While merely a no-name garage band, the group has evolved into a fascinating blend of talents over the past quarter-century. Twenty-five years of age separates the bass player from the lead guitarist. Only 50% of the musicians have survived the band’s personnel changes from the original cast of characters that gathered in the keyboard player’s basement for the first time in 1985. Over the years, job changes, re-locations, divorces and illnesses have threatened to break up the band. Yet, month after month, year after year, the players gather to create new music.
It’s not always pretty. Everyone notices when one of the musicians is too loud, plays off-key or gets out of sync with the rest. Eye rolls, deep sighs and sulking sometimes communicate frustrations even though everyone tries to behave professionally under stress. Band members occasionally leave a rehearsal less happy than when they arrived even though the reason for the group’s existence is purely to be creative and have fun. Feelings get hurt and apologies are exchanged. The music carries on.
In the end, the pleasure always trumps the pain. Like any friendship, the matrix of relationships ebbs and flows from crisis to opportunity. The power of the music insidiously parallels the strength of the interpersonal connections as if our thoughts and feelings are being directly expressed through our instruments. Silent eye contact acknowledgments capture magical musical moments for eternity.
Invest, trust, innovate, distance…repeat.
