First off, let me say that I hope this article does not come off as bragging.  Of course, any time you write something about yourself and you describe yourself as being pretty good at what you do…Well, all I can say is what I remember a radio announcer saying about an athlete or some other celebrity: It’s not bragging if you can back it up. 

At the time I could really sing.

I need to also clarify something else.  All the bands I was the lead singer for were what is called in the business, basement bands.  For whatever reason, the bands practice and practice but never play out.  These sort of bands play for girlfriends and friends and family but they never play a gig.

The photo above was taken about ten years ago at a Doors tribute band concert.  The woman is the mother of a friend.  Everybody was pretty drunk…

After Vietnam, I stayed with my parents.  I was around twenty-one.  I went to a community college, but in my spare time I would hold up in the garage and sing along to records.  This is where it will sound like I’m bragging.  I listened to Rod Stewart, Jim Morrison and Eric Burton.  It got to the point that I could mimic them, note for note.  I am not exaggerating.  I was a power singer.  I still am a power singer.

Well, it was several years before I did audition for a band and became their lead singer.  I based my stage persona on Jim Morrison.  I was obsessed with Jim Morrison.  Let’s just say I was wild on stage, and hit the vocals note for note while being wild.  (Even now when I sing karaoke I’ve actually had people tell me my performances are mesmerizing.)  At first I used the PA system of whatever band I was in.  But finally I made an investment and bought my own PA: a mike, a mike stand, two large speakers and a four channel power mixer.

To make a long story short, and this is not unusual for bands, none of the bands I was in ever played out because of drugs, chasing women, lack of discipline and so forth.  I was as serious about singing as I am about writing.  After a while, 15 years, I gave up and committed myself to writing.  Now I just sing karaoke.

That’s the story.  My PA is furniture in my living room.

Sex Videos is a flash fiction story of mine.

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