Dino Dave: Musical memoirs of a would-be guitar hero

[Dr Nick]

Just read chapter 4. Is it safe to point out a typo? Bruce DicKinson?

I haven't laughed so much for a long time than when I read the fishing at beaver dam part. 

THERE's the colour!

 

[Dinosaur David B]

Just read chapter 4. Is it safe to point out a typo? Bruce DicKinson?

I haven't laughed so much for a long time than when I read the fishing at beaver dam part. 

THERE's the colour!
 

 
 

No worries, Nick, Yeah, I'm still finding a few typos along the way.  
 
 

[Bent out of shape]

Chapter 4 a great read also! 

[TravisW]

I'm caught up! I really enjoyed everything to date - I read it in two sessions. One other thing is that I read the first installments back in November when initially posted but didn't hit the updates until last night, but I still had a good picture of where I left off and what happened before. I think that's a very good sign that it's easily readable and memorable. I think like most other stories, band guy stories tend to follow similar narratives, like "the hilarious hookup", "the drummer who was dumber than his sticks", or "the day I was the worst player in the room", that sort of thing. We all have our versions of the basic story plots, but they differ in the details so there's instantly a familiarity and relatability while at the same time the novelty that makes it a funny new story (it's also why Spinal Tap is evergreen for new generations of band guys). I think you have a good framing of regular biographical stories with "band guy" stories to spice it up a bit, which keeps it from just being a collection of band guy stories. Plus it fleshes out my impression of different eras, so "Ninja Era" comes off as more professional and really pretty unique, while "Silent Rage Era" is so much like the stereotypical young guys' metal cover band. (My old band 7th Seal's earliest days were pretty similar in a lot of ways to "Silent Rage"). I'm looking forward to the next installment as you take us to present day. 

[Dinosaur David B]

Thanks, Travis! 

I agree, it shows a progression of life AND music. The further along it goes, the more I grow in all areas as a person and a muso. The musical growth, too, progresses from that kid playing bass in a cover band, to doing originals, to switching to guitar, to gigging in middle-age, learning production, songwriting, arrangement etc. The things I have to deal with in life become far more adult and harrowing, and then they become part of the music.

And yet I still repeat the same mistakes in music well into middle age.  
 

[Dr Nick]

Caught up finally. It's been an interesting few weeks (check the Sheffield news), but finally made time - during the doctor's strikes no less.

Keep smirking at the idiot drummer references (don't tell my son) - and also I can attest to how hard it is to get from stage 2 to stage 3 with regard to hearing music. I'm somewhere in between - I hope. I can hear how flawed the stuff I/we did during lockdown is, and I've played around with some tracks just for my own purposes, but still way off where I'd like to be. 

Fascinating stories about Ninja. So close...

And I had no idea about how you & Amy got together. Really nice story. Thanks for sharing. 

Next!
 

[Dinosaur David B]

Thanks, Nick. Glad you're enjoying it.

[Dinosaur David B]

Chapters 10 & 11 on the original post. 

[TravisW]

Just finished 10 and 11. Similar to my last set of comments, I didn't have any need to refresh my memory on my prior couple of reading sessions. This was interesting, in that it knit together the narrative that I'd followed during my first few years on the DRG forum and gave more in depth insight that probably filled in a few blanks. Did you happen to read through posts you made on DRG while you were writing that section? 

[Haffner]

I'm so happy I finally had time to read a little (I finished my 5th Symphony this month). I loved reading about your hearing Deep Purple's Burn first out of their catalogue. Me too, and I had a hugely revelatory time going back and catching up with the Mark II years. 

Also, yeah I was introduced to Get Your Wings back in 1976 and Seasons of Wither was a constant. I just listened to it again, hadn't since my drinking/fighting/prison days. It brought huge chills.

Thanks for that, Dave. Will be reading more for sure, I love this stuff.