Today I find myself thinking a lot about the music that I listen to and our introduction. I can reach as far back as 1978, when my cousins from New York first introduced me to popular music. During this particular visit, my older cousin brought with them a series of albums. And I remember sitting and listening to them with him. He brought I think three albums all from a band named STYX.
During that visit, my cousin told me about the band members. I could see them pictured on the covers of Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight as I pored over the artwork.
I became fascinated with the band, though I was too young to own any of their records. Perhaps I became so taken with them because my cousin meant so much to me. Perhaps I became so taken with them simply because they were essentially my first exposure to pop music. I don't really know. I was likely 11 years old.
I was so taken with them that I used to practice drawing the band's logo. I drew it a lot. And I mean A LOT.
At some point in 1979 my mom surprised me and my sisters with cassette recorders. These were chunky black and silver machines from General Electric. They were very far cry from the boomboxes later in the became along later in the 80s. These machines were more like units you might use for business dictation or something. Along with the machine my mother gave me a copy of Cornerstone, STYX's 1979 release.
I remember propping the tape up on a shelf and just looking at the artwork on the jacket (I guess that's what it's called; the card that went inside the plastic case).
Somehow, after all the cassette tapes that I played wore out and re-purchased, that single cassette always played like a champ. It is the one tape that I kept at the close of the cassette age (which for me was when I sold my 2001 Ford — likely one of the last models to still have an in-dash cassette player.)
And I still have that tape.
Today, I'm nearing the top of my 40s. I've listened to a lot of music since 1978. I still have a very special place in my heart for the bands I knew when I was coming of age (no pun intended): STYX is still right at the top.
Today is an extremely special day for me, because tonight is one of the rarest of opportunities: tonight I get to share STYX with my daughter.
She is 11 years old.
To mark the occasion, I purchased VIP package for the show. The package will allow us to sit right up front, and has all kinds of goodies I would have killed for at her age.
I'm picking up the tickets at will call in a little while. This VIP package includes a lot of stuff, but I don't know if backstage passes or an opportunity to meet and greet is included. If there's a way I can upgrade to get that access, I absolutely would. Meeting them would be completely mind blowing to this 11-year-old kid.
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