I set out on a pink moon.......
It was a pink moon on the 5th of the 5th, anyone who knows me well will know why I love the number 5. So I packed everything I owned into a back pack, a suitcase, a guitar bag and satchel. Some clothes, my guitar, busking amp, 16 track recorder, microphones, leads, and my dark sunglasses. It was a heavy load, but I could just about manage it walking. I took the coach from Liverpool to Crewe, the train from Crewe to London then the Eurostar to Paris. It was a smooth thoughtful journey all the way and at 11pm I arrived. It felt good being out of England. Last year I left with not a lot of love of for the place, as 29 years inside her walls can make you feel that. But this time I left with a lot of love in my heart, it was a different feeling driving me this time. My beautiful friend Katy met me at the station and we went to her place for a drop of red wine and a good catch up. I had already found a ride to Amsterdam the following weekend, and knew I would be spending a nice week in Paris, seeing some old faces and friends, meeting new ones and just enjoying the art gallery like beauty that only Paris has. Sunday we payed a visit to La Louvre that is free on the first Sundays of each month, you could feel the weight of history as soon as you walked in. Ancient Mummys, The Mona Lisa, a maze of hallways and galleries all inside an old Royal Palace. The taste and smell of preserved empirical aquisitions was very awe inspiring. Outside, blue skies were starting to push through so we walked through the Japanese side of town and went to a restaurant where I proudly handled the use of chop sticks and ate some delicous Japanese food. It was beautifully clear and hot the next day, so I set out early to find my seat by the Seine to read, and then to pay a visit to all the places I always used to go. My economy feed in Paris was this panini bar, you get Panini, Frites and Boison for 5 Uro 50. Although the owners had changed it was still good walking through these familiar streets again. Last year, when I had no money at all, I would busk at Saint Michell metro to get enough for a panini and happy hour pint. It was all coming flooding back. I walked up to Saint Michell and could hear a very wonderful sound as I approached..An American busking band playing Fixin'To Die by Dylan, with Slide guitar, double bass, washboard and harmonica. I stood for about half an hour listening to the highest standard of street performance, threw them a couple of Euroes when they took a break and I walked on up further to the fountain. When I seen an upright piano in the middle of the square with a virtuoso player, I thought WOW, the standard is so high. I stood and watched him for a bit, sweating and giving everything to this performance that still only brought a few coins to his hat. Underneath in the metro a woman was playing green day and Otis Reading not so well, so it made me feel a bit better about busking myself. When you see virtuoso and brilliant performers it can make you feel like you really need to become better, and that is what I set out on this trip for. To define and find my style and repatoire of acoustic songs that I can support myself from playing in the streets with. I headed back to Pont Neuf to meet a friend and as I sat on the bridge a man approached me for a light, he gave me his pack of cigarettes and started talking to me, he seen my guitar and asked me to play him a song from the 60's, so I did and he gave me 10 Euroes, he then asked if I knew Johnny Cash's version of Girl from the North Country, I played him it and he put another 15 Euroes in my pocket and a pack of cigarettes. As he was leaving a woman from Venezuala with pink hair sat down and started writing an address out for me. It was an artists squat in Paris and she was asking me to come and stay there. I thanked her and said I may just do that......
It was an open mic at the Galway, which is an Irish pub near Saint Michell, I never made it to this one last time I was here, so I was excited to play it. I haven't played a gig for the last 6 months, just been busking at Lime Street really. I have got into the habbit of just warming up after 4 songs, it was strange to just pick 4 songs to play. Just for the fact it's been so long since I have. Anyway, while there I met a great musician and guy called Greg, we exchanged CD's found eachother in the digi world, and strangely enough he met the same guy who also gave him money for playing Girl from the North Country in Pont Neuf. It was a great night, though already I could feel Paris taking my money without even realising. Ok, most of it went on Wine and Beer, but 8 Euroes for un pint!! Ouch. Tuesday was a French holiday and it was a lovely lazy day staying in bed and watching old French films then a little picnic in the park. Wednesday was the open mic at the Highlander, where I had some amazing memories from last time in Paris. I was very excited to see Ida and Thomas and to play there again. I met up with Greg and Alix there after a few 3 Euro pints at another Irish bar. It really was great seeing Ida and Thomas again, Ida was smuggling me some free pints and time just vanished. I was late for the last Metro! I found out where to take the night bus from, but had no idea where to get off. My French still wasnt great, but I could get by a little, so the driver said he would shout when we get to Villejuif, though it was nowhere near the metro! I walked in the hope of finding a familiar site and there it was! I felt my luck had nudged me home that night. On Friday I took a little trip to see my old university friend Tess, who is doing her masters degree. She has a beautiful home in Paris and we chatted and caught up, and she showed me the route to the Bob Dylan exhibition.....I bought a ticket and went inside to see his old black Fender electric guitar, his handwritten lyrics, his old school year books and all sorts of goodies! For my last night in Paris, Katy was going to a party at her friends and I was meeting up with Greg and Alix, I was a bit late for a few reasons but they called the hitman off. We grabbed a shot of Coffee and then some beers to head down to the Seine for a jam.The evening wind was turning colder so we went back to the book shop by Notre Dame for a small gathering type party. I had a great conversation about Tea with a Yorkshireman with a damn fine beard. How a yorkshire brew, is nice when it is quite sharply brewed, with instant spooning action, and not letting her settle for too long. Anti clockwisely stirred of course. My ride to Amsterdam was leaving at 9 the next morning and already my heart was set on reaching the flatlands.......
As I write this I am in a farmhouse by the sea, with nothing around for miles but sheep and windmills. A clear blue sky from end to end and in the company of legendary calibre. A lot has happened since arriving in Amsterdam but I think that will be the next chapter. The sun is shining and calling my name, it´s time for me to sit outside and play with Martha.............
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