Magic Ethereal Frond Alchemy
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T3 : London 1999: |
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Note: the recording of this set is available on Acid Jam II |
| There
was a fantastic '3rd Stage' upstairs at T3, which a lot of folks
unfortunately didn't know about, owing to the fact that it was at the
top of the building and demanded climbing far too many stairs .... BUT
... the fast-access secret was easily discovered if you tried hard
enough : there was a very efficient elevator !! And after experiencing
some of my favourite moments of the entire 3 days there, I didn't fight
too strongly against the notion of making my first stage appearance
since about 1994. But then it was late on the last night of the fest'
and I'd done nothing to hussle my way into any jams or other blows,
being content to just BE there and dig what everyone else was doing
..... until ..... well, there was Nick Salamon, Paul Simmons and Adrian
Shaw obviously about to get something together onstage .... and I was
sitting on the floor about to enjoy yet another wig-lifting set... when
Ade Shaw said "Ready then, Rodney? Fancy doing something ??"
And a completely improvised collection of musicians and music began to
'happen'. Nick said "Which key ??" and from force of habit I
mumbled "E". And I asked Ade to make it a nice, Eastern drone
... "like 'Desert Sands' " I said ( an old "Magic
Muscle" song from nearly 30 years earlier) .... and we were away. I
sang some of the "Desert Sands" lyrics (which were originally
improvised anyway) and then added whatever 'came thru' from the old sub
-conscious. When I ran-out of things to say I just climbed offstage.
Later, other musicians came & went and it was an amazing musical
'happening'. The whole thing, for me, took about 15 minutes tops I guess
... but it gave me a confidence and a 'will' to perform which I hadn't
felt for some time. In fact, THIS could be the way forward for me
musically. By taking a step back and incorporating 'improvizations' I
have used all my life, from days of 'blues' jamming through times
onstage when I simply forgot the words and made-up others on the
spot.... and also thru the free -wheelin' daze of Magic Muscle.....
Perhaps this free-form singing (notes as well as lyrics) could be the
new Ethereal Counterbalance of the future. (?) |