Another Day In The life
If you can call it a life. I do. I have to; I wake up each morning in the middle of it. Which, upon reflection, is probably preferable to waking up each morning in the middle of someone else's life.
Unless there is someone else you are foolish enough to want to be rather than yourself.
Thoughts today; memories. Memories are about all I have these days. Memories of better times, even easier times -- though they didn't always seem so at the time.
There's a over-quoted saying: If I had known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself. I say this once in a while, but I never really mean it. For if I had it to do all over again.....another oft-quoted line....I'd do it no differently. I had too much fun. Of course, much of that fun is why I hurt so badly these days.....but hey, you do have to -- ready? -- pay the piper.
Yeah....I love cliched sayings. :--)
Music. Music has always seemed to be a big part of my life. I can remember music heard as a child better than I can any activities I had. When I decided to learn to play, my instrument of choice was guitar; my impetus was The Beatles, at the time. But it was memories of Bill Haley, Elvis, Les Paul, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and even earlier that provided the background. I was around 13 at the time; I had a friend who played, and who got me started. I was determined, and worked hard. I could, in retrospect, have worked harder. But, while I never was very good ( in my opinion ) I did at least have the chance to do it as a profession for several years. A tribute, I think, more to the kindness of others than my own ability.
I did eventually quit, in 1974. Instinctively, though, I knew one never really quits something one loves, so, to avoid temptation, sold all the equipment I had at the time. Ha. If one only had foresight; had I kept those things, I'd be sitting on a tidy nest egg today. The two main elements of my arsenal at the time, a custom made Fender Telecaster and a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier, would be worth a tidy sum today.
During that time, the music I was fortunate enough to play wasn't all that important; it ranged from the country sounds of the Hank Williams/Ernest Tubb era, through the rock sounds of the 50's and 60's, to the early 70's country-rock sounds of groups like The Eagles. My biggest influences at the time remained The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry -- but they were joined by The Ventures ( Nokie Edwards is a God to me ) and Waylon Jennings and Roy Clark and Chet Atkins ( yet another God ).
What was important was that it was a great time, a fun time. It was a transition period for music. Some knew it then, others -- like myself -- weren't really aware of it until much later. I developed a liking for many types of music, and a appreciation of both the old and the new. I met some awesome people ( and some not-so-awesome ), made many friends and perhaps a few enemies. For several years, I worked 6 ( and sometimes 7 ) nights a week, different gigs each night. It was both a vibrant, party-like existence, and a exhausting grind. But I was young ( mid teens until mid 20's ), with a dream, and it was all good.
There were things I wish I had done then. Learning to read and write music was one of them. Never did. This came home to me a few years ago when I was contacted by a old friend and music partner who asked if I still played. I was in yet another transition period in my life, and while I hadn't even held a pick in my hands for 30 years, I decided to give it another try. To say it was tough is a understatement. To say I got at times very frustrated is a even larger understatement. But I plugged away, and found some of the old enjoyment.
Unfortunately, much more than I had changed. The times, too, had changed. And, after a year of it, and just about as I had reached a point where I personally felt I was contributing something worthwhile to the band's sound, the group disbanded. Leaving me, again, with equipment that acted as a constant reminder of what could have been. With one difference this time -- I have kept it. I still plunk around. I still play like crap. Every once in a while, though, something comes through, something comes together, and I can smile. Yeah....not bad, ya worthless old fart.
Then grab a few Tylenol to ease the ache in the hands. :--)
Oh....if you are wondering where this is going, the answer is -- nowhere in particular. It's just me having a brain fart. Doing a self-therapy session of stress relief. Trying not to think about work ( a job I strongly dislike but appreciate having in these times ) and the state of the Nation and the economic situation and the constantly depressing daily headlines. A lot of my blogs will be like this....just a ramblin' old mind, dredging up the past or ranting about the present. Music will be a oft-used feature; I will praise what I like, and rant about what I dislike. Expect this ; if it was recorded after 1980, there isn't going to be much on the 'like' side. :--)
Unless there is someone else you are foolish enough to want to be rather than yourself.
