Dreams, dreams, dreams...

I was chatting away to Jana the other day. She asked me about my dreams, and I hadn’t thought about it much lately, so after a while of deliberation I came up with my oldest dream. I would like to write a book (or a series of books), and I would like to buy a Fisher sailing boat and live on it for at least 4-6 months every year. I know, it’s cold and all that in Edinburgh, but we’re also on the Gulf Stream and get a lot of warm weather fronts right past our coastal line. I don’t need much luxury and the ability to lift anchor whenever we feel like it and travel somewhere, really appeals to me… The boat to the left is one of my dreams, a Fisher 34, although if we wanted to live on her, we'd really need a 37 foot boat, so a Fisher 37 it would need to be.

Have you ever thought about living on a ship in Europe? If so let me know, and write a comment, because I’d like to know. If you have actually researched the subject - even better. It scares me a little but I think that it’s a risk worth taking.

I remember when I was still together with Julie, we went on a holiday down to Cornwall, to stay with her aunt and uncle in Falmouth. We attended a sailing taster course which was terrifyingly brilliant. It was so exciting being blown about on a 14” dinghy in the old Cornish harbour. When we got back to the sailing school, the elderly owner’s wife greeted us, looking positively petrified and asking: “You didn’t, did you?...” meaning she thought we’d capsized because we were soaked, and she wondered if indeed we had swam to safety…

For Ginsberg

War-child comes to mind
As you sit there on the stage
Did you really invent flower power
Or did flower power invent you

Your helper is turning the pages
You chant, sing and read
Alone you're still on that stage
Speaking of middle-aged queers

You practice the dharma
You are the philosopher
When we are almost forgetting
You remind us of what

You describe the ways of our times
You return inside yourself
Forgive us for not listening
Thank you for speaking out

(c) 15th Sep 2006 Uwe Bartsch. All rights reserved.

Who wanted to have a band again?!

You know, when I started this idea about having “a band” again, instead of my usual solo stuff, I really thought: “ok I’m in my 40s, really, now all my nightmares with band members should be past” Well – I was wrong. It’s like this… The bass player is playing elsewhere, and if not he’s hanging around with whatever woman comes to see him, the drummer’s just real sweet, tells you what you want to hear, and then buggers off to Spain, whilst the boardist has an identity crisis involving his drug dealer. OH WHAT JOY!!

So now I’m sorting out my material and start recording on my own with some mates who do telesales on the side but are cool duded who have their heart in it. The great thing about that is that I have no idea what we’ll sound like, but that’s cool and I’m excited.

Oh by the way, I just got up listening to Bob Mould’s “Poison Years” – what a brilliant track! Check out his blog; http://modulate.blogspot.com/

See ya later Possums

Ahoj Possums

What a weekend! We got a bike each for Janicka and Miles, and we've been out a bit around the meadows and stuff. Miles is so fast, he's giving his old man a good run for his money. Hey maybe I'm getting old Dudes but it's fun to watch my wee man cycling past me with a huge smile on his face.

Jana is now here for about 2 months and she's finding the weather here challenging, to say the least. The last couple of days have been ok, but boy - did we have a rubbish summer so far.

My album is coming along slowly and I'm not sure if it will be this year, but we'll have to see, and I can only do my best. On a happy note though, I'm so glad that I'm a lot closer to finding my sound. I'll try some Boss pedals, (Eq & Chorus, maybe). I tell you, I used to think that by now I'd have my band finally in shape, but it seems to never end with people's issues and getting the right personnel.

G'day Possums

It's a beautiful day here in Edinburgh and I'm still bumming about in bed trying to get this new blog thing going. I'm just starting to like my guitar sound again and I'm quite humbled about the boys at Sound Control in Edinburgh http://www.soundcontrol.co.uk/ especially Jamie who's been helping me "big time" with my guitar issue(s). Boy that geezer's got patience.

So now I'm playing a Hagstrom Deluxe-F in, wait for it: "Gold Sparkle", which is just about the most ridiculous thing I've seen - EVER!!! But this baby sounds so awesome and it has the most gorgeous neck I have ever played. These guitars where big in the 60s and then disappeared, look at their website http://www.hagstromguitars.com/

I also have a new 4x12 cab, it's a Grainger in red and it sounds great! Together with a couple of pedals this should be me for a bit. More on my gear later.

I'm trying to get rid of this arthritis which has been bugging me since 1994 and I've been pretty much in pain all over for most of the time. If you know of any cures which help with this dreaded disease please let me know. That's it for today... Cheerio Possums x