work & "work"

By Robbie on November 4, 2011

Musicians use the word "work" more than is strictly necessary, both among themselves and outside the guild, in order to counter certain commonly-held romantic delusions about their profession and to remind themselves, in times of trial, that work is really (among other things) what it is. But a couple days with my brother's new twins add some perspective. If you think playing music is work, try having a baby, and if you think that's a lot of work, try two. And, in my brother and sister-in-law's case, add in a markedly dysfunctional sleep schedule. For 6 or 7 of every 24 hours, the kids would go down; if the 6 had at least been consecutive, we adults could gone about the other 18 with a bit more brio.

Well, after just a few days off my instrument, my fingers feel as though someone in a mad-scientist Peter Lorre movie grafted them on. (I know logically that's like saying that someone in a deranged-candidate Rick Perry campaign delivered an incomprehensible address, but I haven't seen the movie in question recently enough to be 100% sure of what I'm saying.) Into early next week I'll be running tunes, toning my hands, and doing some last-minute debugging on the new songs I'm preparing to track. All the stuff that, before helping tend to my infant nephews, I used to call work! If you missed previous posts or the tour sidebar, check the details on my three pre-recording live shows with a unique band of acoustic masters. They're all in Illinois (Evanston, Springfield, Rosemont) and I think they'll all be well worth your "work" in driving there.