I talked to Mike today and he was feeling a bit under the weather so I told him I would put up a fresh post. Hope you’re feeling better.
There is a world outside of porn, and I had a very cool experience in my world a few weeks ago. I have always enjoyed rock and roll, and have been in a little band with several of my childhood friends since we were in high shcool. Beatles, Stones,Chuck Berry, Neil Young,Clapton,Tom Petty type rock and roll. I have a 1968 Rickenbacker 360 guitar, my baby.
I like to go to Hollywood Guitar Center and play guitars in their “Vintage Room,” 1959 Telecasters, 58 Stratocasters, vintage Fender Bassman amps. So I am in the vintage room, playing a 1965 12string Rickenbacker 360 through and old VOX ac30 amp, heaven on earth, when who walks in the room, Mike Campbell, lead guitar player for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. He looks at me and says, “I love that guitar, I play it every time I come here.” Without saying anything I just look at him and start strumming the chords to Free Fallin. He gets a big ole smile on his face, grabs a bitchen early Gretch guitar off the wall and walks over. The GC employee grabs one of those cajon boxes, and another GC employee grabs a bass, and two minutes later we have an audience of about 25 people and we have a little jam session going. We played, Last Dance With Mary Jane, Free Fallin, You Dont Know How It Feels, Roll Over Bethoven.
Then me and Mike trade guitars, and we want to play A Hard Days Night. Now most rockers know that the first chord to Hard Days Night has been disputed for a long time. We talked for a few minutes and I told Mike Campbell he has been playing it wrong and I gave him my version of the opening chord,,,,,one guitar plays a Dsus4, one plays an F6, and the bass hits a D note. We all get set, 1,2,3,4, and hit the chord,, it sounds glorious. We do it a few more times just for the sheer joy how it sounds. Mike is pleasantly surprised and talks about hopefully adding Hard Days Night to the Heartbreakers live show. Mike was a very cool guy, and even showed me a few tricks for Free Fallin, and Mary Jane. I got a selfie with us holding these vintage instruments, which I then proceeded to send to my bandmates. They are extememly jelous, and right they should be.
Life away from THIS world is just so much better on so many levels. If you’re a musician, and have a few friends to help you out, try that Hard Days Night chord, but don’t just listen to it, feel it, and see if an uncontrolable smile doesn’t just magically appear on your face, and the face of everybody who hears it.
One Response
Not my favorite music (I am more of a Frank Sinatra and Perry Como man myself) but I wish you the best with that band, Jilted. May you guys get a recording contract and front for Tom Petty’s band (including Mike Campbell) although if you guys are like most band people I have talked to you would consider it an honor to front for any famous band in concert.
Also, take good care of that 1968 guitar. I hear of old brand-name guitars selling for insane prices several times a year, maybe that guitar will be your retirement fund (which would be an insane return on your investment but I have heard of that happening).