18Watt.com

1Way wrote:Ok, so under your avatar you mention that your located in Marshall country, so what's a fine Canadian chap like yourself doing in England already? Did you make the move just to get closer to Marshall's and Celestions...? And how will that bodatious bewitching benevolent beckoning beautiful blond find you over there, if she's a Canadian national, ay?

It's a real long story, which I'll spare you all from... But this is a real cool place to live - I'm just a few minutes away from where Jim Marshall had his original music shop and gave drum lessons (including to Mitch Mitchell). Our PA guy, as a kid used to live next door to Jim Marshall, and remembers their garage was full of amps! Our keyboard player went to school with Pete Townsend's brother, who's also a guitarist. One of the guitarists I sometimes jam with discovered that Pete had been a previous occupant of his house. We sometimes gig at the college where Freddie Mercury studied. The guy who does my speaker recones knows Clapton and a whole bunch of the guitarists of that era (from when he was gigging around as a bass player), and recones their equipment as well. And so on...

this thread is the most depressing ever. please stop.

I first suspected it when I realized I was not really good at shmoozing or marketing myself (age 22). I knew it for sure the first time I made over 100k doing something other than music (wireless security systems analyst WPKI).

The key word here is MONEY. You need it to live, by amps and pedals and stuff. The choice was 5 guys in a van with a hotel room with 2 beds.

OR

"Another slice of lamb Mr. Bethune?...... Would you like some more Chianti Mr. Bethune" This happened multiple times on the way to Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Copenhagen, London, New York, LA, San Francisco, Beijing, Korea , Düsseldorf, N'awlins ..... Oh and Sao Paulo. (Yes I discovered I was perty good at some of the technical tasks my employers would assign to me).

Now, I truly think I am a better guitar player than I am a systems engineer but the coin is so much better in the main stream than it is in music for the most part.

I have managed, however, to find a jam in nearly every city I have visited. It was a blast on stage with the all girl band in Hong Kong. They were all from the Philippines and I was barely able to contain myself. Oh, and the customer (HP) freaked out not knowing that I had skills in that area (no, in the area of music you deviant buggers). There was a constant stream of beers after I played a set with them. And yes, they were all stunningly beautiful.

The funny thing is I probably wouldn't change a thing If I had it to do over again. This is simply becuase I get a fair amount of Joy from having music as a part of my Chi. I really don't need to do it in front of people to get an emotional ROI. I just do it for me now.

I would like to learn to fly though.

Mr. Bethune, you never cease to amaze me , sir . Well stated.

LeeMo

Looks like this one was Very Therapeutic.
Actually Real People involved here.
********************************
If you reread my first post that started all of this.
You will see that my Original Dream was over
when I got my first Guitar.
Anything after that was Icing on the cake>>
due to pure dedication and insistance to try and learn.
I don't know if ALL of you know what I'm talking about
when I say You try&try&try and then one day out of the
Clear Blue Sky> Out of Nowhere all of a sudden
You break though what seemed like a brick wall and
YOU KNOW even if noone else knows it.

You ARE and CAN play that Guitar.

I never got anywhere with it.
Just kept throwing people out of my life,
Because of incompetence and still do.
But the people that won't let me throw them out are my true freinds.
I don't piss and moan over Spillt Beer
I just make some more.
Think I'm Kidding>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
See the attachment my version of the best beer You will ever make.
(I got out of this one real easy)

lbet wrote:I knew it for sure the first time I made over 100k doing something other than music (wireless security systems analyst WPKI).

Methinks I made a career error somewhere along the way.

Honestly , I would'nt want the fame and the money. I'm serious I really quite happy with my family and in my daily routines. When I was 18-25 I would've liked it no doubt.

I had me shot at the fame and the money. Burned a lot of bridges and pissed off a lot of people who could have helped me along the way but WTF, "when you're ready for the lesson the teacher will come". Ignore the lesson too many times and the teacher will be REALLY PISSED when they arrive! (1way take notice!)

Seriously, I like sticking pieces of metal together better than nearly anything.

