Diary Of A Busker Day 113 Monday June 13th Winchester High Street (1. corner of Marks And Spencer, Time: 12:10-4pm, 2. opposite WH Smiths, Time: 4:24-5:44pm.)
The weather’s certainly heating up – so much so that here – the only place I frequent on the sunny side of the street, I am forced to take off my jacket. I’m a bit self-concious to be appearing in such a state of undress but it must be done.
A lady comes up and asks me how my Dystonia is. I tell her it’s the same, no better or worse. She is showing her brother, over from the United States, around Winchester. He’s sitting on the nearby bench. He used to play in a group in the late 60s, called Houston Fearless, they supported The Doors. He can’t play now as he’s got rheumatism and has had a couple of strokes. It’s a real shame. Their album’s still available though, she says. Or you can buy the individual songs for about 60p. “Well, that’s the magic of recorded sound.” I say. She says she sings and does a verse of Summertime, there and then – in F#.
Once again I see the “sad man” from earlier in the year. He walks by as I’m playing the very short Theme From The Good, The Bad And The Ugly. “You always play something that makes me smile!” he says. I play Bach’s Jesu, Joy Of Man’s Desiring as two ladies stop to contribute. They look very similar, I reckon they’re either sisters or from the same village. One says, “That’s my favourite song.” “Is it? Do you know the year it was written?” I say, trying to make conversation. “NO I DON’T! and I can’t stop all day to listen!” How bizarre. Still, thanks for the pound.
I’ve been playing more or less non-stop for almost 4 hours and the sound of my own playing is starting to annoy me – I don’t know about anyone else. I decide to go home…but first go to the cathedral grounds to eat my apple. While I’m there, sitting down, I change my plans and decide to squeeze in a short session somewhere else, opposite WH Smiths, if there’s no one else there. Off I go… and I’m just in time for the bakery’s sludge bucket dumping.
A dishevelled man in his mid-forties walking his bicycle, stops in front of me. “Yeah, I used to work in a baaaand…(here we go)…yeah, it was my job to clean the mixing desk every Friday night. Yeeeahh, I used to take the top off and clean all the coke – cocaine that was fallen dan, in the desk, y’know. I ‘ad to sweep it with a credit card, put it all in a bag, yeah…” “Really? And what group was that?” (I’m curious). “UB 40.” That explains a few things.
Colin – he who keeps promising to bring in his banjo for me to tune turns up. “Are you in tomorrow?” Maybe. “OK, I’l try and bring in my banjo! I know I keep saying it…I know this has been going on for weeks.” “Months”, I correct him.
Three guys a bit younger than me stand and listen a few feet away. I ask them where they are from – I have a feeling they’re foreign. I’m right, they’re from Belgium. I apologise for not knowing any Belgiun music “but I’m a real fan of Jacques Brel – he’s from there!” “Ah yes, Brel, from Brussels” one says, then he rips open his shirt revealing a Tin Tin t-shirt. “Ah, Tin Tin!” I say (what else?). Well, I didn’t know, but it turns out that Tin Tin, like Brel, is from Brussels, or the guy that created Tin Tin was from there…something like that, anyway. But I couldn’t work it out – why this guy suddenly ripped open his shirt. These guys say they like all stuff from the 50s. “Yes, and that’s why we stopped – you were playing Mr. Sandman.” “Oh that’s right – very perceptive of you, yes, I do a 1954 arrangement. I’d just started it, hadn’t I? (I’d completely forgotten what song I was playing)…I’ll play it now!”
One of my final songs today is The James Bond Theme and a man comes up to ask if I’m going to the John Barry memorial concertat the Albert Hall next week. “No, I can’t afford that – the train fare and the ticket, how much is it?” “About £30.” No, I won’t be going I say. We then talk about some of the music he did – I mention The Persuaders theme and then this guy starts to list all the films he wrote music for, “Walkabout, The Black Hole…Out Of Africa…”
Earnings: £45.49p.
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