I was 20 years old when I prematurely left the cozy confines of THE ORANGE ROOM in my parents home. Now, this was definitely mistake number two, looking back on it. Why I thought I was ready to take on the world, I'll never know. Perhaps I thought I was mature enough. Many of my bandmates were three, seven and even ten yers older than me, so that could have skewed my decision making. Do I regret that time I spent living in the band house in Creve Coeur from September 1979 though May of 1980? Well, yes and no!!!
Yes, because it delayed my education and ability to provide for myself and future family. No, because it was the most outrageous nine months of my life!!! There was no leash and for the first time in my life, I could do anything I wanted to do!!! I was only responsible for myself. I was thin, young, and was playing in a rock n roll band. In those days, playing in a rock band was a way of survival. It was unfiltered, at times even dangerous. There were long drives in a barely street legal truck with no GPS. Iowa, for multiple shows, sometimes a week at a time. Minnesota, in the dead of winter, again a week at a time. Most shows in Illinois were several hours away and when we couldn't afford a room, we'd drive that truck home and set foot in our band house long after the sun had risen. There were women, sometimes they'd travel home with us. Sometimes, they'd provide a place to sleep after hours of intimacy. There were parties and there were drugs.
The problem with this lifestyle? I was also working full time between the traveling, sex, drugs and rock n roll!!!! Playing music in a band today is a lot more recreational and frankly, a lot easier than it was back in the late 70's. We didn't have sound companies galore to follow us to every job in the tri state area, and if we would have hired one, we couldn't have afforded it. We 'frankensteined' our PA systems with whatever odd and ends we could acquire. A couple bass bins from one guy, a few crossovers from someone else, some mains and tweeters all mismatched and a board of questionable quality.
There were many nights when the PA would blow or malfunction. That was part of the challenge. No guitar tuners, lights made out of paint cans.....fly by the seat of your pants stuff. However, there were some great clubs to play. The booking agency put us in some wonderful places. There was a real music scene back then. The Red Lion in Champaign and Bloomington Il, The Joker in Des Moine Iowa, and several places in Burlington, Madison and other cities I can't even remember. Of course there were lots of colleges and high school dances as well. With all this travelling, there was bound to be a problem keeping my job.
I lost my job at Berger's around November of 79.' and after that, I was a full time musician. Playing live music was the only way I was going to eat. It was the real deal and we took our music as serious as our partying!!!! In May of 1980, we recorded a 45 for Rumble Records and had been one of the winners for the 1980 Basement Tapes... but soon everything came to a grinding halt. After Marty left the band, we tried to carry on but for me, I'd had enough. I was about 170 lbs and tired of being broke. Thank goodness my parents let me comeback home with my tail between my legs but it was the experience of a lifetime. I played music in another band until the following January when I decided to right my wrongs of quitting school back in February of 79'.
John Lennon was murdered the night that I signed up for my first semester back to ICC. When classes began that following month, I felt rusty and slightly brain damaged. I had taken a lot of abuse during those many months away from school. However, it was becoming clear that I was back on schedule and on the right path again. I was taking General Studies and eventually pursued a communications major with Television Production as a focus. Not only was I meeting new people but I was making great grades...the best of my life!!! I guess I'd seen the other side of life and it scared me. I didn't want to end up poor and hungry. I was about two years behind schedule, but I was back.
This part of my life was a critical transformation. I still have a few friends and or musical acquaintances that never "pulled the car over" so to speak, and carried on with the rock n roll lifestyle. Many contined to take drugs and scoff at those who tried to better themselves. I almost missed the turn myself, but was glad I finally realized you only get out of life what you put into it. For the time being, I was on pace. However, there were to be more bumps in the road.
Just another trip down the turnpike of rock n roll. WHEN DAYS WERE PSYCHEDELIC.
Stay tuned for My Journey To Become An Adult Part Three.
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