I am Jon Danger. I'm in a band. It's a local band. We probably suck.
Now that we have that out of the way...
The point of this blog is to write down my angry jaded views on being a part of a band, a band trying hard to become something more than just a shitty local band. I say that local music sucks because, hey, if they were any good, they probably wouldn't just be local.
So lets start from the beginning.
The Foundation
Aaron
Aaron started this group with (what is my understanding) the intention of just getting together and playing some music. I didn't know the guy, (I was friends with a guy who knew a guy who knew a girl who was dating Aaron) he seemed a little weird at first. Talked a lot about music documentaries, a bunch of shit I had never seen, but I nodded like I knew, because it was a party and you never know who is going to punch you in the face for not knowing the middle name of the lead singer of the group that formed from the remnants of Primus.
I've spent the last 8 years picking up guitars at parties and playing the same 14 songs over and over again as a shield against unwanted conversation. Aaron had seen me around and heard me sing and play. Between him describing a live performance of a band I hadn't heard of and him explaining his love for documentary film making (and me being the active listener) he asked if I wanted to come over some time and mess around and see what we can come up with. I was a little skeptical at first. I hadn't played music with anyone in a long time. But hey, it was the 90's, so why not?
He told me that he knew a bass player and that I had met him a few times, but I couldn't really put my finger on which guy "with the beard" that he was.
Dr. Shane Barker.
Weird guy. Just about as jaded as Aaron and I, but way more accepting of it. The type of guy that gets shit on every day and pretends to take it, all the while pissing in everyone's coffee when they aren't looking. Almost a douche bag, but you can see the true light of pure hate shining through. Great guy, reminds me of the devil, but only when you look real close.
Shane showed up at Aaron's woman's house with a mild awkwardness that was soothed by beer and cigarettes. We didn't have a drummer that day, so Aaron set up his kit and played along to some of the same 14 songs that have brought me through hundreds of confusing social engagements. Sure, I knew other songs, but I didn't like other songs, I liked these songs.
We made it through this meeting, barely. It was rough, but it was worth it. The next practice was at my house, moved the furniture in the living room, used every wall outlet, and made some of the worst sounds to ever come out of Wedington Drive. I was playing a Dean electric acoustic guitar out of a bass amp with a broken speaker and singing out of a tiny Fender practice amp. Those were the days.
Our drummer showed up.
Lance!
Lance is a genius with an attitude about it. "Hey Lance, you're really smart" -Civilian "Fuck you" -Lance. He was in the Navy or Air Force or Coast Guard or something. He was an airplane mechanic. I like to think that he was the leader of all the Airplane Mechanics... all of them. He sat on a throne made from a jettisoned pilot's chair, cracked whips, and spit fire at his adversaries and challengers. Defeating everyone with the vim and vigor of a true warrior airplane mechanic. But now he's in civilian life, so his power is gone. What a life to leave behind.
Lance showed up with the intention of beating on things (most likely a release for the rage of losing his position as the Mechanic King). It was my understanding that he hadn't really played drums very much, but could keep a beat. My understanding was correct. But back to the genius thing, within a week or two, he had mastered the rhythm beast, just as he had mastered the weak in his previous life.
We played and we sucked, and got better and sucked and then played, and got pretty good. My recollection of the event isn't as clear as it once was, but I do know that, without those shitty first steps, Aaron's bravery in asking 3 dudes that didn't know each other to start a band, and pure luck that we all got along, we wouldn't be in the mess we are in today.
Origin story complete.
In my next post, I will be going through our band's first show. The shit show they call it. The back yard BBQ of doom!
