Back to Cram School

How's your morning going -- Good? Glad to hear it. Oh me? Yeah, I just found out there's an 8-year old who can play Ozzy better than I can.
Here's my thing though -- when did Mr. Crowley become the standard?
I mean, it's an OK tune and all, but it was never really what I considered the best song from the Randy Rhodes era. Honestly, Diary of a Madman can't get a little love? Suicide Solution?, Crazy Train?, -- Bueller, Bueller, anyone? I spent all kinds of hours learning those songs back in the day. Hell, I've probably put more time into perfecting my performances of those tunes than this kid has spent tying his shoes.
And not fer nothing -- but what's with every guitar player in Japan being able to
afford first-run Gibson guitars? Seriously, do you know how much those things cost?
Eh, don't mind me. It's a slow Friday where I don't really want to be at work, and when it's like this it's easy for me to wanna take shots at people who are doing things I'd rather be doing right now.

Plus there's always this deal that happens to me whenever I see footage of that 3-year old who runs triathlons or the 9-year old girl who just graduated from Harvard Medical School and is going straight to her residency at Walter Reed where I think to myself, "What was I doing when I was that age?"
Possible Answers Include:
Picking My Nose.
Popping Wheelies on my Bike.
Playing Kickball.
Learning my first chords on the guitar.
Hiding Lima Beans in my napkin so my mother would think I'd eaten them.
And it's not like I would trade any of these experiences (boogers notwithstanding) to undergo the sort of parental control/regimentation that it surely took to get this kid to this level of skill on the guitar at his age, and I'm not knocking his talent level, which is clearly impressive -- but sometimes when it's payday and you already know 75% of it is spent before it's even deposited and you're still living in a one-bedroom apartment filled with things you'd rather be doing than captaining the USS Cubicle five days a week, seeing little kids kicking your ass with the things you think you're supposed to be good at isn't necessarily as cute as most other people probably think it is.
Oh well, at least I'm sure it's a guy this time.

[Listening to:  Cornelius"Count Five or Six" ]

Comments

Anonymous said…
He'll burn out between 11-12. Then join an electronica sample only band, his parents will disown him. He'll go on to be a salaryman working 12 hours days and drinking away his pain until Karaoke time when he gets to Jam the Randy Rhodes songs.

So don't sweat it ;)

He did shred all three solos though. And his friend on the drums is better than I ever was... I'm depressed. You do sing better... maybe not in Japanese though.

Let's post a video of us doing L'arc's Blurry Eyes and see if we can get Japanese guys to hate us. Maybe we can get our kids to do it. ;)
Anonymous said…
Everything in Asia is a knockoff. That's how they get all that primo shit. And sometimes, those knockoffs are really good.

And for all the amazingness and talent and wonderment that is Randy Rhodes, there's a part of me, deep down, that prefers to listen to Zakk Wylde. Or maybe I've just been hypnotized by his guitar. Either way, gimme my Pride & Glory!
Hex said…
heff -- spoken like a true musician. The kid's 8, but he's still struggling with the leads - so it's totally thumbs down. This is why you're my hero, bro.

Werdna -- Now you're onto something. Old American's hijacking Japanese youth culture. That's BRILLIANT!!

WIGSF -- Randy was one of my first favorites, so he's got the historical angle for me, but I'll be honest -- I love me some Zakk Wylde. That dude shreds.