Saturday night was frustrating – I started off OK, experimenting with a new software synth Plague had given me, with some very nice presets. Then I decided to record a new guitar solo for Come With Me. On Tuesday at St John’s soloing had come effortless, fluent and beautiful; this time I did take after take and could not come out with anything listenable for a 15-second solo. A horrible experience. Maybe the song just doesn’t want a guitar solo.
Yesterday, having virtually ignored the Edinburgh Festival on our doorstep, Madame and I spent Sunday afternoon in the city, mostly people-watching. We did, however, go to the Ron Mueck exhibition at the National Gallery, which we found very moving. Each giant or miniature figure seemed to replete with life and personality, as though you were somehow in a ‘presence’ – an experience I’ve had with painted portraits but not with sculpture before. I also found myself fascinated with their fingernails and toenails, which is the same fascination I’ve felt with babies.