VOL I. Issue VIII

August 6, 2009

some day... then again... maybe not :) But it all got to be too much, too expensive in both monetary and time considerations for it to be beneficial for me to continue, so I brought all my eqipment home and set it up in a spare bedroom in my house which became a3 Music, Inc. and concentrated on writing songs of my own.
Then one day a couple of years ago, my boss at work asked me if I had ever heard of Second Life. I had not but the very concept intrigued me so I downloaded it and installed it and logged in for my first time in June of 2007. After wandering around aimlessly for a few weeks, I discovered how to do live gigs in Second Life and it has turned out to be the perfect outlet for my musical energy. For my entire musical career, I had aspired to record a CD of my own songs but never could make it happen. But Second Life and the great folks that I have met there have inspired me and I am now just about to release my second CD... ok blah blah blah... loyal Anj Gustafson listeners have heard all this before so I'll end with this observation: In the last two years that I have been performing live in Second Life, I have played more songs in more places to more people than I have in all the years I spent performing live put together... and that's a lot of years. I LOVE doing it and I will not quit as long as there are those who are interested enough to keep coming to hear me. AND... as far as performing live in the real world: I'll still do it occasionally if I can just throw my acoustic guitar in the back of my car and go... and providing I don't have an SL gig scheduled. :))

PAGE TWO -->

FIRST WORD:

Live performance via internet vs. live performance in person

I was asked recently by a Continuum member who was to be travelling relatively close to Oak Ridge, if I had any live gigs scheduled where perhaps they could come and hear. I responded that I did not have any plans to play live "in person" anytime in the near future and they seemed surprised so I started thinking maybe I should explain my feelings on the subject if I can.

I get asked to come and play live all the time by people I've played in bands with over the years. There are two bands that are performing, at least, once a week, that have asked me to join. They say, "C'mon... it'll be like old times." Well... that's what I'm afraid of.

For me, the novelty of being a 'live' musician in a 'live' gig situation, finally wore off after having been involved in a regularly-gigging road band for years and then in a 'house' band for another undisclosed number of mind-numbing years; banging out, until the wee hours of the morning, dead cover songs that still give me nightmares, for next to nothing when one figures in what it took in time and effort to become able to perform said dead cover songs. Having my equipment smashed on several occasions in drunken brawls quickly made me realize that.... I was over it. Now, to be fair... I have many MANY great and wonderful memories that I wouldn't give up for anything. Indeed, some of these stories may make it into the Chronicles