General Music Chat

My good friend, musical soulmate and current soundman Barry whom ya'll have heard me mention started having back problems about 4 months ago. He went thru a series of cortizone treatments that didn't help and had to have back sugery 3 weeks ago. He went to see the surgeon for a follow up yesterday and is going to have to give up music permanently! I really feel like an era is passing. He sent me an email last night saying he is having to pull out. It just breaks your heart to see a fellow bandmate you have made so much music with and formed some of the best memories of your life have to give up something that you know truley brings them joy!

Why would a soundman have to give up music? Is it because he can't move gear? I had a herniated disc in 1986, spent a week in traction and a year in PT. They recommended surgery but I said no way. I went to an orthopedic surgeon a few years ago when it started acting up again and he said I now have degenerative disc disease. Basically the disc dissolved and the two vertebrae are in contact. I can still do pretty much whatever I want but occasionally it bothers me but that's what Advil is for.

I'm confused.. He can't play music at all? Or he just can't play in a band anymore? Hell, there was a guy here a few years ago with no arms and he learned to play guitar with his feet..

I don't think I could accept never playing again. I could accept that I'm never going to jump all over a stage again, but hell, even if they rolled me out on a wheel-chair, I could still play live to some degree-

So what's up?

I'll pray for him J

Disabilities haven't stopped us.
Marsha has several ruptured discs in her back.
If she sneezes too hard half of her body goes limp.
I have to put the discs back in place myself.
She's been completely paralyzed a few times.

Yeah, we're kinda limited in what we can do nowadays.
No more jumping around and sh!t.
No more hauling heavy gear everywhere.
But, that is what roadies are for.

Why would a soundman have to give up music? Is it because he can't move gear? I had a herniated disc in 1986, spent a week in traction and a year in PT. They recommended surgery but I said no way. I went to an orthopedic surgeon a few years ago when it started acting up again and he said I now have degenerative disc disease. Basically the disc dissolved and the two vertebrae are in contact. I can still do pretty much whatever I want but occasionally it bothers me but that's what Advil is for.

He has the same thing ddd however the disc was bulging and putting pressure on a nerve and causing him horrific pain that debilitated him to the point he couldn't work or anything. He is the kind of guy that has to do everything BIGGER and BETTER. The surgeon told him he could pretty much go back to a normal life. You know how it is at 3am when your tired and trying to get everything loaded you are in a hurry and Barry KNOWS he will become complacent and possibly re-injure his back. He is not willing to do that and I don't blame him. Basically he has a choice live out the rest of his years pretty much normal and give up music. Or risk (surgeon said 80% chance) being back on the table. 3 of his disk's are badly damaged! It sounds like yours are not in as bad of condition but be careful how you lift things because you could be in the same situation and I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy!

There is a chiropractor in Lancaster, Ohio I can recommend. His name is Jerold Simon. If there is a man to help your man, it is him.

I know exactly what he's going through, I had sciatica (the bulge pressing on the sciatic nerve) very bad and it still flares up occasionally. When it gets pissy it feels like needles are stabbing into my left foot. But it would take a hell of a lot more than that to make me quit. Pain reminds us that we are alive!

Oh and I do not recommend a chiropractor for disc problems, in fact they can make it worse. Drugs or surgery, and the surgery is not guaranteed.

I know exactly what he's going through, I had sciatica (the bulge pressing on the sciatic nerve) very bad and it still flares up occasionally. When it gets pissy it feels like needles are stabbing into my left foot. But it would take a hell of a lot more than that to make me quit. Pain reminds us that we are alive!

Oh and I do not recommend a chiropractor for disc problems, in fact they can make it worse. Drugs or surgery, and the surgery is not guaranteed.

His must be much worse because he couldn't do the things we all take for granted like get off the pot, tie shoes, SLEEP!
Be careful Jimmy because if you lift things the wrong way and you already have it you could wind up the same way!

Another friend had a heart attack and I have noticed that folks that go through something that life altering tend to panic and over react in fear that they will wind up back at square one. Barry was serious last night when we talked. He is HIGHLY intelligent in fact he is the smartest person I have EVER known and I work with Doctors all day! When Barry makes a decision like this I WILL accept it. I will however keep his spot open as long as I LIVE thats how loyal I am.

Actually Jeff I was in exactly the same shape after my incident, I could barely walk or get in and out of a car. But after a few years things settled down and now I'm able to move Marshalls and play golf. You're right though you have to be careful.

That is truly unfortunate.
Jimmy, sounds like you made a pretty wise choice.
Surgical procedures on the back are rarely effective in doing more than causing more harm IMO.
I've seen the results hundreds if not thousands of times.

Do take care.
We only get one.

Haley sorry about your friend. Probably best to quit, cause if he does continue and get other people to help, in the end he will grab something and move it wrong.

Weve got most of our stuff on wheels and have a good dolly, but getting that stuff in place in the trailer always take some muscleing around. Thats my job after gigs, I cant stand rolling cords at the end of the night, so I just start loading the heavy sh*t, cause I know where it goes, and how to pack it.

Ive got all kinds of aches and pains, I raced dirt bikes and messed a lot of stuff up, but I look at the moving gear as my gym.

Jimmy you ole PRUNK sounds like you are held together with super glue!

Haley sorry about your friend. Probably best to quit, cause if he does continue and get other people to help, in the end he will grab something and move it wrong.

Weve got most of our stuff on wheels and have a good dolly, but getting that stuff in place in the trailer always take some muscleing around. Thats my job after gigs, I cant stand rolling cords at the end of the night, so I just start loading the heavy sh*t, cause I know where it goes, and how to pack it.

Ive got all kinds of aches and pains, I raced dirt bikes and messed a lot of stuff up, but I look at the moving gear as my gym.

Jimmy you ole PRUNK sounds like you are held together with super glue!

Be careful John, Barry thinks thats what messed his back up. He is a little stubborn and won't allow us to help sometimes because he is so particular about how his trailer is loaded. I have watched him for years move things around in a position that would make me cringe. I learned to just stay out of his way when he gets quite (tired at 3am). It almost feels like someone died. Emotionally that is where I'm at. He is the guy in the older video's I posted last week (Oye Como Va & Take It Easy) playing keyboards and acoustic guitar. Music will never be the same without him!
Here is a video with him on keyboards! For those of you who haven't seen this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88TPN_A5 ... e=gv&hl=en

Haley at one time I lifted weights and thru that I think I learned how to pick things up, in my trailer I dont stack anything, everything is on wheels so you just have to roll things in position so they dont shift during the ride, when I got back into it the first thing I did was put the gear in cases to where this was possible, Im all for making things easier.

About the only lifting we have to do is putting the mains on top of the subs, and I always get help for that.


Like i said sorry about your friend that does suck.

Jimmy you ole PRUNK sounds like you are held together with super glue!

Super glue? Nah I sniffed it all. I'm held together with piss and sawdust.

Jeff, it's funny you mention it, we did "Oye Como Va" last night just for a jam. We also added "The Rover', which is tough but doable for the vocalist.