Auditions diaries from the acts #10

Audition diaries from the acts themselves from this year’s Live and Unsigned competition are going online in a bid to be in The List Magazine. A week ago we put a call out on our Facebook page for Scottish acts to tell us their stories from the Live and Unsigned auditions for the chance to be in the popular magazine. We’ve had an incredible response from bands and acts and the diaries of their experiences were just so good, we simply couldn’t choose which act to put forward to The List.

That’s where you - the Live and Unsigned fans and supporters come in, the bands and acts’ stories were so brilliant that we wanted to share them with you.  Each day we’re going to put up an act’s diary for you to join in the fun and read, if you like their tale, vote for them on our Facebook page by pressing the Like button or commenting positively on their work. The act with the most support for their diary by the publishing deadline will appear in The List magazine and be followed through the competition.

The Best of luck to all of our Scottish bands and acts who have shared their stories - get voting for your favourite!

Audition Diary of Paul Graham – Glasgow Auditions 5th February 2011

The morning of the audition day and my song is rehearsed to death but not so much that it sounds ‘mechanical’…now just to perfect the ‘look’.

So I go for the collar and skinny tie, V-neck jumper and sports jacket with patches on the elbows, white K-Swiss and jeans. Very ‘Preppy’ I think to myself (not really knowing entirely what ‘Preppy’ should look like).

Walking up Buchanan Street there’s a boy who can’t be much older than 12 busking with a guitar (which is the same size as him). I feel in awe of him as I drop 20p in his guitar bag and wonder where I’d be now if I’d been as brave at his age…

At the Royal Concert Halls, the girl behind the desk asks me to tell her something interesting about myself and my music. I respond by saying that my music is “Honest. Non- contrived and un-pretentious”. I walk to the waiting area thinking how, ironically, that probably came across as a bit pretentious.

I take a seat, tune up and, looking around, start to feel less ‘Preppy’ and more ‘Geography Teacher’.

My mind harks to just under a year ago, on my 30th Birthday, when I auditioned for the X Factor. I realize that there’s a stark difference between today’s hopefuls and the thousands of people in that queue last April. Today I’m surrounded by musicians. I guess the X Factor was a necessary evil. It was cathartic and I’m glad I got it off my chest.

My name is called and suddenly I’m stood at the audition door. I can hear the guy ahead of me ‘nailing’ his audition. Awesome! My heart pounds.

The guy setting up the mic asks if I look at my guitar as I play. “I try not to” I reply, apologetically.

The 5 or more judges say nothing and anticipate my opening chord.

I am outside the audition room again. 45 minutes pass and all the other acts I queued outside the room with have all received bad news. Even awesome guy!

I begin to accept the seemingly inevitable when….

I’m through!

I run outside and there are two dread locked hippies giving out free hugs. I embrace them. They seem a little frightened.

I head off down Sauchiehall Street, armed with my newly acquired ‘Live and Unsigned’ letter-headed fodder. I line up a couple of gigs.

Today was a good day.

I’ve got 5 weeks to rehearse the next song to death, but not so much that it sounds ‘mechanical’…”

If you like Paul Graham’s tale, you have a less than week to vote for him on our Facebook page  by pressing the Like button! This is the last entrant for this competition, don't forget to check out the other entries. The winner will be announced at the end of the week.