Day 50...

Action plan review time. Let's see how I'm doing...

1) Get Good
You know what, I actually feel like I'm doing okay on Action Plan Bullet Point Number 1. I've been really focussed during practice sessions and I feeling really plugged into the guitar right now. That's obviously more true for Blackie, the Ovation. I've been concentrating on the acoustic for the past few weeks because of the WAES course I'm on. I pull Red (the Les Paul) out from time to time, but I try not to practice too much on it as Teacher-Man says NO! I think the emphasis on the acoustic will pay dividends in the long run as my technique and tone are really improving. It's much easier to go from acoustic to electric rather than the other way around.

2) Record Demos
I have yet to start on Number 2, but my original plan was to work on 1 through to the end of February, so I'm not too bothered.

According to my schedule I have the weekend of the 8th March all to myself as Tim's on a residential course from Friday through Sunday. Probably a good opportunity to work on some tracks. I have a few ideas for songs but I need time to 'woodshed' them, record rough backing tracks and so on. Note to self: collect delivery food flyers and fill refrigerator with beer!

Hey, and I'm not doing too badly learning "Taylor" so I can always record a version of that! Just need to get Tim to stand still long enough to do the vocals, unless I can find someone off the internet to collaborate with.

3) Look The Part
Look, I've not invested in a make-over, but hey, as long as I have my Merrell shoes, baggies and a fistful of hair gel I figure I can fake it...

Okay, maybe I do need to work on this more... I know one thing for sure, I'm NOT going to start back-combing my hair like the guy in the Southwark Tavern the other night. That look was so retro it was WAY ahead of its time.

4) Get Out There
I started off the year going along to a lot of open mic stuff. Didn't network much, but hey, at least I was going. Recently I've not had the time, BUT I have been going to the Guitar Improvers class, which has to count for something. It'd be neat to try to keep in touch with the other WAES students. None of them seem like freaks (at least not from my perspective!) I'm going to push for a continuation course to be run, but something tells me that there may not be sufficient interest.

Tim and I are supposed to be meeting up with an ex-work colleague of his who had his own band but who's now playing second guitar for someone else. He says he's keen to start playing drums again and seemed to be suggesting that I join in the fun. We'll see what comes of that. At least it'd be good to see him and his new band play, hang out with them etc. The only challenge is that his preferred style of music is a world apart from mine, so we may well start off headed in opposite directions.

I still have to set up MySpace pages etc, too, so that I can get some proper internet presence going to link to on 'band finder' websites. Nothing fancy, just songs, a few photos etc.