House/Music

For a band who want to record their first full album as quickly as possible, the Strict Machines are quite laid back about getting it done. They have a gig on Wednesday ("You will come, won't you"), after which they'll "think about arrangements for recording". So I'm another week without recording equipment because it's all in the guitarist's bedroom, and they don't even have a schedule for using it.

I'm making the first ten copies of The Investigation performance film for Max. After which he wants twenty more. All to promote his political theatre company. Intelligent leftwing theatre is cirtainly worthwhile, and among the social classes that watch stageplays it can provoke debate. But as a way to prevent council house tennants voting for the BNP, it's not terribly effective. Max is an driven, compassionate man. But as Simon M says, he's barking mad and annoying as hell.

As a technician - for music recording and video production - I just have to make sure the equipment works. And then use it. Which is somewhat easier than practicing for three hours a day on a musical instrument, or keeping a team of thirty actors from fighting.
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I've decided that roughly one third of my electronic stuff could happily go on Ebay. SK5 sampler keyboard, miniature FM radio, old midi keyboard, USB soundcard, computer speakers, solid state dictaphone, and a few other things. I'm not sure there'd be bids though for a turquoise portable black-and-white TV, a betamax VCR that only plays, or a dozen cheap microphones.

If I sold it all off, I could get one of those nice elliptical exercise machines. Except there'd still be nowhere to put it. Because there's three of us living here, and we have all been accumulating hardware for thirty years. The 'TV room' contains ten guitars, two obsolete synthsisers, two amplifier systems, several boxes of paper documents, one computer, an ever-growing collection of oil lamps, rail memorabilia, three tables, uncounted vinyl records...and a television.

My parents bought this absurdly large house to give two young children plenty of room. Most of the house is now filled with cardboard boxes containing stuff, most of which could be jettisoned. Except whenever we do throw stuff away, we find we need it.