Still Blogging Under Duress

Okay, so here I am again. Apparently my errant ramblings about how much I dislike this sort of thing has come across as just the sort of thing that blogging is all about. One even went as far as to say that I was a natural blogger (at least that’s what I thought he said). Yet another example of Sods Law coming back to bite me on the rear.

Those of you who have read our profiles on the Short Tempus website may remember just how I came to be involved in the Rock God game. For those of you who have not read up on us, or have simply forgotten such a mundane fact, allow me to refresh your memories. It was exactly 1 year ago on the end of May Bank Holiday weekend when I was finally convinced to give this signing lark a bash and see where it went. I was round Duncan’s for a barbeque with our respective families when his bullish nagging finally got the better of me. You see, a few weeks before we were chatting about TBC (the 4-piece forerunner of Short tempus) and Duncan was saying how he really wanted to find a lead vocalist so that he could step back and concentrate on what he really wanted to do – play the bass. The issue he had was that in most cases, vocalists come with diva egos and he really didn’t want to upset the way the current band members interacted with each other. Now I had already met the guys at Alie’s 18^th Birthday bash, as well as going along to black my nose at a rehearsal night, and was familiar with how they were. Without giving any consideration as to how Duncan can sometimes be like a dog with a new bone, I rather foolishly said, “What you need is someone like me………” Before I could finish the sentence, Duncan cut in and said that I should do it. When I could finally get a word in edgeways I said, “Allow me to finish. What you need is someone like me……who can sing”. The simple fact that the last time I had sung had been well before hitting puberty didn’t seem to put him off at all. He just kept going on and on about muscle memory and riding bicycles (I know, beats me too). Anyway, for the weeks that followed this poorly thought out comment leaving my lips, Duncan made my ears wish they didn’t work – and I’ve been to a Celine Dion concert. Eventually, on this fateful weekend last year I finally agreed to give it a shot and audition, basically to just shut him up and get it over with. 3 days later I rocked up at the rehearsal studio (hee hee, rocked up) having frantically tried cramming the lyrics to Song 2, American Idiot and Wuthering Heights into my head. I was seriously crapping myself. I’ve never been so far out of my comfort zone in my life (and like I’ve said, I’ve seen Celine Dion live), a fact that made Duncan feel very happy. Anyway, I cracked them out as fast as I could with my shoulders tight, fists clenched and sweat pumping out of every pore. Unbelievably, the guys said that they wanted me to give it a go and I’m still here. I think of my place in Short Tempus like the promotion prospects in the film Starship Troopers – The job’s mine until I’m dead or they find someone better. (I foresee a film reference trend forming)

Well I’ve now performed my debut gig at The Essex Arms in Brentwood a couple of months ago and I’m now looking forward to my second gig at The Miley in Rochford on 31^st May. I guess you can say that this one’s going to be my anniversary gig. I can’t wait until I play my first gig that’s not commemorative. The trouble is, when I play that gig it will become commemorative by default. Sometimes it gets scary in my head.

I think that’s enough for this blog. I don’t want to bore you too senseless. I’m looking forward to seeing all of you who can make The Miley on 31^st May and if not, I’ll catch you at the next one I’m sure.

Oh yeah, one last thing. I have to say that I’m having a blast with this band lark. Don’t tell him but I think Duncan may have done me a favour. Apparently the nickname of ‘Big Dunc’ follows him around, which is bewildering as he is neither very big nor submergible in a mug of tea. In the words of that annoying Big Brother voiceover bloke, “Will it catch on……..YOU decide”.

Nic

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