They Provide the Paint for the Picture-Perfect Masterpiece That You Will Paint on the Insides of Your Eyelids

My love for music branches out beyond just listening to it. I've tried starting a band before. That is seriously one of the best feelings in the world. Being on stage in front of a crowd is exhilarating and really exciting and fun. When i think back to when i was in a band, i just can't help but think that it was one of the best experiences in my life to have ever lived out.

The first band i was in was The Starving Armenians. There's a whole back story to the name, but I'll focus elsewhere this time. Maybe in the future I'll confront that story. But, anyways, this band, The Starving Armenians, TSA for short, was one of the most fun things i was ever had the opportunity to be apart of. Playing music is so much fun by itself that the prospect of playing in front of people for entertainment just screams out to me. Besides the thrill of actually playing, i loved that part of my life because that's when i got some of the best friends that i ever met.

Lucas was the one who started the band. He is one of the most enthusiastic people i know. He loves everything and just loves life in general. He totally embraces all aspects of his life. He can take anything that life throws at him. Some would call him weird, sure, but the weird little things he did were the things we came to love about him. Lucas loves music and everything about it. He's one of the ones that actually got me into ska. I love him for that. He always talks about starting a band even after TSA ended. Yes, that's the full band in the main picture. And yes, that's right, TSA had to come to an end. Everyone was leaving for college and everyone just got lost in school and too busy to make any time for the music.

But i loved those times in the garage playing ska and having fun with my friends. I can't count the numerous times we got mad and angry at each other when we felt like one of us was asking too much of the rest. A band of this magnitude shouldn't be concerned with being perfectionists.
The band was really fun though and each member contributed a lot. Adam played his heart out on those drums. Devon provided the bass sounds of the trombone and was sort of the go-to guy when we were coming up with horn lines. Nick was the sax player who's skills transcended just playing for the high school band. Plus, he had a car...that was helpful. And Alan. Oh, jesus. What can i say about Alan? He was the king. King Alan. He was the most skilled musician we had. Not only was he an incredible trumpet player, but that motherfucker could play the shit out of the drums and just about every other instrument in the band. He started picking up on the bass and was already good at the trombone. That kid could play. Garrett provided the vocals, even if he didn't always provide the lyrics. But he really did sing really good and with a lot of soul. If you were to look at the band as the human body, each of us being a vital organ making up the insides and heart of the band, then Lucas was the brain. He structured all the songs and wrote the music, excluding some of the horn lines. But he was really the brain, the force behind the band. And if we were a human body and Lucas was the brain, then our IQ wouldn't hit triple digits. That kid, as much as i love him and as skilled he is at playing music, couldn't make his mind up on a fucking song. I think that we only had maybe two songs that were complete. All the other songs, Lucas would come to the next practice like, "ok guys, i just thought of something new we could add into this part," or "Alright, let's take a big chunk out of this song and make it something completely ridiculous and hard to play." sigh.
That kid was too much sometimes, but i tolerated it because i looked at him almost like a mentor. He was one of the important people in my life leading me somewhere. He led me to a huge passion in my life. I just wish school didn't separate us apart like it does. He since then has become one of my best friends. I couldn't imagine where i would be now in my life had Adam never introduced me to him or i never even met Adam freshman year. Had i never went to that first full band practice, i would have never met Devon or Alan or Nick or Jes and Heather and Julia.

I suppose I'm starting a theme right now for my blog. No regrets. I just have to be thankful for the cards being dealt to me, even if i get shitty cards.

So, until next time...