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Nov 04 2021

TO WHERE I AM NOW

Autumn days with blue skies and a chill in the air, people going about their business, swarms of teenagers coming out of the school down the block. The park was socially buzzing, teenage couples, a girl with her legs over her boyfriend and on her phone (of course). A familiar older couple talking enthusiastically (if they are a couple – no phone). The leaves on the trees are wilting, turning, falling to the ground, even I’m wearing an extra jacket today. Through the park down the street a young girl riding one of those electric scooters on the pavement, glasses, jacket, jeans and backpack with a purple orchid sticking out, looking up at the windows. Was she delivering it, was it a gift? Everybody has a quest.

Later as the day moved on, the sun sank lower and the chill took a stronger grip, I passed a man walking in the middle of the pavement, unaware of other people, muttering and scratching that strange silver substance off a lottery ticket. It didn’t look like he was winning, it was the sound of another loss rather than the celebration of overcoming the failure of previous attempts. I wonder how much he spends on losses versus how often he wins.

When you watch football there are adverts for gambling all the time, Paddy Power, Bet 365, William Hill, Ladbrokes, Coral, all of them with flashy ads, appealing to the public to bet through them and then telling you to ‘bet responsibly’. Why? Because it’s an addiction and the reason we see so many adverts for betting on sports programmes is because so many people are addicted and the odds are not in the public favour. It’s like casinos – ostentatious, chandeliers, massive buildings, expensive real estate – profits are huge. I remember being in Vegas after a gig and walking through the hotel at 5 AM in the morning to see people, old ladies, sitting at one-armed bandits with buckets full of coins just hoping to win big once so they can put it all back in the machine.

Near home, a man in the cafe on the corner, sitting in the window, bald except for the sides where he had masses of smooth flowing hair, a grey garden flowing back to his neck. If I started to lose my hair on top, I wonder if I would be tempted to go in this direction. Some see they are losing their hair and keep it short forevermore, others try to disguise it with the legendary comb-over or like The Edge or Mark Gardener from Ride or Dwight Yoakam, you wear a hat. I don’t think The Edge has ever been seen without his beanie since he lost his hair. The question is can the hair you have left be beautiful or do you have to accept the reality and get used to your skull?

Coming out of the street around the corner from home was a car that was the colour of sweets. A rich purple like a box of chocolates, I just wanted to take a bite out of it. But sometimes I see cars that are such awful colours I wonder about those golden mud-coloured cars, those shiny tinsel brown colours or in older cars, the faded tan colours. Am I just anti-brown? I don’t know why I should be, I mean, it’s the colour of chocolate, how could it be bad? At the classic car show we went to the other day, I don’t remember many brown cars except for the eccentric Citroen Bijou. There were lots of beautiful red ones and light blue ones, lots of beautiful fascinating sparkly shades. Have you seen the matt cars? We have to repost the interior of the Corvette Stingray from the show again because it simply is the most scrumptious upholstery I have ever tasted.

Last but not least I’ll be doing a podcast with Monty Mendigoria in The Philippines at 1 PM Friday UK time – LIVE! More info here.

Music today has been the third Portishead studio album, imaginatively titled Third (2008). When in doubt, when you are cool, go low-key.

Music Of The Daze

Written by Marty Willson-Piper · Categorized: Blog

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there's any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into Thanks to The Wernickis for a little glimpse into their new New Mexico listening space 🌵 #nightjar #schoolkidsrecords
Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵 📷 @oliviaelek Redeyed lad of the lowlands 🎵

📷 @oliviaelektra 

#danelectro #danelectrobass #redeyerecords #pleasantrylane #pleasantrylanestudio
You usually don’t spend the day in the studio an You usually don’t spend the day in the studio and the night at a gig but if you put the studio next to the gig then there’s a greater chance. So @salimnourallah did just that, he put the gig and the studio next to each other and made it possible for me to spend the day recording and the evening playing live 🎵

