Musical differences

I had an audition for a rather interestingly funky covers band last night. The guitarist rang me last week, he had remembered me because I auditioned for them about a year ago. At the time I turned them down because I decided to go with my current band, Mimosa, and I wanted to play originals rather than covers.

But lately I have started to miss the sheer fun and excitement of playing a few well known songs to a few drunk people in pubs. So I have been keeping my ears and eyes open for a covers band that I can try to join whilst staying with the originals band too. Out of the blue I received the call last week. "Would I like to try out for this band?" I was as hesitant as can be until he named some of the tracks they do "Psycho killer, Dancing in the moonlight (Thin Lizzy, not that crap band), By the Way, Dani California, From the floorboards up, I predict a riot" and many more.

I couldn't resist, particularly when he told me that they wanted to do songs that are well known but to steer clear of the real traditional pub covers songs that can be heard every Saturday down the local.

I went along last night, enjoyed it and got the "job", if I want it. It did get me thinking about the differences between the London music scene and the Colombo scene. Here we have an unlimited supply of great covers bands and great originals bands. I can go out on any day of the week and see virtually any kind of music my little heart desires, and I'm not even thinking of the big name bands that play in London.

Live music here has had a small boost in the last few years as more people are into guitar bands now than there were in the nineties. One of the side effects of the declining state of the commercial music business in this Country is the abundance of quality musicians that are desperately seeking work. Many of these top quality musos can be seen playing in bands in every local pub you can think of. It is a sad situation with some great benefits. Sad that these guys have to prostitute themselves just to make a meagre amount of money, with the benefit to people like me of getting to see them play.

The CMB music scene is very different. The number of venues is much, much less, probably only about 5 - 10 available for rock bands. It seems to be the same bands playing in the same venues week in week out. The bands I have seen in Colombo have all been very good, guys like Wildfire and In Harmony. But they have attained a level of adulation and respect that no covers band would get here, apart from Oasis.

I have heard of the Brass Monkey band and a few others and I am hoping to discover more when I am there in September. But I have spotted the gap, the niche, the opportunity. You Colombo people need some kicking originals bands. Not nu metal, just quality music written and played by proper musicians. But they also need an audience not spoilt by the Venga Boys and Engelbert Humperdinck. (Sp?)

I shall be packing a load of musos on the next ship to Colombo. You'll know them when they arrive, they'll smell of weed and urine and they'll use the word "cool" at least twice in every sentence. Please look after them and if you can get them a gig or two that would be great.

Thanks.