Where were you raised.

[Murph]

1 hour ago, CROWB8 said:

Did some gigging around fla gulf in the late 70s. Panama City and such. Learned real quick to pay attention to how you get paid. Ended up owing a bar tab. Arg...

My first "performance" was around Clearwater Beach. The "Surfside" and "Big Mama's". I was still a kid, but could hold my own. Then we moved to Arizona and I gigged all over the Valley for many, many years before re-locating again. To Cajun country.

[fortyearspickn]

Puerto Plata -  north coast of the Dominican Republic... spent a week there.  Very Cool!   Great place to retire with that "Yankee Dollar" if you can feel safe...   

Born in Brooklyn.  "Dragged up"  just outside the City Limits - in the 'burbs.   Which, in the 60s was rife with 'Folk Music'.  So, I got in line and took guitar lessons for a year.  Rewarded myself with a new '64 LG1  I was barely able to afford  from my grocery store job - at $1.25 an hour.  

Left NY to college  in Gaston County, North Carolina.  Navy in '68  at 21.  Got to see PART of the world and get married.   Discharged in '72 in Key West.   Finished school in Miami and got a job. Then we moved to Central Taxachussetts.  After 5 years - back down South to Texas in the mid-80s  where we've been since then:  Houston,  Bulverde, Waco, San Antonio ...where we are now retired.   

 

[Whitefang]

Look to the left of this post and you'll notice my location is Lincoln Park, Michigan.  Was born in neighboring Wyandotte, Michigan, but grew up in Lincoln Park.   And except for a couple of years in River Rouge, Michigan and nine years in Southwest Detroit I've lived most of my life(so far) in LP.  It's also where I've gotten bit by several bugs.   Well, my Mom first got bitten by the bug that convinced her it would be a good idea to have me take up the piano.  At age five.  Even found space to move in an old upright somewhere in the house.  That didn't work out.   Later I got bit by the drum bug.  even took some lessons.  But financial issues wouldn't allow me to move beyond the drum pad phase into playing a real drum, so that went by the wayside.  Then I got bitten by the guitar bug and my step sister started showing me some things to do on hers.  

Whitefang

Edited July 25, 2023 by Whitefang

[fortyearspickn]

49 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

It is one of the reasons I joined the service. I would be lying if I said it was cause I said I wanted to serve my country. And that is the reason I was in sea going services. Ships pull into ports. When your are in some of the others you go to a base and your there for years. I can drive anywhere in the States. Its hard to drive to Japan. 

Yep.  I was fortunate to have been stationed on 3 different ships in 3 different ports in the Atlantic Fleet.  Furthest Flung place we sailed was way above the Arctic Circle.  Hard to drive there.  Especially in summer. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

6 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Yep.  I was fortunate to have been stationed on 3 different ships in 3 different ports in the Atlantic Fleet.  Furthest Flung place we sailed was way above the Arctic Circle.  Hard to drive there.  Especially in summer. 

I have my dad's Blue Nose Card. I'm a Shellback (that day was no fun), but we hit PI a few days later,  and a Golden Dragon. I have my cards and Certificates framed. Went through the Panama Canal, too.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[fortyearspickn]

9 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I have my dad's Blue Nose Card. I'm a Shellback (that day was no fun), but we hit PI a few days later,  and a Golden Dragon. I have my cards and Certificates framed. Went through the Panama Canal, too.

Yep.  Fortunately - for the Blue Nose 'certification'  - there was not 'ritual'.  No  "keel hauling" !

[CROWB8]

58 minutes ago, Karloff said:

I agree. and while I'm not supposed to have a favorite, my grandson Carter almost 5 yrs old, is a piece of work. I see a lot of myself in that kid. he can do no wrong in my eyes.  in the years to come his little brother & 2 younger cousins are going to say "it was Carter's idea" a lot ...

 

1 hour ago, CROWB8 said:

That's how we live forever. Through our kids and our kids kids. That's all we need in life.