The punks I used to thrash with at CBGB all wore cap toe boots, I wear 'em because they protect my toes... plus OSHA requires 'em at most of the shops I consult in. I shine 'em up every night...

I was at a show the other night and I noticed that a lot of the people who were there were ten years older then I am! Buncha geezers tryin' to rock out...

So we rocked out.

Chicoutimi Canada

They got some epic nudie bars up there. Effen ya ain't bin... y'll never know!

Sweetwood wrote:this thread is the most depressing ever. please stop.

It could be worse. We could talk about the guys we've known, who made it...and lost it. We're all still here...

Heya Heya Heya
This is not depressing in the least!!
This is going to make some us realize,
that by God you AIN"T got one foot in the grave
just because you're starting to have these grey
shrouds (or none) from repeated solar radiation over the
Half Century.
Send a 20 year old into a Nuclear (Tex> slang) reactor
turn him grey and bubba he's on the short end of the stick.
Looks old and Doesn't Know anything.
The only difference is you know how to do it but can't drink enough ENSHURE to do it.
He want's to do it but all he can do is beat on his (6Wire)timber
until his speakers fall off.
SUE ME HAHAHAHA

Hey, ever since the Beatles on the TV in black and white (life is contrast), I have wanted to be a part of it. I learned to play and sing but some things you find along the way are life's true treasures. Is there any better feeling than playing with other musicians and then you hit one of those musical moments that everthing becomes more than the individual players? You just go wow - "I'm am part of this movement"? pinch me, I am. That is a kool feeling - I wonder how many people get to experience this on any level?

Eyes wide open = the dream is real!

WRH18watt wrote:Hey, ever since the Beatles on the TV in black and white (life is contrast), I have wanted to be a part of it. I learned to play and sing but some things you find along the way are life's true treasures. Is there any better feeling than playing with other musicians and then you hit one of those musical moments that everthing becomes more than the individual players? You just go wow - "I'm am part of this movement"? pinch me, I am. That is a kool feeling - I wonder how many people get to experience this on any level?

Eyes wide open = the dream is real!

It is a Spiritual moment when you bump elbows with the next dimention.
Yes you think you are weightless.
Those come as a shock, a place in time never
repeated again exactly in the same way.
But more are avalible and mostly accessed by
more than a couple contributors of the available combined energy..
The Magic Moments of energy and sound.

you MUST have a magic decoder ring or else have learned Sarg-speak.

I'm on the $$ bandwagon as well. Once I got a taste of 6 figures, the life on the road began to look rather dim. I'll retire at 42 with 3M in the bank and I can take another look at the dream then. Meanwhile, I enjoy contributing to the craft through the stuff I build and amusing myself with my bad playing.

Talent is often a curse. I taught my punk little cousin a few chords back in 1982. He was from New Jersey so I didn't get to see him but once a year. By 1984 he could play "eruption" dead on. It turned out that he was at least as good at writing songs. I was face to face with true "musical talent"! I was easily the best guitarist in my high school(1982) and he absolutely killed me. For me it all became a hobby from there out. He had to pursue his calling. He is piss broke, single, and not very happy. He came very close, but not close enough. He has enough talent to dream way bigger than I. It was expected that he would be a "star" because he is that good. He still has no meaningful life due to his pursuit of the now unobtainable. Oddly enough he sold his beloved Trainwreck Express ("Ginger Lynn") in the later ninety's to fund a little education to become a computer guy like most of you. It puts food on his table till he makes it big. I support him fully but It has been so hard watch. Thank God I have no talent. What an strange thing to say.

Going for the money is all fine and good, but sometimes money changes a person and alienates them from other people.

novemberrain

I have a respectful and clear response to your "pissing people off" idea and then generally implicating myself. If you would offer an email address, I'll send it to you there.

Well, Well, Well
A place where the creatures meet.
The Rich
The Poor
The Smart
The Dumb
The Happy
The Unhappy
The Talented
The Not so
The Famous
The Insignifigant
The Mean
The Kind
and everything in between, All with one thing in common.
Maybe Two, But we'll leave Bob out of this.