Narrative Arc

Talking to my pal Glen Marshall today, and the subject of the story of the show came up, and he asked what that might be specifically. I replied that it would be light on story and heavy on music, which he challenged a bit, offering that every great play or musical/comedy features a character who wants something and spends the running time of the show trying to get it. So what does the character of 'me' want?

We batted around the idea of starting right at the beginning, with me trying to learn to play the guitar, trying to impress the girls, trying to sing through a changing voice, and being humiliated by my peers, my sister, and the voices of my heroes in my head. The character wants something: perhaps to prove to himself and the world that he can do it: gain the spotlight and own it, even if just for a moment.

So begin at the beginning, with me learning my first song (Closer to the Heart?) and take people through the story of my musical development, and all the songs that were important to me, and why. But be unafraid to touch on all the humiliations along the way: the failed attempts to woo the ladies, the train-wreck performances at jam nights, the scathing reviews for my first few records---all the events that led me through perseverence to that full-circle moment of playing for Rush this year.

That piece of the puzzle, that narrative arc, is something that has been missing until now. Now I can go to work on this thing with a little more direction and purpose.

I meet soon with my friend Chris Conley to try out some potential music rig solutions for the show, that will automate some of the looping and effects (as well as lights and video). That's another unknown at this point, so we shall see what we can figure out. It needs to be seamless, subtle and supreme. By the end of the story, anyways.

The Story so far

I am slowly remembering more and more about those years in the 70s. I now recall that my first-ever music purchase was 'My Way', by the late Elvis Presley. Why Elvis? I thought he looked pretty cool in that sequined jumpsuit with the diamond-encrusted eagle on the back. He had the kind of blue-black hair that Superman had, and the karate manoeuvers of The Batman. So you can forgive my grade one brain for mistaking him for a superhero, and wanting to fight crime as Elvis when playing with my friends (who didn't stay friends for long).

So now I may just need to do an Elvis segment of some kind. Not sure how I will weave that in...

He was always covering songs that were popular on the radio, and put his big over-the-top stamp on each one...Bridge over Troubled Water, You've Lost that Lovin' Feeling come to mind. What if he did that with other songs from that era? Like Led Zeppelin? Sabbath? ACDC! Could be awesome, could be lame...could be awesomely lame!

I have decided I want the pace to be pretty peppy, with lots of jokes-per-minute, and references flying fast and furious. Whether that's music or TV shows, theme songs, commercials...whatever, as long as it serves the context of the song or era I'm in. This will require some serious researching, which I intend to do by reading and by interviewing those who are approximately my age, and have better memories than I.

When I think of the 70s, my thoughts turn to prog. Prog in all its furry-footed, flowery, mushroom-shaped proggy-ness. Progressive music was BIG back in those days. But where are those bands now? It strikes me that it probably isn't impossible to contact them, and ask them to be a part of my one-man show. Imagine: I am playing the opening strains to Roundabout and Rick Wakeman comes on the screen behind me to join in the song with some burning Mellotron licks! This could be the best idea yet. I wonder if Rick answers his phone at 11pm at night?

Fringe

I have had some good conversations lately with people who have some knowledge about the path I am embarking on. Advice is something that I really value. I don't like to just jump into something without having some reassurance that some part of the road has been mapped out, and once I get that map, I study it for all I'm worth, hoping to avoid the pitfalls and pratfalls.

I spoke with David Newland, who has a band called the McFlys that covers 80s hits with acoustic instruments, to great success, apparently. Think Corey Hart played on the ukelele. The McFlys would be a very instructive show to see for what I'm trying to do, since I want to make sure that the playfulness and comedy are in there in generous doses. David says that some mutual friends of ours (Gregg Lawless and Jory Nash) have both mounted successful theatre shows that have been revues of Canadian songs or 70s troubadour songs, so there's two guys I need to meet with to continue the conversation, and find out how they did it.

I also spoke today with Dave Lapsley, from 'Defending the Caveman', a one-man show about male/female dynamics, and he told me all about the Fringe Festivals in Canada. He said I should try to get on the tour, but definitely apply for Edmonton and Winnipeg Fringe (good vibes there, from his report).

He says that for $700 or so, you apply and your application (which in my case might as well be written on a napkin, since my 'show' is but a vapour of ideas at this point) goes into a lottery. You might get chosen, you might not (thanks, you say, for that succinct summary of what is a lottery). If you don't get chosen, you get all your money back. Seems like a worthwhile gamble, since your show doesn't have to be 'ready', or 'written', or 'any good' when you make that application. It would most definitely be a good trial run for the show if I could get in...reduce it to the most basic elements and see if it works at that level---the story, the music, my persona---with an audience. It's exciting to think of this maybe being onstage next summer at the Fringe, and then onto the small theatres.

