“God, this band…”
“…?”
“Awful. Just awful.”
“Oh you… you boring old sod! You have no soul! Your musical appreciation stops in 1982, no wonder you can’t comprehend more intricate forms of expression! Jazz is art, aural painting, instrumental poetry. Jazz musicians are sharing their improvisation to inspire the audience. Open your ears for once and open your mind too.”
“I…”
“No wait. You listen for once. Move past Genesis and Huey Lewis. It is NOT hip to be square.”
“I…”
“Yes? You what?”
“I… think they’re supposed to be Christmas carols.”
“Oh…”
“Indeed.”
“Oh my, they really are shit.”
Word count: 100
A musically inspired prompt picture for Rochelle’s Friday Fictioneer this week – and after a few weeks of somewhat depressing and dreary stories, I thought I’d lighten the mood a bit. I envisaged this as a friendly-yet-argumentative dialogue piece from the get-go, and revisited some friends from a February post. I actually have clear mental images of these two characters, even though all they have done is argue…
Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. 🙂
Cheers
KT
Post Script: There is a really subtle (really subtle) literary reference in the music I’ve chosen in this 100 words – 10 internet points if you can tell me where it is from.
Uncertain Tales 
I’m proud to say I’ve played in bands like that. Hey, the musically inept need to express themselves too! 😉
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Every musician starts somewhere (and listening to the radio recently, I think some musicians stay there).
Thanks for reading 🙂
KT
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1982 was a pretty sad year for jazz, I gotta say. Black Codes came out in 1985 and stuff started to happen again. These days the sky is the limit. Jazzbos never expected to make any money anyway.
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Oh no, the fear of every writer – a reader who clearly knows more about the topic I wrote about. I should have googled for more than 15 minutes!
Thanks for being gentle.
(& Thanks for reading :))
Cheers
KT
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LOL! Your reply is awesome.
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I was lead singer in that band. Just wait until you hear my version of “Sympathy for the Devil.” Totally unrecognizable, but at least I looked good on stage.
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Hi Russell – I think with this band it’s ‘Sympathy for the Audience’ 🙂
Thanks for reading
KT
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Dear KT,
I think I’ll just keep my music preferences to myself at this present juncture. I guess I don’t get points but I do like the title. I prefer things in a minor key…but without the dischord. 😉
Shalom,
Rochelle
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Great story…I loved the Huey Lewis line..sooo funny, Huey not so much…hahahaha! But I could picture this in my head though, with the band playing. I run from these. Really good 🙂
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Found it hilarious! Great story!
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OMG! What a laugh I got from this. LOVE it! Thanks.
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Dear Bilbo,
This resonates on so many levels – a well-told tale of interminable middle school concert nights, my unappreciation for improvisational jazz, the arrogant intelligentsia of musical criticism…la, la, la.
Yours truly,
A boring old sod.
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This bought a lot of laughs! I could sense the man’s frustration at being cut up all the time. For the ten points: Huey Lewis and the News (Fore!).
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Ha.. this was one of those stories where I simply laughed out loud.. I guess it was hard to guess when they moved from tuning their instruments to playing carols.
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Cheers mate, I’m glad you liked it!
KT
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American Psycho?
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Yes!
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Yeah!
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I need to re-read this book.
My TBR list is stupidly long already though… #firstshelfproblems
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Ha! That was great. I’ve heard questionable Christmas carols before, I’m glad I wasn’t around for these ones 😉
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You like Huey Lewis and the News?
That’s all I could think about,
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Spot on John 🙂
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Fun dialogue. I like my Christmas carols square too.
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The chap extolling the virtues of the “jazz” band (until he finds out what they’re trying to play) reminds me of a sketch I saw once in a modern art gallery where someone was waxing lyrical about a chair and what the artist was trying to express with this simple piece – until a museum attendant sat on it and started reading the newspaper 🙂
Great fun story!
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I loved this. Now, these are Christmas carols where I could sing along, too. (I can’t hold a tune.)
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A very humorous take on pretension. As ever, a pleasure to read your fine fiction.
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This made me laugh! Great story. 🙂
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Funny, KT! I love the spot on points being made, with the humorous punch line.
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Really funny. I have actually played this badly for an audience before. Excruciatingly embarrassing.
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Definitely a Laugh out Loud story! Love it.
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I snorted coffee through my nose. Thanks for that. Still chuckling.
Tracey
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Gosh – this is hilarious! Nan
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😛 Ah, the times when you’re so passionate about something that you jump the gun and assume. Brilliantly hilarious.
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That was a hilarious agreement at the end…
Ellespeth
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Dear KT,
Realization dawns slowly for some. I enjoyed watching the sun come up in this story. Well done.
Aloha,
Doug
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A literal interpretation of the story. I enjoyed it as my husband is a musician and has played in badns with fellow musicians who needed a little more practice. Great write ..!!!
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This one got a hearty chuckle! This is the sort of argument I have at home – the self-righteous ‘you need to…’ and then you find you were barking up the wrong tree all along.
Christmas episode of BBC quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks usually has disguised Christmas Carols as one of the rounds (Thrash Metal was particularly good). These guys could definitely get that gig.
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Very funny, you made me laugh. Thank you!
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I laughed out loud! I could clearly imagine myself in just such a situation. Well done!
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Thanks Tiffany 🙂
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