HomeOfMusicEverywhere

It's been two weeks back in Liverpool now, and God, do I feel good!  Life is good as a busker and someone who needs music all around him.  I have been making very very good money from busking even in comparison to what I made in Amsterdam!  And even though there are buskers EVERYWHERE here, I can still make almost a hundred quid each day.  My diet has been bacon, egg sausage, beans, bread, chips, pasties, tea tea tea, and all the good food I was brought up on.  I have loved it.  Seeing my family, friends, bands, places, bumping into people I know several times a day.  But where were we?

I watched the sun rise on the English channel.  We had been on the bus for about 8 hours.  I hadn't really slept.  I forgot to bring a book, and for the first 3 hours of the journey, there was this beeping buzzing sound that was almost sub conscious, I thought am I getting tinitus or is it someones phone, or wha?  I never found out what it was, but that made sleep impossible.  I was feeling good about getting back though.  The driver of the bus, was a southerner, but with one of those proud manners of being a bus driver.  You know that kind of Britishness you get from someone who enjoys his job a bit.  It was a good sign, and made me realise I was ready for a little dose of home.

On my way to central station I found ten Euroes at our busking spot.  I thought, 'thank you Amsterdam'. She always looks after me! When we got on the ferry I bought a pint of stella and a bag of crisps with it.  Tasted gooooood, was so windy smokin outside on the deck, but I could start to taste and feel England getting closer.  When we got back on the coach I smiled as we were driving through the English roads and sign posts and language.  Hello old blighty.

I left a heatwave in Amsterdam, the weather was gorgeous.  And was forecast to be for a while, then when we hit England, it was cloudy grey and rainy.  That's the only thing bothering me, as I know last year England didn't get a summer at all really.  A few nice days, but heavy heavy rain that some places even got badly damaged from floods.  I have just spent winter outdoors, and really fancy some sunshine.  We got to Liverpool and it was still cloudy, but then once I started walking down the streets it cleared up and went so beautiful   When the sun shines on Church Street it looks like the pavement is gold.  There was only one place I was heading...

Hello Mello Mello....The hub of the creative, crazy and beautiful souls of Liverpool.  It just oozes music into the city, is built on good motives by people who are all brilliant musicians, acrobats, poets, producers, actors, directors and sometimes all of those!  I enjoyed a cup of coffee and catch up and got myself on the guest list for the Sound City at the Kazimier later that night.  I arrived back in Liverpool with the same clothes I left in.  Those brown pants were done for, no buttons at the font, holes in the crotch, but they served me well!  Anyway, I looked like a tramp, hadn't slept, was dirty and didn't have a penny to my name. I jumped the train to my mums house and like the last time I took the journey, felt like I had never been away......

My plan was to make use of the fact that you don't need a permit to busk in Liverpool, so I could use my amp and maybe even save a little money!  I hadn't told anyone I was coming back, as it was all a last minute thing, but my sister told my mum the day before so she was expecting me. We had a good cuppa tea, egg and bacon butty and I dug out an old pair of jeans and top, showered, and got some batteries for my amp.

I got the train to the city and there were buskers everywhere!  I thought shit, I won't make anything here.  But I set up in between a few and started 'singin me heart out' within ten mins I had made a tenner, and then this girl came and set up right next to me!  I kept playing, but then the pain of hearing two different songs playing stopped me and I went over.  I said what's up love?  Why you setting up right here?  Noone wins then, we just make a bad sound.  She said she always plays here, I tell her I have just got back from Amsterdam and will be here a lot over the next month.  I let her keep her spot, as the one at the top of church street had just become free.

I dashed up and played, within the hour my bag was full!  Made over 50 quid, and went to the gig at the Mello and Kazimier.  Enjoyed a nice drink, seeing my friends but most importantly being around musicians and music.  There were bands everywhere as it was sound city, and I met an old friend Alicia at the mello who said I could crash at hers.  We went back accompanied by an Argentinian Rock band who then played a gig in her house.  Not sleeping for 2 days, I found a floor and crashed to the sound of music being played in a living room, with 2 lovely dogs sleeping by my side.

The next morning the sun was beaming!  It was derby day, Liverpool V Everton and town was buzzing!  I found my spot and played for an hour, people were really responding to me.  Talking to me, girls dressed in cow outfits dancing and shaking their udders in front of me.  The electricity of Liverpool was buzzing, and I realised more and more how special a place it truly is.  Though there are buskers every few metres, here it is something that is respected, people happily give.  It reminds me of that saying that the poor are the most generous of people.  They respect musicians here.  They don't video or take pictures, just come and chuck in a few quid, dance, sing along, or kiss you.  The streets are alive with the sound of music and love.


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