Oops. Left one out. Arg... through our kids and our kids kids and their kids. If I got that right. Sheesh bro!🙃

[Sgt. Pepper]

11 minutes ago, fortyearspickn said:

Yep.  Fortunately - for the Blue Nose 'certification'  - there was not 'ritual'.  No  "keel hauling" !

Hazing is long gone. I'm sure the Chief's Initiation is now just pick your pronoun, and lets all go out to dinner, and your a Chief.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[CROWB8]

26 minutes ago, Murph said:

My first "performance" was around Clearwater Beach. The "Surfside" and "Big Mama's". I was still a kid, but could hold my own. Then we moved to Arizona and I gigged all over the Valley for many, many years before re-locating again. To Cajun country.

You know you're mid state and just across the Ohio from me. Practically neighbors. I move from Seattle to N. Cali when the inlaws offered us a house they couldn't sell due to cost of fire insurance. Free house? Yup. Just to get greeted with a 6.5 earth quake and countless fires.

Then moved to W. KY to escape that and high cola, just to be greeted with a tornado that wiped out Mayfield and made a mess of our place, and two floods. Cola is less. So there is that.🤪

[CROWB8]

24 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Blue Nose Card

???

[DanvillRob]

Born in Hayward, CA...my parents lived with my Great Grandparents in Castro Valley.

We moved to Oakland when I was about 3.

We moved to Centerville, CA in 1954.

Centerville became part of Fremont, CA in 1956.

ALL my uncles/cousin played guitars.... almost every weekend there'd be a jam session at someone's house.

I got my own guitar when I was 12.

When The Beatles hit....I was bowled over.... started a band in 1964.

Been playing ever since.    Thank God my hands still work good enough to play some.

Edited July 25, 2023 by DanvillRob

[Sgt. Pepper]

6 minutes ago, CROWB8 said:

???

Its when you go up to and cross the Arctic Circle. Not many do, there is a card you get proving you did it. There is one for crossing the Antarctic Circle too. It is called being a Red Nose. When you cross the date line your a Golden Dragon. When you cross the equator your a Shellback. There are Orders Of The Ditch's for going through the Panama and Suez Canals. Its all nautical traditions.  There are more too.

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[Sgt. Pepper]

7 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Its when you go up to and cross the Arctic Circle. Not many do, there is a card you get proving you did it. There is one for crossing the Antarctic Circle too. It is called being a Red Nose. When you cross the date line your a Golden Dragon. When you cross the equator your a Shellback. There are Orders Of The Ditch's for going through the Panama and Suez Canals. Its all nautical traditions.  There are more too.

 

What is sad about it? 

[Larsongs]

Born in St. Paul Minnesota.. Lived on White Bear Lake.. My Dad had Cadillacs, a beautiful Chris Craft Speed Boat & a Beechcraft Bonanza Airplane.. At 9 years old I saw Elvis on Ed Sullivan! That was it! I wanted to be a Guitar slinging’ Rock n Roll Singer.. I got a Hopalong Cassidy Guitar that was so bad I didn’t think I’d ever be able to play.. I did do a lot of Singing in Church Choir..

At 10 we moved to San Diego, Ca. by the Beach.. Where I grew up & was into Girls, Cars & Surfing. Yes, The BeachBoys we’re the biggest Band in the USA.. Lots of guys starting Surf Bands.. I sang with brothers Band, “The Redondos”.. But still no Guitar playing as yet..

Then the 2nd Big Bang.. The Beatles.. Still no Guitar for me.. Girls, Cars & Surfing… Having too much fun..

After High School the Army got me.. I was Stationed by Wash. D.C. where you could legally drink at 18! Lots of Clubs & Girls.. But, I was usually broke the first weekend after Pay day..

One of the Guys in my Barracks played Guitar & I started Singing with him.. He taught me Bar Chords! Revelation! We played a lot of Blues.. Jimmy Reed & some Stones.. He suggested I should try playing a Harmonica like Jimmy Reed, Keith Relf or Brian Jones.. So I bought one & it came pretty easy.. So I was Singing, playing Bar Chord Rhythm & Harp.. Simple 3 Chord stuff.. It was Great!

