Notes_Norton

What's the difference between a well-dressed man on a bike and a poorly dressed man on a unicycle? Attire.

I thought of the great guitar player Terry Kath today, and I haven't heard this piece in a long time. I usually go for "25 or 6 to 4" but I like this Chicago effort too.

Roky was a great talent, but had a tragic life.^^^ You're Gonna Miss Me When I'm Gone - Brooks & Dunn for a quadruple word score

I remember those huge "Voice Of The Theater" cabinets, 1/2" plywood monsters with one speaker in the middle and a huge horn on top. I also remember helping to haul a B3 organ up a flight of stairs. I think they were over 400 pounds. In my youth, I was a sax player in the band, so all I had was a tenor sax, an alto sax, and a flute. That meant I was free to help everyone else with the heavy equipment. Now I'm in a duo with my wife, who certainly does her share of the schlepping, but being the male, the stronger of the two, and wanting to keep my faux-macho image, I lift all the heaviest gear. I also play guitar, wind synth and sing on the job, and because I also play bass, drums, and keyboard synth, I make our backing tracks. I used to bring another 10 space rack full of synth modules for my backing tracks, but I leave that at home now and record the tracks and bring the recordings on a computer. I schlep a spare for that too. A couple of years ago, I had my back x-rayed, and a world-famous orthopedic surgeon said my back is surprisingly good shape for a man of my age. Just lucky, I guess. He said there was some wear at the base of my neck, and that's where the sax strap hangs. Playing the same instrument for years does affect one's body. The fingers on my right hand are curved a little to the right, an effect of reaching for the keys on the tenor sax all these years. In the end, the back problem was just a pulled muscle, and continuing to lift the gear made it slow to heal. But I had no choice, Mrs. Notes helped as much as she could, but she weighs only around 110 pounds. My EV ZLX-15P active speakers are 38 pounds each (I just looked them up). I used to have Carvin passive speakers, but gaining a pound or so on the active class D amplifiers in the speaker cabinet, let me leave home a heavy QSC power amplifier. The Carvins sounded good, the EVs sound even better. The good thing about having active speakers, is if one amp goes down, I still have one working speaker and the show goes on. And yes, I have a couple of spares. I lift the speakers (with my legs, not my back) to about 4 feet, and Mrs. Notes guides the speaker hole over the pole. There is a crank on the stand to get it higher than that. The 10 space rack with mixer, fx, and synth modules is probably heavier than the speakers, but I can lean it against the van's side door, lift from the bottom and slide it in so I never get the full weight on my back. The rack has wheels. We're gigging on the average 18 gigs per month since covid restrictions ended in January 2022, and each gig is a set-up and tear-down, so I don't need a gym membership to stay in shape. I call it "Speakercise". :D I have been gigging for a long time, it's what I do for a living. Sick or well, good conditions or bad, so far, I have never missed a downbeat - never been late or missed a gig. I'm a "the show must go on" kind of guy. I'm old enough to retire, but I love playing music to an appreciative audience. I have no intentions of quitting as long as I can get an audience. Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Agreed. I did say they were lame.

You played the gig. The sign of a real trooper. The show must go on. I hope your injury heals quickly and completely. And I'm glad you saved the speaker. Save the gear always comes first, doesn't it. And I understand about the speaker. Ours are almost 40 pounds each. I lift, and Mrs. Notes helps to get the pole in the hole. (That sounds suggestive, doesn't it?) Well, playing music is our second favorite thing to do. Notes ♫

Tangerine - Jimmy Dorsey's Orchestra (Jimmy was a fine alto sax player)

I’m reading a book about antigravity. It’s impossible to put down!

Up Jumped The Rabbit - Sam Butera

I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King

I saw a sign that said "Watch for children" and I thought, "That sounds like a fair trade."

What do you get when you mix alcohol and literature? Tequila mockingbird.

The Fez - Steely Dan Association - lyrics: I wanna be your holy man (and that could be a priest.) Besides, I like the song Bernard Purdie - the drummer on the sesson, is one of my favrites

A man walked into his house and was delighted when he discovered that someone had stolen all of his lamps.

Stones - Neil Diamond

Interesting. I knew some of these facts, and learned others (if I don't forget them).

Another groaner for ya... I can’t believe I got fired from the calendar factory. All I did was take a day off!

500 Miles High - Chick Corea

I had this one when I was a kid. Paul Desmond, the alto sax player, is one of my all-time favorites.

Paul Desmond doubled it with "Take Ten"

What did the grape say when it got crushed? Nothing, it just let out a little wine.

“2+2=5” - Radiohead

Above? How far? Eight Miles High - The Byrds