One year. One year! One year? Is where we are now what we signed on to do one year ago?On November 14, 2010, Don, Paul, Glenn, and I got together at the Doghouse to go through the eight songs that became “Into the Flow.” We began work on that project. We were an unlikely crew.
Sometime earlier, Paul and I discussed how to find a bass player for the project. Then, Paul and Don came up with the idea for Don to take up bass just to join in the recording process. His love for surf music led him to help in Paul’s efforts to enable my potential folly. But Don is a guitarist at heart.
Glenn had been a “closet” drummer for forty years. Except for jams at the Doghouse, he had not played in a group since high school band. Moreover, he was a jazz player at heart. His exposure to instrumental surf rock was those Doghouse jams and his playing "Wipe Out" in his youth.
Paul was my “surf guitar” teacher and helped write the songs. Energetic. Extremely talented. Patient. Supportive. Willing to turn a blind eye to the numerous foibles and shortcomings of his sexagenarian novice.
I was the weak link. In fact, the recordings from the Downtown Plaza gig prove that I remain the weak link. The good news, however, is that the chain is stronger than it was on November 14, 2010.
In November 2010, “record a CD” was on my bucket list. As readers of this blog know, that was more a conceptual art than a musical project. Write songs. Do the artwork. Record. Release. Play the CD once for friends and family. And it would be finished. Viewers and listeners would attend the “opening,” maybe take a few pictures, and the tangible work would be gone. Everything would be left to imagination and memory.
Of course, as readers of this blog also know, the conceptual art project morphed into some live performances, a set list of classic as well as some of the originals on the CD, and the Lava Pups moving forward like a band. “Regular practices.” Rejecting gigs. Being rejected for gigs. Feelings of exhilaration, inadequacy, anxiety, and accomplishment. Flights of fantasy. Facing realities. In fact, some songs on the CD never have been performed publicly.
Over the year, our wives, families, and friends have given us amazing support. They all probably have stories to tell about three regular guys hooking up with a talented and young guitarist. About receiving CDs. About wrist bands. About schlepping equipment. About listening to “how did we sound?” About seeing disappointment when they said “you guys should not play that one in public yet.” About sharing our elation and enthusiasm when we performed.
I could count-off what we have done in the year. But that is chronicled in this blog.
That leaves me to say thank you to Paul, Don, and Glenn for sharing some rock ‘n roll fantasy moments with me and making what we do fun. To thank our wives, families, and friends for putting up with us and supporting our endeavors. To thank those who shared ideas, looked at our website, bought our CD, came to see us, and understood that we play to have fun. To thank those who let us play even though we had little or no experience under our belts.
Finally, as the Holidays approach, I want to thank our Dads who gave us the freedom and inspiration to find our own ways and do whatever we wanted to do. Who would have thought we would have done what we have done this year? I didn’t. But maybe my Dad is looking down and saying, “See what you can do if you just put your mind to it. Dreams should be lived.”