Monday, 21 July 2014

Nobody Here But Us Chickens

There's an old joke amongst guitarists that rock guitarists play three chords to thousands of people, and jazz guitarists play thousands of chords to three people.

Well, that's jazz.

Owing to a slight lack of publicity for our performance after the prize giving at the Totnes Canoe Festival on Sunday 20th July, most of the sun-burnt public and exhausted competitors had headed for home by the time we started.  We were however rewarded by the attendance of some of the event officials and the cheerful bar staff who no doubt were disappointed by the bar takings.  We did our best to improve that during our interval of course.

We don't play 'Empty Chairs at Empty Tables' but it might make a good caption...

Actually 'Willow Weep for Me' - which we do play - is quite miserables enough. Thanks.

But it was fun.  Unlike for our Sunday lunch gigs, we were able to play at a more natural volume. And we dug out some of our party numbers like 'High-Heeled Sneakers' and 'Mustang Sally'.

Nerd time.  Mustang Sally was written by Mack Rice (often called Sir Mack Rice after being "knighted" by a record company) who got the idea after the drummer of a band said he wanted a Mustang car, rather than a Lincoln.  He called the drummer "Mustang Mama" and the song was born, with a chorus of "Ride, Sally ride" taken from a children's rhyme:

Little Sally Walker sitting in a saucer,
Ride, Sally, ride!
Wipe your weeping eyes!
Turn to the east.
Turn to the west.
Turn to the one that you love the best.

When he played the song to Aretha Franklin, she suggested he made the song "Mustang Sally" rather that "Mustang Mama" and the rest,as they say, is history.  It is now one of the most requested songs of any band playing any gig, anywhere.  So it's just as well we learnt it.

Next gig Yealmpton Show, Wednesday 30th July.

Posted by Dave Sales at 17:27 No comments: 13th Desperate Diners Club Meeting

A further successful dining club meeting was held at the Bedford Hotel. Tavistock on Sunday 6th July.

Apologies for Absence

Despite clashing with other major social events, there were no apologies for absence.  We congratulate members for finally mastering the vagaries of their video recorders to enable later viewing of sporting victories by L Hamilton at Silverstone, and N Djokovic at Wimbledon.

Group Photograph

As has become traditional, a group photograph was taken at the meal. Agenda item 1 - Pre-meeting Music

At previous meeting our drummer has established that pre-loading is essential to maintain his position as the éminence grise for the pre-meeting music enjoyed by the dining club.  Chocolate croissants were also adopted by other members of the band.

Agenda item 2 - Public Attendance

It was decided to continue to allow the public to attend the pre-meeting music.  The meeting was well attended and the public appeared to be smiling. It was agreed that the guitarist would assemble the video evidence of the pre-meeting and present it for review at the earliest opportunity.

Date of Next Meeting

Facilities are unavailable in August, so the next diners meeting is set for September 8th.  Other outings will take place as scheduled, starting with the Canoe Festival at Totnes on the 20th July.
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