Saturday, December 09, 2006

Unskilled Wanker

I've been feeling very incompetent lately. In the last several weeks, I've double-booked gigs on two separate dates, resulting in two cancellations; then I botched a book review when my computer crashed and killed it the night before the deadline. Last Friday, I forgot to bring a hi-hat stand to a gig, and last night I forgot a hi-hat stand and a snare drum for a gig that was one hour away. (On both occasions, generous drummers from other bands bailed me out—well, the guy last night bartered and ended up with a pair of my sticks and an extra drum head I had on-hand; fucking capitalist.)

I'm usually pretty good about details and managing multiple calendars, but all of a sudden, I suck. What the hell? It's not like I'm recently much busier or anything.

And of course, in this midst of what feels like failure, there are lots of little successes, too. Last night's gig was in Harrisonburg with The Other Band (who's remaining nameless for now; I think they might change their name soon; well, they should at least). Afterward, we were pulled aside by the club owner. We gathered in his back office as he sang our praises and told us of his grand plans to have us back a bunch and "blow up" the Harrisonburg music scene. Everyone in the band was in very high spirits. The guitar player, whom I met just 9 days ago, hugged me. It was a very celebratory mood.

[Sidebar: The Other Band is trying to get me to make them my priority, which has its ups and downs. On the one had, I'd be playing music that's not very challenging and a bit more mainstream. So it's must less freedom than Truman Sparks (the current main band). But there's a real opportunity for actual financial success. The Other Band could probably make it big. Their sound is broadly appealng, and they execute very, very well. (There's at least one music degree in the group, not that a music degree is a necessary key to success, but it helps.) So now is a time of great hemming and hawing for me.]

Anyway, I left the gig very shortly after we finished playing, because it started snowing in Harrisonburg. Packed up my drums (excluding a hi-hat stand and snare drum, ahem), said my good-byes, and hit the road for a contemplative hour's drive home.

Fast forward to this morning. I had a dream I was buying something and couldn't find my debit card. I woke up and indeed it was missing. Then I remembered opening a tab and getting one (1!) drink at the bar the night before (it was free beer but not liquor, and one must drink bourbon if one is to play rock music). In my haste to leave, I forgot to close my tab, which only stupid drunk people do but fucking hell, I was one-drink-in (I had a free beer, too, actually, but still, this is over several hours). So today after work, Eek accompanied me back to the 'burg to pick up my electronic money card. Because I suck at life, you see.

1 Comments:

Blogger Sebastian said...

i think everyone should know that Stan does not suck at drums.

11/12/06 9:35 AM  

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