CLEARING THE AIR

I am typing this on a Saturday night so that it will be posted this coming Tuesday September 17th.

So I’m from the future.

Tickets for the upcoming TM Stevens benefit concert at The Cutting Room were supposed to go on sale September 12. But whatever the reason, that didn’t happen. So now, I received word from Jan that they will be ready on Friday September 20th.

I do have to clear the air about something though.

It is very nice to hear some of you say “Wow, you’re playing a show with your heroes”, referring to Living Colour. Yes it is very humbling but as I have said, and will keep saying, THIS SHOW IS NOT ABOUT ME. If I was opening for Colour in a different forum, yes then I can run around and brag my head off about it. But in this case, this is a night for and about TM. Period.

It’s great to hear such kind words but this is not a career move, as a couple of people have said. “This could be your big break.” NO! This is not about moving up the food chain, being seen by record labels, whatever. My ship sailed a while back and that’s okay. I am more relaxed with playing guitar, as I no longer feel the need to impress people.

This opportunity came up and of course I seized it. This is about paying homage to someone who was a friend for 30 years. Sadly the last few years of our friendship were mired with dementia, but who knew at the time? I was upset for a while at him, not going to lie there. I forgave him in my mind when TC told me the news about the dementia. It would behoove me to think “Yeah well, he still said hurtful things.” Dementia is cruel for everyone. After watching the special about Glen Campbell, I understood it better.

If some of you still insist this is my dream gig, my time to be a guitar god, fine. I know in my mind and my heart that those are not the cases at all. Am I proud to be sharing a stage with Colour? Absolutely. That’s as far as I go.

Now to relearn TM songs I’d not touched since 2014. Which, incidentally, around this time ten years ago, I did the one and so far only tour ever, and it was with TM and TC. Everything comes full circle.

I hope to make TM proud.