What drew me to music in the first place was great songs. Inspired me to want to write me own. Had to learn the guitar to do it.
Fell in love with the instrument. Largely self taught, but wanted to play raga rock type licks exemplified on Jefferson Airplane's
After Bathing at Baxter's.
On a classical guitar, because it was all my folks would spring for at the time: "Let's see how it goes with this, and then maybe we can talk about an electric guitar".
Next year, was the singer in an 8th grade garage rock band, at the time I wanted to be the next John Kay. Practiced singing Steppenwolf songs all the time, walking the dog, riding my bike to school.
Bought my first songbook,
Baxter's, while on a Winnebago trip with the folks, summer before 9th grade, 1970. Had left the guitar at home for complicated reasons, but couldn't wait to get back home to start trying to learn the songs. Still work on that book every once in a while.
9th grade, decided to give up graphic arts (was pretty, good, too) to focus on music because the ideas just came easier. Still on the path of trying to learn how to play not just the music I Ioved, but bring my own ideas to reality as well. Kinda coincided with giving up collecting my beloved Marvel Comics because the art was going way downhill, too.
Favorite pastime became practicing in my room, finding the "vibe" I was looking for with modes and scales, not that I knew the difference.
One afternoon had a transcendental experience: was finally getting the scales I wanted just right, and thinking to myself "Can't wait to show this off" when I "perceived" an old bald guy, kinda like the stereotypical hermit monk on a mountain, saying "If you don't pay attention, I won't keep teaching you."
"I want to keep learning."
The presence of THC in my system may have been a contributory factor in this experience, but its impact has remained with me to this day.
BY 10th grade had gained enough confidence to want to try to play with other people (not a lot of acoustic players in my neighborhood, either), but met a guy with a 12-string guitar at my GF's birthday party. We hit it off, had similar music philosophies and tastes, and became as close as brothers to this day.
Was starting to compose some of my seminal songs by then, too, but we were able to spend 2 or 3 hours a week just jamming for about 3 years, primarily instrumental stuff, "themes" we'd use to just explore chops. Let the magic of the moment yield surprises.
When he left for college, had more time to concentrate on my own songs. Wanted to write a few really good songs. AM friendly, even. Like Jonathan Edwards' "Sunshine", or Lovin' Spoonful's "Daydream".
Wanted to be a great singer songwriter loved by many. Maybe do the bar/nightclub/coffehouse thing.
In the end, busked. Some of the best memories of my life.
There was still another goal evolving, to be as facile as my favorites in solos, like "I
know he's planning where he's going and knows exactly where he's at,
while he's playing, how does he
do that?!?
Every once in a while in a jam I'd get "into the zone" and have one of those magical moments, but I couldn't pull it off at will. (Still can't, to be honest.)
I
could write good solid stuff and was a pretty good rhythm player, but being able to seamlessly transition from pure improv back to a strictly defined composition became a goal. Only in the last couple of years have I been able to do it sometimes.
Somewhere along the way, around '81, I think, I also decided that to truly call oneself an artist, one needs to leave behind tangible works that can be sampled by art lovers even after one's death.
So started making recordings. Ultimate goal was to get a magnificent perfect solo on record. Achieved with the F65ce in '07 with a jamming buddy who normally played harp but used my D25 for one of his own tunes that night.
That old monk who'd told me to pay attention or else had finally decided to just take up permanent residence.
Next goal: An album of my best songs. Over a couple of years compiled about 20 hours of takes with the buddy, that album was realized around '11.
Entirely "home made", no studio, no processing, just live to the mic in my living room, and "Master" and copies made on my Sony CD500RW. Even made sleeve inserts with art and credits, a "complete presentation".
But that one was primarily vocals, intent was the long-lasting "AM friendly" philosophy: Short, tight, almost exactly the same every time. And some new tunes had been composed which needed to be recorded, as well as some instrumental pieces that simply wouldn't fit on the first album.
So 2nd "Vanity CD" was finally realized last January, during the making of which I rediscovered old stuff I'd forgotten about, from the jam session recordings. Some of my best moments captured, magnificent stuff by my own self-conscious standards. So now have at least an artistic legacy to leave behind and gift to friends and family.
So, gotta get it out there. Just gotta get the sleeve organized. Have art but the credit and song listing requires tedious hand-written copying to fit on the cd-size insert. But I can probably do it on the computer now, soon as I get a printer.
So lotta goals achieved, some still works in progress, like having Chris Isaak to do one of my tunes.
And posting some Youtube vids here of new stuff played really really good.
And not sideways, this time.
Hell, nothin' wrong with tryin' to monetize it either, if folks're willin' to pay. Guy's gotta supplement the retirement income
somehow.
Busk on the internet for tips.
We have the technology.