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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Sometimes I look back at my younger years and get the biggest grin on my face.
I was watching the documentary about the Eagles tonight. It got me thinking about all those years I dated musicians. And all the concerts I went to and the comedy clubs I hung out at as well. I have to admit I loved my life growing up.I had the best of everything as far as I see it. I wasn't wealthy. My family was upper middle class. But I lived in NYC and 20 minutes from Manhattan. I had a house upstate NY in a place that I still love to go visit.It was about 10 minutes from where Woodstock was. As a matter of fact the 45th anniversary of Woodstock this summer.
I watched that documentary and saw all the people in the background with long hair and tight jeans. I loved it! Going to concerts and comedy clubs were always the best thing to do. Okay besides dancing in clubs like Studio 54 and the Limelight and Wavestreet.But that was only during the disco faze. (DON'T EVER SAY THAT TO MY ROCKER FRIENDS!) lol
It always amazes me how music really triggers more memories than almost anything.I love musicians because they always seemed happy as long as there was music around them. Comics are a different bread. Comics all seem to have a dark side and most are manic. But I still enjoyed hanging out with them because they have a unique way of seeing the world.
I think the only sad times in my younger years was when my dad was diagnosed with cancer and past away but, other than those types of events that happen in families, I really had a great life and continue to to this day.
Do most of you look back at your younger years as being great or not?
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| August 14, 2014, 07:00 |
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Freensleazy
65 / male
State of Confusion, Pennsylvania, US
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Re: Sometimes I look back at my younger years and get the biggest grin on my face.
I'd have to agree with you Newbs. People in our age group grew up in some very exciting times, especially musically. The 60 and 70 spit out some of the best (and yes, the worst) music in history. Radio stations played the newest music that would make you want to go to the record store and buy the single or the album. Clubs were all over the place and club owners hired bands and drew people in by promoting the fact that the band was going to be there. And the bands had to step up there game in order to get hired more often and up their fees. And those clubs made money.
Nowadays, the club owners expect the acts that they hire to bring a crowd in with them. That's no different than hiring a chef and expecting him to fill the dining room. So basically, a band will get hired based on the number of family and friends they have that are willing to come out and spend money, rather than working hard to build a following.
And with everything being digitized and computer assisted, a lot of the human element is removed. Live music aint perfect and it's not exact. But when done right, it's very exciting. Joe Walsh said recently "There's nobody out there testifying anymore", but then again, there's no radio any more. At least not like there used to be, when music was new and exciting.
So while I do look back and smile, I feel badly for the young folks today who never had the chance to enjoy things that we had in such abundance.
Get off my lawn!
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| August 14, 2014, 11:59 |
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sybianwatcher1
49 / male
Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada
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Re: Sometimes I look back at my younger years and get the biggest grin on my face.
I'll get off your lawn when I'm done taking my leak on your grass. !!!!
I love music, always have, and I respect anyone who can perform it well, because with my voice, I have no chance in hell holding a note.
The drinking age here is 19 years old, so I hung out at a Biker Bar that was in town about a half hours drive from my family farm. It was the roughest place in the Fraser Valley, filled full of Bikers, Strippers on their day off, and young people looking for a good time , or trouble.
They hired live bands for every weekend, so with the music, booze and questionable company, it was a recipe for a hellatious night.
I eventually was hired as the doorman, because of my friendly smile, my ability to not drink on the job, and my Cowboy way of having no common sense of self preservation.
So my younger years was spent working on the farm, working construction, working a door at a bar at night, and licking my various wounds when I had time.
...And yes, it still puts a grin on my face from time to time.
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| August 14, 2014, 14:27 |
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newbie1011
62 / female
The Shore, New Jersey, US
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Re: Sometimes I look back at my younger years and get the biggest grin on my face.
The good news is there are still a few places that still hire bands that are new and fresh. You know my son opened a bar.They have grown in a big way. They have had bands come from all over begging to play at this little outdoor bar. It is so silly. They never paid a lot or promised much.They don't own it anymore but he does work there still.The whole place that they were in was sold. He still says how proud he is that they did what they wanted and it was like that baseball movie said, "Build it and they will come."
When I was younger I dated a guy that owned a couple of clubs that were HUGE with up and coming musicians. Modonna,Blondie,Mountain, Orleans and so many groups I can't even remember played in his clubs. I also hung out at CBGB's and a couple of other places that always had some of the regulars like The Ramones. Upstate where my other house was is very close to where Woodstock was held.They had a huge but no frills kind of place we went to every night they had a band. You never knew who you would run into up there. One day Peter Framptom decided to just hang out there. I remember the whole town was buzzing. (All of the maybe 200 that lived there.lol)My best friends dad owned another club. There was never a time I stayed home.But the memories are so amazing. I just got a message from a friend that still lives in that little town upstate and he was telling me about all the concerts he was going to this summer. The old Yasgurs Farm (Woodstock site) was turned into a concert venue and they have been going strong this year.Free you would love it there!
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| August 15, 2014, 00:18 |
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