Slaying Demons

I did it. I finally did it. I played that fucking lick from Molly On The Shore and I fucking slayed it.

Backstory: 2003, I was a much younger arrogant punk, thinking I could bullshit my way through an audition the way I’d done throughout the rest of my schooling and career today, on charm, exuberance, and enough “right” notes that I would drag my carcass across the line.

Holy fuck I was wrong.

I got up in front of the CO and Chief of the band running the audition and I thundered in. Not just a little bit, enough that the CO closed his folder and stopped listening after not much more than a few measures, and not in a good way.

It took three more years and a couple more auditions to finally hit the sweet spot on that particular audition circuit and I got the wonderful gig I have now, but Molly, the very subject of that very necessary rejection, has eluded me.

Until now.

I’ve definitely put a much sharper focus on my technique and spent the time working on this particular eight measures, and wouldn’t you know it, I got it.

I fucking got it.

Not only did I nail the lick, I got the STANK FACE from the trombone section.

And even better still, the Chief who proctored that shitty audition more than two decades ago was in the crowd and we chatted at a social function later that evening where he commented that the bass was coming through loud and clear in the audience. He asked if I was amplified – nope. On a resonant platform? Nuh-uh. “Well damn, Molly came through loud and clear. Well done.”

Thanks, Don. I am appreciative of the recognition, and I am so fucking happy to have knocked that one off my list of demons.