Blast from the past
A long time ago, on an island far, far away, I had a circle of high school friends with whom I've almost completely lost touch. One of the people in that best-beloved circle was an enormously gifted musician named Tommy Williams. Tommy and I were both theatrical, loved the Beatles and Yes, and just kinda had that rapport that good friends have who understand each other well. For many years, Tommy played with one of Long Island's most popular bands, Mazarin, then went on to perform with Debbie Gibson, do studio work, and play in a Yes tribute band called Wondrous Stories (a band that really ought to have a Web page and doesn't). Well, about four years ago, Tommy and I got in touch again--first time in, probably, about 15 years. We caught up a bit and that was more or less it. (He told me then that my voice hadn't changed a bit since high school--and with his ear, I believe him.)
Well, this afternoon the phone rang and who was it but Tommy once again. Turns out he was calling to share his recent experience playing with Alan White (the drummer from Yes). Yes is sort of a family tradition here at Chez scarlettina; the roots of the tradition go back to high school. It was an enthusiasm my brother and I shared with Tommy and a number of other friends, so this was very cool news over all. Tommy also wanted to get in touch with my brother, because if there's a High Priest of Yes Fandom, he's it.
Tommy directed me to his MySpace page and let that page more-or-less tell the story of what he's been up to. As MySpace pages go, it's remarkably well put together. Tommy's apparently sporting a sort of long-haired Trent Reznor look these days--he was always remarkably beautiful, our Tommy. The pictures I have of him from high school show him sporting this classic '80s rooster comb spray of hair, blow-dried up and over his head looking like Rod Stewart's awesome teenage son. Anyway, it sounds like Tommy's made the life he wanted for himself. He sounds happy. And having listened to some of the music available on his page (which, btw, is excellent; you should listen--"Two Hundred" is great), the only surprise is that more people don't know about him and his work.
Well, this afternoon the phone rang and who was it but Tommy once again. Turns out he was calling to share his recent experience playing with Alan White (the drummer from Yes). Yes is sort of a family tradition here at Chez scarlettina; the roots of the tradition go back to high school. It was an enthusiasm my brother and I shared with Tommy and a number of other friends, so this was very cool news over all. Tommy also wanted to get in touch with my brother, because if there's a High Priest of Yes Fandom, he's it.
Tommy directed me to his MySpace page and let that page more-or-less tell the story of what he's been up to. As MySpace pages go, it's remarkably well put together. Tommy's apparently sporting a sort of long-haired Trent Reznor look these days--he was always remarkably beautiful, our Tommy. The pictures I have of him from high school show him sporting this classic '80s rooster comb spray of hair, blow-dried up and over his head looking like Rod Stewart's awesome teenage son. Anyway, it sounds like Tommy's made the life he wanted for himself. He sounds happy. And having listened to some of the music available on his page (which, btw, is excellent; you should listen--"Two Hundred" is great), the only surprise is that more people don't know about him and his work.