I have played and worked all over the world. Everywhere I went, I found myself comparing it to home, and yearning to come back.
Any musician who has not been out playing full time on the road for a living just can't grasp the idea. What??? You get to play every day?? and you get paid (pretty well) for it?? Are you nuts??
What they don't understand is
(1) You usualy play 5 or 6 hours each night.
(2) You usually end up playing most of your song list every night.
(3) It's really difficult to keep any kind of EnERGy for 5 or 6 hours.
(4) You must play for chairs many times.
(5) Your band is just a diversion for patrons.
(6) When you are finished for the night, usually around 3:30-4:00AM you might sit around a have a few with your bandmates or a couple of fans, but then you go back to your room and try to watch TV, can't get to sleep till 9:00AM then get up around 4:00PM. Go get something to eat. Come back to the room. Watch some more TV until it's time to do it again - 7 nights a week. You can't go to your nephew's ball game, or go fishing with friends, or go shoot the shit with your friends or family, cause they are 2000 miles away. This is definitely a JOB, and this JOB SUCKS!!
Despite all of it's shortcomings, our little piece of Mother Earth is like no other. We all get bitchy about the music scene here in PA, but let me tell ya - it's better than most.
In my opinion, there really is "no place like home".
John Homerski Jr., Drumz & Vocals - Flood City Brass
Thanks everyone, I'm now officially back in town. Two days of constant driving and 2,500-something miles later and I'm back home. Good to be back, see you all soon!