I was borrowing Guitars until I saved a little money to buy one.. After looking forever we stopped in a Pawn Shop in D.C. I couldn’t afford anything I wanted. Then we saw a Guitar up on a shelf way back in a corner.. It was beat up but played & sounded good. I asked him, how much? He said, how much do you have to spend? I said, $75.00… He said, That’s exactly how much it is! LOL.. I was naive…

Turned out to be a 50’s Gibson Les Paul Jr…. A Guitar like that today in the same relic’d condition would be worth a lot more than $75.00!

After I was out of the Army, We started a Band we named, “Shaft” & learned a bunch of 3 chord Songs & we were Rockin’! It was a great time!

[CROWB8]

22 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

Its when you go up to and cross the Arctic Circle. Not many do, there is a card you get proving you did it. There is one for crossing the Antarctic Circle too. It is called being a Red Nose. When you cross the date line your a Golden Dragon. When you cross the equator your a Shellback. There are Orders Of The Ditch's for going through the Panama and Suez Canals. Its all nautical traditions.  There are more too.

 

That's beyond fascinating. One thing to see the different countries and cultures, but to have that under your belt. Well, that's surely the deffinition of a well traveled man. Hence the cards. I say "Bravo" to you and @fortyearspickn.

Navy brat I am. But dad liked to drink more than be with us kids. So didn't learn much there. Didn't know much about his military service except he served in Korea flying an F4U Corsair. Later, after his passing, via a Navy buddy of his, us kids found out he got into some tight spots, if you will, and was awarded the Navy Cross for valour. Bothered him. And of coarse, older and wiser(?), I now regret being distant.

Edited July 25, 2023 by CROWB8

[Sgt. Pepper]

10 minutes ago, CROWB8 said:

That's beyond fascinating. One thing to see the different countries and cultures, but to have that under your belt. Well, that's surely the deffinition of a well traveled man. Hence the cards. I say "Bravo" to you and @fortyearspickn.

Navy brat I am. But dad liked to drink more than be with us kids. So didn't learn much there. Didn't know much about his military service except he served in Korea flying an F4U Corsair. Later, after his passing, via a Navy buddy of his, us kids found out he got into some tight spots, if you will, and was awarded the Navy Cross for valour. Bothered him. And of coarse, older and wiser(?), I now regret being distant.

My dad was a squid. All I know was he was a Radioman, he was on the USS Intrepid and stationed at a base in Libya, that I am sure that is not there anymore. I swore to my dads face I would never join the service. I ate those words but since he died when I was 17 he never knew I served. I joined at 21. I also need to get away from being an idiot and smoking weed all the time and going nowhere fast.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[CROWB8]

12 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

My dad was a squid. All I know was he was a Radioman, he was on the USS Intrepid and stationed at a base in Libya, that I as sure that is not there anymore. I swore to my dads face I would never join the service. I ate those words but since he died when I was 17 he never knew I served. I joined at 21. I also need to get away from being an idiot and smoking weed all the time and going nowhere fast.

When I told my father I joined the AF, he spoke about other branches,

Army: Pound ground

Marines: Pound ground and get wet

Navy (sea duty): Like being in jail with a chance to drown

Always wanted to work on aircraft and eventually own one with my dad. Him flying and me keeping the plane air worthy. Learned bout airchines but we never got close. Drinking and his woes. Joining the military wasn't enough to bring us together.

Edited July 25, 2023 by CROWB8

[DanvillRob]

Just now, CROWB8 said:

When I told my father I joined the AF, he spoke of what he thought other branches were like,

Army: Pound ground

Marines: Pound ground and get wet

Navy (sea duty): Like being in jail with a chance to drown

Always wanted to work on aircraft and eventually own one with my dad. Him flying and me keeping the plane air worthy. Learned bout airchines but we never got close. Drinking and his woes. Joining the military wasn't enough to bring us together.

