Beware! The Leopard

Pre-Wedding Update

So for the first time in this blog's history (I believe), I'm writing this from my parent's computer room in Toronto.  It's been 6 months since I have been on Canadian soil, and it's been a bit of a whirlwind week.

I got laid-off from my job on Wednesday, although I get paid until June 13.   It is rather disappointing, but it was never a career, so I'm hoping that when I get back I can push myself to find something else that will pay the bills and give me the time to work on my projects. 

The flight home was a little less pleasant than normal, but it was bearable, and now it is just a matter of planning for the wedding.

Posts may be a bit sparse until the big event next Saturday, so I apologize, but I will try my best.

Update time

So here I sit in an almost empty music shop with nothing but my thoughts and some squelching guitars. 

This week's update is a little bit more morose than previous ones.  I'm feeling a bit burnt out.  Spending 8 hours a day in a music store that is teetering on closure is not an amusing way to spend your working hours.  If I'm to be truly honest, it's getting to the point where remaining positive for customers is becoming difficult.  There isn't much here we can sell them, and I am worried about finances given that a third of my salary is commission from store sales, and the store isn't selling very much.  Hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll know for sure what is happening with the store, but until then it is quite the slog.  After the wedding, it may be time to look for something else.  My company has made assurances that if this store closes they will try and fit me somewhere else, but I don't know if they have anything else in London and I am not prepared to move elsewhere.

On the music front, I have been upping my game a bit, practicing more of my solo material, and getting mentally prepared to do more. 

There is also a bit of homesickness involved in my mood.  Not that I long for my cubicle walls on Laurier Ave., but I do miss the company of my friends and family, summers on the patios of Ottawa and Toronto.  Only a few weeks until we head back to see everyone and get married.  It's going to be a great time, and a nice break from the hustle and bustle of London town.

Sorry for being a downer, but next week it will perk up.  Tonight I'm going to see Iron and Wine with Bon Iver, should be a fantastic show, I can't wait.

Cheers,

Alex

Sunday Update

So some of you have noticed the new format, I'm glad its gone over well.  The photo was taken in Brighton in late February, when M and I went to pick out our wedding bands.  Tomorrow we are heading back there to pick them up, it is rather exciting.   Also on the home front, we've had an on and off visitor, Max from Canada, who I am meeting up with again today for drinks before he heads back to the land of policy analysis.  It has been great to catch up with a friend from O-town, the first from my group of friends to make the trip out, but it has also served as a reminder that my time here may be limited and I need to get my butt in gear.

Another event has also served to underscore this urgency.  The store in which I am based, Soundcontrol, has gone into Administration (the first step of bankruptcy), so it is unclear how much longer my job will be safe and sound.  The  lads at the shop are all rather shaken up about it, and the customers are bordering on violent as their goods and funds have been seized by the administrators.  It's not a pleasant time, but hopefully it spurns me into gear.   

On the music front I've got another musical project starting up (I tend to accumulate them rather than complete them).  It will  be a goth duo type thing with lots of weird atmospheres and cool sounds.  It will probably take a little while to get off the ground, so you may not hear about it again for a few months, but it is going to be happening. 

The band is doing its usual dilly-dallying as we fight conflicting schedules to get jamming.  We've got some great songs down, and now just need to tighten them and we'll be ready to gig.  It's rather exciting, I just hope my keyboard doesn't die before then (it's a long story). 

Other than that, M and I have been to another great show last night, which I will write fully about in this week's Bands to Watch. 

Have a great holiday Monday all you UK readers, and to those who don't have a holiday tomorrow, PFFFFFFFT! 

Sunday Update

So it's been another busy week here in London.  Aside from working lots, getting a new dresser for M., and trying to enjoy every minute, the band had a decent jam on Wednesday and are really getting our sound together.  It may seem like a long time, but after a few months of getting to know each other we are starting to click musically in a way that hasn't happened with anyone before, the tunes we are writing are some of the best I've ever been a part of, and it is awesome.

I've also decided that I need to pick up a smaller keyboard for jamming.  I want to have my P-120 set up at home for recording all the time (I've got a new venture that I want to surprise you all with), and I am also worried about its durability as something is rattling on the inside -- it hasn't affected the sound yet, but I am concerned that too much traipsing up and down four floors twice a week just might destroy it.  So I'm looking at a Juno-D.  We'll see what the paycheque looks like this month before making any rash decisions though.

On Thursday, M. and I went to check out We Are Scientists.  They had two bands opening for them, Oxford Collapse and Ladyhawke.  Oxford Collapse were not really my cup of tea.  They had a good drummer, but the vocals just sounded like crap.  I don't know if it was the sound guy or the band, but either way it was not very enjoyable.  Ladyhawke were good but not great.  I felt I was watching Blondie without the stage presence.  It didn't help that they used a lot of pre-recorded backing tracks which really takes away from the live performance.  Especially for things like guitar solos.  If you've got two guitarists on stage, can't one of them play the solo? 

We Are Scientists stole the show though.  They weren't as funny as I'd expected, but they rocked the house down and they were able to get the audience moving in a way that I haven't seen any live band do in the last 14 years.  They whizzed through almost all the material from both of their albums (yes they are short records), and sonically they just had it right.  The massive light show helps as well, and I'm convinced that having a visual element to the show is a necessity to increase audience attention as well as to separate the wheat from the chaff. 

Today, because a friend from Canada was in town, we decided to head up to Cambridge and check out the university.  It's a really neat town and was super quiet, which something that we are not used to anymore given that we live on a high street in central London.  I'm going to get the photos and more details up on flickr and facebook within the week, I promise.

That's it for now! 

Cheers

jams, reviews, and colds

This week has had its share of ups and downs.  It started rather uneventfully with the usual eat, sleep, work, which continued throughout the week, but was joined by some great jams with the band.  We've got 3 songs which are pretty much gig ready, and then 2 more which are getting there.  This week was the first week in a while where I've been really optimistic about this band, and for those that know me, I'm not really an optimistic person, so this is saying a lot.  In all honesty I can say that the music I have helped create in this band, is some of the best I've ever helped create, it is intricate yet subtle, emotional, and fun.  I'm really pushing myself to come up with interesting parts, as I've never been a rock keyboardist before and I want to make sure that it sounds fantastic. 

On that note, it is time to perhaps look for a lighter/smaller keyboard.  Lugging 50lbs around with me twice a week isn't doing great things for the board itself.  I love having 88 keys with weighted action, but it is really not convenient.  Makes me wonder how bands did it before they invented digital pianos. 

This week I also had my first performance review at work.  I passed with flying colours.  There's a few things I need to work on, and they're sending me to Coventry to go on a one day retail sales course.  At least I'm seeing the country.  That's about it for this week.  I'm doing my best to keep this regular, so I'll see you next week.

Alex

p.s.  I have a cold. 

Alright already

It might be time for me to start calling this the Saturday update.  My work schedule is a bit weird with me getting Wednesdays and Sundays off, which means that Friday nights are a really awkward time to update the blog if I want to spend some quality time with my partner, or go to a show or something. 

That being said, I guess I started this blog to become more professional about my creative life, so perhaps I should buck up, sit down, and write blog posts more often.  I know at least one of my readers would be utterly joyous if I did.  Yes I'm talking about you V-Diddy.

So what has gone on this week.  Well, I've started writing a short story tentatively entitled "Dandy Forest and the Devious Llama", the title is probably a longer story than the tale itself, so I will wait until it is published to relate it.  I have also had some time to cobble together ideas for a couple of new tunes.  That's one things that is kind of nice about working in a musical instrument shop, you get to play chords for customers all day, and some times you find a progression you like. 

The band which still doesn't have a name (Moniker was the last one tossed out), is doing better than it has been in a while, we're making progress on our sound, our songs, and our friendship which is really great.  We're jamming tomorrow in a new space, and I'm looking forward to being a little more creative.

Goals for this week include creative writing everyday, and practicing my vocals every day.  Wish me luck.

Oh yeah!  I almost forgot some of the biggest news.  Because of problems with maintaining the Sancho Panza name in the London music world (with their already being a Sancho Panza DJ team), I was thinking of names for the band, and decided to keep one for myself.  Beware! The Leopard.  This is going to be my new moniker for all stuff that is currently done by "Sancho Panza" -- just imagine me as the New Yardbirds, reborn as Led Zepplin.   There will probably be a domain name change, and a revamp of this blog in the near future when I have some time to take care of it.   Don't worry, you'll get plenty of notice.

Beware! The Leopard.

On horses and heroes

Apologies for the delay in this update, but seeing as how I went to the Grand National today, I wanted to be able to share my experiences about it.

A good friend of mine's cousin gave me a ticket to go see the Grand National horse race at Aintree today.  So 6 guys piled into a people-carrier, and headed 4 hours north of London, for 4 hours of racing and then piled back in for the 4 hour drive home.  Wow was it an experience.  For those who have never looked at horse racing as an event, watch the Grand National next year.  Thousands of people flock to a tiny town outside of Liverpool for three days of horse racing, the biggest of which is the Grand National which occurs on the Saturday.  40 horses face off over 4 miles and 4 furlongs to try and win a big cash prize.  The fences are high, and so are the bets.  Some estimates put 30 million pounds bet on just the one race.  I personally dropped 40 quid on the race, and managed to pick the winner and the runner-up, which is no mean feat given that out of 40 horses, less than half actually complete the circuit with most falling over fences and out of the race.  Overall, I did quite well, 30 quid up on the day.  Excellent stuff.

Aside from the racing though, the event is quite the spectacle to watch.  All the spectators get dressed to the nines, with ladies wearing cocktail gowns and colourful hairpieces.  The men are mostly in suits, and between the 2 of them, a lot of drinking and gambling is to be had.  Horse racing has long been associated with the poshest of the posh, but I was surprised and happy to see that most of the punters are everyday folk who just want to have a good time at the races.

