Getting Back Into the Swing of Things

I had retired.

Suddenly, at the beginning of 2009, somebody organised a gig and asked if I wanted to sing. Suddenly, after singing Robert Johnson's "Me and the Devil Blues" for an audience of 200 in a Government building in South London somewhere, I found myself back.

Other gigs followed, including bizarrely a gig at the Royal Festival Hall, where I sang Tom Waits' "God's Away on Business" acapella and solo.

Soon, I found myself fronting the band that had backed me for the first gig of my return. Many gigs with the band were played before audiences of five but it's all grist to the mill and now, on 27 November, I'm facing my biggest challenge to date. I'll be playing two sets with that band (the Swampies) and a solo set for a total of about 75 minutes onstage. I may also be MCing the gig as well.

I'm fine about singing. I've been singing all my life, but now, I've bought a musical instrument. It's a stick dulcimer, admittedly one of the world's easiest instruments to play, but now I have five weeks to learn to play it before doing so in public.

Wish me luck! And if you're available, come along to the Thomas Guy Club at Guy's Hospital (at the end of the alley besides the Old King's Head on Borough High Street. It should be good scary fun.