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Bio:
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I grew up in a small town, but I went to a local dimestore that had the only albums in town; and would pick out what I would listen to by any poetry the band wrote; or I knew I hit on something cool when the storemanager would come to me (I was only 11) and ask if my parents knew I was going for some really hard rock music. I picked up Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Doors, etc. I went to Woodstock with my older brother and just freaked when Hendrix played the National Anthem on his guitar; sound effects and all. I was about 14; but my older brother promised to "watch out for me". He couldn't, he did the brown acid and ended up in the recovery tent. I saw The Who, Johnny Winter, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Country Joe and The Fish, Joe Cocker, etc. I don't want to get on a tangent and try to name everyone. I got a Yamaha Acoustical Guitar; and went to the local YMCA for lessons. I didn't like it. I just played as much as I could on my own; but after Woodstock; with money earned working odd jobs I obtained a Gibson Hummingbird and a Martin DS-28; of course through the years they disappeared, and when I bought then they were a mind boggling $300.00 to $400.00 guitar LOL! My first electric guitar was a Fender Stratocaster; and a local guitar player taught me both acoustical and electric. I liked the hard rock music like AC/DC'; Black Sabbath; Frank Zappa, Hip Death Goddess, Johnny Winter (loved his slide playing). Bob Dylan went electric at the Newport Folk Music Festival and I conned my dad into taking me; I'm backtracking to age 13. I dug his electric sound; and it was crazy; people were booing him, lots of name calling and Pete Seeger was really p*ssed. It is true that Pete Seeger tried to cut one of the electric chords to shut off Dylan's music; he was fighting with Dylan's manager. It was a trip and I yelled; "Let him axe the wire, he'll blow up!" Not a nice thing to say, but I remember an interview with Seger and he said that is he had an axe he would have cut the wire. I am just saying what I saw; alot going on and then Pete told Bob he had to do an accoustical set. Dylan said he didn't bring an accoustical guitar and he was given one way too big for him. I remember Dylan asking, "Has anyone got an e harmonica?" Those harmonicas came flying from every direction. I grabbed one and wiped it off on my jeans. I was only about 5 ft tall at that time; thin, long black hair to my hips (just trying to give you a picture that I find funny). I yelled at Bob and said, "Hey don't put that one in your mouth; I cleaned one for you." Being so short and at a folk festival; I used people's pity??? for my lack of height and got to the front; that's how I handed him the harmonica. I could tell he wasn't feeling well to say the least. In 1974-76 a friend of mine in New York told me a band with a different type of music was playing at CBCGs and I should listen to them. They were called "The Ramones" and I was impressed with their punk rock sound; short songs, loud, fast and hard as they say. The leather jackets, ragged jeans., t-shirts, hi-top sneakers was certainly different too. I got to meet them and I liked them. Joey aka Jeffrey Ross Hymen was an impressive front man and I had grown to a towering 5'2 1/2" LOL and I believe he was almost 6'9". He was shy, but really nice and so were the others. I didn't really know them, but I got good vibes from their music. I had heard the "Sex Pistols" and they were also punk rock, but the Ramones kicked Punk Rock in the ass and alot of Punk Rock Bands were born. I had been playing Joan Jett, Lita Ford, learned Ramones tunes, Sex Pistorls and there was the Heavy Metal Sound. I do like Metallica, Megadeth, WhiteZombie and so forth, now Rob Zombie. I tap danced around Punk music. Locally I played in bands and we did Punk and Heavy Metal; I played guitar; and would switch with the other guitarist with rythms and lead riffs. They said I was pretty good "for a girl" LOL. I enjoyed playing and made more money where I was playing accousitical guitar, but would jam or play with any band that was Punk or Metal. I really didn't want to be a "rock star"; as I worked in Music Management or rather Band Mangement; nope wasn't the lead dog, but was the "assistant", in other words I was a gopher....I took care of promotions, hotels, tickets, money, and so forth; you had to work fast and be ready for changes at any moment; I immersed myself in it and that was a great time in my life. I went on the road with