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Life Beat: Rock and
Roll Dreams?
By Scott Quinn
Starting out as a guitarist
in the early 70s with rock-n-roll dreams, I, like every
other hot blooded teen, thought the easy way to the top
would be to play guitar in a big-time rock-n-roll band!
The initial idea was to create a name for myself
locally. Yeah that’s the ticket - I’ll be famous, and
everyone will love me and buy my records! But wait - I’m
just a guy in my bedroom, playing along to records on my
cheap phonograph, through some terrible amp, and through
an Electro Harmonix LPB-1 power booster on 10 with my
parents yelling at me to turn it down.
What now?
That’s when I came to the conclusion that
the easy way to the top was to get involved with an
already-established band! This way, I don’t have to claw
my way there on my own! I can just ride on the coat
tails of someone who already was there and “Whammo!” I’m
rich and famous! Yeah, that’s the way to do it! Ok, so
how do I get to be lead guitarist for
Alice Cooper
or
Aerosmith?
Let’s see, maybe I’ll go to all their concerts when they
play locally and get back stage and impress them with my
guitar virtuosity! Yeah that’s it! So, I go to the
concerts, always forgetting my guitar, and realize that
there is no way in the world I’m getting back stage.
Hmmm! So much for that
brilliant idea! Man, this is harder than I imagined!
My hometown guitar hero was a guy about
four years older than me, named
Jimmy Nivison.
I was in my early teens and playing
Winter
and
Hendrix
when I met Jim. One day, he looked at me and said,
“Yeah, well what about this?” and proceeded to blow me
away by playing
Mahavishnu Orchestra’s
“Inner
Mounting Flame” note-for-note on guitar right in front
of me! I had never heard anything like that and felt as
if I were in the presence of greatness. It literally
changed my life! But then again, I was fourteen years
old. However, I still knew that I wanted to soar the
open skies like my friend Jim and all my heroes like
McLaughlin,
Coltrane,
DiMeola
and
Holdsworth.
But slowly, as I watched his fingers move across the
fret board, I realized how little I really knew about
the instrument that I was determined to master.
Okay, so much for the rich
and famous thing.
So, I had hours of study and practice
ahead of me. But fortunately, I had Jimmy. He taught me
a lot about improvising, as well as learning parts note
for note. We formed a little band with two brothers who
played drums and bass, and ended up playing backyard keg
parties doing Mahavishnu Orchestra, DiMeola, and
Herbie Hancock
stuff. Meanwhile, other local bands were playing more
mainstream artists like
The Dead,
Zeppelin
and
Allman Brothers
and as a result, got the higher profile gigs.
Needless to say, we weren’t
all that popular. But we had a lot fun, and at that
early age, I was learning a lesson that would last a
lifetime – follow my dreams and play the music that was
in my heart! Even though others may look at you funny,
talk like you aren’t there while you perform, and act
like nothing you play moves them, we were being honest.
I look back at those times now and know that we didn’t
sellout to be popular.
Whether it’s classical
bassoon, jazz harmonica, or banging on that old piano, I
can honestly say that in all my years, despite the
hardships, the best course has always been to be true
with myself and my music. It has come back to me in
spades – and I know it will for you.
Till next time, ALWAYS
be yourself, because you never know who is listening,
and where the tune might lead you!
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