When I was about 5, I started taking piano lessons. My sister already was, so honestly I figured it was just a matter of time before I started as well. But according to the story my Mom used to tell that wasn't the case. She insisted that the reason she put me in piano was because of the song "Could it be Magic" by Barry Manilow. According to her, one day I sat at the piano and began by ear to figure out the starting of that song. Which is actually Chopin's Prelude in C Minor. The song is built around that, it's a gorgeous piece (Could it be Magic) and it's still one of my favorites. She said that I showed promise and interest, and if I hadn't...she wouldn't have wasted the cash on putting me into lessons.
From the time I was 5, until about 15 or 16 I took piano every Friday night. Originally we started taking lessons from a guy in Sarnia, who's name escapes me at the moment. It ended up that he was American (if memory serves) and was deported for some reason but I don't recall why. Something to do with his work visa I think? I wish I could say it was something scandalous and shameful but alas I don't think it was. My Mom at that point had a friend who's father taught piano in the states but from Sarnia it was only another 15 minutes added onto the trip so we started taking piano lessons there. Professor Romeo Fracalanza and his wife Josephine. I LOVED the Fracalanza's. LOVED them. They were like another set of grandparents to us. While my sister was in having her lesson I would sit with my Mom and watch tv, or play games, or even learn Italian. It was awesome.She didn't do that for ANYONE else but us. Because my Mom was friends with their son, we were invited into their homes and lives and made to feel like a part of the family.
I wasn't the best student. I didn't like to practice, I just wanted to play. I wanted to learn more contemporary music but that's just not what Professor Fracalanza taught, he taught classical. Had I perhaps been more disciplined I would have sucked it up, been a better student and explored my kind of music on my own. But unfortunately I wasn't. I can still play, and have a piano in my home, the very same one we had in my Mother's home when I was a kid. But it just sits here, and sadly collects dust. I'll have it tuned and play eventually, but for now it's just a reminder of my past. A great one, some wonderful memories, but a reminder none the less.
In our elementary school you either went to a band school, or an orchestra school. I went to an orchestra school. My school taught strings, and from the get go I wanted to learn cello. Which surprised my Mother since I guess when I was 3 I told her I wanted to play the violin. (REALLY??? I don't care for the violin, I find it can be so screechy). In any event, our teacher: Mrs. Strachan had everyone say what instrument they wanted to play. Of course half the class wanted to play cello. So she showed people how to pick it up and hold it and sit with it. She tested everyone on the instrument and made her cello selections from there. MAYBE it was because she didn't like me, MAYBE it was because of my mutant little baby hands that I have I don't know. But I DIDN'T get selected to play cello, which kinda pissed me off. I ended up learning viola. Which was FAR better than violin as it was lower in it's tone, and had the same strings as bass. In the long run I much preferred playing viola so a good match was made there for sure. In grade 8 I switched public schools and found my class had NO (upright) bass players in it, but about 9 or 10 viola players. I approached my new teacher and offered to teach myself bass so that the class would have a bass player. Originally I was going to play bass in class, and perform viola with the orchestra when we would put on concerts. For whatever reason she decided that me playing bass was fine. Which of course tickled ME just fine. It was something I taught myself, and I was good at it. ASIDE from the fact that the neck on an upright bass is feckin HUGE and my fingers are, as previously stated, not. It was a challenge to be sure, but one I was willing to handle. Half way through grade 8 I switched back to my previous school and back to Mrs. Strachan. She was FURIOUS I had switched to bass, and while she said she would give me an "opportunity to show myself" in the end she really didn't, and she switched me back to viola.
Public school and high school also offered choral (choir) as an extra-curricular activity which I did readily and then in high school took vocal as one of my electives. I love to sing. I think (at times) I'm pretty okay at it, then there are others where I just completely tank. I guess that's pretty typical though.
In high school I would have loved to have played the bass, electric of course. I was completely la-luna over "you know who" at that point and wanted to be just like him. But of course they didn't offer it, so I settled for guitar. Rick Piche my guitar teacher, awesome teacher, great guy, unfortunately he was saddled with my friend Amber and I for students. I have never laughed so much in a class and gotten away with so much shit in my life. I'm surprised he didn't have a nervous break down by the end of that year. There were many days where he would just shake his head at the two of us from the front of the class. I think he gave up on both of us, and while we both passed the class, I'll never know how. So I can now play the guitar, and I have two beautiful classical guitars that my loving husband has bought for me. But again...not what I wanted.
I now finally, at the age of 40, thanks to my honey, (as I have previously mentioned) I have a GORGEOUS 4 string Peavey Cirrus BXP electric bass guitar. I LOVE it. But it wasn't until about 6 months ago that I FINALLY said the words out loud "I have always wanted to play bass guitar like John Taylor". I guess maybe I was ashamed some how? Ashamed I think that I was afraid that people would say "Oh you just want to play it because John does and you Looooove him." Well yes...that's true. But not. I mean yes, I...enjoy all that John's visual encompasses. He's a gorgeous man, stunning in point of fact. But the music, and the sound that he produces is what sets hair on end. Even now as I'm writing this I can hear Girls on Film in my head, and that bass line, that damnable bass line gets me EVERY. TIME. It's what got me hooked on this road to begin with. I am LOVING playing my bass. I have 3 songs (all Duran of course) that I can play, and will take lessons, and practice. But the fact that I have taken the step forward, and closer to my life long goal is substantial to me. I thank my husband for not laughing at me when I said I wanted to play. I should have known he never would have mocked me, but there's that nagging voice in the back of your head that always goes off ya know? No matter who it is. I love you.
I really should sign this off I suppose so perhaps I can "Play the fuckin bass K" before I go to work. #PTFBK!
One Last Glimpse,
~K
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