First Time (part four)

Okay, I didn't mean to get stuck at 1976 but the year was a turning point for me. I was always musical. My mom likes to tell people that I didn't need toys when I was kid that I enjoyed making music with pots and pans. On one hand that was true. On the other hand i stole money from her purse to buy myself Major Matt Mason stuff :)

I may have had to steal money to buy myself toys but I was spoiled when it came to musical instruments. Before I was Bar Mitzvahed I had learned to play piano, had a guitar (that I hadn't learned to play), a mandolin that I could plunk out tunes on, a recorder and a banjo (loved Flatts and Scruggs).

In 1976 I finally became a rock music fan. One night while listening to Cat Stevens I was inspired to finally try to learn how to play guitar. I had been reading through my brother's Tea For the Tillerman music book while listening to the album and the chords seemed doable. I went into the den when my brother and his girlfriend were engaged in something they probably would have preferred I hadn't seen. I excused myself as I took his Ovation guitar and closed the door behind me. In the living room I opened up his Simon and Garfunkle songbook and began learning some chords. The first song I ever played on guitar might have been recognized as "The Sounds of Silence" by some kind bystander.

My enthusiasm grew as I became more proficient moving from C to D to A to E. Over the next few weeks I began practising more than watching TV (a miracle at the time). And then I pronounced to my parents that I was ready for an electric guitar. How could they refuse me? I was such a sweet mensch.

My first electric was a gold Mann Les Paul imitation. It was immediately apparent that playing electric guitar was going to be easier than acoustic. I could move between chords easier and bend the strings without hurting my fingers.

I had only been playing guitar for four weeks when I auditioned for and got into my first band. They were called Flox. I believe that means flame in Greek. It was a rush to play with other people and crank up the volume. Although I could play 5 chords I was clearly in over my head. Everyone else in the band had been playing way longer. I remember them teaching me the opening to "Pinball Wizard" and thinking that the whole world had opened up to me.

Flox never played a gig but we did practice with some girls from the school watching us which was WICKED!