The book: “Not My Thing” by E.D. Martin (yeah, I’m self-promoting this week)
The music: The Steepwater Band
Since moving back to my hometown a couple years ago, I’ve become my dad’s concert buddy. There’s a local venue in town that gets great regional rock/blues acts for decent ticket prices, so whenever an interesting show comes through my dad invites me along. The best part, however, isn’t the music – it’s the people watching.
I’ve gotten a lot of great stories out of stuff I’ve seen there: “The Best Day of Herb’s Life,” based on this accountant guy we saw at a Samantha Fish concert, and “Killing Johnny Garcia,” about the devil giving up a life of chaos to become a middle-aged, overweight guitar virtuoso. And, of course, “Not My Thing.”
“Not My Thing” is about a regional band out on tour. I came up with the idea at a Steepwater Band/Royal Southern Brotherhood show when I noticed the guys from the opening band mingling in the crowd. What’s it like, I wondered, to be in a band, playing a small venue where a few people know your music but not enough know it to recognize you in the crowd? What’s it like to play for the love of music rather than fame or money, and what happens when the music runs out?
The Steepwater Band is rock, pure and simple.
