This week I have learnt that it takes more to be in a band than a pretty dress, some knock off Lion bars and an annoyingly excitable attitude. Which is a sad fact as I also realised that’s all I have to offer.
I like music but I don’t understand it, I don’t know how to tell a G from an F, a tom from a snare or how to be part of a three part harmony. For years my musical influences were just Britney and Bublé, till my housemate Emily Yates started to introduce me to new musical styles and proper gigs. Then came the unearthing of a band named after me that I knew I had to see, if not for the novelty value alone. But it ended up being more than that, it was the discovery of a new favourite band, a style of foot stomping and a calling in life as a follower of Folk. Mumford and Sons weren’t the first band to change my musical life though, that honour goes to Belleville, my said housemate’s band. From their early days as a three piece band whose rehearsals were often interrupted by my appearance in a pink towel. (Those readers who have also witnessed this look can confirm that this was in no way an attempt for groupie status, due to band members’ Christian status and my looking like a shapeless marshmellow.) Right up to my baking of 80 cupcakes for their The First Dance EP launch in 2009 (that’s right 80 cupcakes – 3 different flavours) my position as number one fan has been secured.
Therefore, it seemed a very fitting start to ‘She’s Been Fad’ that for my first week I would share in my housemate’s hobby nay passion for the band Belleville. The experience began with a lyric writing session late Tuesday evening where I wrote a line that will hopefully make the final cut of their song “All the promises I’ve heard”. I won’t spoil it by telling you which line, you’ll have to come to a gig and wait for the moment that I jump up and point at myself repeatedly to find that out. As the week progressed so did my lessons in three part harmonising, thanks to my “wives” patience and persistence, till I felt I was as ready as I was going to be for the Belleville band rehearsal on Saturday.
Now, I’m no fool and I know that to be allowed to interrupt an important band rehearsal on a weekend I needed to come armed with more than just my charm. Which luckily one quick trip to Aldi, for some flapjacks, brownies and second rate Lion bars called ‘Roar’ solved. I also knew that I had to come prepared with something more than the ability to distract Karaoke fans with some well timed thrusts. (Those readers who have witnessed my Big Spender number know just what thrusts I’m talking about.) I therefore turned up with the one musical instrument I was trusted with in Music Class – The Rainmaker. A miniature version of course, brought as part of an amazing novelty birthday present for Emily.
So there I stood and there I shook. Sometimes in rhythm, sometimes not, mostly not. I tried to shake along as the band jammed, trying to perfect a new song and I can honestly say I have never felt more out of my depth. It’s just something I don’t understand, it must be like a non trekey listening to the classic why Deep Space Nine can never compare to Voyager argument. They can understand the words but not why they’re in a sentence together. I don’t know how people can create music out of nothing, put notes in an order that didn’t exist before, it’s incredible and a talent I wished I had. After speaking in more depth to Emily about being in the band and her love of music, I came to understand that to play music is in her and if she wasn’t in Belleville she’d be making music somewhere, somehow. Though Emily may have been faddy with her short-lived violin lessons and time as a bass player, making music is no fad, but part of her. Which is a beautiful thing.
Music is not part of me, which is fine. One can’t be good at everything and when one can’t even master a rainmaker one should really give up. But I want to thank Belleville for letting me share their passion with them, for playing my favourite song for me when they wanted to go home, for Justice patiently trying to teach me the drums and for Emily for making it happen. So please find out more about Belleville and listen to their music at http://www.myspace.com/bellevillemusic and join me in the fan club.
I must say that all in all, week one has been a success, and week two is looking rosy. As I started the week with an appearance on Radio One – oh yeah!!! Today I was on Fearne Cotton’s Music Generator and it was amazing, not only did I get my 15 minutes of fame but I was given the present of a beautiful song. The Music Generator did its job, it mixed up Mumford and Sons, Florence and the Machine and Laura Marling and came up with Stornoway, ‘I Saw you Blink’ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfI_dcH1d9U) The only low point was that the researcher asked me not to mention the blog because it would get a bit messy legally, as they can’t be seen to promote websites such as blogspots. Boo!!! Oh well, I did manage to sneak in a Belleville shout out and as honorary member and number one fan that’s all that matters
Thanks for reading and continue to leave your comments, suggestions and invites here or on my Facebook Fan Page shesbeenfad fan page
Next week…Lego modelling
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