Rob Skane – All Things Must Pass – An Xperience Column

Rob Skane – All Things Must Pass – An Xperience Column – by Rob Skane.

Let’s say that your rocknroll aspirations are like a dock worker’s dream, mixed with panthers’ schemes to someday own the rodeo. You’ve got a heart full of soul, as they say in the biz – and by the biz, I mean the “industry.” You’re a lifer, so to speak. Maybe you’re more “spirit” than you are “chops,” and there’s a lot to be said for spirit. You devour monster movies, professional wrestling, comic books, and the wildest and weirdest garage rock that you can get your paws on. As a matter of fact, you’re so “garage rock” that you even live your life in mono, metaphorically speaking …

You do your own thing. When they said “sit down,” you stood up. It’s who you are. You’re learning your instrument, trying to find your voice on guitar, bass, keyboards – whatever. It’s all new, fun, and extremely uncharted territory. The flag of piracy flies from your mast, your sails are set wing to wing. And before you know it, you’re in a band and it’s the coolest thing ever.

You’re young, life is easy. You and your band dudes are playing the songs that move you. You play where you can, when you can. Rehearse in the garage, even. Maybe it’s a cliché, but we’ve ALL done it. Sorry to rain on your parade, but the garage is a perfect spot for band rehearsal. And bands, as they typically do, bicker. Maybe the bass player, who can’t sing, wants to sing more. Or the drummer thinks that the band needs an “image.” Be that as it may, you try to keep it all together. Every band needs a “den mother,” and it’s you.

Life after high school means that your feet finally have to take root in the earth. And now there are other responsibilities in addition to “the band.” Friends and band dudes fall by the wayside of obscurity, but you can’t stop, even though sometimes it hurts to keep on going. You love, respect, and admire every note of every song that resonates with you. It can’t really be described, it can only be felt.

Before you know it, 20 turns to 30 and beyond. You start thinking things like ‘Why does my back hurt when I lug around my guitar amp?” As a brief aside, I was once asked the question, “What’s your favorite guitar amp?” and my reply was “Someone else’s” – if you know, you know. The band dudes complain even more now, mostly about their wives and their jobs. This isn’t the escape for them that it is for you, because when you tune up, plug it and have at it – you’re on a vacation in the stratosphere, baby.

More years go by, the bands evolve, and the members are swapped in and out. In reality, it doesn’t matter who they are because you’re the major dude in the combo – your combo. Finally, you have your own thing. You’re writing the songs now. Maybe it’s therapeutic, or maybe you’re chasing a fuzzed-out garage rock dream – it doesn’t matter. You live them, you write them, teach them to the band, and hope the bass player can keep up. You hit on a thing, a niche, a style or … maybe you’re just being you. Become who you are, right?

Eventually, all things must pass. It all stops. When you start a band, name the band, write the songs, sing the songs, book the gigs, and everything else – you have earned the right to call the shots. And when it’s over, it’s over. Your hard work should be preserved, appreciated, and most importantly, respected. I mean, there was never Mike Campbell and the Heartbreakers or Dave Grohl’s Nirvana, was there? Music is your only friend, until the end and when the music’s over, turn out the lights.

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