Saturday 30th May 2009
This morning, I got up at stupid O’ Clock to catch the plane to
Brussels. I can’t think who would be rushing to a political capital
first thing on a Saturday morning and why the flight has to be so
damned anti-socially early. I’ve flown this route many times before as
my family live just outside the city, quite near to the airport,
thankfully. It’s my sister’s confirmation tomorrow and she has asked me
to be her sponsor. Clearly she hasn’t considered my own religious
leanings, or lack thereof, but hey ho, she’s excited, so I’m excited.
Overall I’m happy to be getting away and having objectivity thrust
in my face. It’s a time when I usually come up with ideas simply
because I’ve switched my creative brain off and this reverse logic
(which also kicks in for other aspects of my psyche) has a field day.
Eamonn has the mumps and Lego is heading away with his family, so
realistically, this was probably as good a time as any to get away.
Monday 1st June 2009
I have to mention this day. The sun seemed to be smiling high across
Europe, not just in Brussels, and as we live by forests and fields
someone had the ingenious idea to suggest we all go for a cycle across
the countryside. So the bikes were prepared, the bottled water rationed
and off we set across, what (from our sitting room window) would be the
skyline. Six cyclists in nearly ascending or descending (you choose)
height order negotiating country lanes that traffic had rarely, if,
ever seen, whizzing past fields of tall grain, and farmers tending to
their thirsty lands.
It was one of those days that will be happily mentioned for many years in sentences that start with “Do you remember when…?”
Tuesday 2nd June 2009
I returned to Ireland today. Our A&R Thomas called me. It was a
conversation that was much needed following recent “issues” and
thankfully he was the voice of calm and logic. This was one call we
needed to receive and I can’t help but thinking that other frustrations
would be quelled if certain other people in our team possessed the same
reassuring and sensible tones. He asked that we be patient and allow
our producer to deal with the illness of his child a little bit longer
before we ask him to commit to definitive recording dates. This, I was
quick to point out, was no problem for us, we completely sympathise and
wish him and his family the best, we simply want a time scale to aim
for. “Even if we’re not leaving until August 31st to record” I said,
“that’s fine, we just want to know, so we can work towards that”. It’s
the absence of a schedule and real direction that’s been stressing us
out. Of course, our task is still the same, we have to keep writing
songs, but it’s a well documented fact that bands are at their most
creative in the weeks leading up to a recording session and not knowing
when that session will begin is screwing with our natural creative
rhythm, and to be honest, it’s affecting motivation.
He reiterated the two week time frame before pushing for more
producer commitment (or seeking an alternative) confirmed that the
objective is to ensure we finish our second album this Summer and then
work towards a single, or even album release before the end of the
year.
That’ll keep me quiet for a few weeks at least.
Wednesday 3rd June 2009
I received a few emails this week from friends and interested
members of the public, about my last Balcony TV blog. Firstly, it’s
nice (and a relief) to know that people are reading- so I’m pleased
about that- thanks. In the last installment, I mentioned an inclination
to work on some solo material and the annoyance that comes with being a
band leader as opposed to just the singer or songwriter. The emails
that I received were essentially all along the same lines of “don’t
leave the band”/ “it’s where you belong” etc. Again, all very much
appreciated and kind. I must say that I never signaled my intention to
leave the band but simply had a literary “peek” at the colour of the
grass on the other side.
Anyway, it should be noted, that when I agreed to write a regular
blog for Balcony TV, my objective was to be as honest as possible, for
several reasons- firstly, reality is more interesting and plausible
than fiction, even if occasionally more brutal. Secondly, if I am
documenting the daily life of a band or band member then it should
reflect what people in bands think and feel, I don’t’ want other
musicians reading it and thinking “what is he talking about?” or “well
that’s bullshit”. And, of course, I don’t want non-musicians getting a
false impression of our life or lifestyle either.
My intention was that the blog should capture the same highs and
lows, uncertainty and occasional disillusionment that all creative
people feel from time to time. Thirdly, the future of this writer, and
his band, has not yet been decided so this story could end in many
different ways. Irrespective of whether it ends with glowing success or
abject failure, I hope that somewhere in these offerings lies the key
to our destiny that others can learn from or perhaps even spot before I
do, like a mystery revealing itself in real time. Perhaps a brave
business decision that changes the course of our career, an anecdote
about the origins of a song that becomes our biggest hit, a spontaneous
choice that unwittingly scuppers another, superior opportunity,
whatever it is the most important thing is that I’m speaking the truth
as it occurs. Yes, I often think about doing other things with my time
(then rarely act on it) but perhaps it is that feisty, sometimes
neurotic persona that makes me a musician because I’m pretty sure it’s
a persona trait I share with many other creative people.
PAUL WALSH - ROYSEVEN
