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Thread: The Adventures of The Martin

  1. #1
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    The Adventures of The Martin

    My Martin is a personal thing to me. we've been through so much since 1996. I've sung my pain and joy on it, deep pain and high joy and all between. I identify it with places I played (the best memories are just playing in a friend's garden or at a small private party). I was unemployed for a year, and I played that guitar in pubs and made enough to buy groceries each week. I've played it in living rooms and Biergartens.

    When my family and I came home from Germany, I was once again unemployed and we lived with my parents way out in the woods. My habit was to get the kids to bed, make sure everyone was settled in, roll a spliff and grab the Martin and go off to the barn. I'd sit there on a bench under the trees and stars and sing and play.All was peace. But there was a trailer of meth heads just a half mile through the woods. They were wild men, trashy, teeth black with rot, wasted faces. One night, I was playing open chords loudly and singing at the top of my lungs, when all of a sudden, I heard a scream. I stopped singing, unsure of what I'd heard. Then another scream and a next and a next. The sound was coming straight toward the house. My only thought was to run to the house, wake everyone up, and get dad's guns. I knew those guys carried guns. The sound was getting closer, the screams more severe and aggressive. I ran. And somewhere on the gravel path, I lost a shoe and cut the heel of my foot on sharp stone. I ran in and roused my father who came out with a flashlight.

    The screams had stopped, and there was nothiing to see. That's when I realized that my guitar was still strapped to me. The next day, a neighbor told us that the screams had come from her severely autistic daughter.

    The sound had carried through the woods a half mile away. Mystery solved. Martin was protected the whole time, more so than the sole of my heel.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

  2. #2
    Forum Member S. Cane's Avatar
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    QRe: The Adventures of The Martin

    I'm sorry I didn't catch up with your posts in the last couple of weeks, my friend.

    Been through some rough days, both at work and with the band. See, I never really had what people call "stage fright". I've been playing guitar live since I was a teenager (classical guitar, back then), and though it's always a thrill to be about to step onto the stage, pick up the guitar and play a gig, that never really messed with my performance or my head.

    But man, I never thought I'd suffer with that stuff in my 40s. There is this biker meeting here in my hometown, the MCs gather at a park for the weekend, and they of course hire rock and blues bands. We played two dates, and DUDE, it was rough.

    I don't know why. Playing for motorcycle enthusiasts is always fun. They just want to have fun with their by, dance to the music and have beers, and the crowd is usually a much less judgemental kind of public than the usual bunch of other musicians and phony "connoisseurs" that attend many pubs.

    Well, I played the gigs, though not as well as I could have. I'd say I got the job done, but barely. Feeling tired and sour. Even thinking about taking a break from the band activities, although being in a band is probably the thing I enjoy the most in my life. I've played some great gigs with these guys, but the last ones have been a burden to me.

    So, how are you, my friend? I see you've started a new phase in your life, having retired from teaching.

  3. #3
    Forum Member ch willie's Avatar
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    Re: QRe: The Adventures of The Martin

    Serge, Stick with the band. It's a good outlet for you. Don't let a couple of bad gigs test you too much. You're a rocker, and you can do it if anyone can.

    I'm really happy to have left my job. I've been wanting to leave just about since I started working there 15 years ago. It was the right time. Of course I'm worried about keeping my home, being able to get my meds, and oh yeah, food. But after I let my head clear for a couple of weeks, I'll make job seeking my full time task.
    If we'd known we were going to be the Beatles, we'd have tried harder.--George Harrison

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