NOX2
2008-12-31, 06:24
This is my story....
This all started at the age of 13 while laying on me bed with my new guitar in my hands. I had never played guitar and quite honestly, knew nothing about it. I was plucking random strings as I closed my eyes and felt the heat of the sun gleaming through my window onto my face. I pictured in my mind spotlights shining on me and the crowd going wild as I rocked out on stage in front of thousands of fans. I then heard from the crowd "Wil Wil! It's time for dinner!" I woke up startled and realized it was just my mom waking me to come eat. I put my new green Fender Stratocaster down as I laughed to myself picturing my own mother in the crowd, at the show, in my dreams.
Dinner that night was awkward. My dad asked "Son, how are you going to learn to play your new toy?" "Lessons" I murmured. He thought that was a great Idea and said he would take me to sign up first thing in the morning. I was excited, but nervous. I thought learning how to play was going to be difficult. I usually get frustrated with things and give up quickly. I was determined. I wanted to be a rock star, like in my dream.
The next morning I was sitting in the car with my dad, heading to the nearest Mars Music Store to inquire about lessons. I was of course, like always, daydreaming. This time I was back stage with ladies all around wanting my autograph. I smiled as we pulled into the parking lot. We walked inside Mars Music and grinned at a sign pointing to the lesson area. A long haired hippie looking guy named Joe sat us down and went over prices. He asked me a million questions and I was nervous, but answered his questions as best as I could. We signed all the required paper work and setup our time for lessons. It was a one hour slot, two times a week.
My first lesson with Joe was about 30 min of showing off how good he was. Lets just say Joe and I weren't on the same page. He taught me the basics of how the guitar is set up and a few basic chords to practice with at home. He also asked me to bring a song in next time that I would want to learn how to play. I chose a Red Hot Chili Peppers song and handed it to him at my next lesson. We then spent the next five lessons learning this one stupid song. I quickly got bored and told Joe I was done with lessons. I spent the next three years teaching myself and spending time in my room alone "piddling” as I like to call it.
Three years had passed and I was still not that great at guitar. I had pretty much given up my dream of ever becoming a rock star. My first job at sixteen waiting tables in a small local café introduced me to Davin. Davin was a flat topped, tattooed and talented rocker. I told Davin everything about my experience with my guitar teacher and my piddling. He invited me to his studio which was located behind his house. How could I have known this would be my ticket to what I had wanted for a long time?
I ventured to Davin's studio not knowing what to expect. I knocked on the big heavy doors of his studio which proclaimed in big letters "DO NOT KNOCK." I didn't realize what I had done until he yelled "Can't you read!" from inside his studio. He came to the door and invited me in. My eyes landed on all his gear and my mouth hung open in amazement. He really did have a professional studio inside of this building behind his house! I sat down and he put a guitar in my lap and said "Play." I looked at him and was so nervous about playing in front of anyone. I played a little something and he didn't say a word for about three minutes. Those were the longest 3 minutes of my life. I had no clue what Davin was thinking. He then said, "Wil, you're a bass player. Here, try this.”
I picked up the bass and it was like magic. Everything I had learned applied to bass. I had found my new instrument.
I was at Davin's studio almost every day after school for the next four years. Davin showed me all about bass, guitar and even drums. He was talented and could pick up any instrument and play well. He would always talk about his long nights out on stage with his old band and I would listen intently picturing myself in his shoes. He wanted another band, but he wanted to play drums. That left us without a guitarist. We had no clue our luck was about to change. While sitting outside one day talking about random stuff. We saw a bike coming out of the woods behind his house. To our amazement it was a girl, and she was hot! We called out, "Hey, you on the bike. Come hang with us!" She limped over telling us about her bike accident she just had. Her bloody knee was showing through the ripped cloth of her jeans. We all went into Davin’s studio. He swore he had band-aids somewhere. She sat down, not even realizing she was in a studio. The pain of her knee distracted her from her own surroundings. After things settled down she told us her name was Cheryl. She picked up the nearest guitar and started playing some choppy chord jam Davin and I looked at each other in terror and decided she needed some work. We liked Cheryl’s personality and out of the box thinking so much that we had to make her part of our jam group.
The next few months were full of great memories and comical moments. There was never a dull moment at the studio. We decided to call our band “In Vein”. Davin helped Cheryl and I piece together what would be our first “official” song. It seemed like everything fell in a line. Every time we met another full song was created. When we felt comfortable, we decided to record all of our songs and make a CD.
We sent out our CD to local venues and landed our first gig at a bar in Mckinney. I couldn’t help but to think back about my dream when I was thirteen. Being a rock star was slowly coming true. After playing every weekend all over DFW, we met the band Drowning Pool. Right when they laid eyes on us, especially Cheryl, they asked us to tour with them.
Davin, Cheryl and I sat and thought for awhile about the huge decision we had to make. I knew in my heart I couldn’t go. I had just signed up for college. Their was no way I was dropping my classes before they even started. I told my two best friends I was out, but agreed if they wanted to go I would find and train a new bass player to go with them. To my surprise, they stood up and said “Wil, if you don’t go we don’t go.” This moment in my life made me realize sometimes it isn’t about fame and fortune. To me having my two closest friends by my side is better than any tour or dream of being a rock star. That night we realized it wasn’t playing for others that made us happy. It was creating music together that kept us going. To this day, usually once a week, Davin, Cheryl, and I meet and we play. Not because we are trying to get somewhere, but because we are all friends and creating something together as a unit is more fulfilling than sleepless nights on the road. Sometimes when a dream is within grasp of reality, it becomes less interesting. In my heart I am still a rock star….
