Opportunity Begs

Some opportunities are just too good to turn down. And some are just too awful to accept.

My main band, Russ Payne and the Shark Dentists, like to play festivals – not that we don’t enjoy playing the usual circuit of pubs, clubs and parties.

Having just finished a string of festival gigs, we were offered another. All we had to do was fill in an online application and pay a $10 fee – and the application form made it clear that if we played the festival, there would be no cash payment for “this opportunity”.

It’s insulting enough to be paid nothing, but even worse to be asked to pay $10 to be paid nothing.

If you want to see a line-up of bands who are so desperate for a gig that they are willing to pay to play, this will be the festival for you.

Musicians are good at selling themselves short. And I was just reminded of that fact by Stevie Freeman at the excellent Union Music in Lewes, East Sussex, one of the independent record stores that is stocking the new Russ Payne and the Shark Dentists album, ‘In Love With Trouble’.

I said we were happy to sell the album for £7. Stevie said it should be £10: “You shouldn’t sell yourselves short.”

She’s right, of course. 

We can all do better...

Country Girl

When my younger daughter was born and we settled on naming her Nevada Rose, I said that sounded like a great name for a country singer.

I couldn’t have forecast that 19 years later she’d be front of stage with her guitar and her beautiful voice... and with me on drums in the band backing her up.

One of the songs she was playing at this one-off performance was “Jolene” – but a much darker reading than Dolly Parton’s - so yes, my country singer prophecy sort of came true.

Except that this particular “country singer” has mastered piano, violin, organ and sax, and also the composing and conducting of classical and choral music.

And all that I definitely couldn’t have forecast... any more than all the rest that is still to come from this remarkable musician.