Joey G

        Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in my own mind. I’ve given plenty of examples of that already. I guess it’s important to put backstories into perspective when talking about another person. I’m talking about, Joey Graves, my former bandmate and songwriting partner.
 
      “Joey G,” as everybody called him in our musical circle. I’ve not been fair to him or the readers here at DU. I’m guilty of telling you, why I’m pissed and disappointed at him instead of giving you the full picture.  
 
      Over time I plan to balance that out more. It wasn’t all bad as I said recently in, “Best Version.” If he’d been as much of an asshole as he was the last couple of years. We wouldn’t have been friends over a thirty year span.
 
      I went to High-School with a lot of the musicians I’ve worked with over the years. For a small town, there was a lot of talent in our neck of the woods. It’s amazing how many wound up on the local scene at one time or another.  
 
      Some bands don’t have a long shelf-life, it’s the nature of the beast. People hop around from project to project, until each one runs it’s course. Some bands don’t even have a name in their short existence. “I was jamming with so and so, it didn’t work out.”
 
      That statement is as common as the last name, Smith. I shit you not, folks. You know how much I like wives tales, and words of wisdom. Here’s one, “Be nice to people on the way up, they are the same people you meet on the way down.” - Wilson Miznor
 
      I don’t know how many musicians I would meet and be introduced to one day, and fast forward a couple of years later, and they would audition for a project, I was working on. It happens frequently. So the Miznor quote is 100% fact.
 
      Always be professional and courteous, that’s my philosophy. But getting back to, Joey G. I met him in 11th grade english class.  
 
      I was already forming what would become, DeadLove. So I’m already writing with, J.J. Burton, when I meet him. They knew of each other, but didn’t know one another.
 
      Small world, ain’t it? In fact I had shop class with, J.J., the period before english class. This is how close in proximity the two people who are going to impact my life forever are to one another. It’s fucking crazy when I think about it, folks.
 
      Anyways I walk into english class. “I was feelin’ next to awesome, In my cleanest dirty jeans.” - David Lee Roth. Here’s why this quote is appropriate in it’s placement in this story.
 
      Joey G, is my brother who co-created the, “Rothism” with me. We can speak in DLR lyrics and quotes. It was our form of shorthand, folks. lol.
 
      So I sit down at a desk, we didn’t have assigned seats, so everyday was different. But on this day, who sits behind me? That’s right, Joey G. We’ve seen each other almost half of the school year, haven’t spoke a word to one another.
 
      In typical fashion, I’m scribbling a concept down. Something I might wanna write lyrics about later. When I happen to hear someone say. “Damian, you got an extra pencil?” Yes, he knew my name. Roll call, for a half a year helps. lol.  
 
      I turn around and say, “Sure don’t, Joey, sorry.” He happened to have a Guitar Magazine sitting on his desk. Who’s on the cover? But the late great, Edward Van Halen.  
 
      Van Hagar had released “For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge,” around this time. Which was a great record with, Sammy, by the way.  
 
      I said, “Van Halen, great fucking band.” “I’m more of a Roth fan though.” He replied, “DLR, is the man.” We spent the next 4 minutes talking about the mighty Van Halen.  
 
      We talked in class off and on the rest of the school year. Not knowing that one day we would start writing a lot of songs together. That’s how life works, I guess.
 
      Before it’s all said and done you’ll know my entire journey. I was working on writing my life story in music before I started DU.  
 
      I had been working on it about 3 weeks maybe. That’s me, folks. I’ll jump all over the place with different ideas, pulling me in different directions. I never learn my lesson. lol.
 
       I scrapped the idea, to do Backstage. I’m kinda still writing it though, in little stories I share with all of you. Never say never when it comes to creativity, you might look foolish in retrospect. Thanks for reading, folks. Peace, Love, & Lennon.
 
 
 
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