Tripitaka 2012

About 20 years ago I used to play in a band named Tripitaka. We played Jazz Funk music and regularly played at venues in Preston, Manchester and Liverpool. And even if I say so myself we were pretty good, even to this day some of the best music I've heard in my life came from jamming when we were practicing, and we practiced 3 time a week.  But for me it was much more than just a band, it was a purpose, a "raison d'etre" (I hate using those words but it describes it well), an excuse to spend time with people I loved and a laugh.  It's a period of my life that I look back with pride and fondness.  We stopped playing about 1998.

14 years later some of us met up again.  We talked about old times and I was surprised by the amount of stuff I had forgotten.  Jonathan the drummer brought a VHS player with him c/w with a film taken in 1995 of Tripitaka playing at the Heineken music festival on Avenham Park, Preston.  WOW!  Fuck...in...hell!  It was a little impossible to listen to it due to all the screaming and laughing taking place from the viewers (namely us! (or should I say Sandy!!!) but I think we all enjoyed it immensely.

Tripitaka are reforming but I shan't be joining them.  They are all far better musicians than me and I feel I'd be letting them down if I were to join the venture, but more importantly photography is my art now.  It was lying dormant when I was in the band but now it's consumed me and I like it.

I had an absolutely lovely night.  At the beginning of the evening, and especially after the video, I was slightly concerned that we had all grown up too much and any trace of a youthful rock and roll spirit had been left long ago in the past.  Fortunately a wine glass was knocked over splashing on curtains, cushions, wallpaper and me, people got way too drunk and emotions ran high, it felt like rock n roll all over again.

Love you guys xx

"Shaun & Sandy"

"Jonathan & Sandy"

"Mandy & Jonathan"