccability for it to truly shine. That’s why I write simple rock songs, heavy on emotion, that almost demand a few fuck ups to define their character.
In other words, once Missy hits the stage, all the kinks get worked out, and it gets played in context with the other titles, it’ll be a masterpiece.
Comment on January 3, 2012 @ 8:23 am
Thanks Aldous. That’s a nice vision to aspire to.
Comment on January 3, 2012 @ 9:51 am
What, did I kill the blog?
Comment on January 4, 2012 @ 7:15 pm
Hi! Nice post. I have dropped by to tell you about Alvirex, the new cream supplement that makes your Hogmanay rashes a thing of the past!
Comment on January 4, 2012 @ 11:30 pm
Thanks hrs, I’ll keep that in mind. Every time about this year I start to itchin’ from a little too much fun at Hogmanay. Now I know the solution.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 8:31 am
Jeez, there’s something odd in the queue.
I mean, really, really weird.
Sorry about approving that spam. But for all the scratchy Scots, it may be a blessing.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 10:51 am
I loved it except that, as I understand it, His Honorable Mr. Hogmanay Rash Supplements is now with us as a trusted colleague who may post at will. Perhaps the scourge of Hogmanay rash justifies such an elevation. We’ll see how he makes use of his exalted status.
Weird that I feared I’d killed the blog only for it to be saved by hogmanay rash supplements.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 12:44 pm
It was me, all right? Jeez.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 12:46 pm
Had the spam rap down solid. I guess you’ve see a few.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 12:49 pm
Those friendly spambots. They always like the blog, though. Unrelentingly positive, for the most part.
There is always the guy who says ‘I see your point, but you should consider providing more detail’ on the very first post ever, ‘About New Worlds’.
And then there’s the crazy Russians. I don’t understand a single word of it, but it scares me anyway.
Ivan Indeed.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 1:12 pm
Whenever I need a little ego gratification; i.e., “this is the best blog I’ve ever read…” it’s time for a quick dip in the blog bog. My best fans are always waiting.
Comment on January 5, 2012 @ 2:17 pm