For
those of you who have ever been in a band, raise your hands. Tell me if you’ve
experienced the personalities you work/play with as a sort of dysfunctional
family. My musical groups are always nice when they start, then eventually
everybody lets their guard down and the honeymoon’s over, guys (and girls).
For
me, being in the Washington Squares -- Tom, Bruce, and I, sometimes adding a
bongo player or drummer like Billy Ficca -- was just like having two hyper
competitive siblings around who each wanted the most attention. Bruce was
hyper, period, and Tom had his other moments. He made a lot of friends, along
with a few enemies -- which I found out to my rue years later, once the band
broke up and I tried to do a solo project.
Tom
was managing us throughout the Squares because we couldn’t find a managerial
candidate who wasn’t dreadful. I wondered if he just couldn’t relinquish
control. . .
But,
for whatever his other issues, at least Tom would talk to me. Bruce was a
typical lead guitar player: brilliant musician, moody, quiet when you needed to
talk about anything important, passive-aggressive, etc.
I
don’t think he liked me, either, so I couldn’t get Bruce to talk with me about
much of anything -- he’d vanish once we were done with a rehearsal or a show.
At one point, Jill and Tom were trying to set up me and Bruce (as a couple) but
our personalities didn’t mesh at all.
I
didn’t really understand because I like to charm and take care of people (one
reason I’ve had success with people, esp. the opposite sex). Bruce was having
none of that! Besides, he wanted to be THE funny man, and didn’t laugh at other
people’s jokes.
Best
way to be my friend is to listen and laugh at my jokes (generally puns). Like I
said, Bruce was having none of that. . . I do wish we could have been better friends.
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