Tuesday, February 19, 2008

So Tell me Your Influences.


It's audition time for the middle school musical. I love this age group. Each year I have them fill out a questionaire with their name, age, year in school, can you read music? Can you play an instrument? Any music training? Theatrical experience? Other comments. Favourite song?
But like any good musician and the best audition question ever:
Who are your influences?
(If you have seen the movie "The Committments" you know that I copped that straight from Jimmy Rabbitt when he was setting up his Irish Soul Band)
Well, I get to one of my fave middle school guys - Ty. Ty is so cool. He is very smart and is in advanced classes. The kid analyzes everything and I respect that. Ty is also a wrestler and 4'8". He comes to my shoulders, if that. He looks like Beaver Cleaver's friend, Whitey. Just one hellofa cute kid.
So, Ty gets up in front of everyone and reads off his audition sheet and doesn't say his influences. I say...um Ty, I gotta know. Who are your influences?
And with a smile...he looks at me and says, "Well, Martha...I'm into Death Metal"
I look at him with a straight face and say "Death Metal, Huh, Ty? Like Rob Zombie" And he looks at me with wide eyes and says "Yeah, he's cool but I like other people too."
I said "Check out Primus, little man. Rock on my friend"
And I got the biggest smile from the kid.
He knew I wasn't making fun of him and respected him for his being honest for what he likes to listen to. We all listen to stuff that not everyone likes.
Who am I to judge...one of my guilty pleasures is WHAM!
HE HE
Rock on my friend.

3 Comments:

Blogger Mimi said...

WHAM! is never a guilty pleasure. We shouldn't be ashamed of our love. I am not guilty that of loving them. Nor should you, seeing as it's all your fault i like them in the first place.

8:20 PM  
Blogger MBT said...

Ahem... And I might remind someone, because I can, that the first time I met her, she was of the opinion that Slaughter was the greatest band in the universe.

You're better off with Wham, in my opinion.

12:29 AM  
Blogger Mimi said...

whatever, tucker. I still love the Slaughter, and if you want, I'll post the pics of when I finally met and saw them live. It was a banner fuckin' day in Miriam-land. So there. And although their place as greatest band in the universe has been shifted, they still hold a huge place in my heart. *PPPFT*

6:11 PM  

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