The Intimidator
You might recall I am an aspiring bass player. My husband bought me a brand new black bass for Christmas, and I started playing right away.
I played diligently right up until the Motley Cruise, then I didn't practice while I was on vacation. Then I got sick and I didn't practice. Ok, so I was really, really sick for two weeks and I didn't practice at all during that time. Now I am better, and I'm looking at the bass.
It intimidates me.
You see, I was progressing quite nicely before my sabbatical. I could actually play 90% of "Unholy Confessions" by Avenged Sevenfold, and all of "Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream.
Now I have to start over and that makes me really sad. As it sits on the stand, it taunts me.
The bass isn't expensive: just a basic Dean, commonly used by novices to learn the instrument. How will I ever play bass live if I don't practice?
I don't have time to practice. I spend my days working, writing and being married. There is scare little time for anything else.
There are a lot of talented musicians who read Bring Back Glam! on a daily basis. Our own Valentine fronted the California Glam band Tonight You Rock (T.Y.R.). Glam rocker Joe was in a very successful East Coast band. Both Valentine and Joe lived the scene and were on the brink of stardom (Valentine was a signed artist in the 90s).
It's pretty cool they hang out with us, isn't it?
Back to the bass. I bet Valentine and Joe practiced their craft. They didn't wuss out like me.
I need a swift kick in the pants to get back in the saddle. I don't want to pay for lessons. Truth is, I already know how to read music and I actually really love playing the bass.
It's hard to fit in time for everything, though.
Enough of my whining. I bet you'd like to see a clip of Valentine back in the day, wouldn't you?
Here he is playing "Tell Me No Lies" at The Stone in San Francisco.
Valentine told me a lot of great stories about his band back in the day. He's played with Marq Torien (before he was in the Bulletboys!) and did shows with Roxx Gang. Yes, he played the Whisky A Go-Go. Yes, he saw Steven Adler do cocaine. Yes, he's GLAM.
If we are really good and behave ourselves, both Valentine and Joe might share a story or two about being in a real live Glam band. No pressure boys, but thousands of daily readers are waiting...