some of the bands; and it's a hard life. I can see why they get into drugs and booze; they are so adrenalized after playing they want to try to relax. I did my share, but had to be careful; as I had to be alert. No, I wasn't into the groupie thing; nothing wrong with it; when I'd go out on the town I would wear punk rock street wear and some fetish stuff. I was allergic to make-up and envied the chicks that could use super dark eyeliner; multi colored hair; and looked great in their leather outfits. Oh, I was tempted, but I knew I would lose my job. I did find some makeup to wear that was "hypoalergenic" but to this day am not comfortable with it. I salute any punk rock chick that can wear the cool, glittery make-up; and then there are those that don't. I'ts all good. I had something occur that changed my life and I don't tell people, but it's important that you know, not that I am a big deal, but it had something to do with my music career, playing, working with bands etc. On July 7, 2006, I was buzzing down a highway around 9:30 am; so was everyone else; I was thinking about a new band I wanted to promote and that's when a drunken pepsi-cola driver (his ride was the size of a mack truck). He slammed into me, I was in a van, did a 360 and avoided hitting two busloads of LD toddlers. I ended up on the grass median, tried to put on my brakes and they just weren't there. Man, I was airborne! People on the scene said my van arched into the air and slammed into some oak trees on the far side of the grass. I had my seatbelt on and felt something slam my face (steering wheel); I knew I couldn't look at myself; my stomach was filling up with blood and they say a woman helped me out of my van and a med student kept me sitting up so I wouldn't drown in my own blood. I really remember nothing, but the Med Techs said I was dying and the surgeons at the Head Trauma unit were waiting on me. I wasn't afraid and heard one of them say, "She's almost dead, we'll have to take her first." I answered him and said, "Oh, My world, My World, I'm melting I'm melting...." One of the doctors said, "You are talking; I can't believe it." I replied, "One of you said I was almost dead, not dead." I went through 10 hours of surgery, flatlined seven times, broke my neck, had injury to the brain (recovered); lost the use of my arms and hands and was told I'd never play again; I play, but I had to be retaught; that was frustrating; it's like everything that came natural to me on guitar had to be taught again. I regained the use of my hands and arms; the doctor said no one flatlines seven times and lives. I told him seven is my lucky number LOL! They did a great job on my face and I look like me, but I have two metal plates in my head, so alarms go off if I'm going through security at airports, etc. No, I don't feel sorry for myself; other people have alot worse; but it was frustrating and put a kink in what I loved the most. Shit happens; you deal with it and now I am playing again; my memory is a bit screwed, but I just keep plugging away. No, I don't play like I used to, but that's because my hands, though I can use them; don't have the flexibility I am working to obtain. When I was well enough; I started going to see punk rock bands again; and maybe someday I will get back to the Band "Assistant Manager" with Punk Rock. It never died; it is getting better!
I do artwork, ride horseback; have a huge celtid Dragon Tat on my left shoulder and want more. I work out; and am so glad I found this site. At first I was just going to sit back and say nothing about my history; but I thought that was being a wus. So reality set in; and I tell people; as I want them to like me as I am. No, I'm not all funky; it's just an occasional headache and then sometimes I forget things, but that's in a conversation and stuff from my past.
Okay; I am still 5'2" tall, weigh 93 pounds, have blue eyes; and the pictures of my human persona LOL are after the accident. My hair is growing out; as I am lazy with doing my hair as it takes away my time with music. I like things on the dark side; not evil, just dark; fantasy, fantasy art, books, clothing; and though I don't make much money. I go to flea markets and Renn faires and read Tarot, cast runes, scry, and help people with their Chakra alignment; I learned to do that after the accident. I also write dark fantasy short stories which are published in undergroud publications. Some of the aforementioned things I do scare some people, but my punk rock friends could care or less. Thanks for letting me share my trip with you.
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