A post on Ajay's blog (It's All About The Walls, link to the right) got me thinking about music. I've been playing the guitar for closing in on 30 years, and have spent more than 2/3 of that time kicking around the music business. Objectivity is long gone. I've pretty much lost the ability to listen to music just for enjoyment, I can't help but break it down the way a career football coach can't just watch a game for the fun of it. I honestly don't have time to listen to any music other than my own. For a few years there the only time I listened to any CDs was driving to and from the gig. I'm a musician who doesn't listen to very much music, go figure.
My feelings about music are so colored by slugging it out in bands since I was a teenager. We opened up one time for a terrific rockabilly outfit called "The Hillbilly Hellcats" and they have a song called "I Hate Music (it ruined my life)", ain't that the truth. I tried to quit a bunch of times. I actually went two or three years without even looking at a guitar. The two bitterest disappointments of my life have been bands that could have broken through but imploded. The first time I swore I'd never believe in rock and roll again. The second time, I *really* meant it.
And yet.
Despite the baggage, despite being jaded by two decades of let downs, despite it all, it still works. The right song at the right moment and the years fall away. And that's as a listener. Being able to MAKE the music, well, it's what I am best at. I'm not the best at it, not even in the neighborhood, but it's what I do better than anything. There's nothing that can compare to being in the zone, singing and playing with every ounce of whatever it is that makes me me, crawling into the note and wringing everything there is from it. Just nothing like it. It's better than sex, because frankly, anyone can get laid, but not everyone can make the rock.
So yeah, it ruined my life. I turned my back on money to live the life of a broke musician. I'd do it all over again, every single time.
posted by Case at 3:22 PM
4 Comments:
It depends on how you define "the best". If you're quantifying by audience enjoyment, participation, loyalty and appreciation, I'd have to vote that you're pretty damn up there in my book :)
And I'm glad you'd do it all over again ^^
Aw shucks, thanks Rosi!
(processing your payment via paypal as we speak...)
PS (I will be rolling singlet at next week's matches at the Beach Bum, you are awesome)
Thank goodness Case get's the singlet next week; I was afraid I would be called upon to face Rosi's wrath.
Case, you have your head screwed on perfectly straight: do what you love. You Rock.
Just chalk me up as one more person who's tickled to death that Case makes the Rock.
:)
Post a Comment
Links to this post:
Create a Link
<< Home