The phrase feeling the cold in my bones has finally found meaning for me, being out a couple of nights recently where the thermometer hits -6C has been an experience, and one that I shall try to avoid in future.

We had two gigs this weekend, one at Cambridge Folk Club on Friday where the audience was a bit sparse possibly due to the Arctic conditions though they seemed to enjoy it. We videoed the gig to use for promotional purposes so that was a plus. I didn’t feel were were connecting with the audience as we did the last time we played there but we got some good feedback in between sets.

Saturday night we were in St Albans and had a lively night in one of the many pubs that has live music and we had a good crowd and played a very lively set.
just as we arrived I got a full on back ache that spread to my ribs and shoulders and had a very uncomfortable first set, but things eased a bit by the second set perhaps due to a pint of real ale consumed in the first set. We had a few friends in the audience that night so it was quite a jolly affair by the end.

A woman we have met at our gigs a couple of times, asked what we expected to be doing a in few years time, as in how would we be developing our music career. I managed to stifle the urge to say “Hopefully not starving, if we are still alive”.

She was talking about using project management techniques, and I waited whilst she went through the whole spiel. I then explained that I was no stranger to gant charts and that forward projections are pretty irrelevant. A bunch of semi-geriatrics is not likely to get signed to a record deal and there is no Mr big waiting around the corner with a fist full of dollars or even a pocket full of 50p’s. She did also ask if we had a manager, and in my experience unless they are also taking on the role of investor there is virtually nothing that they can do that we can’t do for ourselves, or are all ready doing.

A couple of years back an independent producer offered to do a record with us. He seemed to think we had money to burn and that we would tip some on his personal bonfire. A lot of people are so desperate to get heard that they are willing victims for this sort of stuff. He told us our songs were weak and he being a songwriter could write better ones for us. Now there’s a surprise ! If you have a product that people want they will pay you for it but a lot of the music industry at the bottom works by taking your money and the deal you get satisfies your vanity but nothing else.

Now anyone can get music on Itunes and everything else worldwide, but you may only sell a few pence worth. A lot of people still get sold on the fantasy of course…