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Life Beat Slippery When Wet
by Scott Quinn
Make the most of any musical
situation you find yourself in! I can’t overstate the need to be
practical and yet creative. While working in the music store back in
the early 80’s, I had the chance to meet many a fine musician and
take advantage of many a musical situation. By listening, I learned
a lot from local musicians.
Living on a Prayer
I can recall one time a gig opened up to play
bass guitar in a working country and western band. I needed the
money, so the next thing I knew, I was two stepping with the best of
em! Yee-Haw! And, those gigs led to other gigs. Some time later, I
filled in for a guitarist and did a wedding gig! Wow, what an
experience that was. I made good money, but the tunes were simply
terrible to play! So, I needed to get back to the music I wanted to
play. I met and played with a great local bassist named Gerald
Carboy who did many albums with the David Sancious Band in the 70’s.
Gerald taught me a lot about how to play my own music, and be true
to myself. Needless to say, I haven’t played traditional wedding
tunes in quite some time.
Wanted Dead or Alive
Being in the music biz can mean a lot of
things! Like being a roadie for instance. Now, I never actually was
a professional “roadie,” but I did help a “then unknown” act buy
their equipment and set it up for their first gig! They had just got
signed to a deal and needed some stuff for their first tour. So they
ordered all kinds of keyboards, PA stuff, drums, cables and
whatever, and needed it all delivered to their first gig. So, I made
em a deal, I would give them all the stuff at a great price,
personally deliver it and set it up for them at their sound check.
In return, all I asked was that when and if they ever got big and
famous, they would remember me and let me play one solo on one of
their albums. They all agreed and it was done. Well, to make a long
story short, which is totally impossible for me, they did go on to
become rich and famous. So I waited by the phone for them to call to
live up to their end of the bargain. Guess what, it never happened.
Runaway
So years later I am in California at a NAMM
show walking around taking in the show, when who do I see walking
down the carpet right at me? Yep it was them, Jon and Richie along
with the rest of the band. I stopped, they stopped and then Jon
said… “Scott?? Wow fancy meeting you here in California, you know we
were just about to call you about playing on our next record…..” I
said “sure you were.” They laughed, and quickly departed to some
prearranged meeting somewhere. And I never heard from them again. Oh
yeah, it was Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambura and band. Funny how
fame changes folks.
You Give Love a Bad
Name
So, please if
any of you reading this gets to fulfill their rock-n-roll dreams,
don’t forget the ones who helped you along the way. Next month, I’ll
talk a little about writing songs and what it can mean for you in
the long run. Till then, be true to yourself, and “say what you
mean” and “mean what you say!” |
