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.

Alan The Trumpet Player