Max's Blog
The session musician
Does Amy really trust me!?
Last updated: 01st September 2010
Does Amy really want this? She's a really talented artist. Is she really trusting me on a single that people can actually buy? What if I've forgotten how to play the thing?
Max Rushden
Quotes of the week
So I've just received an email which has made me nervous. It's not football related. It's music related.
There's a bit of a running joke about my clarinet playing on Soccer AM. Apparently it isn't cool. Not even when I played the Eastenders theme, while Dion Dublin accompanied me on the Dube.
I think if I'd had my time again, I'd have learnt the guitar, or maybe the trumpet.
But when you're seven, you're not really thinking too far ahead. My parents were nice enough to give me the chance to play something, and I didn't turn to them and say, "well, the clarinet's ok but in 24 years time, I might be presenting a TV show and it might look a bit cooler if I played literally anything else".
When I was seven, I was definitely going to be a professional footballer, or perhaps an astronaut - music was never going to be a public endeavour.
So here we are. My name's Max, I'm 31, and I play the clarinet. When I say play, I mean I can play it. I don't actually ever take it out of its box. It just sits there. I probably haven't played regularly for the best part of a decade.
So now I just say I can play the clarinet to appear like a well rounded individual rather than actually do it (and it annoys the producer a bit as he continually fights to make me appear cooler than I actually am).
Single
So last year when Amy MacDonald came on, I made some lame reference to why her album had no jazz clarinet on it. She laughed it off politely, "maybe you should play on the next single". And the interview carried on, the show finished, and I didn't think anything of it.
Quite often on Soccer AM, we agree to do things that are unlikely to happen.
We promise to get players clubs, get musical collaborations, get footballers into films - but we never actually follow it up. Of all the promises we made last season, I always thought Mark Watson and I cooking moussaka for Altringham FC seemed the most likely (although that might happen later this season so I'm told).
So when Amy MacDonald's people got in touch with my people (Trev) to say, "would Max like to play jazz clarinet on her next single?" my body filled with a mix of surprise, bemusement and fear.
Does Amy really want this? She's a really talented artist. Is she really trusting me on a single that people can actually buy? What if I've forgotten how to play the thing?
Excited
At the same time, I'm excited about being able to call myself a session musician. And yesterday we got another call from Amy's people. "Would Max like to be in the video?" Yes please.
They've clearly seen my acting on the show and couldn't manage without it. "He'll either play a busker or a removal man". Curious. So now I've got four days to learn quite a complicated piece of clarinet music, and get my terrible acting ability up to scratch for a music video.
This could go well - alternatively... well it's not worth considering... and I've not even mentioned the live gig at the Hammersmith Apollo. Oh god...
Have a good week,
Max
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Comments
Ali Jacobs (Liverpool fan) says...
saw you last night with Amy, wanted to say hello at the after show bar, too shy - you, and the whole evening was amazing!
Posted 20:15 27th October 2010
Dad And mum (Grimsby Town fan) says...
wat song is it
Posted 11:29 2nd October 2010
Lauren Peck (Chelsea fan) says...
Should have learnt how to play the guitar :D
Posted 18:18 4th September 2010
David Williams (Arsenal fan) says...
i think you should go for it max.. then you'll be a tv presenting, jazz clarinet player, who's on a hit single! ..i'm sure everyone who watches the show will download it.. and aside from that max - do it 'cos she is HOT !
Posted 16:43 2nd September 2010
Leon Mitchell (Chelsea fan) says...
congratulations on being asked to do the song with amy i hope it goes well and i was just wondering if you could play any instrument on any song ever what would it be p.s keep up the good work leon
Posted 18:34 1st September 2010
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