The Craig Problem
Was our little project professional or recreational? This question was at the heart of the Craig problem. For me it was recreational. For the others, it was trying to be professional.
Craig has been one of my closest friends since Junior High, and is important to me. He is Tiffany's brother and is thus important to her. Jay and Craig worked together attempting to sell a screenplay, an experience that did not end well. Little trust remained between the two, and as a result Jay preached Craig's firing as our manager. Tiffany and I did not like the idea of firing our friend and brother from a project he started, and one that he received no money for. We did our best to quell the situation and keep us working forward with the music side. I assured them I would talk with Craig and help on the business side.
We held practice 2 or 3 times a week. We focused our energies on the setlist, creating somewhat of a battle for position:
Tiffany: 80's pop, songs sung by energetic women, songs driven by piano or synthesizers. We constantly reminded her that we did no have a keyboardist in the band. She made CD's enthusiastically and was never disappointed when we could not play her song.
Jay: Blues. His Originals. Came into the project with a wealth of songs and prefers to play ones he already knows. Is willing to learn new songs, but there is a definite shift in enthusiasm when he plays one he already knows. He is a quick learner and prefers to bring his style to any new song introduced to the band.
Hardy: Alternative and Classic Rock. I bring songs each week on CD with the lyrics so that I can try and sneak a few into the setlist. Rarely happens. And when it does, the lack of enthusiasm shared by the other members makes it difficult for a song I bring to stick. The ones that do in fact stick do not sound great.
Songs at this point: Ain't No Sunshine, Turn Me On (Norah Jones), Midnight Special, Bobby McGee, Proud Mary, Roadhouse Blues, Elderly Woman, several originals.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
Kingfisher: A Small Account of the Struggle (7)
A Typical Practice (early on):
We were a 3-person group with no name. We practiced 3 times a week. I left work and arrived shortly after 5:30. I was usually first to arrive and would hang out with Tiffany on her back porch as she would smoke cigarettes until it was time for her to sing. On hot days I would jump in her pool for fun to cool off. She made me take a shot of vodka as soon as I got there. Jay would arrive within 15-20 minutes. Instead of taking a shot of vodka, he would take a couple of big swigs straight from the bottle. He carried with him a big gulp sized mug filled with wine. He also wanted to smoke one last cigarette before practice could begin.
While outside we discussed new songs we wished to play. We took turns each week learning each other’s music and deciding on songs to add to our set lists. We used the pre-practice smoke breaks to be honest with each other about the music we would play for the evening. And we used them to drink before the serious work began.
Jay always rushed inside once his cigarette was done because he liked being the first person to play his instrument. He set up his microphone and would sing the blues loudly and obnoxiously. I think it was his favorite part of each practice session. I plugged in my bass and joined him. It did not sound good without drums, but did not sound bad enough for us to not play. Tiffany would come into her living room and watch us play. She tolerated it because she knew Jay loved it.
We began each session playing through the songs we learned the previous practice. Afterward we would play through everything we knew. The first couple of months this was not difficult, because we did not have many songs to choose from. We played Desperado, Midnight Special, Elderly Woman, Ain’t No Sunshine, and 3 originals. After playing through these we would work on the new song of the week. Sometimes they would make the set list. Sometimes they would fail.
After playing for an hour we would take our mid practice cigarette break. This is also where we would refill drinks. I was the only member to have a job, but Jay and Tiffany did not care. They would force me to drink with them so that we could all have fun. The first few practices I drank and would have a hangover for work the next day. That did not last long for me. Instead of telling them this and ruining the band dynamic, I would make my first two drinks very weak, and my last two drinks with no alcohol at all. Needless to say, I drank a lot of coke during the early formation of our band.
Practice ended each night after playing through the same 7 songs. We were surprisingly proactive considering we did not have a drummer and the music sounded hollow. The alcohol had something to do with that. But also, the three of us got along well. We each anticipated our practices…me because it was a break from my work life, them because it gave them some sort of direction. Plus, we loved playing music together.
After a couple of weeks of this our cigarette breaks were dominated by the discussion of how badly we needed a drummer.
We were a 3-person group with no name. We practiced 3 times a week. I left work and arrived shortly after 5:30. I was usually first to arrive and would hang out with Tiffany on her back porch as she would smoke cigarettes until it was time for her to sing. On hot days I would jump in her pool for fun to cool off. She made me take a shot of vodka as soon as I got there. Jay would arrive within 15-20 minutes. Instead of taking a shot of vodka, he would take a couple of big swigs straight from the bottle. He carried with him a big gulp sized mug filled with wine. He also wanted to smoke one last cigarette before practice could begin.
