WTF is that??

That, my friends, is my bruised as fuck patella. Evidence of the glamorous rockstar lifestyle I lead. (...oh to have roadies so my amp didn't bang against my kneecaps as I carry it down two flights of stairs and halfway down Chapel st to my car...)

Yes, it has been an interesting week in rock.

Last night's gig at a "trendy" Chapel street club was quite successful, if you exclude the following:
-the guitarist's $107 parking fine
-my bruised kneecaps
-the singer's displeasure at having spent half the day driving round to pick up a bunch of drums and amps, only to find out when we got there that we were supposed to use the other band's gear. our manager should have told us this.
-the time when I hit a nerve in my hand by whacking it with the tambourine in the opening bar of a song, causing pins and needles and numbness to shoot down my hand and arm. The little finger was numb for the entire song. I soldiered on.
-the stage was so small I had to stand virtually on top of the guitarist and have his amp blaring in my ear along with the drums. My left ear is still ringing.
-the stage was so small i had to set up one of my keyboards behind me and had to play it with my back to the audience.

But other than all that, yes, it went well.

The crowd was funny... all 18 year olds, very "cool" in all their leggings, balloon skirts, VERY short shorts & skirts, overall thingys, etc you know what I'm talking about. Especially you, Mars. I wore leggings under my dress to try and fit in and/or avoid flashing my undies at poor unsuspecting punters when i sit down at the piano. I needn't have worried, the stage was so small i couldn't even sit down at the piano. I had to stand up like someone in an actual rock band. Oh the indignity!! But yes lots of Paris Hilton wannabes... which we picked on mercilessly and then got the fuck outta there. As Ric said "I have to go, it's like Schoolies Week in here!!"

Hmm what else?

Oh yes, I had a mini-tanty earlier in the week when I was cc'd into an email to our graphic designer/artist guy. He is sketching some ideas for our album artwork and wanted titles to work with. So I saw this email that said "here are the album and track titles." We have not yet discussed album titles or which tracks will be on it... so of course I baulked at this. I sent a somewhat bitchy email saying I thought we were in a "band". Who decides things together. Turns out the guy just needed any old text to work with so Paris had plucked one of the four title ideas Tom had thrown her way many months ago and put it together with a list of songs just so the guy could have some text to put in the designs. Still, I'm glad I said what I said. Because earlier in the week I was told, not consulted, that two particular songs won't be on the album. I don't have a problem with them not being on there, but I find it hard being told not asked. But because I thought it was a good decision anyway, I let it slide. But I wasn't about to let something as important as the album title slide. I don't want to be a puppet - if we are all contributing equally financially plus I put in a damn lot more time & effort than most, I want to be included on important decisions thanks!!! There that's my rant.

The album is almost almost done... I recorded my last little bits last weekend - tambourine, a few keyboard bits and vocals for one song - and it is being mixed this week. Well, since they spent the first 2 days on one song, I doubt it will be finished this week. Which is typical. These things always drag on WAY longer than they should. We really need to get a deal with some money in it soon so we can get some deadlines happening. At the moment it feels like there's not much urgency as once it's finished we can't afford to get it mastered, let alone promote it anyway. Ho hum money is so boring. I wish it grew on trees.

Oh yeah I had a singing lesson with a new teacher on Tuesday - the one my voice pathologist referred me to. He was really good, spent a whole hour analysing what's going on with my voice and he hit a lot of nails on a lot of heads if you know what I mean. He seems pretty confident that he can make me into a brilliant rock singer yeah yeah. I had to sing a whole song to him, by myself. I don't think I've ever really done that before. It was scary as hell. But certainly highilghted all my weaknesses!! To start with I am going to have lessons with another girl with similar problems to mine, her claim to fame is she came in the top 70 of Australian Idol, I think in 2002 or something. La di da!

Going to see Neko Case tonight at the Prince. Can't wait for that!! Taking my friend Hayley with me, she knows nothing about her but is excited to see a successful female singer up there doing her thing. Hayley is an incredible singer herself, I've probably told you about her before, she does an amazing Eva Cassidy tribute show, but she wants to improve the non-singing aspects of her show. You know, the onstage banter and all that. I think she'll find Neko very inspiring - not sure about her banter, but just that she is quite unique and has an amazing, individual voice and writes great songs as well as interpreting others'. And I have heard some of her recently released live album and she sounds as great live as she does on record.

My knees hurt. I'm going to the beach.