Hi there . . . so this week's blogging topic of choice is all about revealing your deepest darkest secrets to the entire Internet. Well, it's more of a getting to know you theme, but when you're a creative person it can very much feel that way, so . . . here's the exposé.
I started writing music when I was a Junior in High School, when I was a Sophomore in High School, when I was a little kid. It all started with a piano tune I plunked out downstairs on our old timey out-of-tune piano in the basement, and my 8-year-old-self would wail out "Where you going Mr. Goodbar! No body knows who you are!" I think I was singing about the Goodbar candy bar? It could also be that there was a film in the theaters called "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" that my parents said I couldn't see, which made it all the more mysterious to me. Regardless, I still remember singing that line.
It's kind of strange. I grew up liking Lipps Inc, the BeeGees, Abba, and all kinds of disco'y goodness on the local radio and American Bandstand. Yes, I watched American Bandstand. Those early electronic sounds and disco beats were what it was all about for me. Sure, I mean, who didn't love Rock You Like a Hurricane by the Scorpions when it came out, and I had my levi jacket full of rock band pins . . . but I gotta be honest about my early love for disco and pop. Eventually that would lead to a love of New Wave and Post-Modern music. I remember being completely blown away the first time I heard People Are People by Depeche Mode on the radio. It was completely different and new. I loved it.
Anyway, when I turned 10, I took a year of piano lessons and absolutely hated it. I couldn't relate to it at all and never got to the point where I could sight read music. Playing the piano just wasn't my thing much to my mother's disappointment.
The next year I switched to drum lessons, and, much to my mother's new-found excitement, I had found my musical thing -- all thanks to a couple of really cool high school kids that taught me how to play drums in exchange for my parents' money. (I eventually did the same thing and taught kids how to play the drums in exchange for their parents' money) From there I ended up in Junior High Band and eventually High School band.
This offered up other opportunities in our small town because random old people in town always needed a drummer to back them in their random gigs. One such group was a group of senior citizens that played Swing music. They'd play the local parks and nursing homes. I'd tag along and give them a swing beat to play around. It paid 20 bucks here and there, but the real reward was the looks on the old folks as they'd start dancing to their jams.
Another such random group from my youth came in the form of my old girlfriend's mom and dad, who had a country western band called Leather and Lace. I kid you not. Wanting to get in good graces with my old girlfriend's parents and since their band was missing a drummer at the time, I joined in and learned the ropes. These guys held regular practices and did gigs at local rodeos back in the 80's.
This was pretty wild actually. I remember we played a gig where our bandstand was up at the top of a tower, and I swear it was swaying in the wind while we played. I've never felt more afraid playing an Elvira cover song in my life. These gigs also paid 20 bucks here and there, but one time we played on a local university stage and I made 100 bucks. That was pretty good money for a kid without a job!
It was this same old girlfriend's mom who I went to after purchasing a synthesizer and begged her to teach me the basics of music theory. She taught me all about music scales, chords, and the magical circle of fifths. As a drummer I knew none of these things! . . . and after I broke up with that girlfriend, that was pretty much the end of my music theory lessons, as you can imagine.
Tune in tomorrow for Part 2 where I break down the high school years and my early 20's as I attempt to become an industrial music star of the 90's!
Happy Dueling!
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