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Author Topic: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?  (Read 2538 times)

hargerst

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A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« on: November 04, 2004, 04:47:00 PM »

Next week, I'll be driving to L.A. for a reunion with my old band, the Villagers. We were together for about a year or so in 1963, and we had an album out on RCA Victor. The amazing part is that we're all still alive after 41 years.

A later band I was with in 1969 (Sweetwater) was less lucky - 4 members have died. In fact, most of the musicians I hung out with in the old days are long gone. I guess it's the price you pay for being a musician. It's not an easy life, and there are both temptations and disappointments all along the way.

It's important to cherish the time you're a musician or involved in the arts. A lot of people hang it up after a while and get into more conventional lines of work. Well, the conventional stuff will never be as much fun as the time you're a musician.

A guaranteed paycheck is nice and stable, but it ain't the same as coming offstage to the sound of a 1,000 screaming fans. That's a payday!! It's a rush and a high. And you're not gonna get a standing ovation for delivering a report on time.

Yeah, it's a tough business, and about 99% of the people in it don't last, or wind up being stars. So what? For a few brief moments in your life, you're on stage, getting applause and instant feedback, that says, "Wow, they REALLY like me.".

You might never become a superstar, but at least you'll have done something not too many people have done; for a few glorious shows, you were a rock star. Maybe not a big star, but a star never the less. And you'll have the pictures to prove it.

Will you kids think it's hokey? Absolutely not - their dad was a rock star!! How cool is that? I have a picture of me coming off the stage at the Miami Pop Festival - with a wide angle shot showing 40,000 people giving us a standing ovation!!

Forty thousand people - all standing, and cheering. The grin on my face goes from ear to ear in that picture. Whatever I did before, and whatever I did afterwards doesn't count. For that one moment in my life, I WAS A ROCK STAR - a "Superstar".

And nobody can ever take that away from me. I may forget my name or the name of my kids, but at least that picture will outlive me, and maybe when someone asks my grandchildren, or my great grandchildren, about their grandpa, they can point to that picture and say, "He was a rock star."
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Harvey "Is that the right note?" Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio

floodstage

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #1 on: November 04, 2004, 06:23:03 PM »

Rock On, Harvey!
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hasbeen

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #2 on: November 05, 2004, 10:05:27 PM »

Being a "hasbeen" myself, I know exactly where you're coming from! I would pay a lot of money to be able to reunite in a similar situation. Have a GREAT time, and this time...smell the roses!
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Who is John Galt

recorderman

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2004, 12:03:27 PM »

 Shocked
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hargerst

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2004, 12:38:27 PM »

recorderman wrote on Sat, 06 November 2004 11:03

Great Story Harvey..and congrats. Have fun at the reunion. By the way...is the "Sweetwater" the same band the a VH1 movie was made about? Just curious.
Yes, it's the same band.
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Harvey "Is that the right note?" Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio

recorderman

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #5 on: November 07, 2004, 03:40:34 PM »

That's very cool. I helped (tiny) Mark Hudson on some of that for the VH1 story......

I think it's time for a Book by you Harvey.
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drummertom

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #6 on: November 08, 2004, 03:47:24 PM »

Great post Harvey and have fun at your reunion.

I'm always appreciative of the time I've been able to play and perform.  I know too many talented musicians that have hung it up and left the business.  I was able to slog it out and play in a few bands that had moderate success and did a few small tours.  I may never have been a superstar, but I was able to perform with some great musicians and for some great people. I worked like a dog, booking gigs, arranging rehearsals, working in the recording studio, working a day job then packing up my gear, driving to a gig, soundchecking, taking all the stuff off the stage, putting it all back on, playing 30-40 minutes for 10-300 people, breaking everything down, packing it all up and driving it home.  I'm a musician and I loved every minute of it.  I never take that for granted.

Oh, and my kid has never really been impressed with the CD's I've been on, even the ones that were printed in Japanese!  If she is, she's too cool to admit it!  
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James Duncan

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #7 on: November 23, 2004, 08:48:14 AM »

Great post (obviously!), and it brings back lots of memories!

I actually still play, but only for fun nowadays.

In the last few years, I have been dragging out all the old tapes and pictures...pretty scary to see me in Spandex with long permed hair and wearing makeup in the 80's (scary image)!!! My son actually found an old pair of Spandex in my closet the other day, and proceeded to dance around the house in them giving me a hard time for ever *really* wearing them in public! (Little punk, I oughta kick his butt!!!)

The scary part is to see my 15 YO son following in my footsteps! He is fronting his own (3-piece) band, writing all his own material, and doing pretty well.

I find myself saying all the same stupid things my dad said to me at his age:

"When are you going to get your hair cut?"

"Music is all fine and good, but you STILL need to keep your grades up (just in case! Wink )."

"It's ten o'clock, put away your guitar, and go to bed young man!"

"Turn it DOWN!"

hehe...I am actually *very* proud of him, and encourage him highly. He gets free time in my studio, but complains when I give preference to my paying customers! (Imagine that!)
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James Duncan

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Sister Dimension

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #8 on: November 28, 2004, 01:24:43 AM »

Hey Harvey...

 I've seen that photo on your website; it is awesome! And like you say, no one can take that away from you... I just found this forum; I was the one that e-mailed you regarding the MXL 993's. Great forum! So, how did the reunion go?

                       -Frank...
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hargerst

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Re: A band reunion after 41 years - how weird is that?
« Reply #9 on: November 28, 2004, 10:01:18 AM »

Sister Dimension wrote on Sun, 28 November 2004 00:24

Hey Harvey...

 I've seen that photo on your website; it is awesome! And like you say, no one can take that away from you... I just found this forum; I was the one that e-mailed you regarding the MXL 993's. Great forum! So, how did the reunion go?

                       -Frank...

The trip (and the reunion) made up one of the best weeks I've had in the last few years.  I'm getting the pictures ready and I'll be posting the full story soon.
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Harvey "Is that the right note?" Gerst
Indian Trail Recording Studio
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