"Free Bird" and me - a story.

I'm not a huge fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd by a long shot, but anyone who's been around while I play GH2 knows I tend to go nuts when I play Free Bird. But the reason I go nuts isn't because I'm playing it, but rather because it makes me recall a time, years ago, not long after I turned 21, when I was still too young to give a damn about most things...

See, I have to preface this with the fact that in Middle and High School, I was a performing arts geek. I did a combined total of 9 years in chorus and 4 in drama. During that time I was in 12 stage plays, went to all city chorus 4 times, all state chorus 2 times and southeast regional chorus once. In other words, I'm no stranger to getting up in front of people and ultimately making a complete and total ass out of myself.

My friends and I used to have this bar we'd go to down at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront every Saturday night - Abbey Road Pub. Saturday night also happened to coincide with the live local band nights and because it was cramped for space it was practically "band in the round" with the band in the middle of the floor. We had been going there months before I had turned 21 because we had found the place one early June day when we were at the Oceanfront. Over time, I had gotten to know some of the bands because many of their bands were repeat performers. They weren't ever going to be big name talents and they were fine with that. Most of them just played cover tunes and did it in their spare time as a hobby and were glad they had an audience to be playing to.

So, two weeks after I had turned 21, we went down there and I got completely plastered. It was the first time I had been down there since I had turned legal drinking age. One of the bands I knew were playing and in chatting with the singer (a very attractive woman with one hell of a voice who was easily 10 years older than me at the time, might I add) and the bassist before they took the stage, I accidentially let it slip that I had just turned 21. About 20 minutes later, I found myself being pulled up on the stage. Usually, about this time, I get really pissed because I hate it when people make a big deal about birthdays, but I was about 5 shots of Tequila past the "I don't give a damn" stage. The woman said something about it being my birthday over the microphone and then said to me "I hope you know Free Bird".

Then it dawned on me: I didn't just get drug up on the stage to be told happy birthday to.. no.. I was expected to sing. Ah shit! A double penalty for chatting with these people about how I loved to sing in high school and some of my favorite songs they've covered! Oops.

Long story short, it was the best 9 minutes of what ended up being a semi-bash for my 21st birthday and one of the reasons that Abbey Road, to this day, gets my patronage. I oft wonder what happened to the bands that used to play there. So when I hear Free Bird in GH2, or just in general, it reminds me of that day. Some days I wish I could do it all over again.