Monday, February 18, 2008

Not So Much...


Where have I been? What have I been doing? Wie gehts?

Well...

I've retired from live performance as a member of a band after over thirty-five years of doing gigs. I've lost twenty pounds, I've given up alcohol completely, bought an iPhone, gotten my blood pressure down to normal,and am having a wonderful time.

BluRock played its first and last gig February 1st. We did very well. Things just didn't work out afterward and I decided that I'd had enough of being in bands. My first band was called Oso (Spanish for "bear") back in 1972. I've played for Don Estes's Silver Bullet Band (country & western), the New Pyramid Jazz Quintet, Bole Bantu, Sparkle, and the Kona Gold Blues Band. I bought a new keyboard in anticipation of gigging with BluRock, but I'm playing at home. I used to love the camaraderie of the men and women I performed with. There's nothing like the thrill of pleasing a crowd of people. The buzz you have when you return home from a successful performance is indescribable. But times have changed--or I've changed. I used to love it. Now? Not so much...

The blood pressure, weight loss, and no more drinkie-winkies are related. I'm pre-diabetic and I don't want it to get any further than that. Also, Billy Preston died of malignant hypertension in 2006. Anyone who knows me knows that he's the reason I play the way I play. He's the reason I became a musician. I had the pleasure of meeting him several times and sharing the stage with him once in San Francisco. He was only fifty-nine. Billy--with all his imperfections--was a hero of mine. I emulated his style of playing, singing, and (I pray to God there are no pictures) his early-Seventies appearance. Now? Will I follow in his footsteps at the age of fifty-five? Not so much...

I wanted a different Valentine's Day present for Trisha. I'd gotten her a pair of earrings and a jacket on my visit to the Bay Area. The jacket was too small and the earrings were just wrong. My next present would have to be good. I got her an iPhone. She was frustrated and dissatisfied with it in the beginning. Then, the little sound glitch was solved with the help of a friend. Reception improved. All the wonderful features it has became more and more manageable. I can count on one hand the number of times I've touched the thing since we got it a week ago. Trisha hated our iPhone at first. Now? Not so much...

Aloha.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Aloha! I'm so glad to read about your weight loss and lower blood pressure. We want to keep you around a long, long time.