I can’t quite believe that it’s seven – yes seven – years since I first picked up a ukulele and learned three basic chords and therefore started to play it.

I’d always wanted to learn the guitar and that never happened but learning the uke was much more achievable. I still play it but I’m pretty much still a one-strum-wonder. I’m just not that dedicated I suppose. I’ve sat in front of YouTube clips that show differeing strumming methods but if it doesn’t click fairly quickly I lose interest just as quickly.

I have had a lot of fun with it along the way though.

I’ve had trouble staying in rhythm with my singing. Although I have to admit sometimes I just don’t have the mojo for it and other times I think I sound pretty damn good. One night I picked up the uke at about 11pm and started belting out a song. My son’s bedroom was the next room and normally he sleeps through quite a bit of noise. This time, however, he came out to the lounge with his face screwed up because of the light and a look of disgust and told me quite clearly that I was making too much noise. Suitably chastened I packed up for the evening.

I think the most fun I’ve had with it is getting together with a group of people. There’s a lot to be said for other players hiding your mistakes and introducing you to songs you otherwise might not have considered.

I’ve even performed in public. I’ve done this more than once and get a kick out of it even though my legs were shaking.

More recently I’ve started ‘jamming’ with The Surfer and a friend of his. They play the guitar and I sing, and play the odd song with the ukulele so it’s getting a bit of an airing.

I realised only recently that I haven’t got the ambition to become a great ukulele player, but I do enjoy picking it up every now and then to have a strum.

I went out the other night to see this band – Graveyard Train. A band of seven blokes singing about death.

It was the first night of their Australian tour to launch their new album. I’ve now got their first and second album and they’re both brilliant. When we got the first album we played it in the car and I was ‘allowed’ to turn it up so we could both sing along. Usually my son pleads with me to turn the music down. Isn’t it supposed to be the other way around?

Hailing from Melbourne I’ve been very lucky to see them twice this year. Once at Barrio (Adelaide Festival), then again the other night.

As you can see I was nice and close and when they finished their set I could have stood there to watch it all over again.

Often when I see a band, even though I’ve enjoyed it, I’m glad for a rest at the end. Not so with these guys.

There’s a guy (at the end playing the harmonica in this shot) whose usual musical instrument is chains around his neck and a hammer. I wonder how they explain that at customs if the need ever arises. I’ve never seen a band playing chains.

The other thing I love about them is that they all sing (except for the drummer I think) and when they do it’s just magic.

This is the type of boy band I really dig!

You might enjoy this video

As I try to sort out playlists on that iToy contraption of mine I’ve been creating a favourites list. Last Wednesday saw me dancing around the kitchen to some of it. Sometimes JJ and I will crank up the music’s volume and have a dance together and occasionally I’ll do it myself. It makes me feel really good, and it’s good exercise. Here’s a few of those tunes (if viewing this via RSS and can’t see the clips below click through to the site).

What songs would you add?

Lonely Boy – The Black Keys

I’ll bet you have trouble staying still when listening to/watching this clip.

It’s Lunacy – Ed Kuepper

Ed Kuepper is a favourite musician of mine. I haven’t seen him recently but saw him years ago at a local university with the Hoodoo Gurus. Listen to the lyrics – love em.

Fever – Sarah Vaughan [Adam Freeland remix]

Yet another cover version of an older song and I really like how it’s been done. This is a great one to sing along to as well – if you’re into that sort of thing. I might be!

Human Fly – Nouvelle Vague

It takes nearly a minute before the song actually starts and it’s a live version, but it’s a great song – a Cramps cover. It’s also somewhat slower than the music above. I saw Nouvelle Vague a year and a half ago at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival and I thoroughly recommend them. They were great.

I know I asked above, but I’m asking again. What song/s make you feel great?