On Tattoos and Male Girlfriends

So I got a tattoo. Hooray.

That's a big decision and I assume you would agree.

What the hell do I want to be branded with for the rest of my life? How do you explain to your great grandchildren that blob on your forearm used to be a sexy hula girl?

So though I've been enamored of tattooing for awhile, I just never felt passionate enough about anything to carry around with me for the rest of my life.

Things change, interests change, personalities change. If I got a tat everytime I was absolutely in love with something my body would be covered in Michael Jackson tattoos or GI Joe or The Golden Girls.

Think on your own life. What has been constant throughout all the cities you've lived and all the people you known? What can you honestly draw a straight line from this moment to moments in the past and moments in the future.

Most people would say their spouse. And I am that person, yet, my wife and I are very superstitious and one of the strongest curses in the world is the tattooing of a significant others' names.

So for me, the major constant in my life is and always has been music. Underneath this buttoned up exterior beats the heart of a bass player.

I've been doing it for around 15 years now. And I've been making money at it for 13 or so. Not great money, but enough to say that I am and was a professional musician.

Over the years I've played as a session guy, a fill in dude, and founder of bands. I've worn different hats and changed my playing style four or five times.

So I thought a bass clef is a fitting brand.

I currently am not in a band. And I've been in and out of bands for over a decade. Why? If I love it so much why am I always bouncing around.

Because, dear reader, I'm not cut out for multiple girlfriends.

Being in a band at the beginning is great. It's also just like a relationship. You do everything together, you swap stories, call each other late at night. Instead of sex, you jam.

Everything is perfect.

Until one day, those little personality quirks begin to build and build until you realize you've surrounded yourself with assholes.

In my advancing age I get to the point a little too fast.

But after some healing time and soul searching, I start to get an itch in my soul. Then I start slumming around Guitar shops, chatting up local players. Flirting. Sometimes I score a one night stand/jam. Other times I get a call back. Sometimes we jam everyday for weeks and flame out.

The last few bands I've been in I've been married. So I have a divided loyalty. It's like 99-1 for my wife, just so you know. I don't have such a keen yearning anymore. And while my wife thinks that's sad, I couldn't be happier. There's only so much relationship Brandon I can dole out and I'd rather save it all for her.

So my tattoo is a tribute for that ocean of boys that I've left behind.

Later,

BA

PS. These are just some of the bands I can remember being in

BB & MM (my rap group in 7th grade)
Claptrap
Gutter Horse
Uglytrain
The Mountain
Engine
Pull
Negative 1
Empyre
Red Delta Orchestra
Three Sheets to the Wind
American Standard
The Lazarus Effect

The Wrap-Up:// 2008 the best of's in the life of Brandon

I notice around this time there are a lot of best of lists for every web page. Makes sense, the party's over and time to take stock of everything the last year had. So why not I?

The following is the way I see it, regardless of critical reviews.

So here's my listing of the Top (Whatever) of 2008:

Top Movie of 2008:

The Nominees:
The Dark Knight
The Hammer
The Bank Job

The envelope please: The Dark Knight (shocker!)

Best TV Show of 2008:

The Nominees:
Sons of Anarchy (FX)
Dexter (Showtime)
True Blood (HBO)

The envelope please: True Blood

Best Book I read in 2008*

The Nominees:
Dexter in the Dark
No Country for Old Men
Schindler's List

The envelope please: No Country for Old Men

*Nominees were selected based on 2008 was the first time I read these books


Best New CD in 2008:

The Nominees:
Metallica Death Magnetic
Guns N Roses Chinese Democracy
Portishead Third

The envelope please: GNFR baby!


Best Videogame in 2008:

The Nominees:
Fable II
GTA IV
Fallout 3

The envelope please: Fallout 3


Best Sports Moment in 2008:

The Nominees:
Giants defeating 18-0 Patriots in Superbowl
WVU upsetting Oklahoma in Fiesta Bowl
Pat White's last game as a senior throwing for 300+ yards

The envelope please: Super Superbowl


Favorite Live Music Moment of 2008

The Nominees:
Glassjaw Reunion
Me playing the Knitting Factory
My bassline on Tricky

The envelope please: Glassjaw Reunion (I'd assumed I'd win this category)


Greatest Writing Achievement in 2008

Learning how to write and completing my first screenplay


Greatest Life Moment of 2008:

The Nominees:
New puppies Rocktobertron and Charley Charley BBQ
Moving to a new apartment
First full calender year of being married to the most wonderful woman in the world
Said beautiful woman buying me a 42" Plasma Screen

The envelope please: A tie! My wife wins everything.