So, all the pages for 2004 have been torn from my calendar and thrown into the waste-paper basket of time. So that was 2004, and what have we done?
Babylon Leaf had a bit of a non-year, in terms of gigs, practices, new equipment... well, pretty much everything. We basically started as we went on: after a great party for Xmas 2003, we decided to take a break. That month-long sabattical dragged into January, turned into two months, then three. I started full-time at HMV in Chester in February and began juggling that with work for Leafish, and so time for the band became more scare for me. Neil and Sally brought new life into the world in the summer, meaning his time was probably being spent washing nappies and looking for the lost dummy underneath the sofa.
In retrospect, I think I messed up with the band last year. At a recent gig in Ruthin, a rather tanked-up Sonic (manager, roadie, mechanic and good friend) told me: "I think you've got the right attitude, now. Last year, who was it that wanted a break from gigs to get your heads down and write some tunes to make up a decent set-list?" Yep, that was me and Neil. "And then what did you do? You fucked off." Ah. Good point. So, to anyone who wondered why there were next to no gigs, and to the rest of the guys in the band who lost patience and gained frustration: I fucked up. Sorry.
I'm not sure what happened late summer and early autumn, but it was only in November that we've started getting it back together. The first practice was awful, almost farcical. I'd forget the intro, then once I'd got that, Neil or Hanny would forget the first line. Once we'd gotten half-way into the song, I'd draw a complete blank for the widdly bits. It was a bit disheartening for all of us.
They got better, though. And it was only as we started gathering momentum that we seemed to be hit by the curse of Babylon Grief. The Denmores van we used to get around died, and needed attention before passing its MOT. My amp exploded quite spectacularly when someone decided a good replacement for a fuse was a bit of copper wire ;)
Guitars intermittedly conked out. PAs were lost, nearly bought second-hand, unavailable, nearly bought from a mis-leadingly advertising Maplin, and someone elses speaker was blown. Gigs were booked, then cancelled. To top it all, our bassist Rich was jumped outside Telfords in Chester, resulting in a burst ear-drum. He's okay though, now. For a while he had supersonic hearing and could pick up cars changing gear from two miles away.
I'm not really one for New Year Resolutions, but heres one I will make. Babylon Leaf are going to kick ass this year.
Update
I posted the above at Demolicious a few days ago, and since most of it is even more relevant here, here it is. The 'bad news' referred to in the title is the latest installment of Babylon Grief: Neil has only gorn an' sliced his hand up on a pint-glass in the middle of the night. A trip to the hospital, several stitches later, and he can't move his fingers. He's back to the hospital in a couple of days for stitches out and some work on his fingers (not sure what that entails yet...), but in the meantime we're without a rhythm guitar player. Neil: we all hope you get that hand sorted and get well soon, and then get the bloody things insured...
Perhaps the curse is cos we're practicing in a church and God has taken Almighty Displeasure at all the bum notes I've been playing recently ;)
On a slightly better note, we're currently on the hunt for a place to jam, practice and store equipment, preferably in the Ruthin area. Anyone has any ideas or suggestions, let us know.
And so, my sign off this time will be: "Babylon Leaf are going to kick ass post-February 2005..."
Cheers,
Paul
