When: Dec. 1963.<\/p>\n
Where: Parade Magazine<\/em>, Youth Beat column.<\/p>\n What: Postage stamp-sized photo.<\/p>\n Who: Four English musicians.<\/p>\n Why: Causing a musical sensation in Europe.<\/p>\n How: Playing rock & roll music.<\/p>\n Result: Seeing is believing. Never having heard a note of their music, simply a 13 year old seeing their look, I instinctively knew, \u201cWell, whatever this is, this is it.\u201d I absolutely knew it. And it was. They being, of course, The Beatles.<\/p>\n Determination: Not quite sure yet.<\/p>\n Ambition: To be a rock & roll star.<\/p>\n Problem: Limited vocabulary on guitar. Very.<\/p>\n Interim: 1967. High School junior by appointment with guidance counselor Ed Kustra. Studying the form I had filled out, Mr. Kustra offered two bits of wisdom: the word \u201cwriter\u201d is not spelled with two t\u2019s and your middle name ends \u201cl-e-y\u201d not \u201cl-y.\u201d Both valuable things to know.<\/p>\n Interim: Spring 1971. St. Lawrence University. Phi Sig living room. Writing a play at the request of Don Kilpatrick for use in his directing class project.<\/p>\n Result: Marvels of Modern Man<\/em> is staged at the Black Box Theater at St. Lawrence. Great success, held over for additional performances. Attendance approaching 1,500. Even a bit of frenzy.<\/p>\n Observation: \u201cNot bad. Not bad at all.\u201d<\/p>\n Interim: Spring 1972. A reading of play #2, Amid Planetary Music<\/em>, at Black Box Theater.<\/p>\n Result: Disappointing. Can\u2019t reheat a souffl\u00e9. (Jean Paul Sartre or somebody.)<\/p>\n Observation: \u201cMmm.\u201d<\/p>\n Interim: 1973\u20141988. Cold, cruel, wonderfully happy world, NYC.<\/p>\n Result: Many plays are written, few are chosen. Best of them, Honor Luck<\/em>, gets some attention, arouses some interest, receives a reading.<\/p>\n Question: \u201cWhat\u2019s it all about?\u201d<\/p>\n Answer: \u201cAll I did was write it. The characters speak for themselves. Or not. As the case may be.\u201d Play guitar professionally (i.e. for loose change) on the streets of Manhattan.<\/p>\n Observation: \u201cMmm.\u201d<\/p>\n Interim: 1989 \u2013 2012. Olean, NY. Life does begin at forty!\u00a0 Wife, children, house, maps, book, lectures, articles.<\/p>\n Sudden illumination: rock and roll ambitions overlooked too long to be viable.<\/p>\n Result: In his own right hand writing\u2014haphazardly at first, seriously at last\u2014Sidereal Days, The History of Rock & Roll, A Romance.<\/em><\/p>\n Observation: TBA, ASAP.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When: Dec. 1963. Where: Parade Magazine, Youth Beat column. What: Postage stamp-sized photo. Who: Four English musicians. Why: Causing a musical sensation in Europe. How: Playing rock & roll music. Result: Seeing is believing. Never having heard a note of … Continue reading