David Sinclair Trio
Monday, September 22, 2008
  Don't Look Back (Unless You're Stepping Back)
Long ago, I used to work as a researcher on Terry Wogan's BBC TV chat show. He's an absolute pro, hard as nails, nothing like the fluffy character you see on screen. His show used to go out as a pre-record on Saturday night. Then they decided to ramp it up into a live, weekday teatime show, a change which ushered in the era of "wall-to-wall Wogan" on British TV. The day he did the first one - absolutely live in front of an audience of millions - I remember wondering what was the worst that could happen. Well, Terry being the obliging fellow that he is, showed us. He walked on to the stage, slipped and promptly fell flat on his arse!

I was reminded of that moment on Friday at our gig at the Half Moon, when halfway through Was I Strong Enough? (of all songs) I took a step backwards and tripped over Wilko Johnson's amp (which, in my defence, had not been there during the sound check). Next thing I know I'm lying flat on my back with my head underneath Drew's floor tom. Miraculously, we kept the song going. By the time I got back to the mic we'd missed half a chorus, but hey! And what a tremendous cheer at the end.

Now George always tells me not to give away too much about the mechanics of playing when you're on stage. Don't let on that we've never played such-and-such a song before, he says. Don't apologise, whatever happens. Just crack on and don't look back. No one knows where the hell George is looking behind those shades of course, but he's absolutely right. And I don't propose to dwell on my Wogan moment. But to have worked through such a calamity felt like a coming of age.

And the band is coming good in so many ways lately. Feedback, our new video, has prompted some amazing, er, feedback. You can see it on YouTube - but make sure you click on the "watch in high quality" option on the bottom right of the screen. It really makes a difference. We have played a string of cool gigs in the last few weeks, including Wilton's Music Hall - a stunning venue, close to Spitalfields, which is the oldest surviving music hall in Britain - and before that a relaxed warm-up show across the road at Cape, next to St Katherine's Dock, with our friends Bruise. And we are working up to another run in October starting with The Half Moon at Herne Hill on the 18th and Gramaphone, back in Spitalfields, on the 22nd.

See you there. Upright, I hope.
 
Comments: Post a Comment

<< Home
THE DIARY OF A ROCK'N'ROLL AFFAIR David Sinclair is a songwriter and bandleader who lives in West London. He runs the David Sinclair Trio featuring George Andrew (bass/vocals) and Jack Sinclair (drums/vocals). This is the story of the group.

ARCHIVES
February 2005 / March 2005 / April 2005 / July 2005 / September 2005 / November 2005 / December 2005 / January 2006 / February 2006 / March 2006 / May 2006 / July 2006 / September 2006 / February 2007 / May 2007 / June 2007 / July 2007 / August 2007 / September 2007 / November 2007 / February 2008 / March 2008 / April 2008 / May 2008 / July 2008 / September 2008 / November 2008 / January 2009 / September 2009 / February 2010 / July 2010 / February 2011 / December 2011 /


Powered by Blogger