I know that my musical bones are aching to stretch themselves. A few weeks ago I went to my cousin Matt’s place in Oratia Valley, Auckland to celebrate our wives’ birthdays. His wife Catherine, and my wife Kate, share April 7th, just a ‘few’ years apart, and just so I don’t forget, it is also Tax Filing day in New Zealand !! Anyway, Matt is a gifted musician who is guitarist and singer in 3 bands (as well as a PhD in Biochemistry) but his main band is called   Leonard, and to celebrate and as a surprise (pleasant I hope) we sang a duet for my wife, a Beatles’ number, “I Saw Her Standing There” . Matt on his lead guitar, the guy on the bass, who looked for all the world like Elvis Costello, another mate also called Matt on the second lead, and the drummer who looked like the actor Colin Farrell. I felt like I was in a celebrity band ). Anyway we belted out this song, and apparently it sounded all right – too loud to tell probably, but it felt good, and I really envied the ‘boys’, well they’re in their early 30s, so old boys, but a lot younger than yours truly. I really wanted to hold one of those guitars and make the music while I sang the song. What a creative rush it must be. When you get up and sing and strum, something liberating happens – it’s good for the soul !!

 I’m not alone in this urge – there is a huge move to ukeleles and guitars as people rediscover the fun of making their own fun, instead of watching others entertain them. This weekend is New Zealand Music Month Guitar Record Challenge, and there will be somewhere around 2000 people with their guitars, singing a Kiwi classic by Jordan Luck, called “Why Does Love Do This To Me”. Check out this video, check out the Kiwi accents ), check out the Harmony. One player is a pro, one is a beginner, spot the difference, although this beginner is also a rising tennis star. Enjoy )

PS Next time I’ll be trying out this Guitar course – subscribe to my blog and see me make a very cheap music video ), and other stuff.

My next musical phase was many years later, after graduating from University in 1973. Like most under-graduates I had managed to afford to buy a stereo turntable to play my LPs on, and had favourite artists to sing badly and drunkenly to. Some of my favourite tracks were the Guitar Anthems like ‘Stairway To heaven’ by Led Zeppelin , or ‘While my guitar gently weeps’ by George Harrison. Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix were the buzz. At one stage, between failed love affairs, I bought a classical guitar so I could learn to play and console myself, and perhaps attract the next lucky woman ) . This time I bought a book, practiced, got my fingertips hardened a bit, learned to strum and play a few chords, even worked on a picking style but it didn’t do anything for the fairer sex, so I dropped off again.  Strike 2  My little cousin David, now 6ft plus, used to muck about with the guitar and he went on to become an accomplished guitarist and singer, so I’ll take some credit for providing the spark ) I sold the guitar.

Fast forward to 1988. I got married without the help of any guitar. Sometime after the honeymoon, I bought another guitar (with a hard case) and this time I took some lessons from a real live teacher. But trundling over at night to a little room in a community hall, after a late night clinic, and sharing the tutor’s time with some young kids who were better at it, soon palled. And it wasn’t really in the budget to pay for private lessons, after nappies and car seats.  The hard case came in handy because I could put stuff on top. strike 3 I didn’t sell the guitar though.

Will I ever learn to play the guitar and express myself as an artist?  see verse 2.