25 July 2009

---------------------------------------------------------------------- day 15
The drugstorecave has been buzzing with activity. Managed to finish a couple of demos and feel an unashamed sense of achievement, not only because it's always exciting to turn the abstract into something tangible, but I also feel pretty good about having overcome some of the ridiculous shortcomings of the ministudio set-up itself: dodgy stereo leads held together by old masking tape, noisy cables, missing bits of software and so forth. Have now resigned to the fact that sound quality will remain fairly poor, but taking comfort in the fact that, in this instance, core content hopefully more valuable than sound quality. I've been doing all my singing very quietly, as trying to keep a low-profile and not upset the neighbours. Although I'm happy to be 'the only smoker in the village', not terribly keen on being the 'noisiest'. But singing quietly really suits most of the stuff I write anyway, as it gives it the intimacy I'm after, that is often lost in the controlled environment of a professional recording studio. Had a call from a musician mate of mine, who for years has been trying to get his band off the ground. As usual, I dreaded asking what's been happening with his band, for inevitably it leads to the same old answer: "nothing much, really...". I often think about how our lives are shaped and how some people seem to move in the right direction, while others are left behind. Around the time we released our 2nd album, I was often asked if I believed in fate and whether some things were meant to be; I'm not surprised, given that the album was called 'White Magic for Lovers'; A good title, I think, but one that has led to a great deal of misunderstanding, that has for long troubled me. 'White Magic for Lovers', the song, was not advocating faith in the occult and obscure, but acknowledging our inability to overcome loss, and how we completely lose sight of reason when overwhelmed by emotion, that was all. There is indeed no masterplan, and our lives are just a result of our actions, what we actually do, and its interaction with everything else that happens around us. So we can and should take a good share of responsibility for what happens to us. We cannot, obviously, control what happens out there, but that is part of the excitement. So please, next time you see me, avoid giving me any 'lucky crystals', as they'll be mercilessly thrown away, alongside anything else that is remotely vague. As for my mate, who is still trying to get his band off-the ground, and hoping that 'something, someday, will turn-up', I hope he takes note: Dear Alex, if you really believe in your work, I think you ought to do something about it. Maybe start a website or a blog about your band, upload some of your demos, open the door, and then, who knows, maybe then something good might happen.

6 comments:

angela said...

What a powerful entry. Hard to read at first, but on reflection very uplifting-Happy that, how I read it, it appears you are in a place where all the answers are within.

'There is indeed no masterplan'

Following on from this, if you ever ask anyone who believes everything happens for a reason reasons for specific horrific occurences, this statement is generally just repeated, and the profound reason for X never given. It is wholly unsatisfactory, but in my next life(?!), I think being unquestioning and going along with this way of thinking would be preferable and probably lead to an easier way of being.

isabel monteiro said...

Easier, yes, but as rewarding?
I often joke that my ultimate cave would be filled with dogs, a couple of trees, a seaview, and no people - but, it's only a joke, really - for as complicated as we are, we still bear the best fruits.
(xxxx! those El Dodgyo metaphors... keep coming up...)
x

Froio said...

Tuta, qunado veremos alguma dessas demos aqui no site?! ou mesmo em um myspace...

quão feliz você ficou com os resultados dessas recordings?

hope you all the best.
greatest family on earth

marky said...

dear isabel
your blog is a delight!
lookin fotrward to the new material.
all the best!

isabel monteiro said...

thanks all for loveliness,,,
People have been emailing,asking WHEN am I gonna upload music. - look, miss monteiro will do so whenever she feels like it! - (meaning prob. within nxt week or so)
x
isabel

angela said...

Your cave sounds great and really looking forward to lyrics crammed with more el dodgyo metaphors! Excellent.

'Easier, yes, but as rewarding?'

No very probably not as rewarding at the times when things come off, but on the whole ??? It would be interesting to know for sure whether there is more peace of mind for believing that everything is taken care of elsewhere.