Well, I'm a month into this new band, and it's going pretty well for the most 
part.  The guys in the band love my playing, and I haven't had any of  the 
acts I've been working with try to beat my ass.
Our first week was easy since it was the Platters and their show is cake. The 
next show we did was in Vicksburg, MS with the Coasters, and surprisingl y
I thought they were quite entertaining.  I didn't expect a whole lot from 
them since it's none of the original members, but they were really good. They 
have this guy Sandy White who sings his ass off, and they had another singer 
who sang his ass off named Henry Miller, who by the end of the gig I was 
calling Dad (see, the Coasters are all black and I'm all white, so therein 
lies the joke).  It's a funny show, and if you get a chance to see them, do 
it.  
Last night's gig with Bowzer from Sha Na Na was the toughest by far, though.
  
Bowzer is a very nice guy, but he wants things the way he wants them and wil 
l 
let you know if you F him up.  He's very intense and focuses on every little 
detail.  I was really expecting the worst from him.  It's a hard show, not  
because of the music but because he runs most of his songs at twice speed  
and they come lightning fast and if you're not ready he doesn't care.  And  
he played at Woodstock.  Plus he's a Julliard grad who plays piano like a  
bitch and knows every note the band plays.
Well, guess who was the only guy who didn't get hammered at rehearsal?   Yep, 
I pretty much breezed thru everything and did exactly what he wanted at the 
right times.  He even complemented my playing a couple times.   Everything 
was fine till showtime.  He gave me the
"turn down" sign a few times during the show and started getting mad at me 
over it, even though I was so low I couldn't hear it anymore.  Turns out the 
soundman had me blasting out of the mains and Bowzer's monitor and I couldn't 
control that, so after the show Bowzer let the soundman have it. 
 
Still, for all his idiosyncracies, I really enjoyed hanging out with him.   
He puts on a fantastic show that's reminiscent of Sha Na Na but funnier.   
He's about 50 now and he's put on a few pounds, but he's still got it.
Anyway, starting this coming Saturday, I go on a week-long Holland America 
cruise to Puerto Rico with a bunch of acts.  It's cool because we'll have 
passenger status and won't be stuck in the hole with all the other  
employees.  I have a pretty full slate of gigs coming up this month and for 
once in my life I feel like I'm actually a professional musician. I'm not 
getting rich and I'm not exactly working with big stars though some of them 
were at one time, but it's nice for a change to go to a gig and have the 
manager ask if you need anything rather than have him whining at us for being 
a minute late with the 5th set of the evening.
Jim
                                                                            
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