Auto-suggestion

For the last while, I've been ploughing through a book called "Mellotron - The Machine and the Musicians that Revolutionised Rock". The book is written by a chap called Nick Awde.

If you want to know what the hell a Mellotron is, click here.

My principal reason for buying the book was because it contains an extensive interview with one of my musical heroes, Dave Gregory, the former XTC multi-instrumentalist. Apart from Dave's interview, and that given by Andy Mc.Cluskey (or Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark fame), the book is really of little interest (my personal view anyway) unless you like prog rock. And if you want to know what the hell that is, click here.

One point that is hammered home by the book is the fact that Mellotrons are heavy bastards. It is repeatedly pointed out that roadies hated touring with 'Trons. The risk of ruptured hernias and other physical injuries caused by lugging around these yokes, which seemed to weigh only marginally less than lead wardrobes, was rather high. No wonder roadies took loads of drugs - to ease the pain...

Anyway, the more I read the book, the more I noticed a throbbing feeling in my left foot. After much pondering on the matter, I have come to the conclusion that all these references to heavy 'Trons has awoken some forgotten "memory" of dropping some heavy weight on my poor foot. Possibly a piano (well, not "dropping" an entire piano - possibly tilting it over slightly to move it and then accidentally letting go of the piano), maybe a filing cabinet at work.

The thing is, I can't actually remember this happening to me, but the throbbing feeling is so real to me that it surely must've happened. Unless the whole thing has been caused by some form of auto-suggestion. Either way, it's an odd feeling. Not, perhaps, as odd as a phantom pregnancy would be, but still...

Regards,


djp