Growing up Bass Player (The
Eights)
The eighths were a softer time but a time
for change. The music industry in the late 70’s was in a
decline and things need to change. My personal opinion is
that Disco caused decline. The affect of Disco was
overwhelming though out the music industry.
Music changed in many ways. There was a
wider variety of music.
It was during the eighty we saw the
beginning of MTV and the arrival of the compact disc
(CD’s). Country music developed a new sound that is now
called new country (Garth Brooks) as opposed to old
country (Johnny Cash). Older rock (before 1980) became
classic rock ( Lynyrd Skynyrd) and the new rock became
heavy metal, alternative rock and pop ( Metailica, INXS,
Alice in Chains, Hall and Oates).
Do you remember?
1980 - John Lennon is
assassinated
1981 - President Reagan is
shot
1982 - Dedication of the Vietnam Veterans
Memorial
1983 - Beirut terrorist bombing
attack
1984 - Marvin Gaye is killed
1985
- Live Aid all-star rock concert
1986 - Challenger Disaster
1987 - Gorbachev announces plans for
restructuring the Soviet economy and calling for an end
to censorship.
1988 - George Bush elected as 41st U.S.
president
1989 - Fall of Berlin Wall
Drugs
During the 1980s cocaine and
methamphetamine use increased in the United States and my
little piece of the world. In the early 1980s almost
everyone considered cocanine as a harmless,
“recreational” drug. Along with that meth, as they call
it now, where I was it was call crank, it became more
available. Being a bass player in a band brought me in
direct contact with both drugs.
As I have said before, marijuana tends to
change a musicians perception of time. I did not use
marijuana for that reason. I am not ready to admit that I
used either of the fore mentioned drugs but………I did feel
that small amounts crank or cocaine made
me musicians actually play better.
It took me about a year, but I finally
discovered my theory on musicians and these drugs was
wrong. Musicians perform the best when they are not
influenced by any thing that alters your perception of
the way things are and should be. Let my music be my
stimulant.
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