Thursday, October 28, 2004

How it all began. Sort of.

Reverse psychology works pretty well on me.

It was 1985ish, if memory serves, and I was home doing homework and listening to the radio. The station was 105.3 here in San Francisco. At that time I had been playing the flute for awhile already (about 10 years). It was about 9 in the evening and the DJ on the air was Steve Masters. He played a song by Men Without Hats, who at that time were trying to make a comeback. The song was "On Tuesday" and it featured a guest appearance by Ian Anderson.

I don't remember much about the song or Ian Anderson's flute solo. Truthfully that was the only time I've ever listened to him. I kid you not. I haven't been purposely avoiding him or anything. I just have never gotten around to hearing any Jethro Tull.
But anyway Steve Masters started talking after the song and he declared, "You know, I just don't believe the flute has any place in rock music. I just don't."

I took that very personally, for no good reason other than I was a teenager and therefore prone to overreact. I sat up really straight and scowled and said, "Hey!" indignantly to the radio.

I wish I could say I started practicing feverishly that very night, and wore my lips out every day thereafter for the next 20 years, trying to become the Next Great Rock Flutist. I didn't. I went right on following the path toward being a classical flute player for quite a long time after that. But at least my mind was open enough to disagree with old Steve Masters.