Table of Contents
Music Made Boot Camp Way Easier
It was in the 5th Grade Strings program back in 1993, that I started “officially” playing music. Cello was my instrument of choice. It intrigued me. I can’t say why for sure, as neither of my parents were musicians and my older sister played clarinet. Probably because hearing someone learn the clarinet was unpleasant and messing up on the violin or viola sounded too much like cats fucking. The cello produces a deeper, richer sound in my ear. Deal with it.
I made it through one school year of 5th Grade Strings and found out that I didn’t like music. At least, not that kind. Nor that kind of learning. But I did make a friend who played guitar.
He was looking for someone who could play drums, which I figured I could since I could keep time on the cello. His dad sold me a shitty old learners drum set from the 1970s. All the drums needed new heads. It didn’t have any cymbals. But it only cost me $20. So I slowly upgraded the drum set to playable condition as I developed my coordination. (Moving all of your limbs like that takes practice.) After a year or so I saved up money for cymbals. Eventually my parents got my lessons, but I didn’t like the lessons. I liked playing along to Nirvana and Green Day albums. Then playing in garage bands.
I played drums in bands throughout high school but didn’t take any formal lessons. That’s how I learned guitar; the guitarists would leave their gear at my house, where the drums were, and I’d play them when they weren’t around. Knowing what I know now, that’s not cool and I wouldn’t do it again without asking. But that’s how I started to learn.
Then someone traded me an acoustic guitar for a Suicide Machines album. Then I did the same thing for guitar that I did on the drums: played along with grunge and punk songs that were easy enough.
When I moved out of my parents’ house I had to leave the drums behind. Then I bought I nicer guitar and spent the next couple years getting better at that and learning how to write my own songs. But then I went somewhere you can’t bring instruments with you.
Navy boot camp.
When I got to boot camp, one of the first things they asked (before we got split into our divisions or anything) was “Does anyone here have any musical experience?”
I raised my hand and was sent to a table.
“What’s your musical experience?” random uniform demanded.
“Drums and guitar, mostly.”
“Drums? Can you play this?” he asked, then played a rudimentary drum…riff? (I don’t even know what it’s called, haha)… and asked, “Can you play that?”
So I played it a little faster to show that I could play it easily. He said, “Go stand against that wall.”
I thought I was in trouble for wasting his time or something, because they always talk to you like you’re a piece of shit, and started freaking out a little bit. Eventually the line got longer the more questions they asked:
“Who was in marching band?” “Who was in ROTC or something similar?” and so on.
Eventually some angry looking dude came and told us we were a performing division. We would have a chance to try out for 1 of 4 drummer spots. Everyone else would be carrying flags. We were going to get military training 80% of the time, then train for boot camp graduation ceremonies the other 20% of the time.
Almost 80 people, one of whom is me, and 4 drum spots. I didn’t want to hold a flag and be part of the color guard.
All the drummer tried out. Most of them were not very good. A few were pretty good. One dude was obviously the best. (No, not me.)
I got the second drum spot, one of three snares. The fourth was a bass drum.
So, basically my boot camp was way easier than most people’s because we got to leave the base to perform, we got to go to several graduation ceremonies, and we trained for music and performance while everyone else just did extra pushups, situps, and marching around.
Thanks
Upcoming Events: Grand Rapids the week of 1/15 – 1/21
Thursday (1/18): Christopher Tallon LIVE!
Join me! I’ll be doing readings and book signings (for my book Switchers) at Cocoon Art Space as part of January’s 3rd Thursdays. Various businesses in downtown Grand Rapids will be doing different things for 3rd Thursdays from 5-9, so readings will start at 6, 7, & 8pm, followed by Q&A and book signings.
Saturday (1/20):Mike Logan is hosting another Don’t Tell Comedy show.
This is the best way to see comedy, in my opinion. You get a great, diverse lineup of local and touring comedians in an out-of-the-ordinary setting. I’ve only had great experiences at these, and I’ve been to probably 7 or 8 of them.
Friday – Sunday (most weeks): IRIE Kitchen
IRIE Kitchen is a “Jamaican street food” joint just outside of Grand Rapids, right off of US-131. My favorite staple menu items (they have specials all the time that kick ass) are the chicken sandwich (hot!) on the homemade bun (with fries!) and the curry goat meal. So good. I’m going to see if my kids want that for lunch ahead of this “near blizzard” were about to have.
Wish me luck!
-CT
Christopher Tallon is the author of the dark, adventurous, time-travel novel Switchers.