The Musician... see you among the stars

No one in the band "Rocky and his Friends," wanted to break-in a new bass player. I guess Rocky (Ray) was an important ingredient to the band after all. All the drastic changes to the band were just too much for anyone to handle. Changing the bass player and drummer including a new Rocky was way too much for the new band to handle. When the bass player suddenly decided to leave a week before the end of the contract, everyone became disgusted. Now, from my point of view, we didn´t even look like Rocky and his Friends anymore. The name no longer fit the band. When the plane landed in New York, no one said anything about continuing and I agreed with that. Although I had a nice apartment in New York City, I decided to go back home to Brooklyn to try and regroup my thoughts and feelings.

Back home on Brooklyn´s West 7th Street, I kept thinking how The Van-Dells was the top band in New York City and we could not get signed to a recording contract. Know one ever approached us. Then, the killing of President Kennedy and the war fucked everything up. Rocky and his Friends did become more popular and definitely much better, and we almost got signed, but a female fucked it up! In both cases with each band, we were surrounded by so many stars and even were amongst the most important people in the business, but we could never get signed. What the fuck is wrong? I kept thinking and thinking about this over and over in my depression. I tried not to show my sad feelings to my family or my friends in Brooklyn. I tried to continue to act as though I am still at the top of the world, and that nothing is wrong. However, what do I do now? Do I continue in music or do I quit music and get a day job. I guess I will sift through the Village Voice on Wednesday and the New York Times on Sunday, and see what transpires. Here I am again in the same position I was before I met Ray. What did I accomplish? All that time, work and effort and I'm still in the very same position. Very depressing! I can´t forget the people I left behind in the Bahamas. In just ten days, I will receive my 22nd birthday.

I did learn some lessons from this entire experience with Rocky and his Friends. Girlfriends and wives do not mix with music and/or achieving stardom. It also is very important to write your own songs. If the band had some songs written beforehand, then maybe the Coca Cola people would have signed us. I´m definitely going to try to write more songs in the future. That is certainly a void that I must fill.

The doorbell rang and it is my neighbor´s son Joey. He asked to speak with me and said that he had heard that I had just arrived back from the Bahamas, and he wanted to know how it was. I told him that everything went wonderful. I told him that I had heard from his mother that he now had a band. He replied yes. He went on to say that his band was playing at all these churches that held some Battle of the Bands, and that they were always coming in last place everytime they had entered. He then asked me if I would come to one of his rehearsals to see what they were doing wrong. I told him "Sure, let me know which night you are going to rehearse and I´ll come and take a look", I said. He asked, How about tomorrow night? I replied, Sure.

So the next evening around six thirty, we arrived at his
drummer´s house. He lived behind the Marlboro Projects on Ave. Z and 11th Street just a few blocks away from our block . They were all very cute. They were called, The Shaded-Flower. They also had some really cute little 16-year-old sexy girls hanging about with them. When I entered the house everyone including the drummer´s mother treated me like a king. I felt like a star when I walked in. Actually, everyone knew that I had been playing with the famous stars, and that I had the most wanted band in New York. The kid Joey saw Peter & Gordon at my house, so the word got out and around. The band then played a few songs as I listened, and they were pretty good, but not tight at all. The singer had a great voice. He sounded like Gene Pitney. After they played, we talked, and I told them what I thought they needed. They became very excited, and asked me if I would take the time to show them. I told them that I didn´t really have the time. I just came to tell you what I thought was lacking in your sound. They begged me! In fact the drummer´s mother begged me. Everyone is begging me. So finally, I agreed, and I began to feel very good and important again. I tried to tighten them up a little, but it didn´t work. Thus, I told them that we are going and have to start from scratch. I asked them when the next Battle of the Bands is happening. They said next week, and they were already scheduled to perform with 25 other bands. I told them that it wasn't enough time so the best thing that I could do was to teach you three new songs, but they must follow all my directions to the tee and if they did then we might have a chance. They were all happily ready. I told them that we are going to rehearse for three hours every night. After two nights they all asked me to be their manager. I thought this is nuts, but I accepted after everyone begged me again. After all, I have nothing better to do at this time and it took my mind off the depression and it made me feel good.

We were about ready to perform the Battle of the Bands, which was being held in a nearby church. It is about the only thing available for musical kids who are not old enough to perform in a club.

Everyone arrived at the church including the bands families, and the cute little groupies who now had a crust on me. The little girls would get me horny as they continuously brushed their sexy bodies against me. Then it was their turn to perform, they gave a great performance. They performed two songs that I had taught them. We had rehearsed the two songs over and over again for this performance. After all the bands performed, the priest announced the 3rd place winner. Then the second place winner, and finally the priest announced that the first place winner is, The Shaded Flower. Everyone associated with the band went crazy. Their little girl groupies jumped all over me to hug and kiss me. The mothers and fathers quickly came to me and congratulated me. Then all the band members jumped all over me saying...we did it! ...We did it! All of a sudden it became one of the most happiest and rewarding moment in my life.

