The Night I Sat Next to Neal Schon at the Bar
Back in 1994 or so, I used to hang out in San Rafael, California. There's a little bar there called T&T's...it's a little hole in the wall....
Anyway, one night I went in to have a beer...and a guy came in and sat next to me...I immediately recognized him, it was Neal Schon....an excellent guitar player in bands as early as the 60's, when he was a member of Santana, but more commercially known when he was the lead guitarist of Journey, an incredibly popular band in the 70's and 80's....
Anyway, I was sitting there in a hole-in-the-wall type of place,just having a beer, then this guy comes in and plops down next to me...I looked over and wow!, that's him! I totally recognized him from the live shows and videos, but here he was, a regular guy at a bar.... he WAS a regular...he was pals with the bartender, and he gave him a cassette tape, "Well I'm just shopping it around"
There was a baseball game going on at the time which made me look in his direction, in the direction of the tv.....at the corner of my eye I would see him glance over and realize I was watching the game..not him...It was at this time that I just wanted to lean over say, "hey, are you the guitarist in Journey? I just wanted you to know that I'm a big fan of yours, I think you're a great guitarist, I love your music, not just with Journey, but your solo stuff too" ....
BUT NOOO! At that moment I also thought, okay well maybe he just wants to be left alone, this guy is a 'rock star' and likes to come to this hole-in-the-wall....
But after I left, I realized it wasn't about him...It was about my own shyness...
At that point, and at many points, I consider my own shyness as an affliction...I consider myself pretty socially adroit , I can get along with anyone.....but....
it's the shyness...I hate it...Think of anyone who has ever considered themselves 'shy' and then multiply it by ten....I think that me and Neal would have had a cool conversation....
Anyway, one night I went in to have a beer...and a guy came in and sat next to me...I immediately recognized him, it was Neal Schon....an excellent guitar player in bands as early as the 60's, when he was a member of Santana, but more commercially known when he was the lead guitarist of Journey, an incredibly popular band in the 70's and 80's....
Anyway, I was sitting there in a hole-in-the-wall type of place,just having a beer, then this guy comes in and plops down next to me...I looked over and wow!, that's him! I totally recognized him from the live shows and videos, but here he was, a regular guy at a bar.... he WAS a regular...he was pals with the bartender, and he gave him a cassette tape, "Well I'm just shopping it around"
There was a baseball game going on at the time which made me look in his direction, in the direction of the tv.....at the corner of my eye I would see him glance over and realize I was watching the game..not him...It was at this time that I just wanted to lean over say, "hey, are you the guitarist in Journey? I just wanted you to know that I'm a big fan of yours, I think you're a great guitarist, I love your music, not just with Journey, but your solo stuff too" ....
BUT NOOO! At that moment I also thought, okay well maybe he just wants to be left alone, this guy is a 'rock star' and likes to come to this hole-in-the-wall....
But after I left, I realized it wasn't about him...It was about my own shyness...
At that point, and at many points, I consider my own shyness as an affliction...I consider myself pretty socially adroit , I can get along with anyone.....but....
it's the shyness...I hate it...Think of anyone who has ever considered themselves 'shy' and then multiply it by ten....I think that me and Neal would have had a cool conversation....
posted by Olias at 11:42 PM
1 Comments:
Neat story! I can totally relate on the shyness. I also have the uncontrollable misfortune of blushing at the drop of a hat.When I was a teenager in the high school band, my mom said she always knew when my solo was coming up because my face would turn red as a beet!I'm 49 now,I try to tell myself it's time to "just get over it!" Not so easy!
Post a Comment
<< Home