Usually it takes a lot of backwards and forwards emailing and texting to set up filming of The Random Sessions due to scheduling clashes and real life getting in the way. This time around though, it was a bit of a breeze and the time between initially asking and the session happening was relatively quick. To be honest it would be far easier to do it this way all of the time and just go round the houses of the performers. Maybe there's an angle I could explore here, I could go round their houses unannounced at various times of day or night and see if I can get them to perform. I'm sure they used to do this on television a few years ago, the cameras turned up to the house of a family where one of them has a particular talent and get someone out of bed to play the spoons or something. I could have dreamed it because there are things that I am convinced happened that nobody else seems aware of, the movie The Man in the Santa Claus Suit is one such example. Fred Astaire was the lead but I doubt even he would know about it if asked, if he was still alive of course. I am not sure how the musicians I am friends with would take to me knocking on the door at three o'clock in the morning with a camera and asking for a tune or two, so the people I hardly know, and have no idea of my wreckless working methods, would not take to it very kindly at all. One of, if not the only question I would be faced with would probably be how I found out where they lived, and having that sort of knowledge might lead to accusations of stalking. All things considered, this might not become a green light project and I will probably get a better performance (and fewer punches in the face) by continuing with arranging these sessions with the people involved in advance.
Will Jefferey knew that I was coming of course, he even cooked me a meal because he is one of the nice ones. I have written before on this blog how much of a fan of The Girl and the Stone I am, a new project from Kym Bignell (girl) and Will (stone) so had asked if I could record an episode with them. Armed with my camera gear and a bottle of wine I finally found Will's house and had a lovely evening in their company which was only spoiled slightly by a small social faux-pas on my behalf. Before we started filming we sat round the kitchen table eating, drinking wine and chatting. It was nice for me because although I have known Will a few years, Kym and I have only really exchanged brief hellos of recognition at gigs until recently. The problem started when we went outside for a cigarette before filming, and a cat wandered up to see us and walked into Will's house like he owned the place. When we went back indoors I was aware of something on the sole of my shoe but put it down to a bit of garden mud and rubbed my feet on the doormat. Filming was interrupted after the first or second song when Will became aware of the smell of cat shit. Having two cats who despite being adults will still insist on using the litter tray, I am sort of immune to this sort of smell so our bathroom (where the litter tray lives) always has a faint aroma of cat toilet despite all of Mandi's best efforts with scented candles and plug in air fresheners.
Of course it was my fault as I had walked the offending crap into the house and so filming was held up while a cleaning operation took place. It all turned out well in the end though and there will be a brilliant video coming soon. I am filming by a new format in future, filming two or three original songs and a cover and on tonight's recording I think it is a system that has legs. I felt terrible about the whole shit incident though, and decided that this would not necessarily be a feature if I ever do decide to turn up unannounced at a musician's house.
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