While outside we discussed new songs we wished to play. We took turns each week learning each other’s music and deciding on songs to add to our set lists. We used the pre-practice smoke breaks to be honest with each other about the music we would play for the evening. And we used them to drink before the serious work began.
Jay always rushed inside once his cigarette was done because he liked being the first person to play his instrument. He set up his microphone and would sing the blues loudly and obnoxiously. I think it was his favorite part of each practice session. I plugged in my bass and joined him. It did not sound good without drums, but did not sound bad enough for us to not play. Tiffany would come into her living room and watch us play. She tolerated it because she knew Jay loved it.
We began each session playing through the songs we learned the previous practice. Afterward we would play through everything we knew. The first couple of months this was not difficult, because we did not have many songs to choose from. We played Desperado, Midnight Special, Elderly Woman, Ain’t No Sunshine, and 3 originals. After playing through these we would work on the new song of the week. Sometimes they would make the set list. Sometimes they would fail.
After playing for an hour we would take our mid practice cigarette break. This is also where we would refill drinks. I was the only member to have a job, but Jay and Tiffany did not care. They would force me to drink with them so that we could all have fun. The first few practices I drank and would have a hangover for work the next day. That did not last long for me. Instead of telling them this and ruining the band dynamic, I would make my first two drinks very weak, and my last two drinks with no alcohol at all. Needless to say, I drank a lot of coke during the early formation of our band.
Practice ended each night after playing through the same 7 songs. We were surprisingly proactive considering we did not have a drummer and the music sounded hollow. The alcohol had something to do with that. But also, the three of us got along well. We each anticipated our practices…me because it was a break from my work life, them because it gave them some sort of direction. Plus, we loved playing music together.
After a couple of weeks of this our cigarette breaks were dominated by the discussion of how badly we needed a drummer.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Kingfisher: A Small Account of the Struggle (6)
The Jenn Situation
I fully understood Jenn’s desire to be a part of of our project, and understood even more her reasons for distancing herself the way she did. However, her disappearance from practices hurt the band while at the same time helping it. She lost her enthusiasm for the band, which translated to her loss of tolerance with Craig’s involvement in practices.
This caused us serious problems. With the loss of our drummer, our band lost a vital organ…One we could not survive long without. And we needed Craig. We needed him to find us a drummer. We needed him to record songs for our demo. We needed him to organize practices, keep us moving forward by giving us songs to learn and deadlines to learn them. We needed him to motivate us and keep our morale up. But these were things he couldn’t do unless he came to practices. In essence, we needed him to care about the band like we cared about it.
I honestly feel he cared for the band. But I also feel he did not know for sure what his role was, and he had trouble balancing his responsibilities effectively. He ran a business, had a wife and child, and was always trying to expand his life to include his various business opportunities. In the end, he had more going on than he could adequately control. The band was not his highest priority, and I could not fault him for this.
The band idea is more of a journey with no clear cut destination. We, as participants, make the journey for the sake of the experience. We play music because we like to play music. Craig entered the the thing in the hopes that we could make money. If this was our common goal, then we would have been forced to approach it like a job, which is to say we would rehearse more than twice a week…we would have come to practices fully prepared…we would not drink anymore during rehearsals.
For the simple reason that our band was not bringing in money, Craig had no choice but to list the band 4th on his list of priorities. He would be foolish not to. That being said, our band progressed enough to need the things Craig could not be depended on to provide.
I fully understood Jenn’s desire to be a part of of our project, and understood even more her reasons for distancing herself the way she did. However, her disappearance from practices hurt the band while at the same time helping it. She lost her enthusiasm for the band, which translated to her loss of tolerance with Craig’s involvement in practices.
This caused us serious problems. With the loss of our drummer, our band lost a vital organ…One we could not survive long without. And we needed Craig. We needed him to find us a drummer. We needed him to record songs for our demo. We needed him to organize practices, keep us moving forward by giving us songs to learn and deadlines to learn them. We needed him to motivate us and keep our morale up. But these were things he couldn’t do unless he came to practices. In essence, we needed him to care about the band like we cared about it.
