Another Bournemouth busking related story...
Please bear with me as I relate this pleasantly disturbing experience to you:
Me and a couple of mates used to do a spot of busking, during the school hols in bournemouth town centre. One day we were merrily parping our way through some classical arrangements and popular songs as usual, trying to lure the sentimental pensioners loose change, when a man stopped to listen. He came over for a chat explaining that he was in charge of musical entertainment at one of the big local hotels, and could do with some extra musicians to supplement his keyboard playing. Although he seemed a bit weird we couldnt really pass up the chance for some extra cash, so agreed to come down to the hotel and form a small band.
So that weekend we got to the hotel, met this fella in a big function room and unpacked our instruments. Turned out this fella had just been taken on by the hotel, who had bought him a swish new electronic keyboard, which he seemed to be fooling around on producing random sounds and beats - he's got some kind of electronic big band and drum kit going on. We just thought "oh he probably hasnt quite got the hang of it yet". Anyway, we say "right what shall we play first?" and he names some old song (probably some old sinatra classic or old musical song - easy enough to pick up the tune). Me and my mates agree on a key, to which the guy gives a worried looking nod, someone starts the tune and everyone kind of joins in one by one.

So picture the scene - we're giving a fairly coherent rendition of a well known song.... until this guy joins in with his keyboard.
He's sitting there in his own world, swaying to the beat, with a look of intense revelatory ecstasy on his face, playing the most tuneless random noise, which doesnt sound like any tune in the history of mankind, but the worst thing is he doesnt realise and does it on every 'song' we try! And to cap it all he occasionally leans over to us and shouts "MAN!" or "YEAH BLOW THAT YOU CAT!" with his mad eyes bulging threateningly at us.
After about half an hour of very uncomfortable 'rehearsing' we make our excuses and leg it. As we're disappearing out the door he was heard to say something like "yeah guys that was amazing! i think we've got something special going!"
Fruitcake.
(littlerichardsmustache, Wed 22 Sep 2004, 14:16, Reply)