When I turned sixty on Sunday, I had a bittersweet attitude about turning the big SIX OH. The past ten years shot by, like a shooting star. When I turned 50, I still looked 10 years younger and still felt like that I had something to give. 10 years ago, I wasn't playing and spending way too much time on the couch watching worthless cable tv and getting involved with a woman that I was friends with on a singles dating site and trying to change myself to accommodate her. And spending countless hours fighting once she did moved here. 11 months, I returned her back to her state, being done with the dating scene. I swore I wasn't going to go through the hassles of trying to win somebody over and, if she had kids, win them over. I guess I wasn't that bad of a person. I kept in touch with a few of my past love interests. I remain surprised that they wanted to be plutonic friends.
Songs were written about the train and error of my ways. To the point that the majority of the albums were one topic, the failure of love. I didn't figure about playing live, till Forthcoming Trains was recorded and Diggy Kat, my good friend and adopted son promoted We All Sleep Alone and it became a number 1 internet radio hit. Somehow his encouragement got me thinking about playing live in the Cedar Rapids Music scene and in July of 2015, at age 54, I clumsily got back on the drum kit to play a couple songs offbeat. I really needed to get back into playing shape. It took me a while (two years actually) before I got to playing how I used to play in the 80s and another year before I really begin to play my best drumming ever. With the help of the Acousta Kiddies, the acoustic adventures started up a year later.
40 years ago, I got a Zickos drum set with the hopes of playing drums and making loads of money, a fucking dream upon itself. And perhaps getting my share of girls as well, another myth. Playing drums was easy, getting the girls not so much of and in the 1980s I had long dry spells, usually the wrong kind. They did make songs about my EXP with them, the fantasy and wild dreams but the reality was I kept going after the wrong ones. When Tyrus broke up, I stayed on my own dream of writing original songs. I came a long way but I was too shy to peddle the songs outside of a few trusted friends.
The scrawny 19 year old, has since became a seasoned and cynical sixty year old, alternating between The Townedgers, Blues Rox, and the Acoustic Adventures. It hasn't hit me that I have turn into six decades, but then again it didn't hit me when I turn 50 or 40 for that matter. When I returned to play, I felt that I had to at least make an attempt to see if I was any good at playing drums or guitar and singing. There has always been stepping stones along the way. Wrigleyville, Rumors, The Wiley Kats, The Egads, FB and Company, Stone City, Artisan Sanctuary, Blue Scratch, Boyscout Hippies and now Blues Rox.
I met and jammed with a lot of the musicians in town. Most of them have been gracious and kind and encouraged me to keep playing. I have a couple that disowned me due to my liberal point of view (tho I'm more conservative than I appear) , a couple others that would say you're the best when you play in their band one week and then the other get ignored. And one other that annoyed me so much with his criticism that I finally had to block the idiot, plus he always promised to show up for jams and never did. The kind of folk I can do without. When i share the stage, I own nobody and when I sit in for other bands I expect the same in return. I took a look at the band situations and based judgment. With The Boy Scout Hippies, I had the chance to play with them fulltime, but given my preference for working evenings, I told Ron that I'll sit in on the weekends or fill in. I credit him for his patience and granting that wish, but I also knew if I committed full time, I would have to be 100 percent in for them and not nobody else. I have missed phone calls about playing in other bands or filling in, till COVID is finally solved, I think I'll stick with selected open mic venues. Guess which ones. And yes Shelly Foley, I do miss seeing you at Rumors. We'll meet again.
COVID did ruin my 5th Anniversary celebration. I haven't done Waubeek nor Whittier since March of last year and the latter may be gone forever. I don't foresee the return of Waubeek till April at the earliest. At the moment Maki Dervo still doesn't think the time is right to start things up again. Till at least we get vaccinated.
When I came back to play again, I wasn't looking for love or a quick romp in the sack. There's not a lot of choice out there when you hit my age and I'd be dammed if anybody under 39 is gonna take a look at my way. Upon the Honey Badgers Rumors August 2015 jam, little did I know that I would capture the fancy of one lucky woman. Let's face it, I'm not a romantic guy at all, I'm very set in my ways for going out to find old records and CDs and fill up the house with more hoarding crap. But I have always been a record hunter for 57 of these 60 years. And then Julie came into this life. And almost four years after meeting her, after the ups and downs and thinking it was over and done with, I have finally won her over.
It's a cute love story. The Honey Badgers Rumors bash, losing her bestie a month later and on his tribute I never gotten the chance to say my condolences. And then four months later, at another Rumors' jam she sat with me. Out of all the EXP musicians in town, she picked the stranger at the table. I supported her band and with the Acousta Kitties, going up there after a Waterloo bargain hunt in Independence and she offered a ride back to my car. Somehow she found an attraction to me, but I always found myself in awe when she sang and I hanged around like some goofy groupie. I couldn't get myself to ask her for a date, so she did that in 2017, after wondering aloud about if I was ever going to ask her. So on Memorial Day, we went out for a burrito and a movie. And on Dec. 2, she sang her way into my heart with Walking After Midnight. Like everybody in relationships we have our ups and downs and there were times I thought it was over. She has a love like no other, a woman that can sing her way into my heart and fights like hell to keep me. There's a romantic side of her I would love to touch into. And gives the best kisses. I don't know how she loves me like she does but I'm happy she's here in my life.
Which poses the question. I have remained on friendly terms with my former love interests if there would be a chance to reconnect. The answer would be no. I have a great woman with me and if something happened to her, I'd be heartbroken and tho I would never say never, chances are it would be a great long time if I wanted somebody else in this life. I've been a patient person with Jules, and the patience is finally paying off. Besides, her furbaby approves of me. Can't let the ole boy down.
I don't foresee February being a busy month. In fact, outside of the Open Mic at the Sanctuary, there won't be much gigging for me. I just may stay in the Jacuzzi all fucking month!
Till then.
