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I never want to be a wasted potential me | The Ellipsis | TEDxLeamingtonSpa


hi Ron so I was 13 when my parents

hi Ron so I was 13 when my parents bought me my first guitar and I began

bought me my first guitar and I began

bought me my first guitar and I began having lessons at my local school but

having lessons at my local school but

having lessons at my local school but unfortunately after just two lessons my

unfortunately after just two lessons my

unfortunately after just two lessons my school guitar teacher actually passed

school guitar teacher actually passed

school guitar teacher actually passed away so the guitar that I’d just bought

away so the guitar that I’d just bought

away so the guitar that I’d just bought and could barely play went back home

and could barely play went back home

and could barely play went back home with me and just sat in the corner of my

with me and just sat in the corner of my

with me and just sat in the corner of my room pretty much neglected but I was

room pretty much neglected but I was

room pretty much neglected but I was still determined that I was going to

still determined that I was going to

still determined that I was going to play guitar so my parents had me to find

play guitar so my parents had me to find

play guitar so my parents had me to find a new teacher and after a few more

a new teacher and after a few more

a new teacher and after a few more lessons that new guitar teacher actually

lessons that new guitar teacher actually

lessons that new guitar teacher actually moved to the other side of the world to

moved to the other side of the world to

moved to the other side of the world to Australia so once again I was left

Australia so once again I was left

Australia so once again I was left without a teacher and my guitar just

without a teacher and my guitar just

without a teacher and my guitar just went back home and sat in the corner of

went back home and sat in the corner of

went back home and sat in the corner of my room so things really changed me when

my room so things really changed me when

my room so things really changed me when I actually broke my leg because when I

I actually broke my leg because when I

I actually broke my leg because when I broke my leg I couldn’t do a lot of the

broke my leg I couldn’t do a lot of the

broke my leg I couldn’t do a lot of the things that I used to do in my free time

things that I used to do in my free time

things that I used to do in my free time I couldn’t do sports and things like

I couldn’t do sports and things like

I couldn’t do sports and things like that so the guitar that was sitting in

that so the guitar that was sitting in

that so the guitar that was sitting in the corner of my room came back out and

the corner of my room came back out and

the corner of my room came back out and I started to practice and play a lot

I started to practice and play a lot

I started to practice and play a lot more I even got a new teacher who sort

more I even got a new teacher who sort

more I even got a new teacher who sort of stuck around for a little bit longer

of stuck around for a little bit longer

of stuck around for a little bit longer as well and a few years later I moved to

as well and a few years later I moved to

as well and a few years later I moved to commentary where I began studying

commentary where I began studying

commentary where I began studying geography of all things at the

geography of all things at the

geography of all things at the University and it was here that I met

University and it was here that I met

University and it was here that I met Harry John and Alex and we formed the

Harry John and Alex and we formed the

Harry John and Alex and we formed the ellipses and we started gigging up and

ellipses and we started gigging up and

ellipses and we started gigging up and down the country and when I graduated I

down the country and when I graduated I

down the country and when I graduated I guess I had a choice to make I could

guess I had a choice to make I could

guess I had a choice to make I could either go and apply for lots of graduate

either go and apply for lots of graduate

either go and apply for lots of graduate jobs and move away from the city or I

jobs and move away from the city or I

jobs and move away from the city or I could stay and continue playing with the

could stay and continue playing with the

could stay and continue playing with the band and really I loved music so much

band and really I loved music so much

band and really I loved music so much and I loved performing with the band I

and I loved performing with the band I

and I loved performing with the band I decided that I was going to remain I was

decided that I was going to remain I was

decided that I was going to remain I was going to stay in commentary and I was

going to stay in commentary and I was

going to stay in commentary and I was going to work with this band but to

going to work with this band but to

going to work with this band but to remain in commentary I had to get a job

remain in commentary I had to get a job

remain in commentary I had to get a job so for the next two years I worked for

so for the next two years I worked for

so for the next two years I worked for 40 hours a week in a in an office and

40 hours a week in a in an office and

40 hours a week in a in an office and all of my free time was spent gigging

all of my free time was spent gigging

all of my free time was spent gigging and playing with the band but despite

and playing with the band but despite

and playing with the band but despite this there was still something that was

this there was still something that was

this there was still something that was missing when I came home my guitar was

missing when I came home my guitar was

missing when I came home my guitar was still pretty much sitting neglected in

still pretty much sitting neglected in

still pretty much sitting neglected in the corner of my room I wasn’t really

the corner of my room I wasn’t really