My Dad was drafted at 21 before WWII, (he was in Alaska when Pearl Harbor was bombed).    He was in until the end of the war, (@ 6 years).

I got drafted at 19, (5 days before my 20th birthday).   I was in for less than 2 years.... drafted in August, in 'Nam early January.

So we were both Army.... him 'Brown Shoe' army, me jungle trained army.

[Dave F]

Born and raised in Cincinnati. I have lived most of my adulthood in Kentucky. 
My dad played guitar and my uncle was a guitar player in the Grand Ole Opry house band in his younger days. I started to play at around 10 years old. 

[Sgt. Pepper]

15 minutes ago, DanvillRob said:

My Dad was drafted at 21 before WWII, (he was in Alaska when Pearl Harbor was bombed).    He was in until the end of the war, (@ 6 years).

I got drafted at 19, (5 days before my 20th birthday).   I was in for less than 2 years.... drafted in August, in 'Nam early January.

So we were both Army.... him 'Brown Shoe' army, me jungle trained army.

I was stationed on Air Station Barber Point in Hawaii for a year and a half. I was in the USCG then at at the CG's side of the station. I haven't heard the term Brown Shoe in ages.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Sgt. Pepper

[CROWB8]

17 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I was stationed on Air Station Barber Point in Hawaii

Where the F haven't you been? Rhetorical. Geeze Sgt. 🙃

[Sgt. Pepper]

9 minutes ago, CROWB8 said:

Where the F haven't you been? Rhetorical. Geeze Sgt. 🙃

Only been to 3 countries in Europe. Never stationed there. Went with my girlfriend. In the Middle East only to Bahrain and UEA. Sadomy Insane made me go over there with my ship. I was stationed in Puerto Rico and you name an island in the Greater and Lesser Antilles and I have probably been there. Stationed in California and went to Alaska a lot and Mexico a few times. I was stationed in Japan when in the Navy. The USS Midway was still there. The last 10 years I was on shore duty in Virginia going crazy. For 4 years I was on a traveling training and troubleshooting team and traveled the left half of the USA a lot. Mostly the coast and gulf, but when to some rivers when the CG has Construction Tenders. I love traveling. I want to go to Amsterdam right now, and I could care less about the weed there. There is better stuff in the states.

[merciful-evans]

I was born in Portsmouth and I’m still here. Most of the city is on Portsea Island’ which is why it’s the most densely populated city in the uk. I live on the mainland part, near Portchester Castle. I have a view of central Portsmouth from across the water.

I started to play guitar when I had enough money to buy one. I was 16 and newly enrolled into the Portsmouth College of Art & Design. I learned to play fingerstyle there inspired by other guitarist students.

At the city Guildhall, while still an art student I saw Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, Camel, Curved Air and the Mick Abrahams Band. At South Parade Pier I saw Rory Gallagher, and at the Students Union Building I saw Bert Jansch. This was all within 2 years. I loved every minute of it.

I played my first gig here in a pub in Kings Terrace. I also played gigs at the local football club, the Southsea Fire station (south Portsea) and a bunch of others.

I bought my Fender Strat in Minns Music in Southsea a couple of years later, and my Jackson Soloist & Fender amp in PJ’s Guitar Store Copnor 25 years later (yep, just a couple of guitars for most of my playing career). All these places are within the city.

To the north of my house is Fort Nelson, one of the Portsdown Hill forts. The city is surrounded by defensive forts from the 17^th century. Sea forts to the south & hill forts to the north. We are all paranoid down here.

This is HMS Victory at the dockyard.

 

[CROWB8]

15 minutes ago, Sgt. Pepper said:

I want to go to Amsterdam right now,

https://www.gofundme.com/    🙃

[CROWB8]

15 minutes ago, merciful-evans said:

This is HMS Victory at the dockyard.

Impressive.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Victory