I honestly feel he cared for the band. But I also feel he did not know for sure what his role was, and he had trouble balancing his responsibilities effectively. He ran a business, had a wife and child, and was always trying to expand his life to include his various business opportunities. In the end, he had more going on than he could adequately control. The band was not his highest priority, and I could not fault him for this.
The band idea is more of a journey with no clear cut destination. We, as participants, make the journey for the sake of the experience. We play music because we like to play music. Craig entered the the thing in the hopes that we could make money. If this was our common goal, then we would have been forced to approach it like a job, which is to say we would rehearse more than twice a week…we would have come to practices fully prepared…we would not drink anymore during rehearsals.
For the simple reason that our band was not bringing in money, Craig had no choice but to list the band 4th on his list of priorities. He would be foolish not to. That being said, our band progressed enough to need the things Craig could not be depended on to provide.
Monday, March 2, 2009
27) Random Facts
25 random facts about Hardy…
1)When I was in 2nd grade our teacher asked, “If you are trapped on a deserted island and can only have 1 meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?” I wrote down: Cheese Enchiladas… How wrong I was.
2) I cannot control myself around these foods: Pizza, Tomato Basil Soup from La Madeleine, BBQ Ribs, Onion Rings, Flaming Hot Cheetohs.
3) Some people call me a movie snob, but they are wrong. I just have a low threshold for movies that are complete shyte.
4) I used to love my cats. Now they annoy me.
5) There are people in Tyler who question my heterosexuality because I like to read, write, drink wine and I have a miniature dachshund.
6) I love L. for many reasons. One of them: she believed in me enough to buy me a laptop when I told her I wanted to devote my life to writing.
7) I am not afraid of getting older, but have not come to terms with death yet.
8) Not concerned with how much I like to drink. The thought of a bottle of wine on the weekend can get me through the toughest of weeks.
9) When I hear music I listened to growing up it makes me laugh. Most of it is bad and I remember exhausting my friends and family by forcing them to listen. I will say this, though: I still stand by Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull. Not so much Styx, 311, Neil Diamond.
10) I used drank every night of the week. I am thankful that part of my life is over.
11) Katrina once said that she and I are the 2 funniest people in the world. I completely agree.
12) I loved playing in the band, but did not always feel comfortable playing on a stage in front of people…however, the more people there were the more comfortable I felt.
13) I do not like dressing up for Halloween, yet every year I get humiliating pictures taken of me wearing something that makes me look stupid.
14) I love my wiener dog, but think my wife’s love for the thing is slightly insane.
15) I like to make chicken noises right before taking a photograph of people. It is the only way to get an authentic smile.
16) I eventually want to have kids, but am not looking forward to the baby years. I would like to fast forward to the age when they argue with everything and can occasionally entertain themselves.
17) I believe my family is the strangest in the world. So strange, in fact, I cannot see how I came out being any sort of normal.
18) In junior high Chris and I started a lawn mowing business and got screwed by this Arabian guy who only paid us $35 for mowing a 2 acre lot that was over grown beyond belief. It took us 3 days, and was the only time I had ever seen Chris’s mom so angry. In the guy’s defense we were the morons who quoted $35. But he was the prick for knowingly taking advantage of two moron kids.
19) If and when I publish a novel it will be under a pen name: Alexander Mori.
20) The lakehouse may be the only place I feel personal reverence. Many important memories come from there…
21) In high school we used to sit on my roof late at night when my family was not home. Among the things we did to entertain ourselves on the roof: Discuss song lyrics, smoke many cigarettes, pee without falling off, write poetry in the moonlight, look at the globe (which Chris could not see), and once we ran the length of the house.
22) The worst year of my life occurred my second year of college when I moved back to Houston and lived with my mom. Last year was my best. I expect each to get better from here on out.
23) The worst job I ever had was the summer I worked for the TXDOT. Among the things I did at this job: pick up dead dog carcasses (1032’s), fill pot holes on busy streets, spray weeds on steep embankments, trim trees off the feeders, hang out at Ned’s house playing guitar, listening to Johnson yell obscenities at women, throw rubber rings at cones for points, run bums out from underpasses using a pitchfork. At the end of each work day Craig and I drank 1 or 2 forties while listening to The Beatles and playing basketball on the play station 2.
24) I have been called many things throughout the years. Here are a few I remember: hardebega, hardly, hardy har har stennis tennis bumblebutt Boydston, hardsababula (this one never made sense to me), hard boy, Jesus, Flumley, Hardyman, Harvey Boydstein, Boydfogger, Hammy.
