After reading about Brendan Kelly, who is part of the band that got me into punk rock, playing with his former bands a couple of weekends ago, I got to thinking about my own musical journey. I don't think I've ever really wrote out all I've done musically, so why not now. It was great to check out videos of him playing with Slapstick, the Broadways, solo acoustic stuff, and of course the Lawrence Arms. How often would you be able to do something like that? I've had ideas brewing about that myself, and need to talk to the respective former members about doing that. That's a reminder to myself!
So anyways, where did I start out musically? I can remember being in first grade, and wanting to do piano. I had a nun as my first piano teacher, and I still can recall that day when we got a piano, and I could play it at home. I kept up with piano throughout grade school. As I got into the older grades, I would learn a musical piece for a contest, and play that only. That is something I regret about my piano lessons. I know a little bit about chords and what not, but I can't totally sit down to play something without a piece of music. I can learn that piece, and play it memorized though given the opportunity. But I'm not the whole overall piano player. I'd like to pick it up at some point, but just haven't made that push for it.
Going on from piano, I turned to the trumpet in fifth grade. Best memory there was we had 13 trumpets in fifth grade, and one trumpet player in sixth grade, go figure who stuck around. I loved playing the trumpet. Those days of hurt lips, and getting braces that I needed to get used to playing with. It was a good time. Yet again, I never did make up that great trumpet player, but I was good enough. I played through high school and through college. My senior year of high school, I did take some lessons, and even played a contest. Got a first place in the division I was in, and was happy with that. Who knows if I put that extra practice in, how good I could have been? Like I said, I played through college, and end up playing in the Butler marching band, and the basketball pep band. This was someone who never did marching band in high school, so you can imagine how lost I was when I got that drill chart, and was told to get from here to there. Another memory there was getting whacked in the mouth by a girl going backwards, and I was heading forwards. She said she was wondering what my dirty look was all about! Good times in the band. I learned so much, and hope I progressed a lot in those years of playing. Haven't played since I graduated in 05, but yet again another thing I think I could pick up and get back to playing.
So what do I play now?? That would be the guitar, my love! Had a guitar sitting around the house at 18, and decided I wanted to play it. Saw the Blink 182 show that year as well, and thought I want to start a band. Ended up forming Faze Factor with mr. doug shank and mr. stephen brown, and later added mr. tim shank to the fold there. We played for people Labor Day weekend in 01 I believe. the memories are hazy here! sorry about that. We played in my family's basement. Doug and I were part of a talent show band that covered Good Charlotte! Oh the humanity! haha. Yes I listened to Good Charlotte before they sold out. Faze Factor ended up recording a cd when we had tim a part of the band in my basement. Wires everywhere, my computer hooked up down there, a guy helping us out, and just busting through the songs. We went to Ritters to do the cover art, and had a release party for it. Those were the days of playing. I will never forget those days, and I think those guys will always think about them as well. There were years I didn't have any band going until 2009. Tim and I were playing together a tad and realized we needed a drummer. Tried out a couple of options, but nothing was sticking. Then I called up Mr. Joey Gist, who I had played Rock Band with about drumming for us. Yep he started on Rock Band, and became our drummer. We worked together and got originals going. Ended up at the recording studio to record six songs in six hours. I was the producer on this, so I was playing my guitar and getting everything sorted out for the recording. I cut the vocals in the basement of the house I was living in. And I mixed all those songs for the six song EP. It was a very engaging task, but one I'm very proud of. We put discs together for a party at said basement, and had a good turnout for that. We would go on to play at Birdys and Melody Inn. I never thought I would get out to play for people, and it's something I want to get back to doing. Nothing beats when you're playing a song, and you can see someone singing the song back to you. That's one of the biggest accomplishments I've had to date.
Where am I? Still looking to get playing again. Just finding that right mix of musicians to get this crazy thing of playing in a band going again. I've had thoughts about doing it myself, and just me and the guitar. I don't like that too much. You need that other creative energy. You need those other people all working towards the common goal. But hey I know if I want to do the wrestling concept album, it will be by myself!! But I want to be out and playing shows, and telling people, yes I'm in a band. And Mellencamp isn't the only musician who can make it from the small town.
