So this is what we missed!

We're a mid-table band, middle-aged, mid-life, middle of the road, call it what you will, this isn't our only career, it isn't our primary focus, and it can't be, we're juggling 10 kids between us with half a dozen mortgages and there is no money in mid-scale music. 

The point I am trying to make is, this is our hobby, this is our release, our creativity, our holiday; so when all that was taken away from us last year we were all a bit restless, a bit pent up and stir-crazy, we were longing for those far away heady days when we would lug our gear across the country and try to fit on a stage no bigger than a shower tray, when we would drive 100's of miles to festivals just for that hit of 'exposure' and maybe a case of warm Carlsberg thrown in to boot. It wasn't the glamour my friends, it was the camaraderie of life in a band, that's why we did it, and that's what we all missed so much.

So this year when restrictions were finally lifted we were as eager as ever to jump back on the 'band wagon' and get back on the road man! And despite adding a couple more babies to the odd folk creche, we were all well rested and ready for action. Or so we thought.

The first few gigs back were ropey, at best. The lineup had taken a seismic shift when the piano player failed to turn up in the summer. We were a little light so we quickly drafted in The Deputy for the season and he kinda re-imagined our sound. It's a little like when the accordion player stood in for the guitar player and then ended up replacing him. I'm not saying that's happening now, but something is certainly bubbling away. By early summer we'd been up to Wales to begin work on our long awaited third album. By the mid summer we were purring. But by the end of the august we were absolutely exhausted. 12 gigs in and we were ready for another lockdown. 

The workload certainly takes it toll. And I know we've written about it before, but what goes on behind the scenes is enormous, and after a year out it's even heavier! Cause you guys only see 20% of the band; us turning up, tuning up and prancing around on stage, with maybe a drink at the bar ;) 80% of band life is behind the scenes; all the jokes, the traveling, trying to Tetris all your gear in the back of the van, all the arrangements, the arguments, disagreements, the triumphs and disasters, all the song-writing, and back stabbing, and admin, and chasing payments, the hustle, the promo, the planning, the logistics and then losing your van keys. That's the real magic folks, that's the grit and drama of life in a band. And we'd missed that part too. 

And the festivals, how much have we all missed them? Carrying all our gear across the site in search of the perfect spot to camp, the merging of so many sound systems carried on the breeze, crowd cheers and laugher and snippets of conversation, the distant music while you sleep, the random chat that wakes you in the middle of the night, or filters into your dreams, that first scratch of a hangover in the morning, the hopelessness, the search for breakfast, the extra cost of stuff, that festival tax, the first sip of cool cider around the midday mark, the ache of your back and the throb of your feet, your head under a tap to wash away the fug, it's all worth it, and the feeling at the end is only happiness, that you shared something with other people, in a sort of stolen time, a little bubble that feels like forever but is over in a flash. 

It's funny taking a year off, pining away for the good old days, for the resumption of normal service, cause when it arrives you're like: "So this is what we've missed!" Maybe a year out makes you rusty, or maybe we were so eager to get back to gigging that we booked 12 in 8 weekends which is something we would never do in the old days, especially as we're expecting a baby in the middle of it all. It's all very how NOT to be in a band! So at least we're still en point! And there we were thinking the loss of the piano player would somehow tighten us up and bring an end to the mistakes that have plagued us. But no, it seems firmly ingrained in our psyche; already this summer we ran up a bar tab higher than our wage, drove into a lamppost and then lost the only van key. It's hard making up for lost time and trying to pick up speed, and it's bloody tiring. Guess it's lucky we're a mid-table band hey, I don't think we could do this full time.

But it has been worth it, seeing all you lovely people again, listening and dancing and sharing our songs and stories, it's what makes this such a special hobby and one we will chase to the end of the rainbow.

So there you have it, the end of our summer season is fast upon us folks. We have our final gig this weekend and then we can sit back and reflect, burrow deep into our day jobs and our families. But don't worry, we'll be back next season with a brand new album and hopefully a return to Europe too. 

Losing the guitar player was hard, losing the piano player harder still, but it's all part of the cycle, the show goes on and the music changes and evolves but the intent remains. We're in a good place; 10 years in. Same again? I'd say :)