"We're puttin' the band back together man."

Whoever said "You can never go back" couldn't have been a musician. I say this because last Friday, April 25th, I was able to do just that. I was long past hope that I'd ever step on a stage again when through a connection at work, an opportunity to make that happen presented itself. I work with a woman (Kathie Touni) who is involved in the Susan G. Komen, 3-Day Walk for the Cure every October. Her team, The Power of Pink Girls, participate in the walk and have a Beef N' Beer fund raising event in the Spring. I noticed a flyer taped up outside of Kathie's office and asked about the fundraiser. Kathie explained that each girl on her team has to raise $2,000 in order to be able to register for the 3-Day Walk. She said that the party was a big success the previous year and that they had a DJ for entertainment. Immediately my wheels started turning. I said to her, "Ya know Kath ... I've been looking for a good reason to get in touch with some of my old band mates and see if they'd be willing to do a reunion gig. THIS is perfect!" Immediately her eyes lit up at the prospect. Now I'm not one to toot my own bass, but in our day Rhythm & Bluefish was one of the best party bands on the Philly and surrounding suburban circuit including the Jersey shore. For a bunch of guys who started out as a high school friends playing house parties, we did pretty well for ourselves over the years. At any rate I said to Kathie "Let me send out a few emails and see what kind of response I get." I emailed 9 of the former members and all but one said they'd love to be a part of a reunion gig. AND the one guy who couldn't commit because of work schedule, came to the event and got up and played anyway.

So after the initial response from the guys who said they'd participate my first thought was ... "JESUS! I haven't been on a stage in almost 3 YEARS!!!" I'll admit it made me a little nervous. Now I told Kathie that we'd volunteer our time for one set and maybe a 2-3 song encore. I figured this way it wouldn't be too much of an imposition and the guys could have some time to hang out and have fun with friends and family too. The truth is I was worried that I'd only be able to remember enough music for one friggin' set. So after a bunch of emails back and forth trying to get everyone's schedules coordinated, we finally agreed on two (count 'em two) rehearsal dates. The first night of rehearsal was hilarious. We stumbled through about 7-8 songs and I realized just how long it had been since I last played with a band. More over, just how long since I had sung with a band. Half way through Soul Man (a song that I have sung probably 5,000 time) I realized I had completely forgotten the middle section. Just COMPLETELY FORGOTTEN IT! Up to the A in Altzheimer's I tell ya. Anyway we got through most of the songs quickly. Jeff and Mark (still full-time musicians) were gracious enough to suffer through while the rest of us desperately tried to jump start our memory centers. The second rehearsal wasn't quite as bad. I did actually review some of the songs we'd be rehearsing this time in the two weeks between rehearsals. We played though "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" first shot. Jeff said to me, "Oh sure ... THAT SONG you know flawlessly but ya can't remember Soul Man!" We did have a preview audience at the second rehearsal. George's daughter Corrine and my daughter Sammy were front and center watching their Daddies pretend to be rock stars. Ahhh the adoring gaze of a three year old girl. I rue the day when that adoring gaze will turn into a disgusted, eye roll with an exasperated "Ghaaaaa you're so weird Dad!"

OK ... Nine or ten more times through Hot, Hot, Hot and we're all set for the gig. Ready guys ... and a one and a two ... OLAY, OhhhLAY, OLAY, OLAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!


The second rehearsal was the Monday before the gig. I spent the rest of that week reviewing and noticing the ever growing knot in my stomach. I'm not kiddin' ya, I was REALLY nervous. I played in a working band for nearly 25 years and was a little nervous before every gig. Friday came and it was "THE BIG DAY!" I woke up thinking "I'm actually going to be on stage tonight." It was surreal. Went to work reviewing lines from the songs I'd be singing in the car. Left that day early to take care of some last minute details. Namely picking up the Hot Pink and Black bowling shirts I had ordered as a surprise thank you gift for the guys in the band. They looked great! Hot pink and black with the Bluefish mascot "Lester" embroidered on one side and appropriate bowling team style nicknames on the other. "Uncle Jer", " Big Smooth","Robbio", "Horhay", "The Segue King", "Clutchy", "Pete Jamz", "Sean Diego" and me ... "Mr. Magic." (Don you can still get yours embroidered if you want to) Then I was on my way home to pack up "my gear." That's what made it real. Packing my car for the gig. Amps, my bass and a drum kit for Jeff. The first and last part of every gig. Packing the car. So I'm packed up and ready to go. One last thing. I go into my kitchen, get out a bottle of Patrone tequila, pour two shots. One for me and one for Bill. We drink our shots and I'm off.

