I’ve not had a chance to update this for a while because things have got very busy indeed. I like being busy, I’m a fidgety little (lanky) man when I’m not, but this is crazier than ever.
These are strange times, we can kind of do gigs, but not quite, we can have script readings but only six of us allowed due to the current rulings so we’re doing it on Zoom instead. We're all doing our best to stay creative, but it feels like we’re being held on a tight leash. Look; I shouldn’t moan, many have it worse than me, but 2020 offered so much and has been a bit…well, crappy, at times.
Some schools, including my old secondary, are cutting music, art and drama, because they’re not ‘important’. This has given me a new energy, a fire, if you like, to fight this. An idea is brewing for a project that will address this. It will involve lots of drummers. Luckily, I teach over 90 a week…
Throughout the madness of 2020, the confusion, the frustration (our wedding was moved to December and is now down to 15 people, our dream 3-week honeymoon in Africa is now 2 nights in Norfolk), the one thing that has stayed constant is the drum teaching. I love it more than ever, I have more students than ever, it’s now 6-days a week, full days, but I’ve got an amazing set of students who are onside with my enthusiastic way of teaching. Indeed, a headteacher at one of my schools said the other day, “I’ve forgotten how loud drum lessons are. Not the drums, the teacher.” Very true, but I don’t think in a negative way.
Virtual gigs for my students are now monthly, raising money for a different charity every month. We’re recording the Christmas special of my sitcom, Three Men and a Bassist, soon, I’ve had a lovely couple of shows with Glymjack recently, Fred’s House rehearse every week despite the lack of gigs. I just like hanging out with these people, we all need each other, really. I’m currently writing two novels and we live in our dream house.
Nothing to moan about really. Apart from 2020, generally. Oh, and the fact that my car died and is being scrapped on Monday. I’m replacing my lovely, if very old, issue-ridden Merc with a sensible Ford Focus estate, which is a clear sign that I’m finally growing up.