Thoughts today; memories. Memories are about all I have these days. Memories of better times, even easier times -- though they didn't always seem so at the time.
There's a over-quoted saying: If I had known I was going to live this long, I'd have taken better care of myself. I say this once in a while, but I never really mean it. For if I had it to do all over again.....another oft-quoted line....I'd do it no differently. I had too much fun. Of course, much of that fun is why I hurt so badly these days.....but hey, you do have to -- ready? -- pay the piper.
Yeah....I love cliched sayings. :--)
Music. Music has always seemed to be a big part of my life. I can remember music heard as a child better than I can any activities I had. When I decided to learn to play, my instrument of choice was guitar; my impetus was The Beatles, at the time. But it was memories of Bill Haley, Elvis, Les Paul, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, and even earlier that provided the background. I was around 13 at the time; I had a friend who played, and who got me started. I was determined, and worked hard. I could, in retrospect, have worked harder. But, while I never was very good ( in my opinion ) I did at least have the chance to do it as a profession for several years. A tribute, I think, more to the kindness of others than my own ability.
I did eventually quit, in 1974. Instinctively, though, I knew one never really quits something one loves, so, to avoid temptation, sold all the equipment I had at the time. Ha. If one only had foresight; had I kept those things, I'd be sitting on a tidy nest egg today. The two main elements of my arsenal at the time, a custom made Fender Telecaster and a Fender Twin Reverb amplifier, would be worth a tidy sum today.
During that time, the music I was fortunate enough to play wasn't all that important; it ranged from the country sounds of the Hank Williams/Ernest Tubb era, through the rock sounds of the 50's and 60's, to the early 70's country-rock sounds of groups like The Eagles. My biggest influences at the time remained The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry -- but they were joined by The Ventures ( Nokie Edwards is a God to me ) and Waylon Jennings and Roy Clark and Chet Atkins ( yet another God ).
What was important was that it was a great time, a fun time. It was a transition period for music. Some knew it then, others -- like myself -- weren't really aware of it until much later. I developed a liking for many types of music, and a appreciation of both the old and the new. I met some awesome people ( and some not-so-awesome ), made many friends and perhaps a few enemies. For several years, I worked 6 ( and sometimes 7 ) nights a week, different gigs each night. It was both a vibrant, party-like existence, and a exhausting grind. But I was young ( mid teens until mid 20's ), with a dream, and it was all good.
There were things I wish I had done then. Learning to read and write music was one of them. Never did. This came home to me a few years ago when I was contacted by a old friend and music partner who asked if I still played. I was in yet another transition period in my life, and while I hadn't even held a pick in my hands for 30 years, I decided to give it another try. To say it was tough is a understatement. To say I got at times very frustrated is a even larger understatement. But I plugged away, and found some of the old enjoyment.
Unfortunately, much more than I had changed. The times, too, had changed. And, after a year of it, and just about as I had reached a point where I personally felt I was contributing something worthwhile to the band's sound, the group disbanded. Leaving me, again, with equipment that acted as a constant reminder of what could have been. With one difference this time -- I have kept it. I still plunk around. I still play like crap. Every once in a while, though, something comes through, something comes together, and I can smile. Yeah....not bad, ya worthless old fart.
Then grab a few Tylenol to ease the ache in the hands. :--)
Oh....if you are wondering where this is going, the answer is -- nowhere in particular. It's just me having a brain fart. Doing a self-therapy session of stress relief. Trying not to think about work ( a job I strongly dislike but appreciate having in these times ) and the state of the Nation and the economic situation and the constantly depressing daily headlines. A lot of my blogs will be like this....just a ramblin' old mind, dredging up the past or ranting about the present. Music will be a oft-used feature; I will praise what I like, and rant about what I dislike. Expect this ; if it was recorded after 1980, there isn't going to be much on the 'like' side. :--)
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