I get into these modes. I have been fawning over this extremely rare recording of myself playing at the Rex five years ago. We are playing 'Inner Urge' in 7/4. It is one of our first shows together -- back before we made the switch to exclusively popular music -- and there is this youthful vibrancy in the playing that I doubt has ever been captured before. I was 20 when it was recorded, months after I made the switch to the Faculty of Arts & Sciences. I still had my technical facility, and, more importantly, the live desire to make something of myself as a musician.

The quality is poor, and the audience is far too noisy, but it is the perfect snapshot of the past. I forget who recorded it, but thank goodness that they did, or else there might be no evidence that there was a period like this in my life.

I was asked to play again with the band on 30 December 2007, but the request came two days too late. I had already booked my ticket elsewhere.