General Music Chat

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.

Ah the Rover! I played that soo many times that lick is stuck in my head (thats a good thing)!

I'd hate to have to make that decision...I've had back trouble since about age 12 or so. As best I can tell it started when some idiot twice my size decided it would be fun to push me off the slide at school, age 10. I felt it pop, a couple of years later it started really acting up. Most of my family thought I was faking for 10-15 years.

I've had to play on a stool probably 20-30 times, fortunately the bands I've worked with have always been willing to handle my heavy gear since I Usually pitch in. But it really sucks, go to a gig already doing enough pain killers put most people out for 2 days, and still hurting. It hurts like nothing you ever felt if you've never been through it. I've talked to women who told me they would rather go through childbirth again.

I also have a serious tolerance for pain killers. 100mg Demerol will put most people out till tomorrow afternoon...it won't knock out a headache. I'm ever so glad I don't get headaches once every 2-3 years normally...ditto for Vicodin. 2 might knock out a headache...maybe...2 Vicodin will put most people in lala land all day...I can't tell I took 2 of them.

So when my back decides to act up, it's no fun. I try to be careful, I can do things you wouldn't think a guy my size would tackle, but I have to be very careful how I do it. I've learned over 40 years how to tell when not to push it, and how not to lift things. I picked up a paper cup once and spent the next 2 weeks in excruciating pain...all it takes is bending over wrong.

I'd hate to have to make that decision, but I understand why he did, I worry every time I have to move my 80lb Super Reverb...I don't move around onstage the same as I once did, I still move around, just not as much or as energetic. Being over 55 doesn't help either I guess...

I think I have something going on in my neck just recently too, since the move to Texas, I've been dealing with what was described above. Index finger of my right hand tingles like it's half asleep most of the time, if I move my neck just right the whole arm does it. Nerve pinched or irritated somewhere, and at times it feels like just above the shoulders, right side of the neck. Not fun...Right now the index finger hurts occasionally.

Like George I've known too many people who had surgery, usually it does more harm than good. My neighbor here has lived on pain killers for over 20 years, ever stronger and stronger as she develops a greater tolerance. I think she had 3 surgeries, still has problems.

Jeff your friend has my condolences, that's a tough decision, but it's his call. I'm not sure what I would decide, so far it's been keep on rockin...

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

Hey Jeff, Sorry about your friend... I wonder if there's isnt some kind of therapy that he could apply, to stay active, and continue music. Maybe arrangements can be made to have somebody haul and set up his equipment for him on various engagements,etc...

BTw you guys sound tight and awsome... Outstanding rendition of Carlos there...