BillyBones encouraged me to share some music here.
Growing up in Kansas, my folks raised me on Hank Sr., Elvis, Johnny Cash and one my favorite Christmas memories is when my pa' pissed off grandma (moms' mom) by playing The Ventures Christmas album.
Summers on the farm my uncle (the Vietnam vet) introduced me to the classics; Beatles, Stones, Pink Floyd, Zep, CCR etc..
In grade school, The Stray Cats played our little town and since then Rockabilly and Surf (NOT The Beach Boys!) became extremely influential to my appreciation of music.
Then in junior high, I met "the musicians".
They were into the standard teenage revolt bands The Misfits, Sex Pistols, Ramones, KISS, Metallica (and later Megadeath) Iron Maiden etc.
But Manhattan is unique.
It's both a college (K-State) and military town (The Big Red One, Fort Riley).
While meeting the guys whom I'd eventually play in a few bands with, I meet kids from all over the country that introduced me to Public Enemy, N.W.A. Ice-T and some young LA bands that weren't big at the time, but of course now we do; Motley Crue and Guns N' Roses!
That said, everyone either wanted to play guitar or drums and out of necessity I became a bass player.
Most everyone I'd eventually play with were 1-4 years older.
So I've been a "hired gun" since I was 13.
Having been in original bands and cover bands, the truth is, some bands are "just a gig (paycheck)" and other bands are a stroke of luck (fun to play in as well as a cash cow).
This video is of one of the latter.
Some 30 or so years after my father dropped the needle on that Ventures album
I am NOT a KSU alumni or much of a sportsfan by any means, but my big sister was a badass volleyball player 88-92 and the Wabash Cannonball is the KSU fight song.
But, for any of you Stanley Kubrick fans,
Kansans Don't Surf -circa 2010
Enjoy!!!