an ode to the roach
i was listening to old friends the other day at work, and this sudden wave of nostalgia came over me. it's been near two months since i've seen our boys. before that, a year. before that, a couple weeks.
at one point in time, i had been accustomed to seeing them atleast once a month. atleast. often two or three times. this was when they were still an unsigned band, just living the average frankjoeandbob life. now, they are rock stars of the mtv kind. it's sad, and almost disappointing, but a good thing. why the contradiction? because it's true. because it's the way i feel. it is sad, and it is dissappointing. for me. a period in my life is done and over with. it died when they signed on the dotted line. it's hard letting go of things you've grown so attached to. it really is quite splendid, though. they'd been playing the club gig for near 7 years. i'd be damned if all of that work didn't take them somewhere. these boys deserve the recognition they've come to receive. really.
many people have no taste for the music they put out, and that's understandable. people are different. there are also a billion other kids that are their #1 fan. kids are nuts, man.
to me, it's not just about the music. it's about the good times. it's about the way it makes you feel. it's about the place you're at and the people you're with. it's about letting go. a band can play absolute shit, and in some strange way you could have the greatest time of your life at that one show. killing off the pretionsiousness can make your time far more enjoyable. the guitar player played a song off-key. so what? the singer looks like a "poseur". big deal. get over it. get over yourselves and have fun, for chrissake.
i remember the first time we went backstage with the guys. it was the first time we got to hang out with them without other kids begging for their attention. steve was excited, as always. heidi was giggly because she had the hugest crush on jerry. neeta and i gave each other a funny look and then looked at jerry as if he was nuts while he walked us past the security. the nice thing about being off the stage is that you're all on the same level. no rockstars, just good company. here's a surprise: going backstage is no big deal.
the first few times that i saw them play live, there was the infamous *horseshoe*. hesitant to get close to the band, everyone formed a horseshoe around the stage. eventually, the venues became packed with the sweat of a hundred kids. there's nothing quite like feeling everyone move together with the music. the vibe is this virus that infects everyone in the room. when everyone's feeling it that much, it's near impossible to avoid. when the show is over, the doors fly open and let in the cold air of the night. the feeling is incredible, and everyone leaves with a feeling of contentment.
when i listen to their music, i can still see them performing in my mind. i can see the bobbing of their heads. jerry and tobin doing the turtle. dave, hiding beneath his drumset. coby, running at the crowd and swinging his fists, shoving the microphone down some helpless kid's throat. i can see coby squirming on the stage like a turtle stuck on its back. i can see the kids all circled about the guys. one by one, they are hunted down. "will you sign my shoe?"
man, those were great times.
to the guys in p roach, insolence, aaf, salmon, ttf, and stitch:
thank you. you've turned my nights into something worthwhile.
to all the bands who mean what they say:
it's not what you sell it's what you make.
- jets to brazil: all things good and nice
at one point in time, i had been accustomed to seeing them atleast once a month. atleast. often two or three times. this was when they were still an unsigned band, just living the average frankjoeandbob life. now, they are rock stars of the mtv kind. it's sad, and almost disappointing, but a good thing. why the contradiction? because it's true. because it's the way i feel. it is sad, and it is dissappointing. for me. a period in my life is done and over with. it died when they signed on the dotted line. it's hard letting go of things you've grown so attached to. it really is quite splendid, though. they'd been playing the club gig for near 7 years. i'd be damned if all of that work didn't take them somewhere. these boys deserve the recognition they've come to receive. really.
many people have no taste for the music they put out, and that's understandable. people are different. there are also a billion other kids that are their #1 fan. kids are nuts, man.
to me, it's not just about the music. it's about the good times. it's about the way it makes you feel. it's about the place you're at and the people you're with. it's about letting go. a band can play absolute shit, and in some strange way you could have the greatest time of your life at that one show. killing off the pretionsiousness can make your time far more enjoyable. the guitar player played a song off-key. so what? the singer looks like a "poseur". big deal. get over it. get over yourselves and have fun, for chrissake.
i remember the first time we went backstage with the guys. it was the first time we got to hang out with them without other kids begging for their attention. steve was excited, as always. heidi was giggly because she had the hugest crush on jerry. neeta and i gave each other a funny look and then looked at jerry as if he was nuts while he walked us past the security. the nice thing about being off the stage is that you're all on the same level. no rockstars, just good company. here's a surprise: going backstage is no big deal.
the first few times that i saw them play live, there was the infamous *horseshoe*. hesitant to get close to the band, everyone formed a horseshoe around the stage. eventually, the venues became packed with the sweat of a hundred kids. there's nothing quite like feeling everyone move together with the music. the vibe is this virus that infects everyone in the room. when everyone's feeling it that much, it's near impossible to avoid. when the show is over, the doors fly open and let in the cold air of the night. the feeling is incredible, and everyone leaves with a feeling of contentment.
when i listen to their music, i can still see them performing in my mind. i can see the bobbing of their heads. jerry and tobin doing the turtle. dave, hiding beneath his drumset. coby, running at the crowd and swinging his fists, shoving the microphone down some helpless kid's throat. i can see coby squirming on the stage like a turtle stuck on its back. i can see the kids all circled about the guys. one by one, they are hunted down. "will you sign my shoe?"
man, those were great times.
to the guys in p roach, insolence, aaf, salmon, ttf, and stitch:
thank you. you've turned my nights into something worthwhile.
to all the bands who mean what they say:
it's not what you sell it's what you make.
- jets to brazil: all things good and nice