I think most lifelong musicians have a story about how they came into possession of their one, special, forever instrument, and this is mine.
The scene takes place inside of the cafe Mazet. The Paris buskers have recently adopted it as our hub, meetup point and social centre after moving along the Rue St Andre des Arts from the little cafe at the other end. The Mazet is bigger and brighter, has better beer, a wry, funny couple as patrons, money changing facility, bar stools, WC and an up to date and working pinball machine - ’TILT!’
So we all become pinball wizards even though the mind blowing Ken Russell and the Who movie of 'Tommy' is yet to be released for at least another year.
Anyway, one afternoon, I walk into the cafe through the side door from the little arcade street that leads from the metro at Odeon on the Boulevard St Germain. There's no need to walk all the way up the St Andre des Arts if you know the shortcut and happen to be arriving on the right subway line, usually from the direction Porte de Clignancourt.
With long curly hair and a denim jacket, Colin, the undisputed 'King of the Buskers' is leaning up against the pinball and strumming his guitar with the characteristic flair and extra little flourishes for which he is much admired. That, and his extraordinary ability to remember all the words and chords to practically every Bob Dylan song which had ever been written, as well as all the new ones within a few days of any new album being released!
"That's sounding really nice Colin. Whoa, you're playing a 12 string now?"
"Andy, I'm really getting into these chord shapes up the neck and the way it rings out loud and then keeps on sounding"
"It's lovely. But why are you playing inside here to yourself instead of going out into the street or down the metro? You should be half way through earning another big pile of coins by now. "
"Oh, this one isn't mine, Andy. My mate Bill just brought it over from New York. He's letting me play it for a few days and then he's selling it to fund a trip around the South of France and Switzerland. I really wish I could keep it, but he wants over a thousand francs for it. That's way out of our league. Who's got that kind of money round here?”
“Well, yeah”
‘I don't normally play a 12 string but this one sounds amazing and it plays almost like a 6, if you know what I mean. You used to have a 12 didn't you Andy? Before you got that beat up Epiphone? Here, I'll pass this over and you can give it a try out, then you'll see what I mean."
The beautiful, living instrument of carefully selected American hardwoods is very tenderly passed across into my eager hands.
I take a while to appreciate the feel, the smell, the perfectly balanced weight of it in my lap. Then I hold down one simple chord and strum the full set of strings with Colin's plectrum. Drrrringggingggingg.
Wow. It doesn't sound like any guitar I’ve known, but rings out like some kind of lute, harpsichord or a really nice piano.
Two chords and a little bit of rhythm going. 🎵
Whaaat!!? It virtually plays itself! The music is filling the back end of the cafe now, resonating back from the zinc and glass. Stop and take it in. What does it mean?
This is THE ONE.
A feeling is now welling up inside of me. I have to have it!
Play it cool.
Me: "So it is for sale then?"
"Yes but he wants like, FF1200 or something". It's too much.
Me again: "I reckon I could get 1,000 together, no more. Would take a week or so."
"You’re really interested? Look, I have no idea where you think you'll get a thousand francs from, not just from busking, but I reckon he would definitely take it if you can get it in a week. He's keen to get on and go travelling as soon as the guitar is sold."
"I've got half already. I'll go out busking every day, all day, and not spend any money. It's a deal. I'll get it.... I'll be back in a week then. I'll see you and Bill then, OK?"
And I left the cafe with a my quest all set up for me. A plan for every waking hour of the next week, practically.
Sings::
🎵 ‘Every day I’m down in the subway, standing on that stone.
The dream is calling, I shall bring it home’ 🎵
I went back triumphantly with the money at the agreed time only to be told by Bill:
"The price is 1200. So for 1000 you can have the guitar, but you can't have the hard case that goes with it, and obviously I need to sell them both together"
What!!!?? Is the ultimate prize going to elude me now, at the last hurdle after all the agony and hard work I went through every day in order to try and bring it home?
I was being squeezed for every last franc I could possibly scrape together.
Now I know I have a personality trait which means that whenever I feel that somebody is messing me around, not fulfilling their side of the agreement, I will simply walk away and never look back. Oh no, don’t do that!
But in the state I was in, I wasn’t going to let it stop me, so I did indeed walk out of the Mazet and into the night street carrying my ultimate prize:
🗡️ Excalibur in his scabbard. 🗡️
With my superior, magical instrument I would now be able to write better songs, play profitably in less crowded tunnels, make myself heard outdoors at cinema queues and also lay down studio quality recordings. I’d done it! The Quest completed!
But is the journey now over….?
::music:: lights.
Well, there still remains a lot of this Boulevard Days story to tell in future episodes, but it is worth mentioning at this point that the special guitar is not the one that got stolen from underneath the pinball machine, that was just a Yamaha, a yard of Japanese plywood.
50 years later, the Guild 12 string (Excalibur) is still with me, still gets played and can be heard sometimes at Lives, special concert events, and on the recordings of 'Philosophical' and other albums made in the last few years. The wood may well have matured and enhanced the tone slightly, people love to explain, but It sounded wonderful to me right from the very first play back then in the Mazet.
Maybe you have a story to tell about your own special thing?
How you came by it, what makes it special?
I’d love to hear it :-
I hope you enjoyed mine. As I said, there's plenty more to come, so stay subscribed and if you are one of those people who prefers to listen then that has started happening now over on my paid tier of this newsletter.
GIGS
Next Sunday, March 10th I have a gig at the Wheatsheaf in Yarmouth.
It starts at 3.00pm and it’s Mother’s Day with a rugby match on later. (Wales v France, two very good sides.)On Friday March 22nd I’m holding a little preview of the One Man Show with music. That’s at MusicCraft Newport, where we had the 12strings of Christmas, and the CD launch for Rowan Tree etc. This is your chance to be among the very first to see what I’m getting up to with this theatrical drama and music stuff!
Full details at:
https://thelittleboxoffice.com/andyroberts/
All for now,
Andy