I guess I need that excitement to help fuel this creative stage...which is going well, if still a little shy on specifics.

Day 7: Random Thoughts

I think the show needs to open with a rapid-fire montage that's kind of stream-of-consciousness...Songs, soundbites, TV themes, played live with pre-recorded snippets, using imagery on 2 screens behind me (interspersed with white noise). Just a blur of stuff that is reminiscent of Zoo TV (U2's live show in the early 90's).

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Once I've toured the show to smaller venues and fine tuned it to some extent, I will head into the studio to perform the 'Soundtrack' recording, which will sell at the shows, so people can take the evening home with them. I have 7 CDs out, but none that will have all these songs, so it makes sense to anticipate what audiences will want and prepare it for them.

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Progress on these songs will develop really slowly if I continue to get hung up on perfection. Instead, I need to just start demo-ing the songs roughly and quickly. I will have a sense of what these songs are capable of sounding like from the rough demo, and there's no need to polish them as if they had an audience. They won't. It's just me (but then I'm the toughest audience).

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Music forms the soundtrack of your life.. It can be your walk-on music when you're entering a new stage...Like the hard-driving rock-n-roll bravado that gives you the courage to step out of the wings and face a sea of doubters. Or the hushed tones of a string orchestra that rolls out under you like a blanket, and lets you lay back and ponder the constellations. I want to get at what these songs mean, and how they hang together as a 'life soundtrack'. This will inform the stories, and the arc of the narrative, I think.

Finding the music: Day 5

I decided to take emusic up on their offer of 75 free downloads today, partly so that I could pan for gold in their catalogue, in search of songs that might be good for the show.

Today I located songs by Saga, Yes, Pink Floyd, ELO, Supertramp (sort of, it's some weird soundalike band...close enough for my research) and Asia. I've always thought that the opening chords in Subdivisions sound like 'Only Time Will Tell' by Asia, so I might try to squeeze those two together to get a laugh, more than anything (if only from myself).

My process for choosing songs for this project is still developing. I think I might demo the songs on Pro Tools, trying to perfect the arrangement, then learn to play the song again based on the polished track. I think if I had done that for Subdivisions, it would have been ready way faster than the 18 months it took to arrange and prepare the song for the stage.

Today I am going to take a swipe at 'On the Loose' by Saga, just because I am having a good time with it, and I want this process to be fun. First couple of songs I try to learn will be guinea pigs for my new process, anyways.

It's in F, but I am going to do it in E, since that feels better vocally, and affords more open string possibilities. I'm not ruling out some alternate tuning yet, but at this point E is working. This is one of those Saga tunes with the lickety-split staccato guitar lines. Fun!!

Second thoughts

I have checked out Drop D for this song, and think that it better suits the direction I am going to take this one (it'll be a country fingerpicker, with kind of a double-time hoedown at the end). Plus it's easier to sing.

One Man Show: Day 4

Today I am going through a list of bands that I might consider covering for the one-man show.

It seems like there is more to be mined from the wonderful wooly world of prog-rock, and a long list of cool bands with iconic songs from that genre. To wit: Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Supertramp, ELO, Saga...all these bands have interesting songs that are often big production numbers. All of them just waiting to be reduced down to a solo context, where the musical and lyrical genius can be revealed afresh. So, let's see...

Pink Floyd: Comfortably Numb, Hey You, Another Brick in the Wall

Genesis: No Reply at All, Follow You Follow Me

Yes: Roundabout, I've Seen All Good People

Supertramp: Dreamer, Logical Song, Breakfast in America, Give a Little Bit, Take the Long Way Home

ELO: Telephone Line, Don't Bring Me Down

Saga: On the Loose, Wind Him Up

Those are just initial thoughts. I am going to have a go at these today, and see what macaroni sticks to the wall...

One Man Show: Day 3

So it occurs to me that I need a plan. I may or may not proceed in this order:

1. Choose a bunch of songs, and demo them at home.

2. Create a shortlist.

3. Find personnel: writing, directing, tech consultants

4. Start writing the show with a co-writer.

5. Build a set mock-up.

6. Put my dream rig together out of borrowed or rented gear. Test it out. Make a million changes.

7. 2nd and 3rd draft of writing.

8. Make YouTube videos of some of the harder songs as a way of formalizing arrangements.

9. Make YouTube video 'trailer' of the show. Profesh.

10. Get multimedia content together.

11. Go into a one or two week rehearsal period with director, techs and creative consultants. Program lights, effects, and multimedia.

There you have it. It's nice to have it all organized and plotted out like that. But then, they say if you really want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans.