10 Years? Really?

Well, as most of you probably are NOT aware, it was 10 years ago on this very night that my band Slow Children At Play had our very first album release party. We entered our names into that small town's musical history that night.

It was kind of a big deal. Indeed, this was still a time that digital recording studios were not quite so prevalent along the ranks of the lower class. No, digital audio recording was a realm still very much reserved for those more popular recording artists with record contracts and such. We recorded in a studio on giant audio reel-to-reels (still got 'em, too) just like they'd been doing for decades. And printing an album to CD was rather pricey at the time, too. We took a big risk on a bunch of copies, and only a fistful of the original press remains in my possession today.

The Internet wasn't in use the same way it is today, either. MP3 compression was just becoming widespread, and promotion for our music on the web was just not nearly as straightforward when we released that album as it is today.

As difficult as all that technical crap was, we got off a pretty good set of songs on that album, and played 'em all (and then some) in front of a crapload of the local youth on that one awesome night. Played in front of a bunch of old folks, too. My grandpa was even there...only show he ever saw us play (and no, he's not dead, not even 10 years later here...he just didn't really need to go to many shows when we were rocking out at the house once a week anyway...plus, wasn't really his style).

We had plenty of awesome shows after that, but going on stage with the merch booth stocked full of your album for everyone to take home made us feel like we'd arrived somehow. All around town, it seemed we'd hear our stuff on the radios as people drove by now and then, see our t-shirts, and then later on, even hear it on MTV. What the crap?? Glory days, my friends.

If you were there, you know it was the real deal that night. "Los Nueve Amigos," the men of SCAP. Cheers fellas, let's do it again sometime.

(P.S. - I linked to our MySpace page up at the top, but our main site is http://www.scapmusic.com if you're interested. Not a lot of action at either spot these days)

No, it's not another tech-heavy post

Okay, so enough tech crap for a while, right? At least the blog is safe for now.

Right now...today, this hour, right this minute, right this very second...this is where it all starts.

I'm going to be a daddy-o, and that's just about a complete certainty at this point (praying nothing goes wrong).

Am I worried? Really, honestly, no. Not a single bit. I've seen the birthing videos, witnessed the screaming child in church....I guess I'm not concerned. So...where does that put me? Am I soon to be blindsided, smacked in the face with the dirty diaper of reality? It's possible, but folks, I am quite optimistic.

First and foremost, I consider myself to be at least average intelligence, so I'll wait while some of you contain your laughter.

Got it together? Let's move on...

With all the morons out there making bad decisions, no decisions and indecisions, I think I've got a leg up. Law of averages. There are so many uneducated and unprepared people out there making a major impact on the world (better or worse) that I'm sure that I'm at least a little better off than they are.

Even better, I fully accept two very important things:

1. your life is what you put into it
2. $&*# happens
   

Now, a child raised by his/her parents will often grow up to live life according to the example provided. That can be seen as a huge burden or a huge opportunity. I look at it as an opportunity. As with everything, I don't expect to put up nothing and gain everything, so I'm fully prepared to give it my all.

On that second part...well, does ANYTHING really ever work out the way you think it will? Certainly, that is not the case for me, otherwise I'd probably still be on the road with SCAP right now, making millions and recording our 5th album (mostly covers, sorry). I think that knowing AND accepting the fact that anything can happen is a real good position.

So, being fully ready to give myself into this new endeavor with my wife, and being fully aware that anything is possible, I guess you could say I'm completely comfortable. I'm not assuming I'll always be tiptoeing through the tulips of life's garden...I just think that sometimes you gotta know that the bitter mixes with the sweet, and that no matter how bad it gets, you still get the sweet more often than not.

This little kid is going to change my life, and that is awesome.

Bring it on.