But then this thing happened where I went to a middle school that didn’t have a strings program, so I had to switch to band. And I decided to play the tenor saxophone, because I thought it was super bad-a. And for the next 7 years I played the tenor saxophone as my primary instrument, and got okay at it, but never as good as I could have if I would have devoted a ton of time to it.

Before my junior year of high school, I got to thinking that as cool as the tenor sax is, it isn’t very orchestral, and I liked the idea of playing a “real” classical instrument. So I picked up the bassoon. And so for a year in high school I played the bassoon, and was seriously terrible at it, and didn’t particularly enjoy it, but I did do it, so that is something.

Then my senior year of high school came around, and I had some free time. A bunch of free time, actually, and so I decided to sign up for intermediate band with all the beginners, and was going to learn new instruments, just for the heck of it. I became moderately proficient at the clarinet, and I realized that I hated the flute.

And then I graduated high school. And I stopped playing instruments all together. No longer a musician.

It wasn’t until years after finishing college that I started playing at all anymore. I played in a couple of summer musicals, as a clarinetist and saxophonist, and wasn’t terribly good, but had a good time doing it. But something had changed in my love of woodwind instruments, and I felt like that wasn’t really where I wanted to spend my time. So I took up classical guitar.

I took lessons for about a year, and was making really good progress. Classical guitar is incredibly hard, but also very rewarding, and very lovely to listen to. But after a year, it became hard to justify weekly lessons from a time standpoint, so I had to stop. Life got in the way. And I still plunk around on the guitar, but without a teacher it is kind of hard to be guided.

And then a week ago Kelly brought her piano over from her parents. And I fell in love. I’ve always wanted to play the piano, but never had one, and never really thought it would be possible to do two different things with my hands at once. But I’ve been playing for hours every night and really love it.

So I guess I don’t know where I’ll go from here. In an ideal world I’d have enough time and motivation to play the guitar and piano every night. That doesn’t exist, so I’ll probably just keep plunking around from one instrument to another, never really getting that good, but having some fun in the process.

But at the same time, the fact that I never practiced meant that I never got really good. I never expanded my abilities much beyond where they were shortly after I started playing. Practice wasn’t a lot of fun. There was other stuff I wanted to do at night. The reasons were many and varied. And then college came, and I just quit. I didn’t really play an instrument college, despite owning one. And save for a couple of months in a community band after I graduated, I didn’t play at all afterwards. I didn’t even think of myself as a musician anymore, and I was okay with that.

Then the opportunity to play in some musicals presented itself, and so once a year I would get out my instruments, and play at the same level I always had, which wasn’t really good, but it was good enough for middle school musicals.

And then something happened. I got a guitar. A classical guitar. And I started taking private lessons. And for the first time ever I really felt like I had an instrument that I loved playing. And so I practice. All the time. Probably an hour a day. Almost every day. And I’m pretty terrible. But I’ve already improved a huge amount. Probably a faster improvement than I’ve ever had with any instrument.

So it is now, at 28, that I realize that maybe all of those years ago I should have practiced more. I probably could have been really good. But I didn’t, and I can’t go back and change that. I guess all I really can do now is give my all to the guitar and enjoy it, and have the chance to do something I didn’t do many years ago. And I’m pretty happy about that.

Last week Kelly and I went to see Ben Folds, for what seems like the 15th time since I’ve known Kelly. I’m not really a fan of his music, but I am a fan of the man, Ben Folds, so I went. The concert itself was pretty terrible, but it got me thinking, and conversing with Kelly. I put together the top 3 bands, past or present, that I would like to see live, and what I would give in order to see them. And so here, in reverse order, I present my list of the 3 concerts that I would most love to see.

3) Nickel Creek. Amount I’d be willing to pay to see them. $1000.

I’ve seen Nickel Creek live 4 times, and each time it has been an incredible show. But they are on an indefinite hiatus, which could mean that I might never see them again. They are definitely one of my all time favorite bands, and they don’t have many bad songs. They also put on a live show that always managed to be exciting as well as intimate. About every six months I check in and see if there is any hope of them touring again. So far, no such luck. But I can keep hoping.

2) Cat Stevens (from the 70s). $2000.

How badass would it be to see Cat Stevens in his prime? Maybe even more than my number 1 choice, he doesn’t have a bad song. I never get tired of listening to his music. And from the videos I’ve seen on youtube, it looks like he put on a hell of a show. Now, I know that there is a possibility I could still see him, since he has started performing again as Yusef Islam. And that would still be awesome. But I’m not sure it would be #2 on the list awesome. But the Cat. Yeah, that would rock.

1) The Beatles. Absolutely anything and everything. I can’t think of what I wouldn’t be willing to give up to see them.

Maybe it is easy to say that I’d give up pretty much everything I own to see the Beatles live, even just once, but I totally would. More than any other form of art for my entire life, the Beatles have moved me and changed who I am. If I could only listen to one band for the rest of my life, it wouldn’t even be close. They are hands down the best band ever, changed music and our world, and if somehow I had the chance to see them perform live, even though by all accounts their concerts didn’t live up to the majesty of their albums, I would do it in a heartbeat. There is no question about this. They are #1 by FAR.

