Lesson: The Greater Good. Hate in Height Revised
After a day on the streets yesterday, I was walking home with my girl. We were going over the events of the day as this was the first day she actually came with me “to work” and watched. She made some amazing observations and brought a new perspective to the whole project. While I’m playing, I don’t watch every person who walks by. Where I was set up, I couldn’t see people behind me and the line of cars slowing down to take video out their windows. Sarah pointed out that over 90% of the people walking by me were smiling. She told me “I was waiting for someone to mess with you. I was going to tell them I was listening to you” She pointed out, off hand, that so many people were smiling that I shouldn’t stop for one person. I was blown away. A simple truth is that sane conduct is conduct that takes into account all the factors and does the most good for all involved. This is why people get upset with big business who pollute the environment, or who take advantage of financial markets to the advantage of a few. It violates the greatest good for the greatest number, and to that degree their conduct is insane. It made me reflect on my response to the pissed off guy in the Height. Not to be overly self important, I should have said “look dude, I’m sorry you’re pissed. But all these people walking by are enjoying what I’m bringing to the world right now and I think it wouldn’t be fair to them to stop just because you don’t like it.” It’s funny that the upsets and angry interactions we have tend to stick out in our minds. I think more about the old lady grumbling at me for being loud and covering her ears than I do the people who smile and put $ in the case. Its interesting that our concept of “minorities” never encompasses the grumpy people who spread upset. Come to think of it, the majority of people are good. Lesson of the day: Ignore the grumpy minorities in your...
Hate In The Height
I retagged this blog with the tag line from my other site www.TheBestDrummerInTheWorld.com….Tag line, Lessons In Drumming And Confidence. Today, it was I who learned some lessons. This blog is really becoming that. Lessons I learned. And my confidence was shaken. After much debate (all in my mind), I decided that I am going to really go for making this what I do.I’m in San Francisco. My favorite city. Much different than Phoenix. Did you know that 14 million people a year visit Fishermans Wharf?So I started my experiment by taking a kick and snare down to the center of what I thought was hippie, peace love and understanding central. Corner of Haight and Ashbury in San Francisco. I started out at 9 am, went to Home Depot and made myself a drum rug. Packed the car and went about scouting spots in my new home town.When a rare parking spot opened up 3 spaces from the famed corner, I thought I’d struck gold. I unpacked the car, put my kick/snare on the cart and wheeled my little kit across the street. Realized I forgot my hi hat stand, but willed my way to set up and play.Its an experiment after all.Layed down a groove, passers by, stopped and stared. Within 10 minutes I had $2 and probably 20 photos taken.Then it all came crashing down. Some dude, carrying a laundry basket, but not a homeless dude, comes up, obviously pissed. “Do you live here?” (Motions to the building next to me) “no” “Well, why dont you go do this in front of your fuckin house!!!! Its too fuckin loud!!!” “sorry” I mumbled. “you dont give a fuck, you’ll propbably just keep going because you you dont give a fuck” “I give a fuck. You dont have to be a dick about it.” “You wont stop” “I said I’d stop. Because I do care. You just dont have to be a fuckin asshole about it” I started packing up my stuff. The guy stormed off. I was devastated. It struck me that my belief is that drumming is good communication. And communication solves everything. With all the Facebook, email, texting, tweeting, people are strangers to their neighbors. So, it really hit me at a very basic level that this guy just freaked out that I was playing a good groove in his world. I was invading his “personal space” and really upsetting him. And the worst part was he accused me of not caring. The practical lesson learned is that you have to pick the right spot. And you have to take into account the greater surroundings. I was...
The Joy of Minimum Wage
As a general comment on our society, the term “minimum wage” is a cure word. Your parents threatened you that they didnt want you “working some minimum wage job” It’s the stamp of failure, or an indication that you just got your first job at Mc Donalds. So why am I happy that I just made minimum wage? I did it in the middle of a park, along a running path, with a kick, snare and hi-hat. When I meet people in social situations and tell them I play with a touring band who plays 1200 seat theaters, House of Blues, play drums, etc. The vast majority of people are basically jealous. They say, “I wish I could do what I want like you do” They have no reality on how difficult it is and how much work it acutually takes to keep a band going and to actually make any kind of living at it. But the fact that it inspires people so much is something that I find fascinating. It seems that all anyone wants in life is freedome to live their dreams. Well, after 1 hour 20 min, I can tell you that you can at least make minimum wage doing what you love. Plus, people smile at you when you play drums in the street. It’s like they get it. Next step, pick better spots, make much more than minimum...
It Comes Full Circle
Sunday started off shitty. See the post Hate in the Height for the gorry details. All stories should have a happy ending and this one did. One of the reasons I’m doing this social experiment is that I firmly believe that people should do what makes them happy. And playing drums always does. I love it. So, to be all bummed out after I got shut down in the Height, I drove around to find a new spot. Every place I looked was a problem. Parking was bad, it was already taken by some other performer. I felt I was driving around in circles. So, I decided to just find a spot in a park and just play by myself, to cheer myself up by doing what I love. So, I’m driving through the park and I heard drums to my window! A drum circle! So I pull over and scoped out the scene, which was not much of a scene. 7 guys who have obviously had a rough life sitting around on a park bench slapping away at their congas and makeshift percussion “instruments” So, I grab a kick, snare, hat and sit down. I started laying down a simple funk groove. Long story short, within 20 minutes there were about 60 people crowded around, dancing and videotaping and nodding their heads. My faith in the simple power of rhythm proved to be well placed. I was healed. Too many other lessons to document in a single post. I learned by doing. It was...
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