June, 1989
Giants Stadium
New Jersey
I’m melting. It’s got to be like 105 degrees outside, as I broil in the nosebleeds, a cornicopia of tie-dyed, patchouli fried Deadheads splayed before me like a bowl of Fruit Loops. My mind seems to be melting with the rest of me. I should be dancing, or singing, or something, but mostly I’m just staring at my hands dissecting the Universe in my head, particle by particle, chronicle by chronicle.
A roar from the crowd disturbs me from my cosmic distraction. The Dead has just started playing “Bird Song”. It was about this time that I “woke up”. In the spiritual sense, that is. Yep, this was the moment. The moment I had no idea was awaiting me. The moment I “saw God”. And what a moment it was. It wasn’t exactly a conclusion, but a knowing. A Revelation.
The killer stage set up that day
Naturally, the rest of that day (and the rest of my life since) was seen through a new lens. This new bit of knowledge was only the beginning, of course, of a long inquiry (another thing that continues to this day). For the second set, we ventured down to the floor. Not having General Admission tickets, we just did what every other Deadhead seemed to be doing, and jumped the wall. I landed with a stupified grin in front of a security guard that presented feeble resistance, feigning true interest in stopping anybody. Dancing the night away, with Jerry rubbing my tummy with cascading notes of bliss, I delved further into my questions…
Why are we here? What’s the meaning of Life?
I don’t know that I came up with any particular answer about why. It was more the what that seemed to matter. Like “what am I here to do?”
The answer that came to me was simple. It was something along the lines of “life is hard. help each other out.” A good start of a direction to carry my further spiritual quest. Of course, I concluded that one of the best ways to help people out was to let them know about this amazing truth I’d just discovered. Later I would also discover that this “truth” was not something you could just tell someone. It was a truth every individual had to come to for themselves.
As I watched the band play, truly blown away by the magic I was witnessing, a thought came to me. “These are just regular guys, like me.” It was at that moment that I decided that I wanted to learn how to play guitar, and so, the very day I “awoke” spiritually was the day I decided to start learning how to make my own music.
I was 19 years old. A late start, I used to think, but what I lost in time, I made up for in enthusiasm. The next day I dusted off the electric guitar with the red lighting bolt I’d abandoned after my first finger torturing guitar lesson at age 14, and a friend taught me my very first song. “Wild Thing”.
I clearly remember “playing” that tune to my girlfriend. Awkwardly I took what seemed like a full minute to place my fingers into position for each chord, which I would then butcher clumsily. I finished the first verse excitingly looking up to a very smug look on her face. “That’s great….honey.”
“You WAIT! You’ll see!”
As I mentioned, I was enthused. This is really an understatement. It was love. Countless nights I fell asleep with my guitar on my lap. I was hooked.
There's a cruise in my future
About a year later, my buddy and I were listening to Rush 2112, and I said “I can play that”, and my friend, the fool, scoffed “the day you play this, I’m taking you on a cruise!”
I quickly held him to it with a handshake. “Deal!” You wait. You’ll see.
20 years later, and the attached songs in this post show my progress. Watch out, buddy. Get ready for that cruise.
All tracks from the new album, “cusp” can be
now be listened to and purchased here.
Every time I hear your music I want to say, “I love you” back, because that’s what I hear you playing… it’s a special gift for all that get to hear… beautiful words only a melody can sing.
These two are my favorites so far…
Ditto what Gerri said… Love your Heart as it plays through your fingers and the sweet way it makes it through my ears to My Heart. Your gift is most appreciated, and I am in Love with how I feel when I hear your notes.
Hugs and Love
What about these songs do you like?
And thanks for your kind words.
)
Dude, your music has been taking me furthur out of my body each time around. Like The Wheel you are! Your influences are clear & I had to check out that set list.
Set List, July 9, 1989 Giants Stadium
Shakedown Street
Jack Straw
West L.A. Fadeaway
Victim or the Crime
Brown Eyed Women
Queen Jane Approximately
Bird Song
China Cat Sunflower
I Know You Rider
Samson and Delilah
Built to Last
Truckin’
drums
Gimme Some Lovin’
Goin’ Down the Road Feelin’ Bad
Throwin’ Stones
Not Fade Away
& you musta really been cooking cause according to Farmers Almanac, it didn’t get over 88 that day in E. Rutherford, NJ! Remember what it was?
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather-history/search-results/
Thanks for the music & keeping at it.
Nice! I was totally remembering those songs as I read through the setlist.
The Farmer’s Almanac is wrong. Seriously. ;oP
But yes. I was cooking indeed.