So there you go. The top three concerts that I would like to see. And maybe 1.5 of them could actually happen. Maybe this is why I’m so unhappy with concerts in general. Completely unrealistic expectations.

I’ve been listening to them pretty much non-stop since the show, and I’ve just been liking them more and more. You can check them out on Myspace, but what I’m going to recommend is that if you actually care enough to want to listen, is to go on youtube and search for them. There are a bunch of clips from their live shows, and it really gives you a good idea what they are like.

I feel kinda stupid because I can’t think of better words, or something more interesting to write about them. But I really think they are amazing, and I think you will too, so check them out.

So anyway, the performances are June 25-27th. They are at 7:30 at the Missouri Baptist auditorium. I would like it if any of you would like to come and see us. It will probably be at least marginally entertaining. And there is a small chance you will get to see me on stage in a costume.

1) Rubber Soul – The Beatles
Not only is this maybe my favorite album of all times, but I think that it was the first one that I really appreciated as an album. I have vivid memories of listening to this when I was 9 or 10, and being impressed by it, even then. Even if I just liked the music. It was later that I discovered that it is a hell of an album. To this day, when I hear a song from Rubber Soul, I automatically expect the next song on the album.

Also, I could put almost all of the Beatles albums on here, but I’m going to try to not cheat by doing that.

2) Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette
The first CD that I bought myself. I don’t know what else I can say about this. It is sort of embarrassing.

3) Pet Sounds – The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys’ response to Rubber Soul is almost as good as Rubber Soul. In fact, “I’m Waiting for the Day” is one of my favorite songs of all time. The whole album is a classic, though, and really shows some of the musical genius of Brian Wilson.

4) The Strokes – Is This It
This type of music has become a little cliche, but when I got this album in 2001 I absolutely loved it. It is one of the few albums that I could listen to all the way through and not get bored or tired of. One of the few albums from the last decade that I can stand.

5) Cat Stevens – Greatest Hits
I hate to put a Greatest Hits album on here, but this is the one that got me hooked on Cat Stevens who is still one of my all time favorite artists. Sometimes I even think that I like him more than the Beatles. Some of his music definitely touches me in ways that nothing else can.

6) Murphy’s Law – Murphy Lee
Shut up. I went and got this album signed in person. Not that it is great or anything, but I have very strong memories associated with it.

7) The Beach Boys – Endless Summer
Phil and I used to listen to this whenever we were hanging out with Charley when we were little. Snow Cones, Go Karts, and Endless Summer describes many a summer evening from when I was younger. Plus, the Beach Boys are amazing. (Wow. Two Beach Boys albums and only one Beatles album. Let’s fix that.)

8) The Beatles – Sgt. Pepper
You know how sometimes things are cliche? Like Sgt. Pepper being the best album of all time, so it would be cliche to put it on my list. Well yeah, it is cliche because it is true, and I’d be lying if I didn’t say that this album influenced me a whole hell of a lot. Like Rubber Soul I remember listening to this when I was little. And with this one, I was definitely confused and mystified by it. It was so… otherworldly in some respects. Even today, when I listen to it, I’m amazed by it.

9) Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP
I’m sort of really embarrassed about this one. Because the lyrical content on this album is worse than offensive at times. But we’re talking about albums that changed me, and this was really the album that got me listening to rap. I don’t listen to rap much any more, but there was a time in my life when it was about all that I listened to, and this album is the reason why.

10) Yes – Tormato
I am not the world’s biggest Yes fan. But I am also not the least biggest Yes fan. I am, however, a huge Tormato fan. Tormato is the album that Yes fans look down on because it has lots of cute little pop-like songs, as opposed to album length musical feasts.

11) Ben Harper – Born to Shine
I’ve been working on this entry for a month and a half. Do I really have to keep coming up with things? This is a great album, and you should all go listen to it.

12) Brad Roberts – Crash Test Dude
The lead singer of Crash Test Dummies doing a bunch of cover songs. Beyond amazing.

13) Full Monty Soundtrack
I used to listen to this all the time. It has a bunch of really good songs on it, including some British songs that we never hear here, but are really good.

14) She & Him – Volume 1
Let’s put my current obsession on here. This is the only recent album that I really like. I listen to pretty much the whole thing.

15 Kelly’s First CD For Me
A CD that Kelly made for me a long time ago.

“Beyond the Sea” was definitely the best, because it was the closest to my vocal range. That being said it was pretty bad. “Hold Me Now” was a little worse than that, so still not good, but recognizable. And “I’m Like A Bird” was clearly the worst, because it was written for a woman, and I am not one. “Hold Me Now” and “I’m Like a Bird” also have endings that just go on and on and on and on, so you end up standing up there singing the same few lines a whole bunch. I think next time I’ll go for “Sister Christian” by Knight Rider.

I still had a really good time, and would do it again. Especially because Lucia says that there is this place in Chicago that does live band karaoke, where you actually get to sing with a live band backing you. To me that sounds like just about the most amazing thing ever.