I always wanted to be a Rock Star

by | Mar 6, 2018 | Fun Stuff

 

 

I guess that is kind of obvious huh?

I mean look at me. Look at that picture of me, you would think I was in a rock band just by looking at me.  In fact now that I think about it I can’t remember where it was, but someone said that exact thing to me.

“Are you in a band or something?”

“No, I am a biker though, why.”

“Well I figured it had to be one of the two.”

Although if you met me between the years 1990 and 2013 it might not have been SO obvious as I had totally short hair for all those long years. Not only that, but I was mostly clean shaven. As evident by these totally blatant self promotional photos illustrate.

Before we go any further,

Watch that video, its from That Thing You Do and I think I have decided it is my most favorite scene in a movie, EVER.

In case you haven’t watched this movie, (you should!) it’s directed by Tom Hanks and is about a young band starting out on their career. It follows their rise to fame and is a great little family movie. I LOVE it, but it reminds me so much of what I wanted my life to be.

For as long as I can remember …

I wanted to be a rock star. It may have been my Aunt Kim and her sending me a jean outfit when I was only 5 or maybe it was because my Dad really liked music too and he had this huge 45 record collection. Whatever it was from as early as I can remember I wanted to be a rock star.

Not just a rock star but THE SINGER in a rock band, the front man, the lead singer, the DUDE. Unfortunately mother nature didn’t agree with my life plans and decided to not give me any musical talent what-so-ever.

And honestly I don’t even know if want is the right word, I was DESTINED to be a rock star, I was put on this PLANET to be a rock star. Or at least that is what I told myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was a different time, music was in its hey day. Long haired rockers from every nook and cranny were popping up and hitting it big with their snappy beats.

I longed to take my place in their ranks, I had even attempted to learn guitar when I was younger. But my first guitar recital was in front of the entire grade school I went to. While Scott Secord had his guitar down to his side and ripped out a rocking Police tune. I sat with my guitar in my lap and plucked out a horrible rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. My time as the lead guitarist was over.

I didn’t give up my dream though, when I was a teenager for like 30 secs I was in a band, as a lead singer even. They let me in based off of my look, I had the long hair down by that point and they asked me to join the moment we met.

I thought my dreams were on their way of coming true, at our first rehearsal however after hearing me sing Living After Midnight by Judas Priest, I was informed they had decided to change direction and were now country music band. #ouch

 

My buddy Steve, and I …

… had a pact. When we were done high school we would  move to Los Angeles. There we would get our first tattoos on Sunset Strip just like all the real rockers had done. Then we would kick off our musical career and .. well basically be set after that.

Steve’s dad used to work in Detroit (only an hour away) so we used to go to concerts there a lot. We saw shows in Pontiac Silver Dome, The Fox Theatre and the Palace of Auburn Hills. The first concert we went to (Guns N Roses opening for Aerosmith) we got strip searched at the border. (now THERE is a story)

But that is where my love for seeing live music started, which continues to this day. I’ve seen live shows in Detroit, Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and a few smaller places in between. (It’s one of the worst things about living in Halifax in fact – the lack of touring acts that come through) . I’ve seen Motley Crue, KISS, Rolling Stones, Oasis, Thrush Hermit, Sloan, Joel Plaskett, Faster Pussycat, L.A. Guns, Poison, The Flashing Lights, Ozzy Osbourne, Lenny Kravitz, Nashville Pussy, The Supersucker and I’m sure a few others that I can’t remember at the moment.

There’s just something about music. It affects me so deeply, like right to my core.  A happy song can lift me from a shitty mood and a sad song can make me cry. Not that I’m unique in that regard I know. But I’m always surrounded by music, at home music is always on, on the bus I have earbuds in (again not unique), at work I have a speaker in my office. Everywhere.

But its more than that, I admire those who can create this stuff SO much. To be one of them. To be able to create something that has that affect on people I think would be the ultimate high. To stand on a stage with thousands of people cheering you on. If I were to close my eyes and imagine it I can almost feel it. The electricity, the pride of knowing you are in that moment .. a vessel perhaps for something more. I can see how addicting that would be, like a drug.

And I was all in. The girls, the booze, the drugs, fast cars, tour buses, airplanes, lawsuits, marriages, divorces, illegitimate children, anything, everything.

Instead I’m here writing blogs for you beautiful people.

You’re welcome.

-- Downs out.