25) I get into arguments with my dad about evolution, and he worries that I will go to hell for thinking we descended from monkeys…even though I try to explain to him this is not the essence or the reality of evolution.
1)When I was in 2nd grade our teacher asked, “If you are trapped on a deserted island and can only have 1 meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?” I wrote down: Cheese Enchiladas… How wrong I was.
2) I cannot control myself around these foods: Pizza, Tomato Basil Soup from La Madeleine, BBQ Ribs, Onion Rings, Flaming Hot Cheetohs.
3) Some people call me a movie snob, but they are wrong. I just have a low threshold for movies that are complete shyte.
4) I used to love my cats. Now they annoy me.
5) There are people in Tyler who question my heterosexuality because I like to read, write, drink wine and I have a miniature dachshund.
6) I love L. for many reasons. One of them: she believed in me enough to buy me a laptop when I told her I wanted to devote my life to writing.
7) I am not afraid of getting older, but have not come to terms with death yet.
8) Not concerned with how much I like to drink. The thought of a bottle of wine on the weekend can get me through the toughest of weeks.
9) When I hear music I listened to growing up it makes me laugh. Most of it is bad and I remember exhausting my friends and family by forcing them to listen. I will say this, though: I still stand by Rush, Yes, Jethro Tull. Not so much Styx, 311, Neil Diamond.
10) I used drank every night of the week. I am thankful that part of my life is over.
11) Katrina once said that she and I are the 2 funniest people in the world. I completely agree.
12) I loved playing in the band, but did not always feel comfortable playing on a stage in front of people…however, the more people there were the more comfortable I felt.
13) I do not like dressing up for Halloween, yet every year I get humiliating pictures taken of me wearing something that makes me look stupid.
14) I love my wiener dog, but think my wife’s love for the thing is slightly insane.
15) I like to make chicken noises right before taking a photograph of people. It is the only way to get an authentic smile.
16) I eventually want to have kids, but am not looking forward to the baby years. I would like to fast forward to the age when they argue with everything and can occasionally entertain themselves.
17) I believe my family is the strangest in the world. So strange, in fact, I cannot see how I came out being any sort of normal.
18) In junior high Chris and I started a lawn mowing business and got screwed by this Arabian guy who only paid us $35 for mowing a 2 acre lot that was over grown beyond belief. It took us 3 days, and was the only time I had ever seen Chris’s mom so angry. In the guy’s defense we were the morons who quoted $35. But he was the prick for knowingly taking advantage of two moron kids.
19) If and when I publish a novel it will be under a pen name: Alexander Mori.
20) The lakehouse may be the only place I feel personal reverence. Many important memories come from there…
21) In high school we used to sit on my roof late at night when my family was not home. Among the things we did to entertain ourselves on the roof: Discuss song lyrics, smoke many cigarettes, pee without falling off, write poetry in the moonlight, look at the globe (which Chris could not see), and once we ran the length of the house.
22) The worst year of my life occurred my second year of college when I moved back to Houston and lived with my mom. Last year was my best. I expect each to get better from here on out.
23) The worst job I ever had was the summer I worked for the TXDOT. Among the things I did at this job: pick up dead dog carcasses (1032’s), fill pot holes on busy streets, spray weeds on steep embankments, trim trees off the feeders, hang out at Ned’s house playing guitar, listening to Johnson yell obscenities at women, throw rubber rings at cones for points, run bums out from underpasses using a pitchfork. At the end of each work day Craig and I drank 1 or 2 forties while listening to The Beatles and playing basketball on the play station 2.
24) I have been called many things throughout the years. Here are a few I remember: hardebega, hardly, hardy har har stennis tennis bumblebutt Boydston, hardsababula (this one never made sense to me), hard boy, Jesus, Flumley, Hardyman, Harvey Boydstein, Boydfogger, Hammy.
25) I get into arguments with my dad about evolution, and he worries that I will go to hell for thinking we descended from monkeys…even though I try to explain to him this is not the essence or the reality of evolution.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Kingfisher: A Small Account of the Struggle (5)
Reasons for Joining:
I took the band seriously and did not want anything to distract us from our goal of making music, playing gigs, and perhaps making money. Not to mention one of the items on my bucket list is to play live music as the member of an actual band.
