The Blog of Andrew Foster (Singer/Songwriter): March 2012

Musicians are a funny bunch ..... Tonight I played the Bedford at Balham in London... One of my favourite acoustic venues in the capital and I've played there many times but this time I played a different room upstairs. It wasn't the best of gigs to be honest but this isn't a post to analyse my performance for a cathartic exorcism ....

What interested me was how I felt because of a meeting with a young lad who was on the bill with me. We had a chat outside before the gig about where he was at present musically and the fact he was on a small tour, (hes just about to embark on a big promo campaign with some invested money).
He reminded me of myself a good few years ago... So much hunger and hope starry eyed and eager to gather information and experience.... But I felt a little sad. Not for him necessarily but for musicians all over the country desperate to make a difference and to be able to make music with their live's.

It was like looking at a mirror of a version of myself a few years previous and I wanted to tell him all my stories of things I've achieved but also the pitfalls I've endured and continue to do so. The people you will alienate and the terrible disappointment and confusion of feeling dislocated from society ... but more importantly i guess the unfathomable highs he will undoubtedly experience now he's started the journey of creativity will be unrivaled by anything else and believe me there is nothing more thrilling than creating something and other people reacting emotionally to it. For a split second you feel connected in every single level of consciousness and that is worth everything.

I hope he gets plucked out because he was a nice chap and with the friendly demeanor he has, deserves to do well as there's a lot of snobbery in songwriters a lot of them doing it for fame alone.....

But it got me thinking why we do what we do? Is there something were missing? ..... I've got a lot of grassroots stories I'd like to share, some are tragic some are hilarious and some are the basis of who I am.... Maybe I'll write a little book of experiences on this musical journey...

Musicians are a funny bunch....