About an hour ago, before I started writing the previous post, I received a email from a old friend. he was a drummer in one of the old bands I played in quite a number of years ago. His email stated that another former member of the same band had passed away a few days ago and the wake was being held tomorrow afternoon. He didn't explain what had happened to him but he repeated what was obviously the obit in the local paper.
Reading that gave me this weird feeling. I think that at sometime in our short lives we have all felt that way. You kind of reflect on things. The band members name was Mark. He was 42. And just to give you a frame of reference, he was 16 and youngest member of the band when we started it. Now you know how long ago it was.
Mark wasn't the bad sort, he was young, talented on the keyboards and into the same kind of music as we all were. we were deadheads. we stared as a tribute band to the Dead and then after a few years expanded into other music as well as originals. Mark never wanted to expand. he was a tried and true deadhead. We all went to the concerts together and we partied together as well, during practices and actual shows, but hey, that's why we sounded so good!
But sometimes, the drugs got in the way. Not for all of us, but mark, being the youngest member and the lead guitarist being the most "garcia" like player, made me soul mates in drugs. And soon it wasn't long before they both blew off practices because they were waiting to find out if they were going to be able to score that night. That eventually brought an end to the group as it was.
It was hard for me at that time because I was so into playing and being on stage. I was only the Bass Player and back up singer. but it was my life then. And i blamed the two of them for taking it away from us, from me. I guess I'm not that must more different from anyone else, and i held a grudge for a while maybe like a year and a half until someone in town was having a party and wanted to get the group together for it. I was of course all for it, but one for the drummers wasn't to much into it and grudgingly agreed to do it. of course we were all happy once we did out first practice. it was like we never stopped playing. It was the greatest feeling, and in my mind I was thinking, if this works, we might even get it together again. Mark was older and he seemed more grounded.
After a few days of practice, the party came up, we got the equipment moved, set up and the party began. somethings never change though. It wasn't a professional gig, it was for fun, but when members of the band are already half lit before the fist set stars, you know there's a problem. It was mark that was the trend setter there. The fist set still sounded great, but as each set went on, it was less and less together. When the party was done, I should have been in a much better mood, and along with two other members took out stuff home, ragging about how the night went. Mark was the problem.
Years went by and two of the other members of the band and myself started an acoustic trio that was good for about four years before one became disenchanted with it. At that time while we were playing, we saw mark come to our shows a number of times, each time offering his valued keyboard to our music. we graciously refused and he would leave with his tail between his legs. He was an alright guy let me reaffirm this, but he had problems that we didn't need to take on the road.
After that band broke up, it was the end for us. none of us played in groups anymore as we all found out real lives with some else. It was ok, although to this day I miss playing. Two years ago, was about the last time i met mark, it was in a market somewhere. we talked briefly and i think we was working in a restaurant somewhere cooking. The last thing he said to me was, "we should get together sometime and play." I smiled at him and nodded. That was the last time i saw him.
Before I started writing this, I stared at the briefly written email that Phil sent me, and all of this stuff played thru it like some old 16mm projector. All those years of playing together, you get to know people really well. Sometimes to well. And sometimes, their brief lives just grazes yours enough to make an impression for a little while. Mark was a good keyboard player that could have been great had he let it happen. he was an alright guy that had just gone a little to far to the wrong side and couldn't find his way back. I can't say that I'll miss him, but he was one of us for a long time. And that's something that you just don't forget. You might misplace it, but you don't forget it.
Maybe I really will try to get to the wake.
Dedicated to Ugly Rumors & Rising Tide...
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment