The Los Diablos curse is lifting

I formed the blues band Los Diablos here in Auckland back in April 2006.

All previous musical projects I've been involved with have been up and running in 6 weeks and this one was no different. However, this has been a long and winding road - like no other I've ever experienced. Ups and downs - mostly downs as you're about to read. If there was ever a band fated the play the blues, its Los Diablos.

Things started well, I held auditions and found Alex, an enthusiastic bass playing teacher and John a jovial hard working Saffa who every second sentence began with "...Fuck!..."

A handful of rehearsals and we were off playing our first gig at the Muddy Farmer. It went well and response was good - we were careful to play after the rugby - strategic avoidance of big sporting events is one thing a musician learns fast!

A few months in and drummer John delivered the news that he had over committed himself and would have to withdraw. With a job, several other musical commitments and a 9 month old baby, I could certainly understand why, so reluctantly I accepted.

As luck would have it, I was contacted by a guy from the UK who was soon to emigrate: he was after dep gigs and keen to get his name around prior to arriving in the country. I explained the situation and offered him the job, he took it.

Once Glen was in the fold and after a further few weeks of rehearsal, it became obvious that Alex was really struggling technically. He was still making the same mistakes, forgetting arrangements, slipping out of time and generally not making the grade - even though by that point we must have played the songs over 100 times.

It turned out that our 20 years of playing eclipsed what he vaguely admitted was only 4 years of his. My gut knew what had to be done but was made all the more difficult by Alex's enthusiasm, and the fact he'd got us a wedding gig and bought a PA.

We fulfilled our commitments at the wedding gig and shortly after I explained to Alex that it still wasn't working and that he'd no doubt be happier amongst musicians of his own ability.

So, bass player-less, I contacted a friend of a of friend. He was the only person I knew who played bass so was the first port of call and admittedly, a bit of a long shot.

I'd seen Stevie play in the Heavy Jones Trio" and knew he was a solid and experienced player.

I remember feeling a bit intimidated when he turned up to the audition, I think I was mildly starstruck or something. Nevertheless we rocked through about 10 songs and it felt really good. I was happy, Glen was really happy and Stevie was happy and agreed to come onboard.

6 weeks later, Stevie broke his foot.

It was about this time in the proceedings that talk went around that Los Diablos, the band that had named themselves the devils were in fact, plagued by devilish curse. A curse that would disrupt and injure.

I dismissed this, afterall: shit happens and in rock n'roll, lineup changes are common. Broken bones probably more so.

After 2 months of healing, Stevie returned to us and we once again resumed learning the songs which now clocked a respectable 3 hrs in length.

4 weeks later and Glen had to take a break for his wedding and honeymoon. The wedding was lovely and we were honoured to attend.

After nuptials came Stevie's news that due to success of his website and winning several Qantas Media Awards, Los Diablos was too much to commit to. We played our one and only gig together at a private farewell works do.

After breaking the news to Glen he suggested a guy he'd worked with a few months previous. Calls were made, an audition was held and new guy Steve was engaged as the 3rd bass player in the band. "Phew", I thought, "that was pretty seamless transition." We captured some live recordings for a gig demo, then I went snowboarding and broke my arm.

If there was ever a band fated to play the blues (and for good reason) - it was Los Diablos.

2 surgeries, 8 weeks in a cast and 4 weeks of physio left me with nothing to do except write. I wrote 6 songs, most got finished. It was also time I could use to get our rough live demo out to venues.

So in mid-November, almost 4 months to the day since my injury we reconvened at Steve's house for a refresher rehearsal and to try out some of my new songs. They sounded good and didnt take too long to polish up.

December saw us record 7 songs properly i.e in a recording studio and while the vocal tracks are yet to be done, I'm confident that these will be completed shortly and an ep will be made available at gigs in the coming weeks.

You can catch us live this month:
SUNDAY 13TH JAN
3pm, FREE at the Crest Hotel, Cnr K-rd and Pitt St.
NB this venue is subject to change, check our myspace site for updates.

FRI 25TH JAN
9pm $10 at the Masonic Tavern, 29 King Edward Parade, Devonport.
(2 other blues acts playing.)

I think that things are finally looking up for us, those who believe in the Los Diablos Curse must admit that it is finally lifting but if there was ever a band fated to play the blues, its Los Diablos.

on the cusp

So, I stand on the cusp of new beginnings. A new year beckons and with it a new life of such profound change that I can't imagine how things will be. Even if I do, its unlikely that my current self will have much of a clue about how it will really be, its just not really possible to picture. I'm going to be a dad.

I'm excited and nervous and all the other things that men are when they know their first child is on the way. She's due in 9 days. And although I'm certainly not the first to experience this, it feels like I am. A kick from her from under my hand or against my cheek has me pretty much in tears. Not tears of sorrow or joy but just humbled wonderment. Its the Miracle of Life right before my eyes and I just never got it until now. Sure, I've known people who are pregnant and people with kids but its so different when its your turn.

When we first announced we were pregnant I got a call from my kiwi mate Matt in England. It was an ungodly hour in the UK but he called nevertheless:
"Congratultions bro, thats awesome news. Now, you make sure you sing to her every night."
And I pretty much have. I'd always wanted to, me being a muso and after seeing the movie Mr Holland's Opus way back, I'd planned to anyway.

So I play her music by delicately balancing miniature speakers on my wife's belly and I sing her a song before bedtime. Its pretty tough to sing a song softly while scrunched down in the bed at belly height but I like to think she appreciates it.

Studies have shown that a song played to baby in the last weeks of pregnancy can have a calming effect on them once they're born. Its the familiarity that infants like, a certainty in a largely uncertain world. Its not why I do it though, even before I knew I would be a dad, I knew I'd do this.