Should you keep at least one of your life's dreams untarnished?

Friday, December 01, 2006


I've been fascinated with DRUMS since I was a small boy. Although no one else in my family is musical, my Dad was always a listening fan. When we had record player in the early seventies, he would listen to Kris Kristofferson, Neil Diamond, The Johnsons, Dr Hook, Janis Joplin, John Mayall, JJ Cale, The Beatles, Woody Guthrie, Elvis.....

So from my early childhood I was soaking up some pretty good music, and some pretty good musicians. My own first LP I think was either Status Quo Whatever You Want , or was it something by 10cc. Memory fails me.

In listening to the music, it was always the DRUMMING that caught my ear. I found it mesmerising. I never got a chance to do any until I went away to Secondary (High) School where I "commandeered" a set from a friend who had drums and began playing with guys who were learning guitar. The thing was I never had any lessons, but understand time and co-ordination and fills and patterns instinctively. I would not say a natural talent so much as I had programmed myself over the years of listening - and done a fair amount of air drumming.

But that was it. A couple of years playing in school. A couple of gigs - in school. Then I got into something else altogether. My Dad had been a keen cyclist before he settled down to family life. Being a bit sporty myself, this was always going to get some of my attention, and so I had a long and decent Amateur career as a racing cyclist, competing at International level representing my country. Drums were left as a dream unfulfilled.

I missed the buzz I had felt playing in school but had left it behind me for a different high. School, or more specifically Martin Crotty, had at least introduced me to my biggest influence in music, drumming and (as fans know) Philosophy and Life, in the form of Rush and Neil Peart.
Now at 40 I have decided to treat myself to a mid-life crisis and get a drum kit.

My dilemma is this.

Is it better to let it lie and not to frustrate or disappoint myself by trying to create something when it's too late and that ship has sailed? Will trying to attain a playing level that may take years frustrate me at this point in my life? Will I be left with regrets that my life didn't take a different course?

Should you always keep just one dream untarnished ?