I also learnt that we have moved on significantly over the last two weeks, gaining fresh perspectives on songs that were not quite there. We sort of fancied them, but once they took off their glasses and shook out their hair we knew we had a couple of lookers. Yes, Slow Down and Stay, Anyway (Make do and mend), I am talking about you, and you've got yourselves a double date.
Along with Museum of You, these two songs formed the rehearsal and are now part of an identified 'set', aided and abetted by My Feet of Clay, The Fallen Part 1: Still You Fell and God Loves A Trier. I think we've got a good mix here. My Feet of Clay is a little folk pop gem about the inevitable infallibility that exists in relationships, Museum of You is a meditative study of regret and longing to a departed lover, Stay, Anyway (Make do and mend) is a strong vocal led exploration of infidelity, The Fallen Part 1: Still You Fell is a kind of rocker about sui...hold on, a good mix? Okay, I admit that the lyrics tend to be on a scale from bitter-sweet to dark.
Without trying to go too Ronnie Corbett-off-the-track like, it does remind me of a radio interview I once did when I was in a performance art group (think Gilbert and George but with cheaper suits). When asked about the themes of our work I said that we had explored a broad range of subjects "from the disappearance of my father to the suicide of my grandmother". I kid you not.
However, musically there are differences in pace, texture, and with all three of us singing; the qualities and delivery of vocals. Oh, and I've just remembered that Slow Down is actually a love song about the beauty and (bugger) pain of being a parent.
Oh, yes, and we changed female singers.
This wasn't some boardroom coup, nor down to a Spinal Tap drummer style accident. It was Andrea making a sort of work/ life balance decision, without the work part. To make it sound all mysterious I should hint at dark forces at work, and that one day it will all be revealed, serialised, in the Daily Mail.
Suffice to say that John and I were gutted at this decision and there were a few weeks where we hoped that Andrea would change her mind. We tried the kind of techniques that Chris Tarrant used to do on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire. You know, when its the second or third still easy question and the contestant is sure of the answer, yet to create false drama and to wind the contestant up, the giggling chimp checks about ten times to make sure they are sure. Is that your answer? Are you sure? That's your final answer? Yes you fuck wit, Oslo is the capital of Norway. Now give me the money.
So we were going, so you want to leave? Are you sure? Is that your final answer? Do you want to phone a friend? She took the money.
This then pushed our Svengali into action. Cathy, my beloved had played a part in bringing John and me together in the first place. John saw me thrash a bad version of Folsom Prison Blues on my uke at my daughter's 5th birthday party ("Have any of you been to prison?"), and later asked Cathy if I'd be interested in having a jam. The rest is history or a least a blog. This time she informed me that a colleague where we work was a singer who was looking to join a band. By Jiminy, thank God she joined The Sweet Ordeal! Yes, like Andrea she had us as soon as she sung her first note.
In conclusion, we love Andrea, and never wanted her to leave. But she did. So, thank you darling, you will not be forgotten. Join us on stage any time honey.
However, this now leaves me to just focus on the qualities of our new Sweetie. Mainly that she is bossy and a perfectionist. Just what John needs.
Heard but not seen. The second third Sweetie opens a new chapter. January 2012.
Photo: Nick McMaster
