A TALE OF TWO STICKS

When Jabzz hobbled into the studio yesterday having damaged his toe playing football, I’m afraid I laughed! I actually had a century old walking stick in my car to help me get in and out in case my disc slipped – again. This was Recording Day 5 – reprise. Last week I had to stop Jad at relatively short notice from driving up from Hemel Hempstead, and let Ali know as early as possible that he wouldn’t after all need to come back to Manchester between gigs in London and Birmingham.

I had been walking my two spaniels as usual on the previous Saturday morning and jarred my continuously incompetent lower back by treading in a tyre rut in my own drive. That led to six days mainly flat on my back trying to keep the day job going between watching some truly appalling Westerns and a few too many episodes of Judge Judy – one day I may sue a neighbour or close family member for the emotional distress and harassment caused to me by them causing a minor scrape on the passenger side front wing of my car.

The car in which yesterday I had a strategically located century old walking stick. There is a lovely story to that first stick. It was given to me by my Uncle John. Although John has spent most of his life in Canada after emigrating in the 1950’s, his sister lives in Derbyshire and until only a few years ago cared for their 102 year old Mum. She was amazing. I have an abiding memory of this lovely lady waving at me from her bedroom window as I left after one of my few short visits to see her. She was largely bedridden, but still managed to struggle to the window that day. It was her stick that John gave to me and probably pre-dates 1900. The second stick was my Dad’s. It is longer and more flexible than the century old stick and has a more conventional curved, wooden handle – the century old stick has a handle that may be antler or another kind of bone, and it has a very useful hook which I found to have multiple applications. Don’t worry – I’m not even going there!

It took nine days in total with the aid of that and a second stick to get me back on my feet and I finally walked the dogs to the park stick-free on Monday afternoon. It was so good to get back into the studio and regain the momentum we lost by having a week away. Jad added some spectacular tabla work to the title track and one other, and then left to collect his daughter from Nottingham en route back home while Ali performed  his usual magic. I wanted to lay down the foundation of another track for Kieran next week, and what followed was truly amazing. The story of NIGHT will follow in a couple of days. Meanwhile, back to the day job. And Jabzz. You now know where to come if that toe doesn’t heal quickly and you need a stick!

“Glorious 12th on a shooting stick” from Moorscape track 7 ‘ GUNS’