I missed this yesterday, but I'll join in as a time traveler and make like I was posting yesterday
Why did you begin playing guitar?
When I was in high school (back in 84') another student, Nick Okenko, was in a band doing stuff like Rush and Led Zeppelin covers. He'd heard me singing some Zeppelin and thought I might be front man material for the band he was in (they didn't have a dedicated singer at the time). So he invited me to his place to hang out and talk about that. When we got there I noticed his minty (early) 70's Gibson Les Paul Standard, with an awesome burst so he plugged it into his Marshall stack and let me play it a little. I didn't know how to play guitar, but I loved the growl, and had always wanted to play guitar. He told me that I could pick up a second hand one for around $600 at the time, if I checked the Saturday paper - so I began to save up for a Les Paul. Several months later I purchased my first - a 70s Les Paul Deluxe blonde top and started playing. I didn't end up joining his band, I wasn't comfortable singing (at the time), and didn't have any equipment. We gave it a shot - to be sure - but they didn't have any monitors, and only had a cheap microphone - so that I was singing through the second channel on one of their amps, and let's just say, trying to sing Rush, Zep, and some Blind Faith when you can't hear yourself over a really muddy spectrum (and not knowing any better) really destroys your confidence. I left feeling like I had let them all down, and was too embarrassed to pursue that any further. But I was hooked on guitars from that time forward - mostly because I just loved the idea of playing guitar.
Has it been worth the practice, sweat and callouses?
Definitely. I've been playing now for over 30 years, but being entirely self-taught, but I wouldn't recommend that to anyone. I'd be a much better guitar player today if I could have afforded lessons 30 years ago. Nevertheless, I play daily, and have played daily for years. I was in a band when I met my wife, but we weren't making any money. When the other guitarist (the better one by far) and drummer joined another band, that ended my "band years" for a long time. I joined a Christian band when I returned to my faith (I'm a pastor now), but we only played at church, and didn't really do any original material. When I changed churches, I left that band. Now that I'm pastor I play regularly at church on Sunday - which is surprisingly a great gig - we have some very talented musicians in our congregation. Fred Penner's guitarist, Paul O'Neil is a member of our congregation, and though playing for Fred's band may not sound like living the dream - he's been touring for decades, and runs his own studio. Great, great musician, and all round awesome guy. Playing guitar has opened a great many friendships with a great many people. It's still one of my greatest joys, and one of the best things I've ever done.
What did you have for lunch today?
I had a beef and cheese burrito with extra, extra hot sauce. It was okay.
What music are you listening to RIGHT NOW.
The last song I was listening to yesterday was an Andrew Lloyd Webber tune from Jesus Christ Superstar - there are a great many jazzy chords in the soundtrack, and that's been my groove off and on, so I was working through some of the songs acoustically. You're never alone when you have a guitar. It probably doesn't count, but I didn't listen to any other music yesterday than the music I was playing, so that's what I got.
Nice to see a lunch report. Thanks Palmtree.