As a result, I urged Craig to leave Jenn at home. I continued to learn music, practice and play; with the hope that whatever fire inside of Jenn would burn out of its own accord. And it did. The work needed to create a successful band burned it out…and she ceased coming to practices.
We joined the band for different reasons. I cannot presume to know in depth the reasons the others had for joining the band. But the beautiful thing about writing this account down is that I can speculate all I want…
Tiffany: A talented young woman who sacrificed her youth for a chance at stardom. The years of struggle and disappointment saw her return to Dallas, her home town, jobless and alone. For her this band was something to bring people into her life; a chance to do something she loved with people she enjoyed being around. This was her opportunity to be on stage, a place she relishes and a place where she can showcase her talent. Not to mention her adoration of being the center of attention…a place she fits naturally and splendidly.
Jay: Jay’s intensity toward music, perhaps art in general, led him to the band. He plays the guitar with much more love than I’ve seen from any other musician. For this I am grateful he is a part of the project. His genuine love for music kept him returning, and kept him motivated to learn songs he did not particularly care for. He had no job, except for what money he could make selling screenplays and plays he’d written. He joined the band for his love of music, and for another possible way to sell his creativity…and I suspect he joined at a chance to get closer to Tiffany.
Hardy: I’m not sure my reasons for joining the band are complicated enough to warrant space in this account, but I think it only fair to Jay and Tiffany to include myself in this amateur psychological profile. I joined the band because I have a hollow space inside me that is only temporarily filled by occasional artistic expressions of self and soul…which is to say, writing, painting and playing music. While left to my own devices I fill the hollow with the two former. However, there is something I value more about including my talents and emotions with others. The word is Harmony. Fills the hollow for three of us at the same time.
I joined the band for the chance to bring Harmony into my life and into the lives of those I play with.
I took the band seriously and did not want anything to distract us from our goal of making music, playing gigs, and perhaps making money. Not to mention one of the items on my bucket list is to play live music as the member of an actual band.
As a result, I urged Craig to leave Jenn at home. I continued to learn music, practice and play; with the hope that whatever fire inside of Jenn would burn out of its own accord. And it did. The work needed to create a successful band burned it out…and she ceased coming to practices.
We joined the band for different reasons. I cannot presume to know in depth the reasons the others had for joining the band. But the beautiful thing about writing this account down is that I can speculate all I want…
Tiffany: A talented young woman who sacrificed her youth for a chance at stardom. The years of struggle and disappointment saw her return to Dallas, her home town, jobless and alone. For her this band was something to bring people into her life; a chance to do something she loved with people she enjoyed being around. This was her opportunity to be on stage, a place she relishes and a place where she can showcase her talent. Not to mention her adoration of being the center of attention…a place she fits naturally and splendidly.
Jay: Jay’s intensity toward music, perhaps art in general, led him to the band. He plays the guitar with much more love than I’ve seen from any other musician. For this I am grateful he is a part of the project. His genuine love for music kept him returning, and kept him motivated to learn songs he did not particularly care for. He had no job, except for what money he could make selling screenplays and plays he’d written. He joined the band for his love of music, and for another possible way to sell his creativity…and I suspect he joined at a chance to get closer to Tiffany.
Hardy: I’m not sure my reasons for joining the band are complicated enough to warrant space in this account, but I think it only fair to Jay and Tiffany to include myself in this amateur psychological profile. I joined the band because I have a hollow space inside me that is only temporarily filled by occasional artistic expressions of self and soul…which is to say, writing, painting and playing music. While left to my own devices I fill the hollow with the two former. However, there is something I value more about including my talents and emotions with others. The word is Harmony. Fills the hollow for three of us at the same time.
I joined the band for the chance to bring Harmony into my life and into the lives of those I play with.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Kingfisher: A Small Account of the Struggle (4)
The Drama of Craig and Jenn:
Craig entered the project wearing a Hawaiian shirt, a goofy hat, and the hopes of creating from nothing a business opportunity in a field he has much interest. He liked the idea of bringing us together, creating a business plan, developing a strategy, and watching the project take on a life of its own. He was the mad scientist in a goofy hat.
He organized and ran the first few meetings with enthusiasm that radiated and transferred to those of us around him. His charisma cannot be denied. It was so strong, in fact, that his wife felt it most of all.
Initially Jenn was a supporter of the band. She came to the first practice wishing to cook us dinner and wishing to help in any way possible. She began the night as the drink fetcher. She fetched drinks when the musicians became thirsty. Sometimes, she fetched herself a glass of wine. She would drink and fetch until the music we played caused her to dance and sing. Sitting on the side became intolerable.
