From: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org (avalon-digest) To: avalon-digest@smoe.org Subject: avalon-digest V12 #85 Reply-To: avalon@smoe.org Sender: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-avalon-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk avalon-digest Sunday, April 1 2007 Volume 12 : Number 085 Today's Subjects: ----------------- [AVALON] Leo's latest insights.. ["Martin Stockman" Subject: [AVALON] Leo's latest insights.. From Leo Abraham's site ..dated 27th Mch.... Im in Charles de Gaulle airport, about to get on a plane to Amsterdam. Its week 5 of the Bryan Ferry tour and the end is just about in sight. Its been great, but after this amount of time touring begins to take on a strange hypnotic quality as the days, venues and bottles of wine begin to blend into each other. Playing the set every night has never got boring though  its always a challenge and there is a good balance of discipline and freedom. One of the very admirable things about Bryan is that, even in the heat of the moment, he can pinpoint and remember very subtle elements in the music that he wants to change, which get addressed in soundcheck the following day, so every night is a bit different. Thats the discipline bit (along with the fact that a lot of the songs have completely bonkers chord structures, and trying to change guitars between songs in a hurry without falling over). The freedom bit entails trying to keep the improvised solo sections fresh, while remaining true to the emotion and melody of the song. A bit like walking around a statue finding new angles to look at it from. Its particularly good when youre able to channel emotions that have built up during the day into the playing; the audience always seems to pick up on that somehow. A definite highlight so far has been the Royal Albert Hall show. Theres just something about the place that, despite being imposing, is indescribably calming and benevolent. Often London shows are particularly fraught but this time everyone was relaxed and on top form. It occurred to me at one point that I couldnt be sure when (or if) Id be playing there again, so Id better enjoy it. It is a bizarre existence though. You are rendered something of an overgrown child, being cooked for, told exactly where to go and when, spoilt really, then plonked down when its all over wondering why you've forgotten to pay the bills, and how to cook pasta. One of the great pleasures of the tour has been listening to Andy Newmark and Chris Spedding, two legendary players, talk about their experiences and how they have navigated their way through the twists and turns. Andy was saying one night how he always assumed hed stop playing drums at some point and do something sensible, and its only now in his 50s that he realises hes probably doing the job for life. Chris nodded and said "I know, disgusting isnt it". - -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.23/740 - Release Date: 3/30/2007 13:15 ___________________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: unsubscribe avalon ------------------------------ End of avalon-digest V12 #85 **************************** ======================================================================== For further info, mail majordomo@smoe.org with: info avalon-digest