Music
Volcanic ash and international travel don’t mix
It’s official, I’m going nowhere fast! I visited the States to see family, play a couple of shows and record a session. The cloud of volcanic ash spewing out of Iceland means I’m going to hang out in Chicago until at least Wednesday (instead of this past Thursday)… WOOHOO!
It’s a trixie one because there are sessions that are on hold until I get back, but everyone is being understanding (volcanoes take advice from no man…). Our flight was pushed back to Wednesday which puts me back in the studio by Friday. If our flight gets pushed back further, I have a close friend with a studio that will hopefully help me out in exchange for free vocals on whatever he throws at me :)
I won’t lie, I’m loving the extra time in my home land, surrounded by my fantastic family. It’s been an outstanding trip home – the best one yet and I’m happy for it to continue! It’s been music left right and centre, with the Ninja Butler and immediate family involved with most of the shows, too – playing to packed rooms and laughing and chatting like we were in a big living room. Let me tell you, there is NOTHING like making music with family – it’s unbelievably fantastic. Here’s some evidence… pay close attention and see if you can catch a wiff of the joy steaming off these pictures…
(left to right) Emi Jarvi, J Carmichael, Jake Jarvi, Donna Jarvi, Mike Jarvi
(left to right) Emi Jarvi, J Carmichael, Jake Jarvi, Donna Jarvi, Mike Jarvi
That’s enough glowing for now – wish me luck in getting back to Bristol. I definitely can’t swim that far – anyone have a big boat I could borrow?
Sore throat is bad for business
So I’ve been fighting a kind of sore throat since the weekend. It’s been just bad enough that I haven’t been able to do any ‘real’ singing – but just NOT bad enough that I still went a rehearsal last night in hopes that I could… what exactly? I have no idea. Work through it? Persevere? Soldier on?
What a bad idea (although the rehearsal was fun…).
Have you ever seen a picture of what vocal chords look like? They’re about 1/4 inch long, about the size of the eraser on a pencil – they look like skinny pink slugs. And when you talk or sing they look like skinny pink slugs doing the shimmy. And when you cough they look like skinny pink slugs enduring a severe earthquake. You can see a picture of vocals chords here, but be warned, it’s kind of gross.
Well this morning my slugs made it perfectly clear that they’d had ENOUGH… and they weren’t going to shimmy any more without causing me some trouble.
So session work is pushed back probably 48 hours at least – looks like Thursday and Friday are going to get a little frisky…
When a chick plans a stag do…
Stag Do:
“A stag do is a party held for a bachelor shortly before he enters marriage, to make the most of his final opportunity to engage in activities a new partner might not approve of, or merely to spend
time with his male friends (who are often in his wedding party afterwards).” – Wikipedia
I’m sure you all know what a bachelor party is, but what happens when a chick plans the stag do? I’m my brother’s best man, as you may have heard, and so the privileged fell to me.
And
it
was
awesome.
Any attempt that I made to over-plan were mellowed by my dad telling me that guys tend to do stuff on the fly. We had a killer venue (a lodge-type place with a built in movie theatre/theater),
we had Beatles Rock Band, we had Jack and coke, we had cigars, we had many musical jam sessions (with real instruments, not fake Beatles ones)
No debauchery (at least not that I saw), no sloppy drunkards (again, at least not DURING the party, I can’t speak for after).
Hosting dude parties is awesome… there’s no ‘hosting’ to be done, everyone just gets their own stuff and finds food wherever and generally gets on with it – most fantastic.
You can check out some pictures that Jake’s friend Dennis took >>
I’m the best man
Yes, that’s right. I’m the best man… in my brother’s wedding. In about 2 weeks. Oh God…
I have to write a speech…
I’m now facing the dilemma, how much to let rip? The feeling of power is intoxicating, actually, but mingled with nerves and excitement. I imagine this is what an “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aero_%28chocolate%29″>Aero feels like.
I have so many ideas rolling around in my head.
A full chorus line of people singing?
A movie montage of touching comments from friends and relatives?
A reenactment of This Is Your Life?
A series of humiliating posters?
A bag of tricks?
I wish I knew someone that knows how to break dance…
Oh, AND I’m planning the stag-do (bachelor party)… I’m trying not to be too much of a chick. We’ll see how it goes…