Category: music

busking, Life, music

Small Town Girl

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We’re on a sort of Working Holiday. Camping in an amazing campsite near Looe and busking.

Yesterday we were in Looe. My husband went first and charmed the locals and tourists alike with his amazing voice and trumpet. By the time it was my turn to play I admitted to our little girl that I was worried people might not like my stuff. She’s like a little one person cheerleading team, she was sure people would like it. I was also a bit on the back foot as this is where I grew up. Lots of memories, like most people, some of them good, some of them not so much!

I had already bumped in to an old school friend, we sat at the same table in top infants! And I’d popped in to see another school friend who I’d not seen since I was pregnant. That helped take the nerves away. As always though, once I start playing I lose myself in the songs and just enjoy it.

Today I was in Polperro while Jerri and our little one had a quiet day. I tried (unsuccessfully) to find the house my friend used to live in. All the houses in this part of the world seem to be clinging to cliff faces and ravines as if a giant picked them up and shoved them all in to the cracks; it’s beautiful. I played in the shade and it was surprisingly cold; I stoped when my fingers went numb! I loved it though. I shall get back.

busking, music

Leap of faith

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Well, I had better luck today, the last day with the hire car. It’s been nice, but I’ll be glad to get back in the van.

I was Cathedral Green on a lovely late summer day. It’s a strange feeling breaking the silence of such a lovely place and I’m never entirely sure which song I will play until I start. Today it was ‘it must be love’

It’s a leap of faith really standing there singing. I am grateful that I can do it. Grateful that people enjoy it.

busking, music, street life

Love

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Yesterday I played in Truro. I had been out on a night out at Bone China the night before, gotten drunk on a single cocktail and eaten some wonderful food. As always though I woke early.

My husband had got the low down on busking in Truro from our good friend Andy Marshall. I got the bus into town early and there he was at Highcross. Very kindly he suggested we share the pitch, which we did.

I had a ball! It was a wonderful warm day and family and friends came out to see me. While I was playing a lovely little girl a bit younger than my own, was watching me with her nana. For what I could tell she kept making her nana come back. After 3 or 4 tines I beckoned the little girl over and gave her a CD. She looked delighted.

After I had finished playing, I went for coffee with my family and friends. Just as I sat down I noticed the same little girl coming over. She had drawn this picture. My heart melted. She gave me the biggest hug, and later came over with the CD. I signed it and she gave me another hug; what a wonderful moment.

busking, music, street life

Sound of silence

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Yesterday I was busking in Sidmouth. The hottest bank holiday ever and I have the comedy tan (burn) to prove it! I camped overnight in my van to make sure I was there early. In busking the early bird catches the worm in many places. I’ve heard that in Dublin all the pitches are decided by 7 am for the whole day and it can be like that in Bath too.

So that’s why I was dragging my stuff out of the van like a loony at stupid o clock, still in my onesie …..Well if you’ve ever got up early to get to a pitch only to be beaten by a nano second by someone else, getting changed seems a bit of a frippery! Then I waited…… and waited….. and waited……

Finally enough people were around and I started to play. I really enjoyed it. I tried out a few new songs including the mighty Sound of Silence. I love that whole album but until now I’ve shy’d away from it what with them being absolute legends at the whole singing and guitar thing! It went ok and I even got a bit emotional towards the end partly out of relief, partly reverence. I’m working on The Only Living Boy In New York at the moment. Not today though as the heat and the remains of my cold mean my voice sounds like a crackly old 78 today.

Boy was it hot! The guitar would not stay in tune even for a song which meant deciding which strings were still in tune and only playing those. Sometimes none of the strings were in tune which meant I cutting the song short. I think the battery inside the guitar got cooked as it was new but towards the end the guitar started sounding really strange and was remedied by a new one. And then finally some thing made an ominous creaking/twanging sound which means I’ll be taking the guitar into Mansons for some much needed tlc.

That’s what I’m doing today. I’m chilling out in our woods, watching a fire, listening to the birds… the feathered variety.

busking, music, street life

Some songs are worth it…

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Back in Newton Abbot today. It’s Market Day but there are hardly any stalls which is a shame all round. There are many ideas as to why the market has died but I’m not sure the revamp of the town centre will help much. I was a bit worried as just as I was about to start playing some workmen appeared on the rooftops by the canopy that’s apparent going to come down. I was hopeful that they weren’t about to start! I needn’t have worried. I chatted to the supervisor who said that work happens overnight; makes sense, it’s quite some undertaking.

Anyway, today was the first time I felt comfortable playing Female of the species’ (Space not The Walker Brothers!) I love that song. It was in the charts in my last year at Coventry University where I was doing an HND in music composition. We had a house party at the end of the summer term – a great party from what I can remember. I think we played it a lot that night.

It’s got such a good vibe to it along with all those good memories but no amount of practice it seemed helped me to settle in to it. There are songs like that and usually I either bin them or come back to them later but I have kept going with this one. Finally today I felt at home with it… hurrah for me!!!😂😂