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Over the course of the last decade, friend-of-the-band Pete D has given us wise words. He strongly suggests a greatest hits album.

ARGGG!!

I'm still bloody well finishing the work on Defiance, 5D needs more video and recording and will probably now wind up as a stand alone whilst they take the songs electric which means we need studio time for a 10th album then there a tour then there's.....

Bugger.

You know that thing when someone's right but you really don't want to do another job but you kind of realise it's to your own benefit to do so...

(sigh).

The concept has been in the background for a while, but picking your faves is a task that involves a lot of discussion and back and forth.

I think he's right tho'. 

I'm not in a hurry to take on any more jobs right now.

This #selfpropelledartist just wants a Bex and a Lie Down.

You have to be a Aussie of a certain vintage to get that reference...

Bex was the thing for Granny to take for a little bit of pep. Hell I could with some right now.

All right, so after we've finished releasing Defiance, whilst we're putting out the Mid West Triptych, finishing 5D and move to the 10th album, we'll also do a 10 Year compilation.

This may require 2 Packets of Bex.

Heh. Remember a few months back when I said that I wasn't cool with making a public list of things we're up to? It was based on some science that said talking about it gives you the same dopamine fix as doing it.

Instead I just listed them as numbers. Well I wasn't kidding and I got a few ticked off recently. 

The EPIC list is the list of things you want to do without having to die to justify doing them! That's right, do fun things and LIVE to talk about it.

Epic List #8 AYAYAYAYAYAY'm learning Flamenco!

Thanks to Rut, I have been learning Flamenco. Holy crap.

I've taken lessons in Opera, Jazz, Blues, I've studied Mongolian throat singing (thanks to Bukhu), and now: Flamenco.

That 3 note triplet run down thing is no joke - they do it in Celtic music, even Bonnie Raitt does it and i am learning it in Spanish. Ouch.

It'll be some time before I dare to try it in public but CHALLENGE ACCEPTED!!!

Epic List #9 - Singing Natural Woman at a Rainbow Bar.

Here's a fun one.

Mr Wizard gives me a hard time because I know the words to Torch Songs that Mum listened to when I was a kid.

I know far too many Carly Simon and Carpenters songs for Mr Wizards sense of Musical Masculinity. He worries what people will think.

ROFL!!!

Seriously folks. We're A SYDNEY band. Sydney Australia. HELLO? LOL. If you have a problem with how other people manage their personal affairs, may we suggest not going outside. Heh.

So - once upon a time, at the Blues Jam Night, I did 'natural woman' cos it's a great song and all the dudes totally got into it...until the chorus.

ALL 'you make me feel, you make me feel '

ME 'Like a natural woman'

BLOKES. 'Like a natural..mumble mumble'

HAHAHAHAHA.

That was so much fun I set my mind to arranging a night of doing Torch Songs at a bar that would appreciate them.

My favourite Brazillian Pianist Marco  (say that fast) has been helping me get a set together, and I went scouting for a gig

I found a local Sydney rainbow bar with live music and went along to the Karaoke night and signed up.

I must be pushing the limits - even the Hostess for the night, in an immaculate and quite gorgeous outfit asked me 'Is Michael here, is it Michael? You're not doing Natural Woman are you? Are you sure it's not 'michelle'? are you SURE you want to do 'Natural Woman?'

Priceless. Just let that settle in your mind. I'm doing stuff that even Drag Queens find suspect.

That's some Next Level sh-t right there.

They ALL sang along (YAY!!) I got a beer token, praise of my phrasing and a hug from a very friendly bloke.

I'm still going to try for a proper gig. I might have liked it...perhaps...too much (LOL)

There are a bunch of other things on the EPIC list - we've done lots of them this year - recording in the street for 5D, recording in the telescope dome at coonabarrabran. and yet more things await our attention.

If you're not having as much fun as we are, come hang out with us!

A perfect day at the Catho is really...perfect. you just never know.

I had my Monday by Thursday. Which is ok, because I've previously had my Monday on a Sunday.

During a good week, Monday starts by Tuesday.

I am spending a lot of time Thoughtfully Not Doing Things. A lot of thought has gone into not-doing. 

There's a list. A long list. We're busy as all GTFO doing paperwork an other items familiar to the #selfpropelledartist (our motto - start walking kid, no one's coming to get ya).

I've also been reviewing a whole bunch of 'WTF' possibilities due to observable changes in the state of the Music System.

Pandora (music streaming service) just left OZ. Kanye's pulled out of Tidal. All music is effectively streamable for free (and easily pirateable). Uh oh.

Welcome to the Voluntary Market - people gotta wanna exchange energies with ya. Uh oh (part the 2nd).

Humans like music, music still good, music and humans will, hopefully remain, systems will change.

This week we have 'not' done things because it's very hard to know which of the things is a useful thing, and how much of it is errant silliness. Most of it, but some sillier than others.

Our focus has been and continues to be, making things. That's as it should be.

Perhaps the best option is to continue to experiment and await further data.

It is puzzling indeed. I shall continue chewing on a twig and looking for tasty tasty termites.

A snooze was rightly in order. I was thinking myself lucky to have skipped Sydney's cold & flu season but it got me.

I have a list of jobs to do and the first was a cup of tea and the History Channel. Achoo.

In spite of that, I tried doing a few more jobs, like getting some more CD's made. But really, I have a whole WTF are we doing with physical stuff right now.

We really are in the interregnum, between when Digital takes over altogether and the last vestiges of nice shiny plastic and artwork.

On the plus side, if we get some more cd's made they will be in the song order of correctness.

Does that even matter anymore?

Holy crap we are in a totally quantum place right now, where both the old answer and the new answer are a little right.

We arrive at the most interesting of conclusions, that whilst systems shift, we concentrate on making stuff.

I still have art, layouts and promo stuff to do for Defiance, because if a tree falls in the forest...OMG I AM TURNING INTO ROGER!!!

Patience. Patience.

We are doing many good things, that take time, care, thought. I'd like to play with all the toys all at once. It might be well to smile a little, pause and take our time finishing these good things.

AHAHAHAHAHA JUST KIDDING. Mr Wizards already bringing me new songs. I think the guys have really started to get into the fact that they are free to chase ideas.

I am working to get a sample out from 5D to show you what I mean.

The great part about this is that it is self regulating. Even with the freedom to do whatever you want, you can only get so much done. 

Even better, since reading Rick's stuff has made me think hard about words, it's encouraged me to wait until someone says something clever I can crib inspiration strikes. Well kind of.

I might have written a little while back, that you learn from what you pay attention to.

I'm fairly sure I stopped taking those cold and flu pills. Maybe not hmmm.

Once again I am reminded that I can fairly say the best words, the work continues. The guys are banking up tunes and melodies. When left to our own devices, we'll keep making things we're interested in, as well as we can, when we can.

So back to the non musical aspects of the work for a few days :-) Then maybe'll i'll get to play with the toys again!