This feels like a big year. Let's have some slightly suspect football metaphors here, but basically at the end of 2014 I quit the job. 2015 I was finding my feet as a professional freelancer and was basically in the relegation zone for most of it, but scraped through (a bit like Sunderland). 2016 I consolidated my place - I've worked out how to make money, where I'm losing it. I'm not making huge amounts at all but I'm getting by; basically just below mid-table but safe and comfortable enough (West Brom). 2017... I need to move up that table, challenge at least for Europa spots because I'll be in danger of stagnating otherwise and will eventually get it all wrong (Aston Villa).
That's the football stuff out the way. Doesn't *really* work but that won't stop me. In short though, this will be a different year on a non-professional level; I mean, I have to move house (landlord/housemate got engaged, it's weird that I'm living with an engaged couple even if the house is massive and even if they're being so lovely about it and don't seem to want me out), finally change car (I've been reliably informed that this one will fail it's MOT in March - it's currently on 192,000 miles and the engine warning light has been on since April) and...well, you know. I can't be doing *this* at the age of 40. I'll be 36 this year and there's a point in life when you realise that you maybe want a little more then scraping by and renting a room off a mate; there has to be a bigger picture here. Yet there's no way I'm going to give up my soul for a 9-5 job: life is short, just the idea of spending so much of it, working for somebody else, terrifies me. No fucking way. I did that up until the age of 33 anyway and I regret it deeply.
I've had many a long drunken chat with good friends over Christmas about this and the obvious answer is to refine what I do. I'm nicely branded now as a comedy act, it was naturally happening anyway: I am the drumming comedian guy. That's it - that's me sorted. Do I go down the obvious route of doing 'the circuit' - doing 10 minutes for nothing/next to nothing in the hope somebody from the industry who could benefit me will be there because, let's be honest, if they are and they do like me that would make life a lot easier because they can get me on the performance platforms that I can't at the moment without an agent? But that does mean travelling for hours, and hours, to do 10 minutes in front of people who aren't there for you. Or do I carry on doing my own thing? Being the troubadour comedian performing 90 minute shows in unconventional venues, very, very slowly building a cult following that will, eventually, hopefully lead to a wider following? Difficult choice, but the answer is of course: there is enough time to do both, if I drop a few of the little projects that don't work. I'll tour a lot in 2017, more than ever...I've got more shows than ever already confirmed, but dip into the circuit gigs when I can. I've got a good YouTube 10 minute video now, it's getting me a lot of work.
So that's the plan, anyway - I'm the drumming comedian dude, but instead of having 5 different shows at the fringe this year it'll be this one and people won't get confused about who I am or what I do. I mean, yeah, probably will take a couple other shows to Edinburgh as well, but they will also be under the same branding. Even the murder mystery with a band show that we're touring is very much in same tone; I'm still drumming, a lot in it, but I'm also hosting and then being the detective. Brand Richards looks sharp this year.
The 'proper' drumming itself will still continue. See, the thing about being a drummer is that I don't have to push for the work, it just trickles in. I get nice gigs, for money, but I have no control as to when they come in and it's near-impossible to get more of them outside of the 100-ish a year I get already. I'll be fine as a drummer this year, and hopefully being a comedy drummer will help get more serious drum work, we'll see - but my ambitions for that aren't, well, they're still there, but I'm realistic.
We're two days into the year and it's started well, nice NYE gig with FH, nice lunch with good friends on New Years' Day and a trip to see a mate's boat. I've got good friends.
I've also sent over 300 emails for yet more tour dates and other such tomfoolery. I've been writing the new show - it'll be different as I'm not allowing myself props (apart from the cajon), and I can't make it about being single as I've got a girlfriend for the first time in years when it comes to writing a new show so this could well be my first 'happy hour'.
I've had some time out and now I'm ready for this.
No comments:
Post a Comment