Hello Folks, and thanks for dropping by. My new direction began on a Wednesday evening, having a 5Rhythms dance in a hall with buddies, when a friend asked if there was anything I wanted to do that I hadn’t done yet?
Great question right?
To my utter shock, despite quick thoughts of “Dismantle the patriarchy/live in Berlin or Paris for a year/hike Machu Picchu/write a book/achieve world peace/horse-ride across Mongolia/install a plunge pool with infrared sauna” etc, a wide beam of light shone down upon me from above, and what came out of my mouth was:
“Play the drums.”
I kid you not: I surprised even myself. But I got goosebumps; I felt a rush of excitement and glee; my heart felt like it grew wings.
And if there’s one thing I’ve learnt in my creative life, it’s to listen to those somatic messages.
So I took a deep breath, and just let the concept hum through my body. Luckily, my friends smiled and cheered; it was a vulnerable moment of truth, and no one scoffed.
I am very grateful for that.
I kept breathing, and miraculously, no inner critic or judge jumped onto my shoulder with that all-too-common refrain: TooOldTooHardTooLateRidiculousMidLifeCrisisSoSelfIndulgent
I drove home grinning, and began my research that very night…
The following Tuesday, I had a $400 electronic drum kit set up in my bedroom, like a teenager, thanks to Marketplace. I texted the photo to all my closest friends. My rationale was that I should see how I went practicing for a month, then perhaps buy a better kit?
Two days later, my dear friend S replied and asked if I could do a drum roll?
I thought she was just being supportive and encouraging, but she continued questioning:
She was one of the performers for the Over 50s Cabaret as part of the Mullumbimby Circus Festival, and that’s how I found myself lugging my new old kit and heavy amp down to a circus marquee for ‘sound check’.
I brought to the stage my naive confidence, my enthusiasm, my natural sense of timing, and my utter humility in the presence of REAL musicians (who have actually toured the world with companies like Circus Oz and Circus Monoxide), plus my sequinned pants.
I think you’ll agree it was an auspicious start!
I’ve always loved the drums, and as a dancer and mover, I tune in to the drums and bass most easily. While growing up in England, as a confused and surly teenager, I loved punk music, as well as reggae and disco, and wish I’d had the courage to ask to learn to play the drums back then.
But we were very poor, living in a tall, cold, rundown Victorian house split into 3 apartments, and my poor Mum would have had an anxiety attack if she’d known what I wanted to play.
I finally dabbled with African drums at age 30, learning from a local teacher who told me I had natural rhythm, but needed to apply myself *cue the eyeroll of my inner confused and surly teenager still lurking.
Then I had my son, bought a house that needed renovating, went back to study etc etc, and suddenly I’m nearly 60, and the drumming desire still lies dormant.
Not any more 🙂
What about you? Do you have a secret creative longing we need to activate?
To be continued…
With absolute love and gratitude for rhythm, G xO
bone&silver 