For everything that the music scene in Fairbanks, Alaska may lack, it is made up for, part and parcel, in encouragement and the most highly valued commodity ’round these parts, warmth. I’ve been making an effort not use this blog as a vehicle for promoting my own band and I don’t want to do that now, but being Thanksgiving as well as the eve of Paper Scissors‘ final Marlin performances I’d very much like to take a moment to express my gratitude. It all started in fourth grade when my now ex-step father, a percussionist in a local blues band, gifted me my first drum, a shiny silver snare drum, with which i joined the school band. It was a shot in the dark, to say the least, as I had little to no inclination towards learning to play music at the time. It’s impossible to say whether it was Hot Cross Buns or Three Blind Mice that made me realize there was something about the beat that spoke to me, but either way, the rest is history.
I remember Paper Scissors’ first Marlin gig very well, and in fact still have a recording of it. Listening to those songs, some of which we still play (with significantly more skill) serves to re-enforce my beliefs in the unwavering graciousness of music fans here. In other words we were pretty bad. We weren’t even called Paper Scissors at the time, we were known (for one night only) as the WMDs. My friend and lead guitar for Work, Caleb Kuntz in an interview with me pointed out that one of the coolest things about our scene is that bands are automatically given a number of chances to get their live sound dialed it. Over time those bands that can’t, fizzle out and those that can, percolate to the top, and with unwavering support of their fans, continue to perform. Paper Scissors was lucky enough to fall into the latter category and it is something that has changed my life for the better more dramatically than almost anything else ever has. There’s no way i could list the names of everyone responsible for this, but hopefully you know who you are, and from the deepest depths of my heart and soul…Thanks. I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and that music continues to satisfy your soul as it does mine, for the rest of your days, even if it’s Bon Jovi. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and come spend one last weekend of classic Marlin madness with Paper Scissors this Friday (11/27) and Saturday (11/28). Gobble Gobble.
First off, where is the Bon Jovi dis? Second off, I hope everything goes well. Keep playing, even if you don’t have a band. You can only get better from this point. The music scene here will probably stay about the same, fun to partake in but lacking much. I only heard you guys a handful of times, but one of the most enjoyable bands to listen to around town. Just keep on truckin.