This all started at the age of 13 while laying on me bed with my new guitar in my hands. I had never played guitar and quite honestly, knew nothing about it. I was plucking random strings as I closed my eyes and felt the heat of the sun gleaming through my window onto my face. I pictured in my mind spotlights shining on me and the crowd going wild as I rocked out on stage in front of thousands of fans. I then heard from the crowd "Wil Wil! It's time for dinner!" I woke up startled and realized it was just my mom waking me to come eat. I put my new green Fender Stratocaster down as I laughed to myself picturing my own mother in the crowd, at the show, in my dreams.
Dinner that night was awkward. My dad asked "Son, how are you going to learn to play your new toy?" "Lessons" I murmured. He thought that was a great Idea and said he would take me to sign up first thing in the morning. I was excited, but nervous. I thought learning how to play was going to be difficult. I usually get frustrated with things and give up quickly. I was determined. I wanted to be a rock star, like in my dream.
The next morning I was sitting in the car with my dad, heading to the nearest Mars Music Store to inquire about lessons. I was of course, like always, daydreaming. This time I was back stage with ladies all around wanting my autograph. I smiled as we pulled into the parking lot. We walked inside Mars Music and grinned at a sign pointing to the lesson area. A long haired hippie looking guy named Joe sat us down and went over prices. He asked me a million questions and I was nervous, but answered his questions as best as I could. We signed all the required paper work and setup our time for lessons. It was a one hour slot, two times a week.
My first lesson with Joe was about 30 min of showing off how good he was. Lets just say Joe and I weren't on the same page. He taught me the basics of how the guitar is set up and a few basic chords to practice with at home. He also asked me to bring a song in next time that I would want to learn how to play. I chose a Red Hot Chili Peppers song and handed it to him at my next lesson. We then spent the next five lessons learning this one stupid song. I quickly got bored and told Joe I was done with lessons. I spent the next three years teaching myself and spending time in my room alone "piddling” as I like to call it.
Three years had passed and I was still not that great at guitar. I had pretty much given up my dream of ever becoming a rock star. My first job at sixteen waiting tables in a small local café introduced me to Davin. Davin was a flat topped, tattooed and talented rocker. I told Davin everything about my experience with my guitar teacher and my piddling. He invited me to his studio which was located behind his house. How could I have known this would be my ticket to what I had wanted for a long time?
I ventured to Davin's studio not knowing what to expect. I knocked on the big heavy doors of his studio which proclaimed in big letters "DO NOT KNOCK." I didn't realize what I had done until he yelled "Can't you read!" from inside his studio. He came to the door and invited me in. My eyes landed on all his gear and my mouth hung open in amazement. He really did have a professional studio inside of this building behind his house! I sat down and he put a guitar in my lap and said "Play." I looked at him and was so nervous about playing in front of anyone. I played a little something and he didn't say a word for about three minutes. Those were the longest 3 minutes of my life. I had no clue what Davin was thinking. He then said, "Wil, you're a bass player. Here, try this.”
I picked up the bass and it was like magic. Everything I had learned applied to bass. I had found my new instrument.
I was at Davin's studio almost every day after school for the next four years. Davin showed me all about bass, guitar and even drums. He was talented and could pick up any instrument and play well. He would always talk about his long nights out on stage with his old band and I would listen intently picturing myself in his shoes. He wanted another band, but he wanted to play drums. That left us without a guitarist. We had no clue our luck was about to change. While sitting outside one day talking about random stuff. We saw a bike coming out of the woods behind his house. To our amazement it was a girl, and she was hot! We called out, "Hey, you on the bike. Come hang with us!" She limped over telling us about her bike accident she just had. Her bloody knee was showing through the ripped cloth of her jeans. We all went into Davin’s studio. He swore he had band-aids somewhere. She sat down, not even realizing she was in a studio. The pain of her knee distracted her from her own surroundings. After things settled down she told us her name was Cheryl. She picked up the nearest guitar and started playing some choppy chord jam Davin and I looked at each other in terror and decided she needed some work. We liked Cheryl’s personality and out of the box thinking so much that we had to make her part of our jam group.
The next few months were full of great memories and comical moments. There was never a dull moment at the studio. We decided to call our band “In Vein”. Davin helped Cheryl and I piece together what would be our first “official” song. It seemed like everything fell in a line. Every time we met another full song was created. When we felt comfortable, we decided to record all of our songs and make a CD.
We sent out our CD to local venues and landed our first gig at a bar in Mckinney. I couldn’t help but to think back about my dream when I was thirteen. Being a rock star was slowly coming true. After playing every weekend all over DFW, we met the band Drowning Pool. Right when they laid eyes on us, especially Cheryl, they asked us to tour with them.
Davin, Cheryl and I sat and thought for awhile about the huge decision we had to make. I knew in my heart I couldn’t go. I had just signed up for college. Their was no way I was dropping my classes before they even started. I told my two best friends I was out, but agreed if they wanted to go I would find and train a new bass player to go with them. To my surprise, they stood up and said “Wil, if you don’t go we don’t go.” This moment in my life made me realize sometimes it isn’t about fame and fortune. To me having my two closest friends by my side is better than any tour or dream of being a rock star. That night we realized it wasn’t playing for others that made us happy. It was creating music together that kept us going. To this day, usually once a week, Davin, Cheryl, and I meet and we play. Not because we are trying to get somewhere, but because we are all friends and creating something together as a unit is more fulfilling than sleepless nights on the road. Sometimes when a dream is within grasp of reality, it becomes less interesting. In my heart I am still a rock star….