General Music Chat

My band Aint Yo Mama is playing a benefit this afternoon for a guitarist who drowned with his daughter in the floods a round the Nashville area a few monthes ago.


Weve had to recruit a guest drummer cause our drummer had a motorcycle accident last weekend and messed his shoulder up real bad and doesnt know when he will be in shape to play gigs again.


Weve been kinda on hiatus for the past 8-9 monthes. The band has played 3 gigs since Halloween, this is just a 2 hour slot today and we have some guest musicians coming in to fill in on our slot.


I guess Im sharing cause so many people on here cant even get players to play in a group much less get out and gig, and I have a group, equipment and fan base and cant seem to get off the couch lately.


I hope everyone has a great rocking weekend!

Have a great gig John.

Motorcycles and musicians is a love hate relationship.

Our band has been on the mend for several moths post Tony's knee surgery.

You guessed it ... motorcycle accident.

I loved to ride. I seriously doubt I ever will again though after my last accident.

I was in intensive care for days because a woman in a station wagon was turned around swatting at her unruly kids as she went through an intersection. She sped off and left me lying in the street with my leg shattered so badly it was parallel to the bone in my thigh.

The hospital called my family at 3AM on the third day of intensive care and said they had about 1/2 hour to say goodbye to me. I awoke with my friends sitting in the room. They said I cracked a couple of jokes and passed out again. The fat from my bone marrow had clogged all the small veins in my lungs and brain and I was not responding to treatment. That happens to anyone who splits a large bone down the middle.

God had ruled against the doctors, and I held on until treatment took hold. My leg was patched up and I began to heal somewhat. Then they told me I needed a second very painful operation to finish patching me up with bone from my hip and 9 3"+ giant stainless steel sheet rock screws to hold the several stainless steel plates in place. I barley made it through the first operation so they had to do it in two steps.

I went through months of painful therapy to gain some of the movement back in my leg. It never did heal all the way. It took 6 months in rehabilitation to get it to work good enough to be able to use it again.

As soon as I could stop using a walker, and graduated to crutches, I made a crutch rack for my bike. My leg still would not bend, so I had to ride the bitch seat to be able to shift gears. When I got that down, I rode about 475 miles to the Sturgis Bike Rally and races.

It still doesn't work well on cold or rainy days. But all I ride is motorcycles to this day. A three wheeler for carrying my guitars and amp to jams, and two wheelers when I can sneak away without my dog knowing that I'm gone. The doctor about had a fit when I rode to therapy on a bike the first time. He just didn't understand the passion some of us have for motorcycles. That was also the last straw for my wife. She said it was the motorcycles or her. She wouldn't have lasted anyway, so I guess I made the right decision.

See, all you guys have had accidents, and it's stories like Slacker's that always kept me away. The motorcyclist and the disrespectful, careless driver...and bodycasts. I tried dirtbikes, but everytime I got brave I took a dump. One time I came close to hitting some redwoods. Thank God I'm still here.

Anyways, do a kick ass job JW! You've had a pretty rough year bro. Maybe it's time for everyone to re-group and return to form after some time. I'll bet the band starts back up more enthusiastic and happier.

I've never owned a motorcycle but have ridden a few times as a passenger. There's something about motorcycles that represents freedom to me. Maybe one of the reasons some people love them...

My band is kind of at limbo right now as well. It's hard to find a paid gig any more. Too many people willing to play gratis. If I can't get paid for my service I'd rather go fishing...

Sorry to hear that, JW. Sometimes a lil break is called for, though.

Let's hope that's all it is.

Best of luck JW.

Damn Slacker
Surviving a fat embolism is a miracle.
Was not your turn at all man.

Our gig went off well with our guest drummer. We played for about 2 solid hours. Our real drummer did show up and told us that his accident broke his shoulder blade. Im no stranger to motorcycle injurys cause I raced dirt bikes for close to 11 years. ACL, collarbone, seperated shoulder, 7 cracked or broken ribs, numerous concussions, the list goes on and on.

We had a big time. We were indoors but the AC just couldnt handle the people in there. I looked at the thermostat a few times and it stayed around 90 degrees. Im one of those profuse sweaters, so I was just drowning in sweat. The gal that sang in the group before us came up with a napkin to dry my forehead, Of course the napkin came apart and stuck to my head. It was good for a laugh. I was just pouring out perspiration. I would grab a bottle of water and pour the water over my head and back. People were freaking out this bald guy is pouring water all over himself and all over his Les Paul!

As far as playing I never got comfortable til near the end. Friends said we sounded great and couldnt believe that weve only played a handful of times since last summer, and only one quick practice with our guest drummer.

Brooks our normal drummer said he had never sat out front and seen us play before. He said it was pretty weird, cause our singer is off the stage half the time and so am I. He said it gave him a whole new perspective and that he didnt realize how good we are on an entertainment level. I said entertainment not musical, lol.

Anyway around 1000 was raised, and I guess that is what is important in this situation. People werent really contributing as much as I thought. But it was a hot rocking sat afternoon. And bonus I was home by 8pm and got to watch Back To The Future III with my daughter. Doesnt get much better than that.