In the car on the way I'm reviewing. Singing through some songs and trying to remember keys of others. Friday night traffic only serves to make me even more nervous... although I'm easily 2 hours early. I get to the Ballrooms at Boothwyn, park the car and get out. The first thing I hear is Mark warming up on his guitar and suddenly it's real. It's REALLY, REALLY real. I'm going to play again! I'm so damned excited I can hardly wait. An 8 year old expecting a new bike at 7:00 AM on Christmas morning had nothin' on me and my level of excitement. I walk in with my bass on my back and the place is buzzing. Banquet staff frantically setting up tables with flatware. Women in Power of Pink t-shirts everywhere taking care of everything for a HUGE cake to gift baskets to last minute requests for will call tickets. I prop the door and unload the car. In and out, in and out, out and in, in and out. Got everything? ... YEP!

So I set up and nervously play through a few things. Do a quick mic check. Check one two ... check Chyeeeeeeeeeck! Why do musicians do that? I've never heard anyone do a mic check by saying something like, "I know a man named Peter Finnegan. He had whiskers on his chinnigan. He pulled 'em out but they grew in again. Poor old Peter Finnegan ... begin again." I guess that's not as cool as check one, two, check, check. Anyway I'm all set up and now nothing to do but wait till show time. Grab a beer, chit chat with friends and family. Tell everyone over and over the story of how we came to play this gig and how it's been 3 years since I've been on a stage. Slowly but surely the room starts filling up and I'm fit to be tied. 8:35 PM and I'm just standing on stage fiddlin' with my bass and my lyric sheets, desperately trying not to pee my pants. OKAY... 8:45 PM LET'S DO IT!!!!!

ONE, TWO, Dah, dat, dat dah daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah, DAH!!!! "Hey well I'm a friendly stranger in a black sedan won'tchya hop inside my car?" HOLY CRAP! ... it's real... I'm on stage playing Vehicle with the band again. A quick check to see if I'm wearing pants and not having the "on stage in my underwear dream" and sure enough ... IT'S REAL! I'm playing music for an audience with my old band. JESUS I MISSED THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By about the 3rd or 4th song the nervousness was gone and I was just plain having a ball. Like having sex on a bike I tell ya. Comes right back to ya. Three songs in the dance floor was full and we were just lovin' it. Some songs sounded better than others but I really don't think that mattered at all. To anyone. It was so damned obvious to everyone in that room that we were just REALLY having funl, that we could've played the full 13 minute version of In-A-Gadda-Davida by Iron Butterfly and they would've loved it! Well maybe not the drum solo but still. We played all the old songs that I came to despise over the years when I'd hear them on the radio. Mostly from singing them more than the original artists did, but I didn't mind a bit. I was playing music again. Just a few rough spots that we all laughed about and helped each other through but all in all we sounded pretty good. What made the night even more special for me was the fact that (after some coaxing) my son Sean came up and sang a song with the band. Man that was COOL! Having one of my son's on stage with the band singing. Really cool.
Jerry Crompton's son Big Smooth was also on stage that night playing with the horn section. Barry sax player. Good kid and a very good musician. I love the sound of a Barry sax in a horn section. It just makes the section sound really full and rich. So we finished the set and had a 3-4 song encore planned. Took a 15-20 break and back for more. We ended up playing more than we planned. Brought up some other former members of the Bluefish who were at the party and just had an incredible amount of fun. Did I mention how fun it was?

Finished the night with the anthem of the breast cancer survivor, "I will survive" and then, finally ... exhaled. Hung out and chatted with many people. Old Bluefish fans, new bluefish fans. One older gentlemen hired us for his daughter's wedding. She's currently single. Many old high school buddies were there. Some old high school girls, one of which I had a HUGE crush on. Ahhh well sliding doors I guess. My parents were there and my older sister Gail. I was so glad that my father (the guy who thought up the name way back in 1984) was able to see us play again. He has been without a doubt our biggest supporter over the years. Every receptionist, nurse and doctor in every office he's ever been in has heard about Rhythm & Bluefish because of my old man. Not to mention barbers, dentists, people in line at CVS, postman, appliance guys and anybody else who's ever had to go into my parent's home. I think he was really happy to see us play again and with many of the old guys from back in the day.

So that's it I guess. I've spent the last week quietly smiling as I remember the night on stage with my old band mates, playing music and just having fun. That's exactly how it all started. Just good friends playing music together. I really hope we can do it again before I forget everything I jut relearned but if for whatever reason we never get around to it, I'll still be a happy guy. Content with the knowledge that when it comes to music, you CAN go back. You CAN recapture your youth if even for a few precious hours.

Thanks boys. You are all good friends, great musicians and brothers who gave me a evening of memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life.