There was a time in my youth when
the whole sex, drugs and rock-and-roll thing had a certain appeal. OK, it was like one humungous electro-magnet
accompanied by Jason’s siren’s singing their sweet songs. Well, I think Janis Joplin sounded great even
if you don’t.
I must be honest, the drugs never
appealed to me much. I just couldn’t see
the sense in going to school, which I seem to have done too little of, to be
smarter and then taking chemicals to alter your personality and putrify your
grey matter. Of course, I was playing
rugby a lot in those days so beer always seemed to be flowing. I probably drank enough beer and rum while
still under the legal age to permanently preserve my internal organs. I never did think of alcohol as a drug. Much.
And then, the sex thing I think was more of a fantasy. Knowing what I now know about sex…
So what have I not covered yet
? Oh yes, the rock-and-roll part.
Like many a young rebel, or so I
thought I wasn’t, I learned to play the guitar.
My mom actually bought my brother a guitar and I was very much jealous
so I whined until she bought me one. Or
my dad did. If I recall correctly it was
an Aria electric guitar, brand new out of Japan. Or maybe that was the second one they bought
for me. Anyway, I was so eager to become
a rock star I practiced every day until I got a speeding fine, driving a friend
of the family’s mini cooper (still
under age), and had to pawn the guitar to pay the fine.
I was quite determined to get it
out of hock, but how does a 15 year old without a job do that ?
Well, anyway, through the course
of the next four years – if only you knew the juicy parts I just skipped over –
I spent some time ‘assisting’ the drug squad capturing baddies and 12 months in
the South African infantry. By the time
I got out of the infantry I had lost most of my equipment but had managed to
hang on to my rifle, which I returned to the armory. Ah yes, I was a good soldier.
But I digress. This is about sex, drugs and rock-and-roll, or
the lack thereof.
Anyway, when once I was again a
civilian my parents, still not giving up on me, purchased for me a very
beautiful 12 string Hofner guitar, which I still have to this day, only perhaps
not looking quite so good. So, still
bent on being a musician, I tried to recapture my youth, after all I was 20 now. I spent enough time trying to play the guitar
and not getting a job to completely exasperate my folks. Needless to say, I was moved out so I had to
find a job. Being the smart investor I
am I went and secured a bass guitar with my first payroll cheque ! Well, almost secured it. It took me 18 months to pay off the $240. I still have that guitar too !
Over the years I played in many
places. Working mens clubs, legion
halls, casinos and strip clubs in England. Barbecues, birthdays, cultural centres and
churches in Canada and the United States.
Why, just last night I was
playing at an acoustic jam here in the LA vicinity (Santa Clarita to be exact)
at what can only be described as the hottest little pizza parlour and sports
bar you’ve ever seen. A place where
y’all can get yer fill of blues, original music, Newcastle Brown ale and pizza
or salad. Very cool.
But, that isn’t the point. I was scanning the web news the other day and
came across a short piece on Eddie Van Halen not making the trip to the Rock
and Roll hall of fame induction because he’s dealing with his alcohol problem
(again). The article was accompanied by
a photo. They say a picture is worth a
thousand words so, as I am at my 750 word limit already, here are 4
pictures. Please don’t count them as
4,000 words Mr. Editor please ! I’m the
only non-rock star in the bunch and similar in age to the other three.
I mean, which one would you
prefer to look like ? Do you know who
the other three are ? You should. I will tell you the guy on the left and the
guy on the right are Christians, so that should help a little.
This entry was posted by rheller on Saturday, March 17th, 2007 at 4:16 am and is filed under Your Thoughts.
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I must be frank; none of the looks of your four candidates fills me exacrtly with, shall I say paroxysms of jealous envy. Most of them look as though they have been smoking something with a peculiar smell…. I’d hate to have hair that long as I am sure it would be a popular holiday haunt for nits….If the one on the left and the one on the right are, as you say, Christians, then it explains why so many churches are losing their congregations… From the look of them, it would seem to me, as though the four of them are depriving a few villages, somewhere, of four first-class village idiots.
cheers
john powell
That’s a funny one John. How about we see your picture in your next post
I think you must have a sore head John. Seems most of your posts here are on the down side. Time to go out and get a nice cold rum and coke.
Sorry, I don’t think my reply was at all a funny one, rheller, any more than the original blog was funny. Far from it.The original blog was a depressing expose by the author, whoever he was, of the degredation that has, in my opinion, lowered the standards of society. He treats drugs with almost a debonaire attitude, as though a big joke instead of a pandemic, international tragedy.
The writer’s original blog, asked for an opinion on the photgraphs. On that invitation, I gave my opinion. He asked for it; I gave it. Had he not asked for it then I would not have given it.
Surely a blog enables everybody or anybody to give an opinion provided he/she is willing to take any following criticism? I am willing to take anything that comes my way; always have been. Likewise I should hope the author would understand that—otherwise he should not write a Blog.
Simple as that: no sore head, and I don’t drink rum. You can shout me a Latte if you like. It would be a pleasure to meet you. I hope you can come to the Bonzerfest next year.
I am not sure how to put a photo in New Bonzer.
