kenoflife
11-07-2007, 08:09 PM
I think I'm WAY overdo on giving an introduction - I've done a lot of posting and trading and PMing on this site for the past year and a half....so here it goes!
My name is Ken, "ken of life" being what that cute girl named Jill called me when I was in the band "Bizarre Crymes" in the first couple of years at UC Santa Cruz, back in 1978. We played a lot of heavy metalish rock - I was the lead guitarist with my L.A. (Canoga Park) roots in Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmie Page, Frank Zappa, and Todd Rundgren- the bass player heavily influenced by the emerging punk scene in SF at the time (his favorite band - the Dils). We got kind of out there, a little psychedilic rock before I'd ever even heard the Grateful dead, a little speed metal before it really even happened. It was a fun band, full of excess that I didnt completely partake in, let alone ever get a girlfriend out of the deal (and forget about Jill)...Even then I was playing a telecaster - a tele custom, thru a series of really horrible amps, which I've detailed in posts here.
After that band I wandered musically for awhile, not really hooking up...then went on to study Chinese medicine/acupuncture/herbs, moved up to Ashland, Oregon. Played in a band called the "Sound Farm" out of Mt. Shasta - learned how to play a little more funk, kind of expanded my sound. Got married, had a kid....had some marital difficulties - found the Telecaster Discussion Page - and revamped my equipment - got a Vibrolux, a FD2, and a 52RI - quite an improvement in tone - but all alone woodshedding it, with a partner who just wanted me to be mellow guy strumming my old Gibson softly.....well - we went our separate ways, divorced, and then I found this young wonderful girlfriend (kinda like Jill, back then) - and we we're at a birthday party one night, and my ex was there with her friend, and we're all getting along great, and then this couple starts playing with the birthday guy on bass - I had my Baby Taylor w/ B-bend pickup in the car - so I joined them, they then invited me to play with them....brought in a different bass player, my friend from England who's toured w/ big-hair Metal guys internationally...
And for the last 1 1/2 years we've made a rise to being one of the most loved and frequently playing bands in the region - Montana Soul. I began collecting pedals thru TGP, much to their amusement at times...Now I'm playing a lot, a nice midlife change - feeling the expression grow, more originals coming out, feeling my own uniqueness and the contentment with being in a BAND where we really are a together unit, and like each other, and its not about partying - its about heart, love, spirit, and community - we can ROCK and we can do old country ballads. Americana, folk/blues, reggae, unique though... I got the job as embellisher at large, appropriate noodler and backup singer. We travel to the coast to play weddings together, share each others kids, bring in other musicians without ego bending going on. And the music gets better and better. I was beginning to think it wouldn't happen in this life.
So that's my story and introduction. I've learned a lot on these pages and I'm REALLLY GRATEFUL -
to the people here and the builders who make the wonderful boxes. My tone is superb, I can feel I'm on top of my game - with more vistas and learnings to come.
Sometimes I post odd comments based on my unique experiences in the Asian medical world and travelling in unusual places, usually they go uncommented upon but I feel like sharing them in the spirit of creative giving and opening new colors and tones where possible...
My name is Ken, "ken of life" being what that cute girl named Jill called me when I was in the band "Bizarre Crymes" in the first couple of years at UC Santa Cruz, back in 1978. We played a lot of heavy metalish rock - I was the lead guitarist with my L.A. (Canoga Park) roots in Ritchie Blackmore, Jimmie Page, Frank Zappa, and Todd Rundgren- the bass player heavily influenced by the emerging punk scene in SF at the time (his favorite band - the Dils). We got kind of out there, a little psychedilic rock before I'd ever even heard the Grateful dead, a little speed metal before it really even happened. It was a fun band, full of excess that I didnt completely partake in, let alone ever get a girlfriend out of the deal (and forget about Jill)...Even then I was playing a telecaster - a tele custom, thru a series of really horrible amps, which I've detailed in posts here.
After that band I wandered musically for awhile, not really hooking up...then went on to study Chinese medicine/acupuncture/herbs, moved up to Ashland, Oregon. Played in a band called the "Sound Farm" out of Mt. Shasta - learned how to play a little more funk, kind of expanded my sound. Got married, had a kid....had some marital difficulties - found the Telecaster Discussion Page - and revamped my equipment - got a Vibrolux, a FD2, and a 52RI - quite an improvement in tone - but all alone woodshedding it, with a partner who just wanted me to be mellow guy strumming my old Gibson softly.....well - we went our separate ways, divorced, and then I found this young wonderful girlfriend (kinda like Jill, back then) - and we we're at a birthday party one night, and my ex was there with her friend, and we're all getting along great, and then this couple starts playing with the birthday guy on bass - I had my Baby Taylor w/ B-bend pickup in the car - so I joined them, they then invited me to play with them....brought in a different bass player, my friend from England who's toured w/ big-hair Metal guys internationally...
And for the last 1 1/2 years we've made a rise to being one of the most loved and frequently playing bands in the region - Montana Soul. I began collecting pedals thru TGP, much to their amusement at times...Now I'm playing a lot, a nice midlife change - feeling the expression grow, more originals coming out, feeling my own uniqueness and the contentment with being in a BAND where we really are a together unit, and like each other, and its not about partying - its about heart, love, spirit, and community - we can ROCK and we can do old country ballads. Americana, folk/blues, reggae, unique though... I got the job as embellisher at large, appropriate noodler and backup singer. We travel to the coast to play weddings together, share each others kids, bring in other musicians without ego bending going on. And the music gets better and better. I was beginning to think it wouldn't happen in this life.
So that's my story and introduction. I've learned a lot on these pages and I'm REALLLY GRATEFUL -
to the people here and the builders who make the wonderful boxes. My tone is superb, I can feel I'm on top of my game - with more vistas and learnings to come.
Sometimes I post odd comments based on my unique experiences in the Asian medical world and travelling in unusual places, usually they go uncommented upon but I feel like sharing them in the spirit of creative giving and opening new colors and tones where possible...