📷 @drewliophoto 

#galacticheadquarters #happinessarecordlabel #pleasantrylanestudio #salimnourallah #oliviawillsonpiper
TO WHERE I AM NOW A visit in the studio today fro TO WHERE I AM NOW

A visit in the studio today from old mate Mark Burgess from The Chameleons who has been hanging in Texas recently. I was thinking about the two of us growing up in the northwest of England and all these years later finding ourselves in such an unlikely spot together. We fixed a few issues in the universe and I carried on recording some guitars until Mark had to leave. Mark had played at the Galactic Headquarters next to the studio this year as Olivia and I had four years ago and this reminded me to remind myself to remind everyone to remind their friends that we will be playing there with Salim on Saturday, New Year’s Eve, for the ultimate in intimate performance. You can get tickets here (follow link below).

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1045

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @salimnourallah 

#markburgess #thechameleons #chameleonsvox #pleasantrylanestudio #happinessarecordlabel #martywillsonpiper #oliviawillsonpiper #moatband
📷 @argirgirl 📷 @argirgirl
TO WHERE I AM NOW Sadness manifested in a buildin TO WHERE I AM NOW

Sadness manifested in a building, today we went to visit Paisley Park. Prince built Paisley Park in Chanhassen, about twenty minutes southwest of Minneapolis. It opened in 1987 and he recorded his later albums there. Apart from Prince, REM also recorded and mixed Out Of Time there, recording Kate Pearson’s vocal on Shiny Happy People vocal. Madonna had Prince play guitar on three songs from Like A Prayer and the two co-wrote Love Song, finishing it remotely due to Madonna not being able to stand the cold weather and the rather desolate location of the studio. Of course, there are things around but it’s not in the city and it’s not in the countryside, it’s in a suburb, no distractions, just what Prince wanted.

CONTINUE READING: https://martywillson-piper.com/2022/12/to-where-i-am-now-1032

KEEP IN TOUCH: https://linktr.ee/mwillsonpiper

📷 @argirgirl 

#paisleypark #prince
Marty & Pablo! 📷 Rod MacQuarrie Marty & Pablo!

📷 Rod MacQuarrie
At last, a proper door stop. 📷 @judgeschamber At last, a proper door stop.

📷 @judgeschamber 

#grammysitting 👵
🌵 Texas Acoustic Dates 🌵 31 December - DALL 🌵 Texas Acoustic Dates 🌵

31 December - DALLAS
7 January - CELINA
12 January - HOUSTON
14 January - AUSTIN
15 January - SAN ANTONIO

With @salimnourallah and @joereyesmusic

More info here: https://mailchi.mp/e47ede06acd6/texas-acoustic-dates
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Songwriting & Guitar Guidance with Marty Willson-Piper
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"These are awesome sessions that I highly recommend for guitar players of all levels. Very informative, frank discussions on everything related to guitar and music in general. Definitely a must for anyone pursuing songwriting."
(Stephen G., VA, USA)

"Marty knows how to bypass scales and get to the heart of feel and timing. His musical knowledge spans multiple cultures and genres. Perhaps most importantly, Marty is a cool dude. I highly recommend his guitar guidance." (Jed B., MN, USA)

"Ok, so you’re sitting in your home and Marty is across the world but is actually right here teaching you how to play guitar and write songs. He is a delight to talk to and he is your teacher, meaning he wants to see you get something out of his lessons. You know he’s paying attention and wants to steer you in the right direction. I am so grateful and humbled that he offers his time in this manner. This is an amazing opportunity for anyone who admires anything from his enormous body of work. How often do you get to learn from somebody that inspired you in the first place? Amazing." (Ann S., CA, USA)

Missing

This is my stolen 1965 Rickenbacker 12-string, serial number EB157. If there’s any chance of this guitar coming back to me before I go to meet my maker, then that would be wonderful. Please contact me if you have any information.

11209512_1669022976719710_7288437867089763325_n

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