Lately, I’ve been a bit too fond of saying, “I’m practically sixty!” A couple of years ago, I was joking, clearly said a bit too soon, evoking smirks and “don’t be stupids” from pals, but as time goes on, the expressions become a little more serious, with a raise of the eyebrows, a tilt of the head and perhaps a “Well, yes, not long now, son…”
And I imagine, in the not-too-distant future, if I continue to use the phrase beyond its sell-by date, these same folk will be tutting and saying, “Whaddya mean, ‘practically’? That was ages ago!”
And so it goes.
But today, as I quietly and slowly approach my seventh decade (in my head, I remain resolutely, my emotionally-stunted 17-year-old self) I’ve just had a weekend, containing my absolute "fill" of those unbidden, “peak” emotional moments, all related to and induced by the simultaneous completion of my latest song recording AND a silly little self-shot & edited video to go with it - and after an extra special effort, late on a Thursday night, I managed to combine these events to coincide with great Umph, at the very midnight-moment the new single was released (at least, here in the UK) across all the usual streaming and downloading services.
By midnight:05, I had sent-off said track, video and blurb to a couple of hundred playlists, reviewers and radio shows, a task that in the past had always taken me a couple of weeks post-release, to complete. (A sobering thought: back in the days of a physical CD album release, I’d still be working on the third or fourth promo-mailout - CDs, printed press releases and padded envelopes - a year later!)
So now, with minimum effort, maximum efficiency, spending as little time as possible and not undertaking ANY activities I don’t actually want to (“Link to us on your Insta…” No. I do not have such a thing. And nor will you have, dear reader, one day very soon) the tune and visuals are “out there”, a bet placed, a lottery ticket purchased. I probably won’t “win it”, but I’m once again, for a few weeks, definitely “in it”.
After the really quite wonderful, emotional moment of release the other night, the obvious, expected lack of initial response (12 listens… 12?! Yep, 12…) is countered by instances of quiet satisfaction and future promise; joyous, personal reviews from music fans in Brazil or France or Seattle or Stoke-on-Trent, suddenly the promise of inclusion on 9, no, 29, no 69 Spotify playlists… global connections opening the mind to the possibility that my UK/US-centric view of my music as “Retro-2000s indie-guitar-pop-rock” is to others, unconfined by such strict genres, “great dance music” or “bright & lush, easy listening”, “post-punk pop” and SO on. Just lovely to hear all these opinions. Even the folk who don’t quite connect, have great, constructive, interesting things to say. (Thank you again the “Groover” promotions company, by whom I am NOT sponsored!)
Anyway, the point is this: I may be getting old - I’m certainly older now than I’ve ever been before, eh reader? - but I’m making better music than I ever have, strangers around the world are seemingly loving it and dancing around their kitchens to it, and I’m personally gleaning deep satisfaction and a sense of purpose from making it and releasing it, however mutedly, however inconsequentially.
And today, thrown clear of this particular song project, I’m almost giddy to get stuck into the next one, tonight! Now! Watch me go…
