Looking Forward
Music is something that I have always been able to get lost in. Whether I’m listening to it or making it. It’s called ‘flow state.’’ In the zone.’
My daughter paints. When she’s in the middle of a new piece, I can’t get her on the phone. I know she’s lost. It’s that same place.
As some of you know during 🦠 and the night before the 2020 election (which was also during 🦠) Adam and I had a concert in our driveway to lighten spirits. Our neighbors and friends pulled up beach chairs, snack tables, and bottles of wine. It was the place in Laurel Canyon you could safely go for a live jam. (We’re doing it again on Monday night Nov 4. If you’re not local you can or watch it via live stream on my Facebook Page at 6:30PT 9:30ET)!!
But here’s the thing.
A few months ago when Adam suggested we reunite the night before this election I said no no no. Absolutely not. Forget about it. It’s work for me. I’m not a fluent musician like he is. He plays by ear. He transposes by heart. Me? Once I stop playing a song for a while I have to learn it all over again. Sure, there is some muscle memory but the ominous task of relearning 13 songs with any semblance of ease is brain exploding.
Plus my voice isn’t in shape. I’m getting older and it’s getting lower. I can’t reach the fucking notes. So no! Final answer.
And then he reminded me … we call our duo (and now trio with our friend Rick on bass) The Clams for a reason: in music speak a ‘clam’ is a colossal mistake like starting a song in E when the rest of the band is in D. The Clams is a fun-loving disclaimer and it gives me an excuse for all my blunders. And there will be blunders. Always in a different spot. On a different song.
He kept saying come on it’ll be fun. I kept saying no. But he started telling people we were GOING TO DO IT! Our neighbors were so excited and they said they couldn’t wait.
Omg.
So I got off my ass. We chose our set list. I found my capo and my Beatles pics. I dusted off my Casio. And we called Rick. Rick was in. I can’t tell you how much better we sound with a bass player. 😎
We set up the living room with music stands and monitors. Mics and peddles. By the fourth rehearsal my voice was limbering up. I was reaching notes I couldn’t reach the week before. My hands and fingers started going to the right place without forethought. Before I knew it I was in that zone. Deliriously happy. We sounded pretty good. A drummer-away from touring. 😎😎
When’s our next rehearsal? I can’t wait.
It’s an especially unsettling time in our country. I’m convinced that having things to look forward to contributes immensely to our happiness, our state of mind, our mood. A tragedy can occur alongside joy. A father dies. A baby is born. What are we going to focus on? One thing? Or everything?
I’m making plans. Surrounding myself with people who make me laugh. Cooking recipes I’ve been meaning to try. Making reservations. Booking mini-trips. Saying yes to invitations.
And music? Music saves me over and over again. It always has. We’re so lucky if we have something that can save us. Divert us. Distract us. Dancing? Riding your bike? Skiing? Penning a novel? Gardening? Road trips? Pick your antidote.
I couldn’t be more excited about our driveway concert and I’m grateful Adam got me off my ass.
Whether or not things go how I hope they will next week I’ll be better for it. Whether chaos ensues or it goes as smoothly as the night Y2K never happened let’s prepare. Make sure you have things to look forward to. Beautiful cushions to absorb the shock or the relief. For there’s not just that one thing, there’s so much more.
We just have to make plans. Or say yes.
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