What can musicians do in lockdown?

As Covid-19 bites into much of the world’s people and economies, the music industry as many others is being ravaged; venues shut, bands not allowed to meet to rehearse or record and unable to perform in public. It’s clearly a difficult time with many musicians losing most or all of their income.

I’m lucky enough to live on my narrowboat with open countryside in front of me as soon as I open the front doors, with skylarks, owls, lapwings  and woodpeckers all the more  audible with far fewer planes about, from my home and mamma duck back with her nest (made from my pot plants and her own downy feathers) incubating the next generation.

Personally, I’m also finding not having to organise gigs, people and so many hours of travel bundling heavy guitars and equipment onto trains and busses to reduce my carbon footprint, has resulted in a massive reduction in stress, so there are upsides. On the other hand, at the moment I’m looking at a considerable decrease in my (already meagre) earnings.

Some of my music students are continuing with online learning, though it’s not for everyone. Gig-wise neither my own band nor the cover band I play in are able to even meet, let alone rehearse. The Blue Yellows have had to cease recording our EP, just as it was progressing so well, as have the studio-duo I’m a part of. Many musicians have dipped into online gigging and live-streams. (I’ve recently contributed to this article on the subject). I’ve  started to do a little of this, strangely in a way, for me, beginning with some cover versions, just as I feel that people might want to enjoy some safe familiarity at this time of uncertainty and fear, but don’t worry the original songs are coming.

The EP I’ve been doing some work on for José now requires a video, as I understand he has completed the work, musically, on the EP. But rather than stop, José asked me to send some home, phone-recorded video-snippets of myself (see stills in this post) for use on one of the songs we co-wrote and both perform on.

I’ve also been thinking of making a series of music-related podcasts, more on that, perhaps, soon.

Stay safe X