The priest brought back the band up to the stage and handed us the beautiful Trophy. The band handed the trophy to me as I held it up in the air for everyone to see. It was like winning a World Series. The band´s families had tears in their eyes. Everyone connected with the band thought I was God. I personally felt extremely rewarded. It was an encouragement that this is what I love to do, and it reiterated that my knowledge of the medium is excellent. It was then that I knew I possessed a natural gift sent by God.

We celebrated all evening, and one of the little girl groupies fell in love with me... sort of. When I went home to sleep, I felt such a wonderful encouragement and accomplishment. If only someone would recognize my musical abilities to make me continue it for the rest of my life without any financial problem. Boy, do I love what I do with music.

A few days later, I returned to rehearsal with the band to try to tighten them up a little more. The oldest of the group is 16. For that age, it is most difficult. Joey is very happy and thankful that I had helped them. There were two more Battle of the Bands after that, and we again won first place in both of them. However, there is a very serious Battle of the Bands about to take place. The winner would receive a $200.00 First Prize with a recording contract. Therefore, I got real busy with the band preparing for that one. I taught the band one of my favorite songs with The Van-Dells and Rocky and his Friends. Try a little Tenderness, by Otis Redding. We rehearsed it continually, and I showed them how and when to all get down on their knees during the end of the song. They practiced it very well, but they were lacking in soul. I tried to show them how to develop soul, but they were too young and inexperienced. In order to develop soul they must forget about all the people watching them and feel the song in their hearts. They had trouble with that, but they really tried to do it. They are just too young.

The night for the biggest Battle of the Bands had arrived. There are some record labels there as well as booking agents who are acting as judges. All the bands that showed-up for this event were badass. This one is going to be a difficult one to win. We were all very nervous as we watched the other bands perform. I thought that the getting-down-on-their-knees event during, Try a little Tenderness. would be the deciding factor. After a few hours, it was the Shaded Flower´s turn as I watched on nervously. They performed very well, I thought. When they went down on their knees, they surprised everyone. It went over very well except; I thought that they lacked the soul. I could only do so much with kids and I knew that I tried my best.

After a while, the judges announced the Third Place winner. Then the judges announced the Second Place winner. Then they said that it is a toss-up between two groups for First Place. The judges then said that the Shaded Flower´s performance of Try a Little Tenderness was cute and neat, but it would not effect their decision. Now I began to worry, because the record labels announcement of that statement included negative overtones. Then they mentioned the other group´s performance and the positive things they liked about them. Everyone in the audience looked on in confusion waiting to hear who the winner is. I then said to myself as the judges conferred with one another for another five minutes, Oh well, you can´t win´em all!

Finally, one of the judges stood up and said that it was a tough choice to make. Our decision, and the First Prize winner of $200.00 and a recording contract is, The Shaded Flower! Boy O boy, the entire place went nuts. Screaming and yelling... hugging and kissing ...Excitement... Excitement...Excitement¦ Pandemonium¦Total insanity ¦Sadness from the losers. The band and I went into frenzy. We all proceeded up to the podium and there is no trophy, but a check for $200.00 and the record company executive who advised me to contact him during the week for an appointment. We partied all night long. I again thought that music is where I belong, and this is what it´s all about. How could I ever think to get a day job?

The following week, I had arrived at this unknown record company to see what this was all about. I had sensed on the phone that they didn´t like me as the manager, and I was a little disappointed that I had never heard of their record label. Thus, I decided to go to their office by myself to learn what they had in mind. They welcomed me into their office, and told me flat out that they didn´t like the band. They were interested in the singer, Alex, only. They wanted to sign Alex. They thought the same as I, that he sounded similar to Gene Pitney. They told me that there would be something in it for me if I helped them. I replied that I didn´t want anything except what was good for the band as a whole. I told them that I did not think that the band would go for it, and that I would not release the singer Alex˜s home phone number without notifying the band first. The record company was not too pleased with my response. They began projecting negative overtones, which pissed me off. I told the execs that I would talk with the band.

I returned to the band and told them that I thought that these record guys were full of shit. They were not interested in the band. They only had interest in Alex. I told this to the band without Alex present, and the band replied that it was good what I did because they wouldn´t go for it. I left it up to the band members whether they wanted to tell Alex or not. They eventually did tell Alex, and Alex decided to leave the band and pursue the record label.

I told the band that this was all that I could do for them. That it was time for me to return to my music life. I told them that they were real good and they needed to pursue there future in music on there own. I told them that it is the only way they will progress. The band and their families became very sad, but they completely understood. They all thanked me for everything and for all the wonderful experiences. I told them that I enjoyed every minute of it, and that one day, I hope to see the band go on to a future in music. Anyway, I´ll be around if you need me for any advice.