The concert was incredible—loud, rocking, virile. Your favorite artist, dripping with sensuality, held the audience—and especially you—enrapt from entrance to encore. During the final encore, a stage hand drapes around your neck a laminated Backstage Pass. It’s from your onstage idol, the roadie says. Thanks to a radio giveaway, you’re at the concert alone. What happens next? Who is the artist?
I have been unfortunate in that while my own musical experience has been rich my concert experience has been dirt-poor. I can really only speculate about what going to concerts on a regular basis is like. The only real concert I've ever been to is an Al Stewart gig at Gill Coliseum at Oregon State University in, oh, 1981, I think.
My first and best favorite artist, though, is Gerry Rafferty. Those of you who were teenagers and/or better in the late 70s BHT (Before Hammer Time) remember the great song "Baker Street" from the huge album City to City. This was a huge album...only deflected from the top spot on the American album charts by MJ's Thriller...and "Baker Street" was number one in the singles for a time. A true classic, just about everyone remembers hearing that scorching sax solo-intro that remains timeless as the song's signature.
I have long fantasized about seeing Gerry live. If I was blessed with the chance to go backstage at one of his gigs, I'd like to chat with him, to find out just what kind of a bloke he is, have him tell me his story, and hear what's driven him to do the things he does and did and what turns him on about his own music. I've always been keen to find out why artists I care for do what they do, partially in hopes of understanding why it is I like what I like, and partially just because I want to know.
I'd tell him the story of my life, meagre as it is, and we'd talk about how to find the inspiration on common moments, about how to find the muse. I'd tell him I have an electric bass and have wanted to learn how to play it, and he'd give me some pointers and suggestions.
Alas, Gerry has never toured this side of the big pond, so this must remain a fantasy...either that, or I travel to Scotland.
Gerry Rafferty is, by the way, still producing genius. His latest effort is Another World, and it is available at his website, http://www.gerryrafferty.com.
Here is the path to the Slant, and the other Slanters:
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