Autumn on campus and the leaves have nearly gone, November has that feel to it, not yet the celebratory month yet still holding winter at bay. I guess its a bit like the Thursday of the week, the bulk of the year is over but the weekend isn't upon us yet. But I like the year like this, on the turn, neither Autumn nor winter but a time of questions and being unsure. It makes you think twice about decision and ideas and the things you will address when the dark days of winter demand you sit at your desk and make them happen - and I have plans evolving (which I am pleased to say). Yesterday I saw the most amazing musical instrument in action. Stevie and I had a wee strum in the music rehearsal rooms on campus and he unveiled the lap steel guitar he had been talking about. Very nice indeed, it was a teardrop shape and had a very distinct sound, nothing like my resonator dobro style (which also has a distinct sound and is for playing slide but in a different way). Stevie plays with a 'bar' and I with a 'bottleneck' - getting technical here - and we are very different players in that respect. I have a much bluesier style. Its good to hear new things, new runs, new grace notes ringing through. I was well taken with it, though I don't see myself buying one. Ben Harper plays one, remember when we sang songs like Ohio and thought we were going to change the world, there is a long narrative on there somewhere but surely we made some inroads - this is a homage to Neil Young, Ohio and the lap steel - hmm, I may just buy one one of these days, not in November though:
