Breakfast/Lunch Report Friday Sept. 30, 2011

[Michael-GnL-Michael]

Happy Friday Everyone!

I didn't plan on doing another LR so soon.

People seem to be shy or too preoccupied to take the mic this week so I am jumping in again with an idea.

Breakfast- coffee and a breakfast bar with strawberry filling. Lunch- planning on hitting the extravagant salad bar at this beaucoup bucks market in town. (It is Friday and a good intro to a well-earned weekend).


A theme for today's LR is Opportunity.


This Saturday would have been my sister's birthday. (She passed away in 2004). Because she helped shape my taste in music and my guitar playing I think I will use her as a springboard for a topic.

Quickly, she was two years older and shared her life with me. I enjoyed her circle of friends. This exposed me to great experiences. Over time she had several boyfriends and friends who were either in bands or they played guitar. This presented many opportunities to learn and jam, sometimes comprising complete bands. She was the source for a lot of fun.

One day I scored a pair of premium seats to see Pink Floyd. I gave them to her and attended the concert with friends in less desirable, but decent, seats in a different section. At some point I met up with her and her boyfriend during the show. She wanted me to see the view from the seats and was persuasive (aka charming and pretty) enough to get me in beyond the check points where I sat with her for a portion of a song until the people seated next to them returned from a break and I needed to vacate the seat I had temporarily taken.

There is no doubt in my mind that this was a great moment of her life. It was very gratifying to sense how much she was relishing that experience. I do not know how she may have felt observing me all of those times I was enjoying the experiences she had opened up for me playing music with people I would not have known otherwise. I hope she felt as good as I did that evening as I noticed how much she was enjoying an experience I had opened up to her.


First the Non-G&L Question:

Have doors been opened for you in your musical life?

Have key people presented significant musical opportunities either to enjoy, gain experience, advance a career, improve your ability, broaden your network?


G&L Question:

Have you been able to take advantage of any great deals on G&L products?

Have you been looking only to discover you just missed an opportunity, have discovered an old expired opportunity that was for something you were looking for, or have you had something slip between your fingers either because you hesitated or had no idea the seller would let it go so low or so soon?


Still due for a golden deal on the G&L I want.


Have a great weekend everyone!

[Boogie Bill]

As for people who influence my music, there are so many. Obviously my mother, who made it possible for me to learn the guitar. She taught me, and sacrificed so much to make it happen. I also like to blame my sister-in-law--she bought me the "Meet The Beatles" album for a Christmas present back in 1964--a HUGE influence. \

My dad probably gave me the most cherished compliment of my life. After hearing me play "Rhinestone Cowboy", he told me I played it better better than Glen Campbell--high praise indeed. Now back in 1967, I met Glen backstage at one of his shows in Seattle, and I actually got to jam with him on a couple of songs. He'd hit it big with "Universal Soldier". I was 16; he was a guitar hero of mine, and he was very kind to me. And from that meeting, I understood that I could be a singer and a guitar player--that it was there for me, if I worked at it. A very inspiring moment. So that compliment years later from my father was a defining moment.

And I've seen a lot of other players that influenced me deeply--people that I didn't want to be like. I learned to stay away from the drugs and the alcohol that were lethal to lives, families and careers. I learned confidence, but without the need for bragging. I learned to be humble, and thankful for my successes, and to keep my ego in check. I didn't want to die in my own vomit, like Jimi.

And there were lovers along the way who acted as my muses and my inspirations. I can only hope I gave as good as I got.

==========================

I think I've gotten very good deals on all my G&Ls. I've got a Legacy sitting on a stand a few feet from me that I got last year for $400, and it has been a killer guitar. The set up was a bit messed up, and it took a lot of work to get it right--but it is a really sweet guitar. A plain-jane three color sunburst with white plastic and a maple neck, but it sounds and plays great.

I've been able to be fairly aggressive when one pops up that I want. My most recent acquisitions are a black Legacy and a blue flake Legacy Special from board member Dwasifar. Beautiful guitars.

There have been a few I've missed, too. But I keep telling myself that things happen for a reason.

The hunt continues....

Bill

[bassman]

Have key people presented significant musical opportunities either to enjoy, gain experience, advance a career, improve your ability, broaden your network?

I'm sorry to hear about your sister's passing. You obviously had a great relationship with her and I'm sure your generosity with those concert tickets did not go unappreciated. You sound like you were a very good brother to her.

I would have to give cudos to my mother(RIP) who paid for my bass lessons when I was learning to play.
The musical foundation that I gained form those lessons has supported my playing for 42 years.

I have been given opportunities in every band that I have been a part of and I have had some great experiences from touring around North America back in the 1970's.

Most of the bands that I have been part of have built my network of referrals for future gigs and performances.

G&L sweet deals: I actually consider all of my G&Ls to have been great deals and I have missed a few sweet deals, but there is always a better deal waiting for you tomorrow if you are a little patient. I have always found that to be true.

[Kit]

Have doors been opened for you in your musical life?

Have you been able to take advantage of any great deals on G&L products?

I also have older sisters (one of whom also passed away a few years ago from cancer) who used to listen to the radio during the late 50s. I started listening in before I even turned 10 and heard all the golden oldies like Elvis, Everly Brothers, Patty Page, and early surf music. That was what prompted me to ask my parents for a guitar to learn on. Since neither my parent nor I knew anything about guitar quality it was quite a bit later before I knew how bad the guitar I learned on was. I did manage to learn though.

A few years later the Beatles led the British Invasion and that grabbed my attention like never before because of how fresh the music sounded.

One other influence was actually my music teacher from elementary school. He taught us how to read music, which turned out to be a very good basis for figuring how to play guitar. He also gave me and a few other students free violin lessons. I never did manage to play violin properly, but after that basic knowledge that a string instrument has to be tuned to be played properly, and other little things like that definitely helped.

I've picked up a couple of good deals on G&Ls. There have also been opportunities that I missed mostly due to not having the money to spend even though the deal was good. I have also passed on good deals because I already have a guitar that covers that configuration, and I don't have a strong hording instinct.

Kit

[Robstafarian]

Have doors been opened for you in your musical life?

Have key people presented significant musical opportunities either to enjoy, gain experience, advance a career, improve your ability, broaden your network?

That honor goes to my father. He raised my brother and I on everything from The Kingston Trio to Cat Stevens, Harry Chapin to Fred Small, Simon & Garfunkel to Sam & Dave, Jimi Hendrix to Frank Zappa, Son House to John Lee Hooker...it goes on. I remember distinctly when my father introduced me to The Who and said “if you ever do that to a guitar, I'll do that to you.”

He still very supportive of my playing, and we may one day make a blues album together.

Have you been able to take advantage of any great deals on G&L products?

Have you been looking only to discover you just missed an opportunity, have discovered an old expired opportunity that was for something you were looking for, or have you had something slip between your fingers either because you hesitated or had no idea the seller would let it go so low or so soon?

The only reason I own a G&L is that I got lucky with an amazing opportunity. My 2004 Mahogany Special Build S-500 came to me, totally unused and with all its proper accoutrements, for only US$785—including insured shipping. Part me actually wants to give the original owner more money, but then I remember I don't exactly have it to spare.

I have had it for four and a half days now, and I wouldn't trade it for gold. If ever sell this thing, contact the FBI...someone's ransoming my children. One of this site's members has made me the happiest man in my particular postal district.