I’m a Rocker

It’s been a while since last time I posted, I hope everyone finds this well? It must have been the best time for Cherry Blossom in Japan, but here in the Hamptons, we still need a puffer on the beach, though I was able to walk my dog in my sweat shirt in the dog park yesterday.

During winter time, I usually don’t get projects in January to February, I tend to get depressed. But I didn’t even notice this time because I was busy rehearsing with my band for the Battle of the Fantasy Girl Band. It usually happens in November but was pushed back to February. It tends to get depressing if you stay home doing nothing all the time.

“You must have nothing to do in winter here?” “ You don’t get many costume design job out here, do you?” some visitors to the Hamptons have asked me. Actually, there are many exciting events happening here even in winter. I’d get plenty of job offers if I’m not picky, and there are many good shows and concerts happening. One of them is this battle of the girls bands.

It’s a really fun fundraiser for the local theatre group, Neo Political Cowgirls that I’ve worked with in the past. It was organized by my friend and an artist Christine and a popular friend, Holly. As they put “fantasy” in the title, amateur bands get formed by mostly moms who have never played any instruments before. Each band gets to play one song at the Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett.

On the first year, I was asked to join Holly’s band who I met at the ballet company. We’ve been good friends since. When I told her how I used to play bass guitar at my Rock club at my high school in my girls band, The Cherry Ice-cream, she said “ You must play!! Don’t you feel you belong to this?”. I do. I remember one of my classmate said “ You’re fashion says you’re a rocker!” and I loved it. Even so, I didn’t think I was capable to master the song I was not familiar with in one week, when I hadn’t played bass for 30 years since I last played at the school festival. Besides, I was so busy working on the Nutcracker. So I turned it down.

How about you sing a karaoke song at least, Holly wouldn’t give up, and I sang my best song from Grease, “ Hopelessly Devoted to You” by Olivia Newton John in my designed tutu skirt. It was a hit and encouraged me to join a band the following year.

After that, I found myself in Holly’s many circles of friends. They all are so cool women who can enjoy life with girl friends while they have kids and jobs too. I’ve been enjoying going out for a drink or dancing with the super women ever since. The next event would be an Indian Bollywood dance party on the 13th this month. You’d enjoy it even if you don’t know how to dance this!

The following year, Holly recruited me into her band sooner, I played bass on I want candy by Bow Wow Wow. I styled the band members looking cool with my wardrobe. We were not that great, but all the bands were about the same level and it was all good as long as we had fun. However, I got another episode of migraine attacks after I came back from a short trip from Italy to attend the film festival for the film Beach House that I designed costumes for, while I was already too stressed out with Nutcracker. The drums’ sound was too harsh and it was unbearable, I couldn’t join the rehearsal much, but I made it through because my band members were kind and supportive. The guitarist Jolie gave me a nice Ayurvedic massage too.

I thought we’re playing together again this year, but Holly broke us up in order to form more bands. So I decided to form my band to play a New Wave song that I like and named it The Cherry Bombs. It was great, but we barely rehearsed with all the members because most of them were busy with work, or they were away during the holiday season, or their kids got sick often. But I made more cool friends and I really had a great time being a rocker for about a month. It was not easy to be a leader, but I’ve learnt about my dignity as a craftsman, my seriousness ( I kind of like that about my self) and difficulty of communication.

The show was a huge success that many friends and families ( including my husband) couldn’t get in. I think the song we played, Call Me by Blondie played pretty well! I practiced my bass seriously, I got great compliments by some pro musicians. One of them was my dear friend Tom . He let me use his vintage keyboard, but it was a shame that my keyboard player didn’t want to use it for it was very old and she was not comfortable playing it. Tom sadly past away after only one month and few days after this night. I will never forget how my dear friend Maxine and her husband Tom came to see my performance carrying an oxygen tank when Tom was becoming sicker and sicker. The keyboard I didn’t have a chance to return was given to me in memory of him. I’d like to write about him next time.

Maybe because we had so much fun, everybody seems to have started to practice for the next show already. The Cherry Bombs also. Sadly, I left the band because I just couldn’t feel the song they want to play. Instead, two of my friends’ bands have asked me to join their band, impressed by my bass performance (said me), I joined the Slots and we’re playing two songs on a different event this summer. One of the original songs is perfect to play on Tom’s keyboard with 60’s sounds as Tom had said incidentally, I want to play the keyboard part. I also formed another band to record a song to support the group for wildlife, which is exciting.

Playing in a band is so much fun. I hope you’ll be a rocker too in your community! Jazz and Classic are nice too. Ok, time for practice!