It's kind of crazy to say this but five years ago I wouldn't have been able to half of this stuff while drinking. Now the best birthday I can imagine consists of radio interviews, bass lessons, and studio time. COUNT IT. Looking back I have had some amazing birthday adventures. To be honest with you I can't really remember to many of them, a little fuzzy to say the least. That being said, I wouldn't change any of it for the world. You live and learn and grow from your mistakes. I was trying to remember a few of the birthdays that stuck out in my mind and probably the most pivotal was my 16th or 17th birthday, see kind of blurry. I remember my mom and dad asking me what I wanted and I had just gotten really big into KISS a few years before. There was no deliberation. I wanted a guitar and not just any guitar I wanted a cherry sunburst Les Paul like the one Ace Frehley played. I can't believe they caved but eventually we went to the old Deitz Music in Omaha, NE and an Epiphone Les Paul Specail and they packaged it with a 15 watt Peavy Amp. It was absolutely perfect. That day the journey began. Almost 14 years later I haven't looked back or come up for a breath of air.
That Cherry Sunburst Les Paul was my pride and joy. I soon took up guitar lessons and about a year later I was joining my first band Officially Terminated. That guitar was the kindling for the Rock N Roll fire that I have in my belly today. I soon purchased an upgraded Les Paul Ace Frehley Custom but the old red guitar still came along to every show as a backup. We moved Officially Terminated from Fremont, NE to Lincoln, NE and we practicing in our singers basement, a party house. So naturally we would all get wasted and jam until the cops showed up. During one of those fateful evenings we went down to jam and it was gone. Some partygoer had snuck into our rehearsal space and stolen my guitar with the strap and wireless pack attatched. I searched and searched but never was able to find it. Probably long gone by now. I do remember pulling out the neck pickup and signing my name on the bare wood underneath just in case. Somewhere out there my Cherry Sunburst Les Paul Special is waiting for me. I believe someday I will meet up with my old friend. Everyone remembers their first guitar and that guitar, although not worth more than $100 is invualable to me. There's no way parents could have known that a cheap Les Paul would change a persons life. At least the guitar lessons payed off.
ALWAYS LOUD
FOREVER PROUD
Sam Spade
I remember those Officially Terminated days well...many shows up in sioux city, and I even took my PA down to fremont to work a show with you guys. Glad to see your still going strong, and proud that you are where you are today and happy with things. Take care Sam, and happy birthday!
ReplyDelete