the corner of my room I wasn’t really doing any songwriting or practicing by

doing any songwriting or practicing by

doing any songwriting or practicing by myself everything was sort of either the

myself everything was sort of either the

myself everything was sort of either the band or busy with work so became very

band or busy with work so became very

band or busy with work so became very clear to me that I needed to make a

clear to me that I needed to make a

clear to me that I needed to make a change

change

change initially my plan was very simple I was

initially my plan was very simple I was

initially my plan was very simple I was just gonna quit work I was gonna move

just gonna quit work I was gonna move

just gonna quit work I was gonna move out of my house I was going to couch

out of my house I was going to couch

out of my house I was going to couch surf and I was just gonna write and play

surf and I was just gonna write and play

surf and I was just gonna write and play music all of the time and I pitched this

music all of the time and I pitched this

music all of the time and I pitched this idea to my parents and they were very

idea to my parents and they were very

idea to my parents and they were very supportive and pointed out a pretty big

supportive and pointed out a pretty big

supportive and pointed out a pretty big flaw in my plan and they pointed out I’d

flaw in my plan and they pointed out I’d

flaw in my plan and they pointed out I’d probably spend more time looking for a

probably spend more time looking for a

probably spend more time looking for a place to sleep than they would actually

place to sleep than they would actually

place to sleep than they would actually do what I set out to do which was to

do what I set out to do which was to

do what I set out to do which was to write and play music so it became very

write and play music so it became very

write and play music so it became very clear to me that I needed my own home

clear to me that I needed my own home

clear to me that I needed my own home and I needed transport so for the next

and I needed transport so for the next

and I needed transport so for the next six months I saved up all the money that

six months I saved up all the money that

six months I saved up all the money that I could and I sold most of my

I could and I sold most of my

I could and I sold most of my possessions and I bought myself a VW

possessions and I bought myself a VW

possessions and I bought myself a VW campervan which and I’ll call my home so

campervan which and I’ll call my home so

campervan which and I’ll call my home so I’ve been living in the van now for just

I’ve been living in the van now for just

I’ve been living in the van now for just under a year and it’s great probably

under a year and it’s great probably

under a year and it’s great probably like the happiest have been since since

like the happiest have been since since

like the happiest have been since since leaving my actual home with my parents

leaving my actual home with my parents

leaving my actual home with my parents and I play music all of the time I can

and I play music all of the time I can

and I play music all of the time I can sing and write all of the time I have no

sing and write all of the time I have no

sing and write all of the time I have no Wi-Fi no computer no TV for distraction

Wi-Fi no computer no TV for distraction

Wi-Fi no computer no TV for distraction and my guitar has now become the

and my guitar has now become the

and my guitar has now become the absolute centerpiece of my home so this

absolute centerpiece of my home so this

absolute centerpiece of my home so this song ways to potentially really sort of

song ways to potentially really sort of

song ways to potentially really sort of encapsulates what music has meant to me

encapsulates what music has meant to me

encapsulates what music has meant to me throughout my life is sort of that idea

throughout my life is sort of that idea

throughout my life is sort of that idea that I never want to be the waste to

that I never want to be the waste to

that I never want to be the waste to patern wasted potential version of

patern wasted potential version of

patern wasted potential version of myself that I didn’t want to look back

myself that I didn’t want to look back

myself that I didn’t want to look back in ten years time and regret that I’d

in ten years time and regret that I’d

in ten years time and regret that I’d never kind of given that music thing a

never kind of given that music thing a

never kind of given that music thing a shot that I’d never sort of focused all

shot that I’d never sort of focused all

shot that I’d never sort of focused all my energies on what I was passionate

my energies on what I was passionate

my energies on what I was passionate about

about

about so all I’d ask is that while you listen

so all I’d ask is that while you listen

so all I’d ask is that while you listen to us play this song for you just have a

to us play this song for you just have a

to us play this song for you just have a think about your home the people and the

think about your home the people and the

think about your home the people and the things within it and just think if you

things within it and just think if you

things within it and just think if you have an idea or a dream or something

have an idea or a dream or something

have an idea or a dream or something that’s sitting in the corner of your

that’s sitting in the corner of your

that’s sitting in the corner of your home with its potential going to waste

home with its potential going to waste

home with its potential going to waste [Music]

[Music]

[Music] focus

does it sound like

does it sound like [Music]

[Music]

[Music] never wants a beer

never wants a beer

never wants a beer tell me

never was

never was [Music]

[Music]

[Music] what

[Music]

[Music] so this done

flit out from good

flit out from good [Music]

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

[Applause]

[Applause] [Music]

[Music]

[Music] [Applause]

”

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