Diary Of A Busker Day 708 Saturday March 21st 2015 Winchester (1. Opposite Oxfam, Time: 11:36-1:14pm, 2. Opposite Bellis/O2, Time: not noted)
Temperature: 8 degrees, wind: 17mph
There’s some weird people about. I was in the middle of Can’t Help Falling In Love and this man about 60 comes up, stands in front for a few seconds, wipes his nose then says ‘I’m not falling in love with YOU’. When I don’t respond he says it again. After a few seconds all I can think of saying is ‘Well, I’m glad to hear it’ – what else can you say? Apart from what I really wanted to say, which involved a swear word. Also, he wasn’t digging in his pockets to contribute so I had no time for him. After Elvis I went straight into Borsalino and he said ‘I don’t know that one’ and walked off. Like I said, weird folks.
It’s very windy today and the book keeps blowing shut: very annoying as it slammed shut during Je Te Veux and I made a load of mistakes. Fortunately, I don’t need the music for the Robinson Crusoe Theme, as I’ve played it so much at home over the last few days, it’s almost memorised. In fact, I did it early on, all parts of the arrangement…although not necessarily in the right order, as they say. Still, a hell of a lot more complete than yesterday.
I sell a CD! The song that did it and therefor Song Of The Day: Edelweiss. The CD went to three young people. The one doing the talking, a tall, attractive American blonde girl, early 20’s. I showed her the two CDs, she asked which one I thought was best – a question I hate – I said the newer one was the most varied in terms of material, and it has three different guitars featured. However, I asked her to look at the songs. She picked the new one. She had also heard of Chet Atkins, when I said I do some of his arrangements. I was rather impressed by that.
At the end , I said ‘You’re American, then’. She said ‘Yeah’, then a bloke said ‘I’m not…I’m just a guy’, which made me laugh. He went on – ‘That’s what I say “I’m just a guy”. It sort of keeps me under the radar. Fair enough, whatever he means! Anyway, American Girl gave me a tenner for the CD and din’t want any change. I repeat DID NOT WANT ANY CHANGE. I like these generous Yanks.
After 1 1/2 hours plus, I decided to come home…and come out again a few hours later…and set up near The Butter Cross. Young Sam was here earlier but no sign of him now. Second song in, Albatross, and a mother and daughter put something in the bucket but it doesn’t sound like coinage. When I take a closer look, it’s a screwed up fiver! Albatross, not Song of The Day but Song of The Session.
I sell another CD! One of the old ones. During When I’m Sixty-Four, a couple in their 60’s contribute and stand nearby for the whole song – something that always makes me nervous, but I got through it with only one mistake. The couple then come over and he starts talking about the song. I know more than he does, though, so I tell him everything I know about it: written around 1961, played at The Cavern a few times, recorded November ’66 and released in June ’67 when Paul’s dad was 64. I also let them know it’s my own arrangement, of course.
My man then tells me about his vinyl Beatles collection. Not to be outdone, I tell him about mine: Stereo British release albums, mostly bought in Canada in the 70’s, mono albums bought over here a few years later. How they spent alot more time on the mono mixes than the stereo ones, although you never heard the mono ones on the radio in the 70’s, only the stereo ones. He then went on about his stereo record deck so I told him about Uncle Colin’s, or rather Grandad Pemberton’s 1959 HMV deck with the big EMI speakers, which, coincidentally, I’ve just moved down to the living room today. The sound is unsurpassable – much better than any CD player I’ve heard, although I’m certainly not an authority. He told me about his Wharfedale speakers but you can’t top a 1959 HMV deck with big EMI speakers and I think at this point my man knew he’d been beaten. All this time, his wife didn’t say a word and was starting to look quite bored. No wonder. I’ve come to the conclusion that women aren’t that interested in vintage stereos.
The bored blokes in the O2 shop play a little game with me. They put the music up so I have to stop playing and pack up. Then they shut the door so I can’t hear the music, so I could have stayed playing.
Earnings: £23.70p (Including 2 CDs)