Music Before the Money

In October 1980 mens’ hairstyles were longish still, at least over the ears. This had a pronounced effect on a club one cold Friday night.

We were playing at a place in Regina called The Paddock where we were put up in a band-house next door. The weather was just starting to get cold which brought out the locals to the club in droves because the outdoor places were closing. There was a big bouncer at the door of the club who kept the would-be partiers back to a respectable distance outside the door, especially when the liquor inspector walked in.

On Friday night, there was a scene that was candy to my eyes. There was a line up of young women in beautiful dresses with their hair perfectly coiffed. In amongst them were a few guys but, for the most part, there were just these great-looking girls.

Now, being a single guy I remarked to the bouncer that I was going to be very mobile this night. Two other band-members echoed my sentiment. However, the bouncer shook his head and said, “You guys don’t stand a chance. These gals have “Scarlet Fever.” We just shrugged and headed for the stage.

From our lofty perch we saw the girls sitting at the tables and the guys in the place hitting on them. The odd one danced but most just sipped their drinks and occasionally glanced at the door.

All of a sudden a parade of young men walked in. They stood out because their hair was cut very short in contract to the long-haired guys in the place. They soon split up and the great-looking girls snapped them up like candy.

Who were these guys? They were Royal Canadian Mounted Police cadets from the Depot down the road. The bouncer called the girls, “War Brides” because so many of them married these young men.Later, when An Officer and a Gentleman came out, I saw the similarities. But it was fun to watch!

When the Roland JV-1000 was premiered in a 1992 Keyboard Magazine I knew I had found my main axe. Why? because it was the “all-in-one” I had dreamed about.

The JV-1000 is essentially a combination of the classic MC 50MkII sequencer and Roland’s extremely powerful JV-80. The waveforms are the same with some added features like the great pianos.

I’ve been a Roland MC-500 user for 20 years even though the sequencer world had moved in leaps and bounds I stayed true to the 3.5″ disks and shunned the hard-drive world. The reason was the simplicity of the old Roland software. I have used it for so long I can run the keys on the sequencer like an accountant on his calculator. On stage, there are no screens or props to interrupt the continuity of the show. There is just the one keyboard.

The only drawbacks:

1. The soft pads I used most “Enter,” “Play,” etc. wear out and have to be replaced. The keyboard has to be taken apart layer-by-layer and should be done by a Roland dealer. At $85 an hour this is an expensive proposition.
2. The RAM is tiny. I can only load 5 songs at a time and need a few minutes between each load. This can cause an uncomfortable lag if I don’t have a a good line of BS to say between songs.

However, I have a board that does everything I need from one with no extraneous midi cords. I even do dances with this amazing board.

This is great. I don’t know who wrote it, though.

I’ve learned that you cannot make someone love you. All you can do is be some that can be loved. The rest is up to them.

I’ve learned that no matter how much I care, some people just don’t care back.

I’ve learned that it takes years to build up trust, and only seconds to destroy it.

I’ve learned that it’s not what you have in your life, but who you have in your life that counts.

I’ve learned hat you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes. After that, you’d better know something.

I’ve learned that you shouldn’t compare yourself to the best others can do.

I’ve learned that you can do some thing in an instant that will give you heartache for life.

I’ve learned that it’s taking me a long time to become the person I want to be.

I’ve learned that you should always leave loved ones with loving words. It may be the last time you see them.

I’ve learned that you can keep going long after you can’t.

I’ve learned that we are responsible for what we do, no matter how we feel. That either you control your attitude or it controls you.

I’ve learned that heroes are the people who do what has to be done regardless of the consequences.

I’ve learned that money is a lousy way to keep score.

I’ve learned that my best friend and I can do anything or nothing and have the best time.

I’ve learned that the people you expect to kick you when you’re down will be the ones to pick you back up.

I’ve learned that sometimes when I’m angry I have the to be angry, but that doesn’t give me the right to be cruel.

I’ve learned that just because someone doesn’t love you the way you want them to doesn’t mean they don’t love you with all they have.

I’ve learned that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you’ve had and what you’ve from them and less to do with how many birthdays you’ve celebrated.

I’ve learned that you should never tell a child their dreams are unlikely or outlandish. Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would be if they believed it.

I’ve learned that no matter good a friend is, they’re going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I’ve learned that no matter how bad your heart is broken the world doesn’t stop for your grief.

I’ve learned that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but we are responsible for who we become.

I’ve learned that even when you think you have no more to give, when a friend cries out to you, you will find the strength to help.

I can’t remember playing any guitar that was more like a chunk of wood with barbed wire than a Silvertone. Maybe the ’70’s versions weren’t as good as the older ones that the blues players used but the ones from the Simpson’s catalogue were electric bricks.

Silvertones were popular with beginners because they were cheap. In fact many great blues players and other guitarists like Chet Atkins began with the Sears Silvertone. You could just hop down to the Simpson’s mail-order store and get your guita in less than 2 weeks.

The Silvertone amps weren’t bad. In fact they had a couple of portables that I used for practice amps.

When you go to garage sales watch out for Silvertones as they are becoming collector’s items.  Especially the model with the amp in the case.