The Labor Day show was a learning experience. We played on the hottest day of the year. I clocked 102 and 80% humidity at one point. The equipment started overheating almost immediately. First, the iPads stopped responding to touch. Next, the router overheated and gave out, making it impossible to connect. We ended up bringing in fans and ice packs to cool everything down, but the condensation made everything worse as water spilled out onto Aaron’s keyboard.
So, yeah. Brutal.
But, rumor has it? We sounded great. I mean – sure, maybe everyone was delirious from the heat, but after we killed the mains I had a handful of people come up to me and want to talk.
One handed me a twenty. “A tip”, he said.
The other really wanted to play with us, or at least know how to start his own band.
How to start a band … ?
“I don’t really know what to tell you,” I replied. “There’s a bit of magic involved in getting six guys with competing responsibilities together once a week.”
I’m always a little amazed when it all comes together – even for a weekly rehearsal. I’m also a little amazed that people come to me asking, “How?” Like I’m some professional musician or something. At best, I’m the most average at everything that ever walked the stage.
“Look”, I told him.
“Find one person to play with. Just one.”, I said, “You don’t have to be good. You just gotta’ show up.”
Told I was horrible when I started. Shawn, too. We both started playing together 5 years ago as I was winding down cancer treatment. I played three chords and he played drums back then – poorly.
“You have friends you used to play with, right?”, I asked, recalling what he had told me.
He nodded.
“My guess is they are just like you. They have kids, jobs, responsibilities….and they are probably looking for an outlet, too”, I said.
“So find one”, I encouraged, “Not four. Not five. Not a band – just one. If you grow too fast it’ll all fall apart.”
“And play together and try to play out”, I suggested, “because it’ll motivate you to keep doing it – even if it is just an open mic.”
He nodded and smiled.
“And get in touch with me in two months, because I want to hear how you’re doing.”, I ended.
I kinda’ hope to hear from him again.
Special thanks to “Spoiled Bananas” and “Dencity” for opening for us. Kenn, our lead singer, invited the Bananas, a 6th Grade rock band. “Dencity” has opened for us before at last years’ Halloween show. The drummer, Benji, is the son of our multi-talented guitarist/keybaordist, Aaron.
I thought I knew everything when I was 18. Turns out I know even less at 50.
This is a song I wrote about being thrown into adulthood ( “18” ) and everyone expecting you to do the right thing, but you’re really still just a kid.
Ash and I joined a couple of friends to see “Brit Floyd”, a Pink Floyd cover band at SDSU. They were absolutely amazing.
One of my favorite albums of all time is their “Pulse” album ( 1994 ), a live recording from one of their concerts. It was unique in that they decided to mount a pulsing red LED in the case. That light blinked throughout my 4ish years of college and got a lot of play time.
It’s been a while since I shared a song. This one is called “Peace”.
I posted the video on Facebook and Instagram first. My Mom asked me, “[Do] you really feel like you’re losing control?”
The thing about “being from the 1900’s” ( hah, hah ) is that I have 50 years of anxieties and trauma to pick from. Although my days of teenage angst, rebellion, and that weird reoccurring nightmare of not being able to find my classes are far behind me, I can still draw from those experiences.
This song is actually about sitting in the computer lab at UCSD, confused, frustrated, and pounding my fist in anger while everyone else seemingly just “got” it. I never felt like I belonged there and ended up dropping out after a couple of years.
So, there it is.
I probably shouldn’t have shared that.
Just like one should never have explain the punchline of a joke, songs ( I feel ) should be left up to interpretation. You might get something entirely different out of it if I never explained the premise – even though I wrote and sang it. That’s art I guess….
Now it’s your turn.
Live life. Stay healthy. Go make some art.
-Scotti
P.S. I did eventually graduate – just not from UCSD. It took a transfer to USD and the help of some really good friends.
Damn! Missed my self-imposed “Hump”-day comic deadline. I’ve been busy working on a new song, a Rubber Band Flyer, covers, and ….. BOOM … picking up the family at the border after a weeklong jaunt in Cabo.
I’ll give you one guess where we stopped off immediately after crossing the border – and it ain’t McDonalds.
drawnandcoded.com 