The year of 2020 has been a doozy, that’s for sure. People around the world have had plenty of time to reflect on what we’re doing in our lives… and I’m no exception. I took a quick look at a running list I made between 2001 and 2016, and saw that during those 15 years I sang on the soundtracks of over 120 movies and the albums of more than 50 artists. And that’s not even counting the stuff I did BEFORE 2001, and between 2016 and 2020! If I widen the timeframe to include the 1990s, and think of the countries I’ve toured and concerts given, that’s several dozen countries, and hundreds of concerts. Pretty groovy. Considering our current, Covid world, we can only dream of being able to live the troubador life like that.
It’s a curious thing, this performance malarkey. At the time of doing the work, whether in a rehearsal room, on a performing stage, or in the recording studio, the experience feels very real. Yet the moment you step off that stage or out of the studio, you almost wonder whether it actually happened. Getting to the dressing room, or arriving back home and closing the front door, the sounds have been replaced by others, and you think – did I just imagine all that? For me, the pause that the pandemic of 2020 has necessitated has created a chance to look back at the work I’ve done. I can assure myself that yes, it DID happen. And I can remember the very best moments with pride.
That’s quite enough of all that. Thanks for bearing with me. So what am I doing musically right now, in January 2021? Well, I’ve been sitting at the piano and writing songs – reminded of my teen years noodling away and songwriting, and the time I spent playing and singing in piano bars in NZ, Germany, Scotland and England. I’ve also been practising the (pretty challenging) piano accompaniments for my son’s upcoming grade 8 cello exam. All part of the modern musician’s life.. Yep, livin’ the dream!
