Diary Of A Busker Day 347 Monday April 1st 2013 Winchester High Street, opposite Vodafone. Time: 2:10-4:10pm
I have another chat with Rob, who’s at his usual spot in front of The Buttercross. We get on to the subject of the Timpsons man; Rob says that sometimes he’s alright. In fact, a couple of times, Rob’s actually gone in his shop to ask if it’s OK to play. But as he says, ‘I think it helps that he likes the sort of stuff I play.’ I agree that could be a vital factor but it’s still not a good enough reason for me to start doing Sweet Home Alabama.
I install myself down at the middle spot and manage quite a long set of two hours, non-stop. I play, or rather – practice, my new set addition, Borsalino, no less than THREE times! The first time was by far the best. I even got the middle bit almost right. The second time wasn’t so good, as my fingers were getting cold(er), and by the third time, about 1 3/4 hours in, it’s all over the place! Apart from Borsalino, I debut a “new” number – Bert Weedon’s Twelve-String Shuffle, from 1965; very new! which, although it sounds great and most authentic on my Sigma 12-string, it’s more than passable on the 6-string. It really IS a good sounding guitar, that Casino AND the Weedon one’s not nearly as difficult as Borsalino. Actually, I’ve come about doing Twelve-String Shuffle in a rather curious, circuitous route, namely, after hearing it a couple of months ago on Roger William’s A World Of Difference radio show. He played it on a show which was a tribute to the 12-string guitar, and he decided to do that after I sent him my album from which he played two songs, along with one of my favourites – The Rooftop Singers’ Walk Right In. Anyway, I was well-chuffed about that – cheers Roger!
I almost forgot. Colin and his trumpet were down at Marks & Spencer; he was there before I started. After he finished, he paid me a visit when I was halfway through my set and just to make me feel really good he said he’d made £160 the other day, down near Sainsbury’s. That was from 10-3 o’clock. He asked how I was doing so I looked in the bucket which has about £7. ‘Not too good,’ I said. ‘Oh, it will get better. I know what it’s like – you don’t get anything for a few minutes and you want to shoot yourself.’ ‘Yeah, I think I must be really crap, or something. Maybe I took up the wrong instrument!’
Earnings: £17.38