a peek behind the curtain ...
Anyone who’s ever been in a creative partnership or collaboration knows that it can be very much like a weird, sexless marriage. Guys in bands have it the worst because it’s like they’re married to three or four or five (or eight, if you’re my old man) other people.
You deal with the same intensity and emotion as in any passionate relationship. Sometimes even more so because you’re making art and cultivating creative visions together. Heated stuff. It can be the greatest euphoria of your life.
It can also be equally nightmarish.
Especially when both parties are stubborn, mouthy brats.
Tuesday’s rehearsal started out strong. But then it all went horribly awry. I couldn’t tell you who’s fault it was (probably mine) but suffice it to say, it ended badly. Words are the weapon of choice and his arsenal will forever be better stocked than mine, but that never stops me from trying. So I go all Sybil and he starts punching with his words and all productivity ceases.
It wasn’t the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
But we always know that, no matter what is said, we’ll still be there for each other tomorrow, trying to do better.
Last night we met again at the IHOR and had a great time. Drummer Andrew and Music Director Chris were there, and we got to run some new, never-before-seen material by them to gauge their reactions. They laughed in all the right places! And having a couple of other people in the room besides me breathed new life into Rick’s inner rockstar and I was reminded yet again of that remarkable change that occurs when he’s got an audience in front of him.**
We also spent a lot of time just goofing around and laughing. I fear that Andrew and Chris saw only giggly, non-productive, Glengarry-quoting lunatics. But they weren’t there on Tuesday. They didn’t know that we needed to be that way for a while, because a black period must be immediately followed by a giddy period. That’s how it works. It’s what we do.
And it’s what we’ll continue to do as long as we can.
WTPA.
**When Bette Midler recorded her first album, the results were less than spectacular and the record execs were unhappy. Barry Manilow, who’d suffered manic highs and lows with this crazy woman, stepped up and said, “I know her. I know what she needs.” He brought a small group of people into the studio – an audience to put in front of Bette, and recorded it all again. And the resulting album was a smash. He knew that she would shine the brightest when she had a crowd, even just a small one. I relate to this anecdote.
You deal with the same intensity and emotion as in any passionate relationship. Sometimes even more so because you’re making art and cultivating creative visions together. Heated stuff. It can be the greatest euphoria of your life.
It can also be equally nightmarish.
Especially when both parties are stubborn, mouthy brats.
Tuesday’s rehearsal started out strong. But then it all went horribly awry. I couldn’t tell you who’s fault it was (probably mine) but suffice it to say, it ended badly. Words are the weapon of choice and his arsenal will forever be better stocked than mine, but that never stops me from trying. So I go all Sybil and he starts punching with his words and all productivity ceases.
It wasn’t the first time, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
But we always know that, no matter what is said, we’ll still be there for each other tomorrow, trying to do better.
Last night we met again at the IHOR and had a great time. Drummer Andrew and Music Director Chris were there, and we got to run some new, never-before-seen material by them to gauge their reactions. They laughed in all the right places! And having a couple of other people in the room besides me breathed new life into Rick’s inner rockstar and I was reminded yet again of that remarkable change that occurs when he’s got an audience in front of him.**
We also spent a lot of time just goofing around and laughing. I fear that Andrew and Chris saw only giggly, non-productive, Glengarry-quoting lunatics. But they weren’t there on Tuesday. They didn’t know that we needed to be that way for a while, because a black period must be immediately followed by a giddy period. That’s how it works. It’s what we do.
And it’s what we’ll continue to do as long as we can.
WTPA.
**When Bette Midler recorded her first album, the results were less than spectacular and the record execs were unhappy. Barry Manilow, who’d suffered manic highs and lows with this crazy woman, stepped up and said, “I know her. I know what she needs.” He brought a small group of people into the studio – an audience to put in front of Bette, and recorded it all again. And the resulting album was a smash. He knew that she would shine the brightest when she had a crowd, even just a small one. I relate to this anecdote.
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