Nightside 4/16/13

Tags

abstract, aleatoric, AM radio, Beatles, Bee Gees, Boston Marathon bombing, Boston Red Sox, death, DX, found poem, Got To Get You Into My Life, Last Dance, poetry, Stayin' Alive, terrorism

the cops are hanging around a lemonade stand

how much does it cost?

these were major bombs with a potential for a lot of damage

the good guys have to prevail every day

they haven’t won the battle but they were successful, sadly

did you see the still photo of the man on the roof on Boylston Street?

the FBI is looking for help from the public

another road, and maybe I suddenly see you

did I tell you I need you?

you can’t lock it down

bundling your auto insurance can save you tons

they recovered black nylon, a circuit board, ball bearings, and nails

dump your old duster, who’s that lady?

how can you say you’re in love with her?

so much for me having grandchildren.

ah, ah, ah, ah, stayin’ alive

now, a special report on the tribal casino

Massachussetts can’t afford to lose thousands

it just doesn’t make sense

since 9/11 we’re on another pattern of crime

I was at the Sox game the day before

this is continuing coverage, we will get to the bottom of this

can government really keep you safe?

we were shocked, but were you surprised?

this was an atrocity, a murderous act

I had to see something beautiful

it’s the last dance, last dance tonight

We’ll be back after this.

Things I’ve Learned Rehearsing in the Pit Orchestra of a High School Musical

Tags

a special kind of crazy, aging, AWESOME, bass guitar, Beatles, Come Together, cool, God, Hannibal Lecter, high school, music, musical, pit orchestra, Seussical, Ted Bundy

• Playing a musical is HARD!  I expected it to be a musical challenge.  I didn’t expect it to be so physically demanding, until I calculated that I carry 80 lb of gear in and out of the school every day.  The bass guitar itself only weighs 15 lb, but have that slung around your neck for 6 hours of rehearsal and you’re going to feel it.  I felt almost as tired as when I rode century rides on Bike Virginia not too many years ago.
• Life has a serious sense of humor.  Sitting next to me in the pit is the teacher I fired last year after she told me God told her husband I was Ted Bundy.  She looks scared to death and has yet to make eye contact with me.   (A bass teacher once tried to task me.  I ate her liver with fava beans and a nice Chianti…..).  I saw her walk in and inside of me let out a hearty Luciferian laugh.  Here’s hoping God doesn’t tell her husband to stop Ted Bundy…
• I was never that young.  Even when I was- I was never that young.
• I am very glad it’s not me having to herd all those kids around getting them to do what they’re supposed to.  I just come in and do my thing.  They’re somebody else’s problem.  (Even the kids making out backstage).
• These kids are too young to have any concept of who the Beatles are.  I played the riff from “Come Together” while warming up, and kids come up to me and ask “That’s AWESOME!  Did you write that?”  (I did have great fun jamming on it with the ringer 1st trumpet last night.)
• It’s a weird thing feeling all that energy and color going on behind you- and you can’t turn around and look!
• Keys with 5 and 6 flats are no fun- even when you’ve practiced them until you can’t think anymore- until you can play them- then they’re great!
• No matter how hard you work at it, in a show this big you are never going to play it perfectly.  Hell, it’s not even in the realm of possibility that you won’t get lost at some point.  Some times, the best you can do is just not play and find a landmark so you know where you are.
• The music director is a terrific director but she’s a jinx.  She told me I have a beautiful singing voice- the next day I had laryngitis.
• I am way cooler at 42 than I ever was in high school.  I have had a lot of these kids walk up to me and say “Are you the bass?  You’re AWESOME!!!!”  No I’m not, kid- I’ve just been playing guitar since before your parents were born.  
• I can play.  No matter how many years I didn’t play seriously as a musician (about 25 years)- I still got it- and am unbelievably grateful I’m back and better than ever.

Opening night is tomorrow night.  The show is Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights at 7.  I’m ready to be done, but I really do love the experience and hope I get to do this again!

Tags

Beatles, poetry

Turn off your mind, relax and float upstream
The movement you need is on your shoulder
Somebody spoke and I went into a dream

Close your eyes and I’ll kiss you
Living is easy with eyes closed
Please don’t wake me, no don’t shake me
Dream, sweet dreams of you
As long as I have you near me
You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead

And when I awoke I was alone
I wake up to the sound of music
And now my life has changed in oh so many ways
You left me standing here a long time ago
Been away so long I hardly knew the place
There beneath the blue suburban skies
It seems like years since it’s been here
It’s been a long time, now I’m coming back home

Ah, look at all the lonely people
Is there anybody going to listen to my story?
Half of what I say is meaningless
I’ll tell you something I think you’ll understand
It took me so long to find out, but I found out
Nothing is real, nothing to get hung about
The farther one travels the less one knows
Nothing’s gonna change my world

I know what it is to be sad
I’m so tired, I haven’t slept a wink
Good night, sleep tight