...that obviously goes into maintaining this place.
Wanted to say hello to everyone. My name's Gary, I live in the suburbs in Contra Costa County, Northern California. I've been playing for 22 years, mostly sloppily. I've never had a lesson, probably have so many ingrained bad habits that I'll never be particularly proficient, and my enjoyment of playing dramatically outstrips my skills.
My son's just turned two years old, and loves to play with both my electric and my footswitch. He's not allowed to touch my big, vintage Martin, which my wife bought me as an engagement gift well before either of us should have spent money on such things. (I married up significantly; I keep thinking she's going to come to her senses.)
My style of play is pretty much five-bar blues stuff on the electric. I'd travel a lot of miles to hear Ty Tabor, Malcolm Young, Neil Young, Vernon Reid, or Dick Dale play. Electrically, I listen/play a lot of King's X, Living Colour, Follow For Now (what there is of it), Vintage Rush, AC/DC, Zeppelin.
On the acoustic side, I'm pretty much stuck in the past even more than on the electric side. Most anything John Hartford's ever written is pretty cool, and I like the sound of the old Mason Williams recordings from the late 60s/Early 70s, probably because that's what I listened to when I was a kid, as my mom, who's an actual guitarist, used to listen to.
I have pretty much no limit to my respect for people that can produce a fantastic tone and enjoy what they're doing. Singers that aren't afraid to belt and take a few chances make me turn my head and pay attention...(early Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, the mighty Doug Pinnick, Corey Glover, James Brown, Bon Scott, Freddie Mercury.)
Anyway, thanks for creating such a great place to show up and learn. I'll contribute where I can, but my experience is remarkably without guidance, and I don't want to overclaim what I know. There's not even much music I don't like, at least that I've heard. There's great music in almost every genre, as far as I can tell.
Some idea of formative music moments; maybe this will explain my perspective a bit better.
First goosebumps from a song -- "Back in the USSR", when I was 5.
Similar responses -- Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me", Junior High
AC/DC's live "Whole Lotta Rosie", Junior High
"The Spirit of
Radio", High School
King's X's "I'll Never Be the Same"
Thanks....
-Gary.
