Time to say goodbye
Bristol, 9th January
I'm
really looking forward to next New Year's Eve when I hope to be doing something more exciting and more sociable than
sitting on my own watching television. I do this most years, partly out of choice because I have never liked New Year
all that much, but primarily because Fred plays in a band and always has a gig to go to. Last New Year's Eve he was at
the Winter Gardens Pavilion in Weston Super Mare whereas I was in bed at 11pm. This was his next to last gig in the UK
after 15 years as a professional bass guitar player followed by 25 years doing it at weekends just for the fun of it.
Back in the sixties he backed Peter and Gordon (you need to be at least 50 to remember them!), played in bands which
released singles and also wrote songs for people like Olivia Newton John.
Studio in the water tank
Fred
sees our 'retirement' to Spain as an opportunity to concentrate on the song writing that he loves so much whereas I'm
looking forward to being serenaded on the terrace on hot summer evenings. The plans for building extra space will have
to include a recording studio to hold the three guitars, two amplifiers, keyboard and assorted other instruments which
are accompanying us to Spain. In fact we were thinking about converting the water store into a studio. This is a room
built into the house itself which is water-proofed and holds a vast amount of collected rain water. Until the house was
connected to the mains this was the only source of water and I'm sure it's still useful for watering the garden in
summer, especially since the mains water is metered. I wonder if waterproofed means sound-proofed too? I'm sure Fred will
find other expat musicians in the village who will be willing to get together to make music and then who knows, there
could be regular gigs on the coast eventually. Maybe New Year's Eve in Spain won't be so different after all.
Rock'n'Roll Spanish
We have researched a few of the Spanish words necessary for achieving Rock'n'Roll fame in AndalucÃa:
Toco el bajo, I play bass guitar.
Toco en un grupo, I play
in a band.
música en directo, live music
un concierto, a
gig
We hope that the neighbours are far enough away not to ask us to baja el volumen, turn the volume down!
Sent by: Sue
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