Thursday 17 October 2013

My musical career hangs in the balance...

Tom is on guitar
My husband Tom is a very talented musician, and he plays guitar and keyboard (sometimes simultaneously) in a band. 

The band is mainly made up of other dads from Betty and Dolly's school, who are also very talented. And I am their self-appointed manager, because it makes me sound important and musical.

However, I know absolutely nothing about music, apart from that I like anything produced in the eighties/early nineties ... and James Blunt (although Tom has told me that I should never admit to this). 

Despite not having a musical bone in my body, I did write them a song once.  But this came about because I told them that all their songs were quite depressing and dark, and so they told me to go off and write them a happy song. 

I very quickly realised that writing about turmoil and tragedy is much easier, and my song turned out to be the most depressing of all. They were kind enough to put some music to it and they even performed it a couple of times in the early days, once in my sitting room, and once at the school fete. 

Being their manager involves listening to them rehearse in my sitting room every Tuesday night, drinking beer, throwing the odd wasabi pea their way, updating their Facebook and Twitter pages, and animatedly mouthing along to the songs, while fantasising that I am actually the lead singer. 

I once told them that I love singing, but that I am totally tone deaf. At that time they were desperate for a female singer, and so told me that anyone can sing with a bit of practice, and persuaded me to give it a shot. So after half a bottle of wine, I had a go at singing along.  I was never invited to sing with them again. 

But recently they set me the task of getting them a gig.  And after an awkward conversation with a pub landlord about what sort of band they were (I didn't know), I managed to get them a gig in a tapas bar.

And it turned out to be a great success, and I of course tried to take all the credit.  Now feeling like I had earned my title of manager, at the end of the night while they were packing up, I went and sat with them, and said: 

'So guys, how do you think it went?' And 'What do you think you could have done better?'

I then congratulated them, and gave them each a high five. Tom later said I sounded like a football manager doing a post-match debrief in the changing rooms.

Anyway since that night, the band seem to be taking me a little more seriously. And I am now even getting copied in on their email conversations about recording dates, and future gigs, and needing a new drummer.... so, if you know of anyone...

10 comments:

Abby said...

This is such a wonderful, funny read, thank you-glad you got to sing, high five them all & can now take credit! Thank you for your blog, I always love reading it;)

Blossom Mouse said...

Musical AND writing talent would be sickening. And then I couldn't be your friend anymore. X

Sally said...

Brilliant! Hope as manager you find them that drummer - more brownie points!

Elsie Button said...

Hi Abby, thank you!

Elsie Button said...

Hi Blossom Mouse, says you... superwoman!! x

Elsie Button said...

Hi Sally, thanks... me too!

nappy valley girl said...

I am sure you will lead them to fame and fortune. Much better to be a muse than to sing with the band anyway! We'll just call you Meg Matthews.

Elsie Button said...

Hi NVG, hahaha, I'm not sure about that!!

Lizzie Harper said...

Elsie, they were brilliant, as always. I think their entire skill is down to their fabulous and well-informed manager.

Elsie Button said...

Thanks Lizzie! X