However; if you see a picture of Brad Pitt you can put that in. They say he is the spitting image of me. Although I must admit, that when I was having a rather intimate dinner with Julia Roberts, she said that, in candlelight, I look more like George Clooney,—so you can insert either. Print it out on A4 and I’ll sign it so that you can frame it and hang it in an appropriate place, like your loo, to inspire you to greater effort.
cheers…john
Come on John. Lighten up. The original article was mine and was meant to be somewhat tongue in cheek. If you read it carefully you’ll find there is some reference to a distinct lack of ‘sex, drugs and rock-and-roll’.
I do actually have quite a bit of ‘experience’ dealing with illicit drug use (go and read the article again), some a lot more recent than my own teen years and I take the issue very seriously, I can assure you.
Actually, I think what I asked for in the original piece was ‘guesses’ on who the rock stars are and the point was that sex, drugs and rock-and-roll had taken their toll on them. Noting of course that I am the person on the left, and never was a rock star. I have better looking pictures of me as a CEO of a public company http://www.rheller.net if you want to take a look, but I don’t think they reach the Brad Pitt level. Then again, I haven’t been screwing around on my wife and living with a floozy without even bothering about a divorce
I’m sorry you were offended by the original article. It was not intended to offend, and I am not offended by your comments so there is no need to apologize.
Incidentally, I am a member of a Mennonite Church in Canada, which has been growing in membership as long as I can remember, and I am now attending a Nazarene church in the LA area and playing in the worship band there. We recently went to two services in the morning here in LA because of the growth. So while I may not be rock-star material, I am not so ugly as to be chasing people away from church, or so it would seem.
Bully for you, Robert!. I was not aware that you had written it. No name was shown. But no, I was not offended; it made me a little sad. So, you are the one on the left; I thought they were of the same bloke in different stages of metamorphosis..
I am glad for you that you go to Church. I only go rarely, when the Church is empty and only then on special memorial occasions. I have become disillusioned with the clergy, the conduct of some, and their dabbling in politics. True, each has a perfect right to give his political opinion but not when they sign a newspaper letter, for example, as Reverend or Bishop or even Archbishop, as though that gives their opinion one of considerably superior importance, because of their Church rank, to that of us less prestigious mortals.
On one Good Friday service in the Anglican Church (Church of England or Episcopalian), here in Adelaide, South Australia, there was a TV news coverage for a few minutes, showing the then Archbishop in the pulpit giving his sermon. It was not about the Resurrection of Christ, nor anything else so connected, it was a diatribe to his captive audience on the immigration policy of the Australian Government. On Good Friday! He had turned the Church from the House of God into the House of Lords.
Considering their parasitic occupation and looking at them standing in their gaudy robes; then telling us, ‘God wants you to do this and God thinks that etc’ as though they have God’s mobile number with a direct line, causes me to shake my head in despair for the future of the church—if it has one. It reminds me of that quote by some sage who said, ‘God made man in his own image and man returned the compliment.’
Do I believe in God? Call him what you will; I believe in a spiritual being.
When my wife was very ill I turned to God in desparation and said,’When I pray it sounds like a shopping list for the supermarket. How does one pray?’ Over a few days I felt a feeling of calmness, of relaxation growing inside me. One night I awoke and was speaking in a strange language. Acts, Chapter 2 explained to me what it was all about. I was ‘talking in Tongues’. I had been baptised in the Holy Spirit. It simply happened; no clergymen involved. No Church service being carried out.
There is a God, a spiritual being in my belief; how else can one explain this happening? Although he has some wonderful people spreading his word, but oh la la, he has got some pitifully useless dills on his staff. I feel nearer to the Lord, sitting alone on the beach, watching the waves roll in or witnessing a beautiful sunset, than I do listening to some bloke dressed up in fancy robes giving his own know-all, man-made interpretation of what it is all about .
But to those who go to Church for the uplifting of their Faith (as opposed to going all dressed up to be in sartorial competition with their neighbours). Or for those who go for solace or to help others then good on them; go for it. Bully for them! Which is what I said at the start of this Blog. Here endeth the Sermon. Please awake your neighbour and let us sing, ‘All things Bright and Beautiful’.
John Powell
I grew up in an Anglican church school so I understand well whereof you speak in that regard.
Sorry to hear about your wife. Your comments regarding feeling closer to God on the beach (wild etc. etc.) are not uncommon. I think this should not be an unreasonable expectation because it is in those moments of solitude that we are least distracted by the inventions of man (sermons, computers, tv et al).
That said, as you have clearly read some parts of the Bible, given that it be our nearest verbal revelation it behooves one to understand it as best one can. That sometimes requires the assistance of someone more learned.
I know my Dad was a very strong believer despite in his later years not feeling it necessary to commune with other believers – a position I believe to be antithetical.
One of the reasons I like church is quite simply because when other people piss me off (i.e. other Christians in the church, or the trappings of religion
) it reminds me of my own many reasons to be humble.
I hope this is a fitting benediction to this thread !
Aren’t you wondering now how I so nicely formatted my comment ? LOL
Amen to all that….john.
Well, the three guys on the right hand side are so wrinkley and gnarly, that they must have been hung out in the hot sun and never ironed thereafter.
The lout on the left looks so smooth that I don’t think he has ever had any real fun in life.
Colin Fisher
As you have correctly surmised, I am the good looking, young, guy on the left.
World Religion Resources
I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting