* I'm going to give the warning that I'll throw out names without description or any previous mention. Why? Because I can.
For any of you who know much about St. John's, Newfoundland, the music industry, University living or life in general, drinking alcohol can be hard to thwart off. Whether you care to give in to pressures of circumstance or not- it was everywhere when I went to University. Going to socials, meet and greets, concerts, parties, the pool hall, or just waiting for the next class at the campus pub. It is indeed a social lubricant and helps people overcome or indulge in social awkwardness.
I'll admit I saw far more awkwardness than anything else, perhaps leading me down the path of just saying "No thanks, I'll pass." when it came to having a beer. Looking back I saved a whole hell-of-a-lot of money that way, which was good considering I didn't have any to begin with. I used to work two or three jobs during summers putting every penny away for tuition. I lucked into cheap/damn near free rent by living with my sister and lived off of cans of zoodles (until I became a vegan, then things got weird) and processed white-bread. It helped meeting a girl who lived at home and had a mother that loved it when I ate her food. (What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? - Homeless.) Wokka wokka!
Money issues got a little better when I started making a few (and I mean a few) bucks pulling off the singer/song writer deal downtown. I actually made more money doing that than as a drummer playing for every other band within the city. That was about the time I started "indulging" in the vegan lifestyle. As I made the switch from Zoodles to cans of beans, hummus, and lots of noodley type dishes. It forced me to learn how to cook and bake or I would have starved even more so.
Vegetarian was one thing that I started at the age of 16 with the exception of that one night when I was 17(?) when Clayton convinced me to eat one of Harold's balls... They were the most epic-meat balls ever! Vegan...what was I thinking? I've recently learned that some people just can't handle that kind of lifestyle and expect to maintain that thing people call life. I'll openly admit there were a lot of things that aided in how unhealthy I had become over the years of living a vegan lifestyle.
Back to the topic: When accepted into the Music Program at MUN, the percussionists seemed to have a way of socializing that generally revolved around pints after a concert. I always just sat around drinking water until I finally cracked at that one party at my prof/mentor's house. I was asked if I wanted a beer and I just figured "why not!" There was no reason for me to refuse and something about the whole event seemed right. When someone you really look up to and trust offers you something, you generally accept. This is the same person that really opened up and changed my views about music. He had suggested I listen to John Abercrombie - Cat n' Mouse, and he really gave me the insight of what it is to improvise without letting go of technique or vision. It may sound a little radical, but Rob was the kind of guy who made me value life through music. Lessons and rehearsals always seemed to reach beyond technique and simply playing the written music.
A beer called 1982 Traditional Ale from the Quidi Vidi Brewery was put in my hand. At this point I had no idea that the brewery used to be called "Northern" the beloved brewery that my Uncle used to drink gallons of every time he visited. I didn't pour it into a glass like I figured I should have, just drank from the bottle. I remember it kind of hitting my tongue and filling my mouth with flavours that were bitter, still kind of sweet, grainy, and at the time it felt like it was full bodied. The bitterness is something I really remember due to being a coffee junkie and loving that sensation. I nursed that beer for the better half of the social gathering. I nursed it because I really enjoyed the flavour, the sensation, and the surroundings. What better vibe than to be in a room full of peers, mentors, and friends dorking out on drum talk and listening to Tom Waits. What had I been missing out on my entire life? This substance called beer, so rich, fulfilling, bitter, pleasing both cold and warm leaving residual sugars on my tongue and a little gas in my gullet.
How was I supposed to know one beer could spark this sort of passion for beer and everything it has to stand for? To this day I still have a soft spot for that beer and drink a fair bit of it every time I visit my family back home. Recently I did have it and unfortunately it didn't have the bitter beings of the nice English style amber ale it used to be but more of a sweet cream ale (heavily oxidized as well). Complete transformation happened to that beer, but it still holds a place in my heart.
That was the first beer, so I might as well respect it.
For any of you who know much about St. John's, Newfoundland, the music industry, University living or life in general, drinking alcohol can be hard to thwart off. Whether you care to give in to pressures of circumstance or not- it was everywhere when I went to University. Going to socials, meet and greets, concerts, parties, the pool hall, or just waiting for the next class at the campus pub. It is indeed a social lubricant and helps people overcome or indulge in social awkwardness.
I'll admit I saw far more awkwardness than anything else, perhaps leading me down the path of just saying "No thanks, I'll pass." when it came to having a beer. Looking back I saved a whole hell-of-a-lot of money that way, which was good considering I didn't have any to begin with. I used to work two or three jobs during summers putting every penny away for tuition. I lucked into cheap/damn near free rent by living with my sister and lived off of cans of zoodles (until I became a vegan, then things got weird) and processed white-bread. It helped meeting a girl who lived at home and had a mother that loved it when I ate her food. (What do you call a drummer without a girlfriend? - Homeless.) Wokka wokka!
Money issues got a little better when I started making a few (and I mean a few) bucks pulling off the singer/song writer deal downtown. I actually made more money doing that than as a drummer playing for every other band within the city. That was about the time I started "indulging" in the vegan lifestyle. As I made the switch from Zoodles to cans of beans, hummus, and lots of noodley type dishes. It forced me to learn how to cook and bake or I would have starved even more so.
Vegetarian was one thing that I started at the age of 16 with the exception of that one night when I was 17(?) when Clayton convinced me to eat one of Harold's balls... They were the most epic-meat balls ever! Vegan...what was I thinking? I've recently learned that some people just can't handle that kind of lifestyle and expect to maintain that thing people call life. I'll openly admit there were a lot of things that aided in how unhealthy I had become over the years of living a vegan lifestyle.
Back to the topic: When accepted into the Music Program at MUN, the percussionists seemed to have a way of socializing that generally revolved around pints after a concert. I always just sat around drinking water until I finally cracked at that one party at my prof/mentor's house. I was asked if I wanted a beer and I just figured "why not!" There was no reason for me to refuse and something about the whole event seemed right. When someone you really look up to and trust offers you something, you generally accept. This is the same person that really opened up and changed my views about music. He had suggested I listen to John Abercrombie - Cat n' Mouse, and he really gave me the insight of what it is to improvise without letting go of technique or vision. It may sound a little radical, but Rob was the kind of guy who made me value life through music. Lessons and rehearsals always seemed to reach beyond technique and simply playing the written music.
A beer called 1982 Traditional Ale from the Quidi Vidi Brewery was put in my hand. At this point I had no idea that the brewery used to be called "Northern" the beloved brewery that my Uncle used to drink gallons of every time he visited. I didn't pour it into a glass like I figured I should have, just drank from the bottle. I remember it kind of hitting my tongue and filling my mouth with flavours that were bitter, still kind of sweet, grainy, and at the time it felt like it was full bodied. The bitterness is something I really remember due to being a coffee junkie and loving that sensation. I nursed that beer for the better half of the social gathering. I nursed it because I really enjoyed the flavour, the sensation, and the surroundings. What better vibe than to be in a room full of peers, mentors, and friends dorking out on drum talk and listening to Tom Waits. What had I been missing out on my entire life? This substance called beer, so rich, fulfilling, bitter, pleasing both cold and warm leaving residual sugars on my tongue and a little gas in my gullet.
How was I supposed to know one beer could spark this sort of passion for beer and everything it has to stand for? To this day I still have a soft spot for that beer and drink a fair bit of it every time I visit my family back home. Recently I did have it and unfortunately it didn't have the bitter beings of the nice English style amber ale it used to be but more of a sweet cream ale (heavily oxidized as well). Complete transformation happened to that beer, but it still holds a place in my heart.
That was the first beer, so I might as well respect it.
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