Endoscopy Experience

I haven’t written anything on here for a while. This was entirely down to severe anxiety brought on from an impending endoscopy appointment. As well as going straight on to another contract in Monaco.

The Vasa Museum. Is it worth it?

Considering that at the time of writing this the Vasa Museum has a google rating of 4.7 out of 5 from over 21,000 reviews, you could easily come to the conclusion that yes, it is worth the entry fee. And to be fair you’d be right in thinking that.

Time Wasted

Just over two weeks ago I arrived back in the UK from a three week contract at a hotel bar in Monaco. It’s always a nice change from the ships and as nearly everything work related went well, it looks like we’ll be working there a lot more than usual next year.

The Greatest Stingray 5?

I was at university in 2007 when the 20th anniversary MusicMan Stingray 5 was released. I’d wanted a five string for a while but hadn’t come up with a good enough excuse to go out and buy one. I was also low on cash and so couldn’t realistically anyway.

Finally

I presumed I’d be feeling slightly sadder than I am at the moment. Last night was very possibly (hopefully) our last night performing on the Baltic ships after coming here for over seven years. Instead I can’t wait to leave.

One Last Time. Maybe.

After an eight month absence I am once again back on the Baltic ships. I actually arrived in Finland just over a week ago. That’s been just enough time to settle in to the usual routine of mild alcoholism, poor quality sleep, contracting some kind of respiratory disease and not seeing any daylight for I think eight days now. As long as I don’t get the stomach flu that’s going around, I’ll be happy.

How To Fly With Instruments. Properly

For me, the biggest joy of being a professional musician has to be the travelling. Like I’ve mentioned in a previous post, it has for now only been around Europe but it’s still great to experience places I may not have thought to visit otherwise. The one obvious downside to working abroad however is the worry that your instrument might not make the trip in one piece, if at all.

On A Boat

Whenever I tell family or friends that I’m about to go away to work a contract on a ship, they seem to assume I’m going to have a great time. This is understandable as most people who hear about ship life are used to stories of drinking and partying. Playing music as a job is itself considered an easy ride by most.

Do What You Used To Love

Being a professional musician is mainly great. You get to do some travelling, meet new people and although there are negatives, stress levels are pretty low once you have some steady work in place. If you make a mistake on stage, chances are nothing bad is going to come of it. It’s probably one of the least important professions in the world and anyone able to make a living from it should be really pleased with themselves.