Friday, October 24, 2014

My First Rodeo

When I think about the first time that I heard Elvis on the radio, the hair on my arms stands up again. Same with "What'd I Say." I was ready for the Beatles. I had read a little something in the newspaper about their impact in Britain and I had seen a short newsreel on Jack Paar. Still, "I Want To Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" almost killed me. They still do.

Somehow my joy seems to be returning. Oh, it's not nostalgia. I hear stuff on the radio now and I have to rush home to check the playlist to see who it is.

Yeah, the radio's fine but live music is still the real deal. I've never enjoyed playing live as much as I do now. All the magic and all the love and all the spirit are just right there waiting to be found. Begging.

Five or six years ago when life was unraveling a bit, I realized that I had to make a big decision and I had to make it quickly. Circumstances pushed me towards going on the road and touring full time. The two major obstacles were Jamaica and Angel, my dog and cat. If I let them keep me from playing, I knew that I would resent the circumstances. On the other hand, if I made the conscious decision to stay home with the girls, then I was taking control of my own destiny.

Well, I never leave for more than a week at a time now. I never look for work. I'm happy to take what comes looking for me. The music thrills me more than it did when I was fifteen years old and it was almost more than I could stand then. This rock'n'roll just can't be beat. Love, that's the whole deal.


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