I know more than three chords...

Tonight I went along to the last Out of the Bedroom to take place at its spiritual home, The Waverley Bar in St Mary’s Street...

I arrived at 7:20 and put my name on the board for a slot, having rehearsed two songs quickly prior to leaving the house. Of course, as usual, I took a copy of the music and lyrics with me – I find it almost impossible to play anything without this crutch...

I found myself sitting in the room upstairs on my own as people arrived in twos and threes and sat chatting amongst themselves. I suddenly felt quite lonely. So I finished my Diet Coke and went outside for a walk up and down the Royal Mile..

By the time I arrived back, around 8:25, the room had filled up and sound man Dave O’Hara was setting up the tiny stage whilst Ali from Impossible Songs was manning (or womanning) the CD table, so I sat next to her and had a chat...

The OOTB Committee has decided to include Indigo Rose and Danny Dyer, the two acts who, through illness, couldn’t make it for the sessions last month, on the 4th OOTB CD. So that’ll be another session – to be arranged by OOTB tho, not me...

Unfortunately, Ali and my’s position was just outside the Ladies, and the horrendous odour from therein wafted out into our space every time anyone entered. God knows what’s down the drains in there....

Jamie arrived around three or four acts into the night having missed some excellently altered cover-versions by Tommy Mackay and Big Jim Whyte of “Candle in the Wind” and “Tie A Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree” with lyrics suitably and wittily amended to comment on the general state of The Waverley, with particular attention to the terrible beer and terrifying toilets...

My slot was just before half time and I’d chosen to play my two most recent songs, “I Still Write You Letters” written last month and “The End of Everything” from last July, to which I attached Pink Floyd’s “Goodbye Cruel World”...

Some Stats : This was the 43rd time I’d played at OOTB and there have only been 208 so I’ve played just over 25%. My first time was at OOTB 59 so I’ve played 43 out of a possible 150 – almost one in three – although only eleven of those have been in the last eighteen months....

Before playing my first OOTB back in January 2003, I hadn’t played live for almost five years. In the last three years, including OOTB, I’ve played 67 times...

Every time I play at OOTB however, I seem to have to follow someone who’s really good at playing the guitar (which I’m not) and tonight was no exception as I took the stage after Lindsay Sugden who’s fretwork is excellent...

Nonetheless my songs went down well and I was probably aided by the fact that I had to be careful not to strum the guitar too hard, as it was set so loudly in comparison with the mic...

This was the first time for a long time that I got through my songs without making a single mistake...

And so I have now played 49 different songs at OOTB – probably some kind of record. As I announced this between my songs, some wag in the audience shouted out “Ah, but how many chords??”

“Three” I answered, only to go on and play the first four of the next song – I do know more than three chords!

The room was packed, just I thought it would be – a huge difference to last week when they were struggling to find people to fill the slots never mind take up the seats in the audience...

Later on, I was embarrassed by compere Jim Igoe as he noted that just played act Eagle Owl were to be on the next OOTB CD which I was producing and that I’d also produced the last two CD...

He said I’d done more than people realised behind the scenes at OOTB and called for a round of applause – which was so flattering. Thanks Jim – now when are you going to review “Deeperdown” on OOTB’s message board and help me sell a few more copies???

Speaking of which, I’ve just had a huge order for these confirmed, and that’s going to keep me busy for a while...

Ian Sclater’s also been in touch looking for a further supply of his CD and I’ve had another offer to produce a local band’s CD, plus the rearranged OOTB session and the final production job on that – so busy, busy, busy...

Around midnight, I left the room feeling rather tired – the night was still in full swing though and I look forward to the review...

Next week is the first night at new venue The Canon’s Gait, just round the corner, and I’ll be along to that too, to help support the club as it goes through it’s biggest change...

Highlight of the Day : Performing live again