Ability + Green Bud = My Passion

[grandpastoner]

I have been a musician since birth. My Mother was a great pianist and played (by ear) since she was a very young child. She played in church and practiced daily at home, so my childhood was filled with music. I began playing also as a child…first piano (didn’t really like it much), then guitar (no patience for that), then on a gut feeling…my Mom bought me a cheap used 5 piece drum kit. It was the first time I ever fell in love. I also began writing songs when I was about 12 years old. Now I was born in the early 60’s and got to grow up in the 70’s listening to Zeppelin…Alice Cooper…KISS…Pink Floyd…and of course The Beatles. So my influences were there and they were strong.

When I was about 13 a friend named Duane Cooper (still remember his impact) turned me on to my very first joint. And I found that as I played…I was much more relaxed and my fills became more natural. I never stopped smoking…and never will.

In my early 20’s I helped form the metal heavy band “Point Of Terror” which when one took the first letters of the bands name came away with “P.O.T“. We smoked, played, and fucked our way up and down the east coast for 13 years until we eventually dissolved due to creative differences. But when we were together, we were baked…and when we were baked, our creative juices flowed like no other. Every time we hit the stage, we hit the bong backstage first.

After I left the band I played for a couple of years in Oklahoma…and eventually got an offer to work in the Adult Entertainment Industry in Los Angeles. While there, I helped a very popular porn star form her first hard rock band which we called “X-Ploited“. I was still smoking and creating. After about 6 years I moved to Redding in NorCal where as far as green bud goes…I went to school. I had NEVER had the quality of bud that I was turned onto in the Redding area. And my visits to Humbolt County have left stories I will happily keep in my heart forever.

Now I am pushing 50...still smoking and still playing, only not with a band. And I have to say that although I was born a creative musician…the best work I have done both playing live and writing songs, have ALL been done while stoned. That magic green bud helped an old country boy from Georgia to head bang his way all the way to playing the Whiskey in Los Angeles. That magic green bud..is just that, magic. And thank God for it !