Spring, Indian Minahs and Musical Ruts..... 

It's nearly here! Winter has had it's last gasp (and well glad I am to be shot of it really, this winter's been one I'm happy to see the back of) and Spring is charging in with its blustery northerly's, hay fever producing pollen storms and sunlit mornings as I head off to work. Yes, spring is here and a young man's fancy turns to......Well, frankly I wouldn't know, but this middle aged folk bloke needs to get the mower out and attack the lawn, open the creaky wooden doors to the shed and let some sun in onto the mummified rat's corpses scattered over his workbench and chase the redbacks out from the woodpile..... and, get some serious guitar practice in!
One of my favourite pastimes is sitting in the backyard with my EBG808 serenading the Indian Minah birds as they systematically harass the few native species left in the northern suburbs of Melbourne to the edge extinction. A lot of my practice regime has little to do with my songs and current repertoire, it tends to be about pushing my limits by learning new pieces or techniques which hopefully become absorbed into my own music. There's nothing worse than that dreadful feeling of being stuck in a musical rut (well, bankruptcy, marriage breakups, terminal illness and paper cuts are probably worse but still..) and I've been there often enough, but buying a new CD or learning a new tune from Youtube is usually enough to break out of it.
"C'mon Evans, cut to the chase" I hear you say.... OK. This track is called 'Apple On A Stick'. It's an instrumental (couldn't think of any lyrics) and it's based on the fingerpicking styles of some of my heroes. See if you can work out who they are...
If you get a chance please come and see me and Emma Rodda this Sunday lunchtime at the Frankston Naval Memorial Club, Langwarrin South, , me and Suzette Herft at Mama Vittoria, Fitzroy on Thursday night (8pm) or just me next Sunday (Sept 7) at the Peninsula Folk Club starting at 6pm. If you do, please come and say g'day. I'd love to have a chat.
So, please enjoy 'Apple On A Stick' and see ya next time....

2 comments