As
for an actual ‘bucket list’, I don’t have one. I have already accomplished all
the things I ever wanted to do that was in my ability to accomplish.
Sure
there are still things I always wanted to do like jam with the Beatles or trade
licks with Keith Richards or have Stephen King read one of my books but the
Beatles are gone and it’s out of my hands whether Keith or Stephen would be
interested.
But
the thing that has most influenced my life has been rock and roll. I can still
remember when I was a kid in the Bronx and my parents taking me to an Ice cream
pollar [sic]. Mom and Dad listened to the likes of Sinatra and Johnny Mathis
and I therefore was convinced all music sucked.
Then,
while sitting at a booth, shoveling down my ice cream somebody put a coin into
the jukebox and seconds later came the most life altering words I have ever
heard. They were:
A wop bop a lu
bop a wop bam boom! Tutti Frutti!
I
thought I had been struck by lightning and had gone to heaven! I asked about it and was told it was an old
record, and belonged to something called race music.
Well
as a kid I had no idea what race music was, but was damn determined to ‘race’
to the record shop and get me some!
And
I did, (well my parent took me, I was too young to go by myself) and while
there getting my copy the record guy put on Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode! Holy
crap! This incredible stuff was everywhere!
And
then weeks later, The Beatles showed up!
I
then decided I needed to master this stuff, because if I could I would always
be happy!
And
speaking of mastering this stuff I came across a video of Chuck schooling Keith
Richards on how to play the rock and
roll classic ‘Carol” It’s fun to watch and easy to see why Keith was never big
on schoolin’ but when the schoolin’s over the and boys begin to play there ain’t
nothing better!
Enjoy
