....words from the chaise

There's a certain pleasure in being involved with and in peoples lives. I've had the privilege in terms of my working life to be able to get alongside people and try as much as you ever can to support them and, with that comes a fascination with who people are both externally as they present themselves and internally as you get meshed in how they 'tick'.

In my 'side line' profession as a bit of an entertainer I get to stand in front of people and play my guitar and sing to them and that invariably leads to some sort of interaction. I often return to the same places to play, so, frequently see the same faces and, over time, develop a relationship of sorts with them. It takes time when I only see them for a few minutes while I set up and then again in my mid set break, but still, in time, we engage, and I like to think, form a, however brief, bond. As a matter of fact I think music has the ability to do that so maybe that's why these brief fleeting relationships form.

What I enjoy is to ponder what has brought people to the venue, generally a pub. What happens in the rest of their lives? Who are they? What are they about? Some of the songs I play are now so entrenched in my sub conscious that I can sometimes switch off a little and my vocal chords and fingers just get on with it with minimal involvement from the active part of my brain. I've played 'Valerie' by The Zutons (or Amy Winehouse if you're not as cool as I am) so many times now that with only a periodic brief look at the words in front of me I can do it without thinking much.

So, take last night as an example. There's a lovely older couple who are there in the pub every time I play in the same seats with the same questions for me. Do you play any Johnny Cash? No. Do you play any Beatles? No. But they sit and listen and clap enthusiastically and sing along even when they don't know the words. Even to 'Price Tag'! And I ponder their world beyond this couple of hours I spend in their delightful company. Where do they live? Do they have children? Grand children? What did they work at? They must live close by, I ponder, as this looks like it's their local. So I place them in one of the terraces near to the pub. I have them in a neat little house, tidy, but filled with objects that remind them of things they've done, places they've visited, people they have been. They have a patterned carpet and solid looking furniture. She was a house wife for the most part and got a part time job in a local business once the kids were 'up'. The kids have moved away. Not too far away, but maybe down the coast to Darlington or somewhere similar. The have one grandchild who they see from time to time. But like most of us 'working families' visits probably aren't regular enough. He worked in industry but not 'hands on'. Some kind of supplier to industry or maybe in some kind of first level management position giving him a not huge but good income. They look forward to their Saturday night out to see their friends. Through the week she pops to the shops and he reads the paper and goes for a walk. They talk a lot. What strikes me is how comfortable they look. How easy they are together. That's something to strive for. They sit together effortlessly. Not like some couples you see. Sat in a restaurant looking 'tolerant'. That's not how they look.

All of this you know will probably be completely inaccurate completely wide of the mark! But what I do know for definite is they always look like they are having a good night and that means that I always look forward to playing for them. There's nothing like feeling appreciated. So, in return for this in my mid set break I quickly google 'Beatles Help From My Friends Lyrics', scribble down the first line to each verse (I can remember the rest once I start) and work the chords out. I then google 'Jonny Cash Ring Fire Lyrics' and google says do you mean 'Johnny Cash Ring Fire Lyrics'..... I do! And I do the same with that song. And I play them both at the start of my set as a thank you for the pleasure that they give me by being so enthusiastic even when I play 'Brimful of Asha' which, given their passion for the Beatles and Mr. Cash, is probably not their favourite song.