So last night, thankfully all my stress was alleviated by Tubelord, Colour, Calories and Tall Ships absolutely ramming out the Old Blue Last like I have never seen it before. It was ridiculous. It was the best feeling knowing that we only needed about 10 extra people in (after advance sales) to break even, so to have at least 150 in (I haven't done the maths yet) is pretty incredible. There were lots of good industry people there to impress as well, and I'm looking at taking on the London-bound responsibilites of more bands as a direct result of the success of last night.
Bosh.
Another good thing was seeing people I hadn't seen for a long time, particularly Jess and Marsha, two people I always have massive fun with and recently, never really seem to get to hang out with at all. It's kinda weird how sometimes you grow apart a little without really meaning to, but just a tiny bit of effort is all you really need. Note to self for the rest of 2009 - make a little bit more effort.
I watched Yes-Man in the cinema the other day, to kill a bit of time with Sean and Toby before I bopped round Charlie's house for the evening. Aside from it actually being quite good, and Zooey Deschanel being one of the hottest human beings alive, it made me realise that I had a lot in common with the main character in the film. I guess it's good doing as much as you can and keeping yourself busy, and I know for a fact if I didn't then I would end up just being depressed and dwelling on shit things.
Which brings me to the recurring dream, that I haven't had for a while but have started having again recently. It's pretty horrible, basically it involves me finding my brother somewhere and I look at his face and his eyes are all dilated, but he's talking to me and it's just random words coming out, like he's on drugs, and I try and shake him in a panicked attempt to sober him up but it doesn't work and he dies in my arms. Every fucking time. It's pretty much the most horrible thing my brain could ever conjure up. I don't know why it's doing this to me.
That said, it's countered slightly by the recurring dream where I pretend to make up with Gee and Alistair, pick them up from some party, and then leave them stranded in some wilderness.
In other news, there's this song I'm writing and it's actually the catchiest thing I've ever written. This pop song malarky might just work.
Current listening:
Mogwai - Come On Die Young
Nick Drake - Bryter Layter
Iain Macaulay - Daylight
Thursday, 8 January 2009
Tuesday, 6 January 2009
too late to tell you you were wrong, another woe to dwell upon...
...I am an idiot and I ruin everything. I am an idiot and I ruin everything.
Not had the best of days at all. Been bored shitless at work and spent most of the day making arrangements for tomorrow night's Tubelord show at Old Blue Last. Lots of people asking for guestlist, always seems to be the same names, always.
I nearly had an argument with an agent who didn't want to pay the (frankly brilliant) cheaplist price of £2 for the show, claiming he shouldn't have to pay to see his own bands - it's not the norm, apparently. I would've argued with him, that the way I do promotion in London isn't exactly "the norm" - ie, at this level, I actually try and pay the bands - and that for example, someone who works at Sainsburys might want to get their food for free but just pays a bit less than everyone else. Which essentially, was a good analogy.
But, like the weak and feeble shit I am, I caved in. "Course you can have free guestlist. And while you're at it, please take my principles with you, they're no use to me anyway."
If there's one thing in the world I hate, it's being undermined. If there's one thing in the world I hate more than being undermined, it's being utterly powerless to stop it. I will be the first to admit that I am absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of the London music industry, but I'm trying to make a difference. I have no funding, I have no backing, all I have is an idea that bands should be treated fairly. It's not "DIY" in the sense that ALL the money should be given to bands, in fact I'd say it's quite far from the DIY ethic, in that I try and run things in an efficient, business-like manner. But I can't continue to operate in the way I do, if I lose as much money as I lost last year in putting on shows.
Sometimes it's nice being a carp in Kingston but when you swim up the river to London, you realise you're just a minnow. I'm determined to be more like a shark as each day goes by.
Incidentally, I am still rubbish at things and it's taken me about 10 days, a new personal best, to completely ruin something that was amazing. I think. I don't know. Maybe I just worry too much. I hope so, at least.
2009 started brightly but now I'm back to a recurring theme which came about in 2008: "Dear ground, please open up beneath me. Cheers."
Current listening:
Mew - Frengers
Jetplane Landing - Backlash Cop
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up Til It Was Light
Not had the best of days at all. Been bored shitless at work and spent most of the day making arrangements for tomorrow night's Tubelord show at Old Blue Last. Lots of people asking for guestlist, always seems to be the same names, always.
I nearly had an argument with an agent who didn't want to pay the (frankly brilliant) cheaplist price of £2 for the show, claiming he shouldn't have to pay to see his own bands - it's not the norm, apparently. I would've argued with him, that the way I do promotion in London isn't exactly "the norm" - ie, at this level, I actually try and pay the bands - and that for example, someone who works at Sainsburys might want to get their food for free but just pays a bit less than everyone else. Which essentially, was a good analogy.
But, like the weak and feeble shit I am, I caved in. "Course you can have free guestlist. And while you're at it, please take my principles with you, they're no use to me anyway."
If there's one thing in the world I hate, it's being undermined. If there's one thing in the world I hate more than being undermined, it's being utterly powerless to stop it. I will be the first to admit that I am absolutely nothing in the grand scheme of the London music industry, but I'm trying to make a difference. I have no funding, I have no backing, all I have is an idea that bands should be treated fairly. It's not "DIY" in the sense that ALL the money should be given to bands, in fact I'd say it's quite far from the DIY ethic, in that I try and run things in an efficient, business-like manner. But I can't continue to operate in the way I do, if I lose as much money as I lost last year in putting on shows.
Sometimes it's nice being a carp in Kingston but when you swim up the river to London, you realise you're just a minnow. I'm determined to be more like a shark as each day goes by.
Incidentally, I am still rubbish at things and it's taken me about 10 days, a new personal best, to completely ruin something that was amazing. I think. I don't know. Maybe I just worry too much. I hope so, at least.
2009 started brightly but now I'm back to a recurring theme which came about in 2008: "Dear ground, please open up beneath me. Cheers."
Current listening:
Mew - Frengers
Jetplane Landing - Backlash Cop
Johnny Foreigner - Waited Up Til It Was Light
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