Tough

You only get tough from taking a beating. You only stay tough from taking regular beatings. I played my third gig in three days on the bass and I can feel all kinds of different pain from every little part of my finger ends. It got so bad that slapping was easier than plucking. Even then I burnt out my first and second reserve fingers. That just leaves me with my little finger and one more gig to play; I'm not sure those figures add up. Tomorrow I will present myself ready to play with some trepidation. I have a fear that one of my fingers will spurt a magnificent arc of crimson over the audience mid way through the first set regardless of how I will get to the end of the second. Lee Rocker once posted on his web site that he was getting up to speed on their tour because he'd played til his callouses blistered and bled. Respect is due. As it was when Dizzy had to play through cracked and broken lips because that was his job. When I was a kid music seemed like an easy option. Not so easy now.

Goon Movie

I love The Goon. Stumbled upon it shortly before Hellboy had gone totally mainstream. It's a shame that success fucks something up when the reason for its success is it's underground, subversive and cult appeal, once it turns mainstream the money steers it towards safe and mass appeal and Boom! It's fucked! The trailer makes this look good tho and may be the Goon is tough enough to resist the mainstream; everyday stories of love and loss set against a backdrop of gangsters, zombies and voodoo priests.

Marcus

So I get this call saying "Do you want to set up the gig now or what?" and I'm a little bit like "er- i'm watching Dr Who on the iPlayer right now" but then I think "it might be quite useful to set up right now actually". Anyway, we're part way though setting up when the act turns up and I'm like "wow, you're lucky we're even here" and he's like "cool, whatever". Anyway- we sound-check and are totally at a loose end for the rest of the day. So we get back to my place, chat, have a coffee or two, jam some stuff- this is like the best day of my life, but I'm totally keeping a lid on it if you know what I mean. Anyway, we get to the gig and it turns out he's only the best fucking bluesman you ever heard- check him out... Marcusbonifanti.com.