Memories of the moments with sound; one’s hearing and energy can be maximized while blurring everything else. Powerful energy during these moments of unison with other souls guides to lack of consciousness and simply being in the present moment.
Band musicians are often said to hunt the glory of live music. Making sounds in unison with others is the most invigorating feeling. From complex orchestrations to free form jam sessions with playing music can be addicting.
But when looking back, most of the ingrained memories of the musician's life pursuit lie in between the moments of glory. It is the shared experience of floating with people who became friends in non-standard ways, by way of inadvertent connections. The people you spontaneously met at a bar, at a festival or through a Craigslist post
In reality there is little glory in this grungier part of touring as a little known band, strapped for cash.
Such as: Sleeping in pulled-over cars. Camping sweatshirt, sleeping bags. Backseats of cars, or friends-of-friends’ couches. Or a hammock on a nice day. Ramen and stacks of granola bars. And cheap whiskey. Motor breakdowns. Rare Motel 6 floor corners. Little bathing. And all crammed into tight space with people just met and with little in common except what becomes common by making sounds in unison.
Stops at gas stations. Destination: Austin. Brooklyn. Seattle. Denver. New Orleans. Los Angeles. Stories of anarchists, bohemians, mercenary bikers, nudity, collectives with strict flushing rules, skeleton costume parties, and ambulances sent to find sleeping bodies on cement garage floors. Eugene. Baton Rouge. Boulder. Denton. Bellingham. San Luis Obispo. A fast moving blur with crystal-clear anecdotes.
Conversations of philosophy, religion, politics. Fear at border patrol checkpoints near Mexico and Canada. An impromptu live acoustic performance on the street. Freely dancing and flowing to other live bands.
It was in these moments that the other lives who would not convene in the normal world became intertwined and connected. Remembering the subtle in-between events rather than dreaming of an enormous stage and crowd
Not to downplay the energy of playing music with others. But the memories of forging those unorthodox connections–combined with the experience of musical unison without regard for outcomes–created a new degree of being.
