One day I wake up one day and I experience this awkward enlightenment that I've spent the better part of an otherwise satisfying music career sitting in a recording studio staring at computers. Hey, I got into this thing because I love performance, and now what was I doing?
Well, you'd think a guy like me who's worked with every professional musician in New York would be able to put together a band. I'm not talking about a Let's-Get-A-Record-Deal band; I'm talking about a Let's-Hang-Out-And-Play-Some-Tunes band.
No such luck.
So I pick up the guitar and says I, 'I can play this thing'. After all, I grew up playing the violin and viola – it's just a matter of figuring out this fretboard thingy.
Not exactly.
Years go by.
Okay, but afterwards I'm doing all right as a guitarist and I've been woodshedding my tunes, rearranging them from stunning recording studio creations with symphonic backdrops, and scaling them down to a singer/songwriter format I can accomodate alone, and without backing tracks.
Along the way, I audition for (and get invited to join as a member of) the Singer/Songwriter Sessions. This may or may not mean much to anyone else, but for me, the forum provided a nice vehicle for practicing the live thing.
Finally, my big night arrives, my debut, at CB's 313 Gallery! It's not the main stage upstairs, but I'm an adult now; and I quite like the chill atmosphere here in the basement. Not that it helps my nerves. In fact, I'm a walking anxiety attack. But it actually went okay! And it helped that a bunch of my friends showed up to clap at the appropriate places.
When I got off stage any remaining anxiety melted away and I felt like a new man.
CBGB's, songwriter
No comments:
Post a Comment