The first time we played a song she knew, she would dance around and be obviously moved by our performance. The second time we played the same song she would try and listen for improvement and sing along with the chorus. By the third time of playing the same song she would become bored. She distracted us with cigarette breaks and glasses of wine, and occasionally she suggested singing with the microphone. She watched us practice, learn and improve with the envious gaze of a young woman who adores the limelight.
But watching us work became too tedious, as it would for most people. She questioned why she came and wondered how many times we needed to practice one song before moving on to another. She often said, “Maybe I shouldn’t have come,” and she was right. The problem, however, arose when she resented Craig for coming. She did not like staying at home with the kids and some part of her was jealous because Craig enjoyed being a part of the project. I know she did not mean to do this, but she made Craig feel bad for coming to practice or staying too late, and that ultimately took the fun out of managing the band.
Craig entered the project wearing a Hawaiian shirt, a goofy hat, and the hopes of creating from nothing a business opportunity in a field he has much interest. He liked the idea of bringing us together, creating a business plan, developing a strategy, and watching the project take on a life of its own. He was the mad scientist in a goofy hat.
He organized and ran the first few meetings with enthusiasm that radiated and transferred to those of us around him. His charisma cannot be denied. It was so strong, in fact, that his wife felt it most of all.
Initially Jenn was a supporter of the band. She came to the first practice wishing to cook us dinner and wishing to help in any way possible. She began the night as the drink fetcher. She fetched drinks when the musicians became thirsty. Sometimes, she fetched herself a glass of wine. She would drink and fetch until the music we played caused her to dance and sing. Sitting on the side became intolerable.
The first time we played a song she knew, she would dance around and be obviously moved by our performance. The second time we played the same song she would try and listen for improvement and sing along with the chorus. By the third time of playing the same song she would become bored. She distracted us with cigarette breaks and glasses of wine, and occasionally she suggested singing with the microphone. She watched us practice, learn and improve with the envious gaze of a young woman who adores the limelight.
But watching us work became too tedious, as it would for most people. She questioned why she came and wondered how many times we needed to practice one song before moving on to another. She often said, “Maybe I shouldn’t have come,” and she was right. The problem, however, arose when she resented Craig for coming. She did not like staying at home with the kids and some part of her was jealous because Craig enjoyed being a part of the project. I know she did not mean to do this, but she made Craig feel bad for coming to practice or staying too late, and that ultimately took the fun out of managing the band.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Kingfisher: A Small Account of the Struggle (3)
The Loss of DW:
After one practice session and several cancelled sessions, we lost DW as our drummer; the first and most crucial setback the band experienced thus far. He played with two other bands and learned that the opportunity these projects offered was superior to what we offered. For that, I wanted to prove him wrong.
He called Craig and explained that he could no longer commit to the band. Craig called and told me this 2 weeks after I spent $400 on my new bass. “It’s okay,” he said, as he listed several other prospective drummers he intended to bring to our project. He assured me we would find someone and we would continue forward.
We held a band meeting to discuss our options. And to drink vodka. Losing our drummer had not yet robbed the wind from our sails. We channeled our energy into creating songlists and practicing music that did not necessarily need a drummer. We played Desperado, Ain’t No Sunshine, Proud Mary, Harvest Moon, and we spent time learning “Jay Originals”. We spent a lot of time talking about how badly we needed a drummer. We talked about these things and eventually Craig quit coming to our practices.
After one practice session and several cancelled sessions, we lost DW as our drummer; the first and most crucial setback the band experienced thus far. He played with two other bands and learned that the opportunity these projects offered was superior to what we offered. For that, I wanted to prove him wrong.
He called Craig and explained that he could no longer commit to the band. Craig called and told me this 2 weeks after I spent $400 on my new bass. “It’s okay,” he said, as he listed several other prospective drummers he intended to bring to our project. He assured me we would find someone and we would continue forward.
We held a band meeting to discuss our options. And to drink vodka. Losing our drummer had not yet robbed the wind from our sails. We channeled our energy into creating songlists and practicing music that did not necessarily need a drummer. We played Desperado, Ain’t No Sunshine, Proud Mary, Harvest Moon, and we spent time learning “Jay Originals”. We spent a lot of time talking about how badly we needed a drummer. We talked about these things and eventually Craig quit coming to our practices.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)