East of the Pond

Back in 2003 I took a trip to London. My first and only, so far, to London. The reason I went was because my girlfriend, at the time, enrolled in school. Before she left, I asked her where WE were gonna live. Next thing I know I'm in London.

I arrived with no real financial plan, except for the obvious Jimi Hendrix fantasy. I would be discovered; I'd get famous; get payed in full and tour the world. Reality had me living there day by day with the support of my family. The back up financial plan. In London they allow you to visit for 6 months without a visa, so i booked my flight for 6 months. It was like lighting a fuse for the end of a relationship. We both knew that at the end of 6 months, I would be going back home. Subsequently putting a not so abrupt end to our relationship.

The 6 months in London were cold. My stay was from October 15th to April 15th. The entire span of winter. Londoners questioned my reason for being there when they found out I was from Califofnia. It snowed during christmas. It wasn't that spectacular, either. It was all black and grey with lots of car oil and soot. And it rained constantly. Great place to be a blues guitarist! And that's what I was. I played twice a week at local venues the entire time I was there. Wrote a few songs and put a cd in a local record store. Sold 3. One to my mother who came for a christmas visit. I also bought one...

I remember the first day that the sky was blue. I was sitting in a chair looking out of the window. In the sky. I was on the plane ride home when this happened. The temperature had the Londers in t shirts and mini skirts that day. And I seem to recall looking down from the plane window thinking, " The sun is out and all those suave London gentlemen are going to have their way with her..."

Back home, I was suddenly single, broke and my truck was not registered. So I did what I always do. I wrote a song about it. It could have been a blues tune, but I didn't want to feel that way in the Califonia sunshine. And I didn't want to lament about breaking up, either....

Instead, I composed a sweet little reggae tune. And instead of feeling sorry for myself, as we tend to do, I went the other way. Acceptance without drama. The Atlantic ocean helped tremendously with the no drama part. But essentially I just wanted to let go with out the grief exchange. And maybe the song would mean something to her and we could just go our seperate ways.

I played the song for her once and she didn't give me the idea that it meant anything to her. Oh well, right? Whatever. Life is like that sometimes. But what the song did do for me was get me into one of the best bands I've ever played in. The Uptones. That song was the easiest audition ever. I gave them a copy and the next thing I know I'm in The Uptones! That part happened in 2005. In 2007 I met the love of my life at an Uptones show.

Now it's 2009 and the song's been recorded and is currently 1 of 15 gr8 tracks available on i tunes!

Listen to " East Of The Pond "

Take me to " East Of The Pond " on i tunes.

Your friendly cyberhood

Uncle Samurai