Remember that poll?

When I was at the somewhat awkward age of 15, I began to realize that it was really time that I needed to get my life together and make something out of it (I was a bit of a serious thinker early on, ergo the awkwardness). My dreams of being a professional NHL player for the greatest team ever (the New York Rangers) were dying. The hockey team I played on had one too many unfinished games due to fighting, sorting out penalties, forfeiting due to fighting, etc. And although I had planned to fall back on baseball, the New York Yankees figured out that my league record for most walks didn't prove anything in a league where noone can pitch:

Gee Whiz George W. (G.W.G.W.), can`t you throw me one down the middle?

So, dreams shattered... what to do? Clearly, the answer is:

BE A ROCK GOD!

Seems realistic, no? I figured I needed to learn how to play something so I called up Dave at my church who played drums and asked him to give me some lessons. Here he is shown below in all his glory and fame with his band Sand (Dave not actually shown below):

My elusive drum teacher Dave (hiding behind Lux). Note the print-o for the BAnD name.

Aside from Dave, I had a few other inspirations that led me to play drums (click the link too please):

Animal

I guess that is it really. Well, maybe Buddy Rich too. To be honest, I hardly listened to music before I started playing, except for Beethoven`s 9th that I had on cassette. I eventually bought my own drum set, a rare (in those days) black and gold sparkle Pearl Export kit:

Oh how I miss your out of round shells, long lugs and tight tension rods!

That kit was a nightmare to tune, but it made noise, so who cared? It served me well for a number of years, when I played with such stellar multi-platinum acts such as Score (opened for Treble Charger), Ice Horse, Kurmudgeon, Dyl-Funk and the Fubar Band and two other bands that even I must admit I can`t remember the names of! It helped that I was one of a very few number of drummers in high school.

I eventually fought my way closer to my dream and got to play in a band in which actually wasn`t any of the following: Creed rip-off, school music class project, trendy ska band, Korn cover band (I still maintain that I never liked Korn), or church band (not that there is anything wrong with that, but as a drummer and depending on the church, it can be essentially like playing covers of adult contemporary or easy-listening... `nuff said). Also, I got a new kit:

Yamaha Birch Custom, fusion sizes. Safe-T-Salt and old mattress not included. Sounds awesome.

So, with my new band, my parents and many friends couldn`t understand the words, i still like it though (note I have learned from my drum teacher, hide behind the singer so you can deny you were ever in the band). Yes, that`s right, one of "those" bands:

A poster we made. Can you believe people actually bought it? Also, apostrophes are for sissies.

Ah, the memories. Well it was a good time, we played around 70 shows within two years. Some good, some bad. Did a one-week tour in Quebec and another around Ontario. Got to open for some now-bigger bands like illScarlett and Attack in Black. We also recorded a not-great sounding album with 14 songs. I stand by the songs, I think some were really well written, but our "record label" and "producer" really botched the recording job. Oh well, it didn`t really cost us anything though anyways.

I hope to one day soon be playing some more music, hopefully metal, cause everything else is boring. There, I said it.