Dear all,
Well it has been a rather jolly ten days since my last bloggage. First up it was off to the wonderful Northeast to play two gigs one with the genuine legend Alistair Anderson and then one on my lonesome. Unexpectedly though I ended up in Sunderland on the Friday night playing lead guitar in a cracking covers gig with my old chum Simma which was a blast as ever. The Saturday was spent in Rothbury playing with Alistair. It was just one of those wonderful gigs that I wanted to go on forever and I felt so proud to be playing with the man. He is of course a hero in those parts for all his incredible work over the years and it was a special gig indeed. He really has been there and done it all and I feel like something of an apprentice in his presence! More gigs with Ali later this year then a whole bunch next year so that will be marvellous!
Then it was a bit of a nostalgia trip on Sunday playing at the Sage Gateshead for their annual Americana festival. I spent much of my folk music degree studying at the Sage so it was kind of weird to be back there. The two gigs went very well anyway and I had a great time playing lots of bluegrass!
Then the last few days I’ve been rehearsing the new thing I’m so desperate to tell you about but can’t just yet…but trust me I am buzzing about it!
Wow I’m doing short paragraphs today…well coming up this weekend I’m playing my spiritual home of Joxers in Stafford for the first time since the change of hands in the ownership. I’m sure it’ll still be as special as ever so do come on down if you fancy it.
And there I am with another short paragraph. So the rant for the week is about use of the word sick. I always thought meanings of the word sick varied between the following:
1) being ill
2) disgusting
3) vomit
So how on earth did it become a complimentary word? I was complimented (I now realise) a while ago at a gig when someone said my playing was sick. I thought does it makes you ill, is it disgusting or offensive or actual vomit? I subsequently learned that he meant it was rather good but how on earth did the meaning change quite so dramatically? I mean can we do this with any word – it’s a fun game if you want to try it.