Pictures will be following.

I also have exciting reports about a visit from the founder of Roland, and demonstration by King Crimson's drummer.  But as I'm running out of time (I have to go to bed to get up for work tomorrow), I will save those tales for tomorrow or Tuesday.

Cheers,

S.P.

Delayed Update

Hello blog-land.  Sorry for the delay in posting this update.   It's been a busy week.  I had Sunday through Wednesday off as Easter holiday, and started work at the Roland Planet on Oxford St. on Thursday.  That is one crazy store.  The average day in the store in London is busier than the Leeds store was on Saturday.  It takes a lot of energy to keep things in order, making sure that the instruments aren't wrecked, etc.  There also seems to be a plague of people who steal the headphone adapters (1/8" to 1/4") which can be a bit of a pain if your trying to demo a unit and the headphones don't work. 

Despite the frustrations, it is nice to be on my feet all day, and to interact with the public.  Especially the people that are really keen on music.  I've already met quite a few pro-musicians (none you would know), and it's great to be paid to talk to people about music gear, and new developments, etc. 

I'm learning more from the customers than I'm teaching them.  While I  impart my wisdom and knowledge of Roland products, they teach me about human nature, music, and a combination of other things.  It is quite fascinating.  I must admit, it's a bit weird to be on the lower end of the pay scale after a few years spent ensconcing myself as an upwardly mobile D.I.N.K., but I feel rather refreshed.  I just hope this new found optimism stays.

On the music note, aside from my lack of vocal skills showcased on the mp3 I posted on Wednesday, I've been working on arrangements to properly record a demo of my solo stuff, and I've also decided to take the bull by the horns with the band to start moving things forward.  We've been a bit to laissez-faire about the whole thing and we've been operating without proper leadership.  Time to insert some Sancho Panza authority on the whole thing, or we'll never get anywhere. 

On the gig front, last night I managed to check out the Dilettantes and their live show is even better than their album.  It is odd to see the weird guy from Gilmore Girls fronting a psychedelic rock band, but once I got over that, it was a very enjoyable show.  I shared some chatter with the guitarist after the show, and it turns out he's only been with the band for 2 months and his dad is the sax player for the Doobie brothers, talk about good rock genealogy, he was a nice guy, and I wish him the best at his studies in uni.

So that's about it for me.  This week is going to be a busy one, with a trip to Swansea mid-week to meet the founder of Roland, Mr. Kakehashi.  Saturday I'm off to Aintree to watch the grand national horse race and probably lose a few quid.  I'll let you know how it all turns out.

Cheers!

S.P.

Bye Leeds, hello free time

Well, after two weeks of shuttling back and forth to Leeds for product training for my job with Roland, I am done.  I have four days off and then I start my job in London.  I can't say that Leeds has been a huge joy.  2.5 hour train rides every few days, nights spent watching the telly in the Premier Inn, and dinners pre-paid at TGI Fridays.  It's going to be nice to stay in my own bed for more than 2 nights at a go, and not having to eat crap too often.

It'll also be nice to get my music back on track.  Being separated from my guitars and piano does take its toll.  I know that I'm surrounded by instruments all day, and I do manage to sneak a few licks in here and there, but it is much better to be able to sit and practice properly. 

I'm going to make a promise now to have another mp3 up for Wednesday.  I know that's a big promise given my track record over the past months, but it will happen this week.  As much as I'm enjoying my time at Roland, dealing with musicians on a regular basis, I know that I need to get my stuff back on track.  First step is to get a demo done.  So you've already heard "Fade Away" available on the music page.  Next up is going to be "Northern Line".  Expect it Wednesday.

Apologies for the delay in this post.  Thankfully they have internet on the train back to London.

Cheers!

S.P.

Trains and more trains

   

So this week has seen another musical breakthrough and minimal progress.  After my big open mic showing two Sundays ago, I had promised myself that I would play again last weekend, but life got in the way courtesy of a necessary jam with the boys to figure out parts for one of songs.  We did manage to nail some parts down, and this is where the breakthrough comes in.  Our lineup is changing slightly, with Assad moving to the bass for regular duties, and me moving to keyboards.  Assad is a much better bass player than I am, and the addition of keys to the group really fills out our sound as well as bringing a distinctive element not necessarily common in the music we're writing.

Other than this breakthrough, not much has been going on.  I've spent a lot of this week traveling back and forth to Leeds to get trained up on Roland products.  I have one more week of these shenanigans before I move into the London store to start my job proper.  Never before have I had so much training before starting a job.  I suppose in the government, I technically had 2 years of training in the AETP, but really it felt like I was thrown to the wolves in some of my placements, and like Gerard Butler in 300, I emerged victorious!  I'm sure the same will occur with this job, but there are a lot of things to remember, and working with the public is a bit different than working with fellow bureaucrats. 

The next couple of weeks are probably going to maintain their busy-ness, which is good, but I do need to focus on the reason I'm here, to make music. 

Wish me luck.

S.P.