Reply To: Why Do You Play?

[peter]

On bapu said

I play because I saw the Beatles on Ed Sullivan (I just turned 11 the day they landed in New York) and I knew I wanted to “that”.

At first, I was leaning towards the drums. Ringo seemed the coolest to me.

Then 2 years later I was gifted a very cheap acoustic guitar and a Mel Bay book from an older cousin. That did not go well, self learning.

Then for my 14th birthday I asked for an electric guitar and amp. I fortuitously  met up with a old class mate who was playing drums (he knew one basic, what we would call country today) and he was working with a guy who was on guitar and he gave me some “guitar tab” books and I was off the rails.

At 16 I was realizing I was never going be Jimi or Eric so I looked at alternatives. Drums and and Hammond organ were just too much to carry around, so I switched to bass.

Livin’ the dream since then.

 

Well that is why you started playing. I’m most interested in why you keep playing. I am really interested, probably because of my own experience of not being able to perform with other musicians anymore and really, not being able to play well anymore, and yet I still have this really strong desire to play. And a lot of us are older. We’re not dreaming of being a rock star anymore. That world doesn’t exist and even when it did, once you hit 40, those hopes were over (or should have been). So for me, it’s this unstoppable desire to play to express myself and get completely absorbed in a song that compels me even when my body is fighting it. What is it at this age, Ed, that makes you pick up that guitar (or bass) and play, just like yesterday (intentional Who quote)? That’s what I’d like to know. For reals.

LinkedMusicians Founder. Your friend who keeps the beat.

Check out my music.