It’s Not All About Cancer

Music has always been a part of my life. My mom’s family were all musical starting with my grampa George Flowerday who was a classically trained fiddle player. All my mom’s brother’s, Irv, Don, and Kenny, sang and played instruments. My mom played piano and organ, and when the family got together it would always end up around the organ singing. So it was, in my genetic make up, I had no choice in the matter. My great Rock and Roll introduction was when I was 13. It had already been years of listening to Elvis and the Everly brothers as well as late night listening sessions to far off radio stations from Detroit and Chicago playing rhythm and blues. Then Little Stevie Wonder arrived . I knew then I had to do something about “ that itch “. Well without revealing too much, I most likely had ADHD and in those days no one knew what it was, so of course in school you were put in “remedial reading class”. Well that to me was where the interesting kids were, a real motley crew.

That’s where I met Pete ( no last names to protect the guilty ). Pete was a very interesting albeit very troubled kid. Pete lived with his 2 aunts in a very big new home. I could never figure out what happened or where his parents were. After school one day Pete asked me if I wanted to come over, his aunts just bought him a brand new set of Ludwig drums. Why not , right ? Sounded very cool. So that weekend I went over to Pete’s home with a small chord organ I found in my parents attic. Rang the doorbell and was met by one of his aunts in a wheel chair, the other was sitting in a corner chain smoking, Pete was waiting in the basement. My new “ buddy “ Pete was a slight curly haired 13 year old with the scariest amount of intensity, and that is putting it mildly. He was ecstatic I brought that little chord organ with me and I was blown away looking at his shiny new Ludwigs. He even had cool stage lights set up as well as a great P.A. system. I mean I thought how cool is this ?  Well some things are meant to be and some things are meant to leave… ASAP.  I had no idea what I was in for.
Plugged my little organ into the P.A. ( oh and did I mention that I had no idea how to play ? ) and off we went into pure rock n roll heaven !  I never had known such bliss. Seemed like we played for hours. When we finally finished our revelry , we sat down trying to catch our breath , just two 13 year olds who were on top of the world. Right.

Now this is where the story seems unbelievable but I assure you it was branded into my soul and remains. Pete walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a gun, walked over, put it to my chest and said “you’re in my band, and that’s it.” That was my introduction - rather induction into the crazy world of Rock.