Back after a long hiatus

[scottfeldstein]

I'm Scott Feldstein and I'm just getting back into music after a 15-year hiatus.

When I was about 14 I picked up the bass because my cousin played guitar and I wanted to do something too. My folks got me a practice amp and a (pretty unplayable) bass. Don't remember what kind they were--just awful. When we hooked up with a drummer, I got a Peavey 15" combo amp. We played Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.

Do something long enough and you do get good at it. Pretty soon I got good. I put together a homemade cabinet and an old power amp. I bought a used Fender P. I started playing in a better band--for actual money.

I had the good fortune to play with a few really talented people. Playing Mahavishnu Orchestra and Rush with a virtuoso drummer one summer was a musical highlight (although nobody ever heard it outside of his basement).

I played in a few different bands, sometimes I loved the music (and made no money), other times I hated the music and made a few bucks. I learned to read music, but soon forgot how. My ear had gotten so good that I could pick up just about anything in no time. (I'm sure most of you can relate.)

Eventually I gave it up after college when I had kids to look after. 15 years passed. I kept an acoustic six-string around just to goof around with when the urge struck me.

My son began playing guitar a couple of years ago and that sort of got me back into shopping music gear. Just a few days ago I finally cracked and bought a new bass and a decent gigable amp.

I emailed a friend of mine to tell him and he immediately fired his bass player (a bad fit, stylistically) and asked me to join his group. I don't particularly care for the music, but hey I didn't get this gear to sit around and look at it. So I said yes. First full rehearsal is tomorrow night.

My style is straightforward rock with some funk technique thrown in for kicks. Steve Harris with a twist of Flea. Or something like that.

What I listen to... Venus Hum, Delerium, Psapp, Butterfly Boucher, Frou Frou, Chibo Matto, Girlyman, Gogol Bordello.

My Clark Kent job is running the online e-learning system at a private university and occasionally teaching technology/multimedia type stuff. Also for the last few years I've been doing wedding photography on the side.