Music And Friendship

 Emotional Weather Warning - Strong gusts of Sentimentality and heavy showers of Gushing are forecast:

I didn't come into music and songwriting in the time honoured way; joining up with a band of mates, playing covers in the local, etc. For me it was more of an upstairs in the bedroom, therapy, sort of thing, which began after I became a father and a family man.  I played the odd song to friends/victims (sit down The Tomlinsons), but wasn't part of any music scene until a certain  fella (sit down Dave "The Marmite" Card) heard about my songwriting and got me to play with him in a local bar (The Cruban, Carradale) and subsequently to be part of a local music cooperative that he'd just started. And so, totally thanks to him, I started playing sporadic and painful gigs, becoming renowned for writing a catchy wee rocker called "Potatoman"... and for a lack of confidence on stage. But not necessarily in that order. 

Then I ended up going on a songwriting course in Bath because I knew I loved songwriting, but felt like I needed some sort of injection of something or other. The course was helpful in many ways, but what was better was the friendship I made with a group of songwriters, collectively and affectionately now known as The Ceridwen Cowboys and Girls. Somehow, though  we are spread out over the land, we have managed to form a special bond, and  meet twice yearly to simply write songs and cement our friendships. I, for one, am not planning to stop meeting up with them until I'm at least 6 feet under. And even then...

More recently, for the last 3 years, I've started playing at Kintyre Songwriter's Festival  which was begun 4 years ago  by a group of friends of an inspirational local musician and songwriter called Kenny Gilchrist, who sadly died a few years back. But something wonderful has grown out of that tragedy and out of his memory, and the festival has become a landmark local event for all the performers who play and for the people who attend. And in the process, largely thanks to that group of  musicians and bands and drunkards, most of whom are a good deal younger than me, I have begun to find the performing confidence I lacked, as well as a lovely sense of being a part of a musical community. The enthusiasm, talent, humour and open heartedness of all of them is a joy to behold, and to be a part of. 

So, I must admit to having a wee tear in my eye as I raise my mug of "after the party" coffee...To Music and Friendship!