And I bid you goodnight...
Well, campers, the day has come. Regular readers of this blog might be a little less surprised about this particular piece of news, but I'm pretty surprised to be writing it. I've been writing it in my head for a few weeks now, but now that I'm sitting here, I don't really know how to put it.
I joined this band at the age of 24 to accomplish a few objectives. I was barely a year out of college and was already tired of washing dishes and rolling burritos for a living, so I prayed for a gig. I met John Skehan within a week, and the rest is history. What I wanted then was to get out of the kitchen and play professionally (with my college educated hands), to travel, and to learn about the music business. Check, check, and check. I never intended to be a touring musician for the rest of my life, and have proceeded to plan my life with my wife and our son and our dogs accordingly. We played Red Rocks a couple of months ago. Icing on the cake.
About a year and a half ago (as regular readers know), the flame of my creativity began lighting a different path than the one that I was on with RRE. I'd always been pretty good with computers. I only recently realized that the main reason that I like recording and production so much was mainly because it involves using and being good with computers. It took an iPhone to spark the idea that I should take matters into my own hands and start learning how to program myself. So, for the last 18 months, that's what I've been doing. I'm not quite to the point that I'm ready to make a living with it, but God has taken care of me and me family so far, so I have to place my trust in him now.
I had a medium-range plan that had me exiting RRE at the end of next year - 2010 - and dovetailing my present and future careers together the best I could in the meantime. Then a record deal came along. I'm a lawyer's son, so when it became apparent that this deal was probably going to actually happen, it kinda screwed up my plan. I couldn't sign a piece of paper committing myself to RRE and touring for the next 3 or 4 years when I knew good and well that I didn't have it in me. That's when I knew I had to tell my bandmates what was going on with me. Needless to say, they were probably a little surprised themselves. I gave them until the end of next May, but they've rightly decided that since a new record needs to be written, and we won't be on the road while that's happening, it's probably best to just go ahead and call it.
I'm not sure what the future holds, but I've got a few ideas. I know how much RRE means to many of you, and many of you probably think I've gone off my rocker reading this, but I have to ask you to trust me. RRE has meant a lot to me, too. I'm lucky to be able to say goodbye to a few of my favorite cities in America - Denver, San Francisco, and Portland - before hanging up my cables after the New Year. RRE is an unbelievably good band, and I have no doubt that they'll pick a worthy successor for me. At the very least they won't have to talk some kid into sleeping on hotel floors for weeks on end anymore.
To my bandmates I want to extend my deepest thanks for the opportunity to do exactly what I always dreamed of doing for the last 7 years, and to play the best music I'll probably ever play. To Mikey and J Ro and Phil and Stacy and Alex and especially Gayle I want to say thanks for working way harder than I ever did to make sure that RRE not only had people at the show but that they were lavished in the most inviting atmosphere possible, even at the Nick in Birmingham. To Brian I want to say thanks for talking me into such a ridiculous situation in the first place and for everything that you've done for RRE. And lastly to all the strangers who have become fans who have become friends, I will miss the hell out of y'all, but I won't be too hard to find either. I have an entire industry to try and save now, for the benefit of musicians and music lovers alike, and I'll need all the help and support I can get.
Thanks for the ride, and I'll leave you with a little Gillian Welch...
EDIT : I'm going to be checking in here frequently over the next several weeks as this process unfolds. I had a thought during last night's show that it'd probably be very helpful to me and informative for you if I use this blog as a tool to try and explain to you just what I'm so fired up about that I'd quit a fantastic band to go do it. Please stop back by. Later...
Comments
You will be greatly missed!
You will be greatly missed! Good luck in your new endeavours!!"Grubb- the bass and nothing but the bass"
Beautifully said! A kind and
Beautifully said! A kind and amazing person, writing from the heart. We wish you all the best.
Beautifully said! A kind and
Beautifully said! A kind and amazing person, writing from the heart. We wish you all the best.
Damn man, I am a relatively
Damn man, I am a relatively new fan that had your guys's music crash into me like the grateful dead did back when I first found 'em in 1991. That is back when I finally "got it." I have not been overpowered by music for a long time. I am saddened greatly by this news and yet I totally understand that. I wish you well and had a ball for the few I have been listenting and taggin along. Peace!A brother in the Wind.
in our dance in our music in
in our dance in our music in our lives we are creating webs of interconnectedness and meaning SO best wishes for the new realms in which you are to weave your web -- change is good, though it sometimes takes us by surprise.
It was a pleasure meeting you
It was a pleasure meeting you at the Variety Playhouse a few years ago and sharing photos of our daughters. I wish you the best of luck in your pursuits.
all the best. Follow your
all the best. Follow your heart. Thanks for all the thumper bass lines and holding down the bottom all these years.good luck Peace, love and respect.Harvey "Never underestimate the inevitability of gradualness."
I didn't know this till now,
I didn't know this till now, I would have caught the Fox shows for sure. Black Bears have to walk and walk you must Johhny. Enjoy your future and hope the best. We will see you again with the boys again I'm sure.
Hey John,Sad and Glad If you
Hey John,Sad and Glad If you get where I'm going..... You know whats best for you and yoursLooking forward to talkin with you this week at the Sherman. Have a good Holiday,See you soon
GOOD LUCK JOHN!See you this
GOOD LUCK JOHN!See you this weekend!Mike
Thank you for all you have
Thank you for all you have given us! As Michelle Shocked says, "the secret of a long life is knowing when it's time to go." and if your heart says to go, it's time to go. There is so much joy and flow in life to be found everywhere, in music, in computers...enjoy the ride! =)
Thanks for all the great
Thanks for all the great music, and good luck in what ever you do. I have been a fan of RRE for three years now and have been to five shows in the nj,ny,and pa area, and you always played great. You will be missed.
Though I am very sad to hear
Though I am very sad to hear you will no longer be with RRE, I am even more grateful for the music you played for us during your tenure. I consider myself very fortunate to have seen you perform with the band back in February at the Unity Centre in Maine, in August at Vasser Park in NJ. and am looking forward to the Sherman now more than ever. That will be the last time i get to see the RRE I know and love. I wish you the best of luck in your new venture and if you pour that same energy evident in your playing with RRE into your new career, i have no doubt you will succeed beyond your wildest expectations.Peace, Bob
Thanks, bob! I love
Thanks, bob! I love encouragement like this!Grubb
Best of luck to you, it has
Best of luck to you, it has been a pleasure listening to your highly appropriate bass lines and meeting you once upon a time down at Skipper's in Tampa, Fl. I applaud your sense of direction and i know it will reward you, nothing in this world is like being true to your self! Thanks for all the memories!!
I started enjoying RRE from
I started enjoying RRE from the beginning right up to today...Been to many shows and loved them all. The band and the phans are going to miss you man...Very best to you and your future. You have family everywhere we'll keep a part of you with us every time we hear RRE played..God BlessJonathan ......................Lancaster, Pa
Good luck. It was great
Good luck. It was great chatting with you in Woodstock re. my drummer nightmares. You're a talented person so whatever path you choose will illustrate that fact. Stay in touch. Happy Thanksgiving.
Johnny, thanks for a great
Johnny, thanks for a great ride. We have really enjoyed your playing over the years (especially last night & looking forward to tonight). Best of luck to you and your family in the future. God bless you. Peace!
We have witnessed you feeling
We have witnessed you feeling the "spirit" in a venue as we would also. It really is moving when that happens.
I have been fighting the urge
I have been fighting the urge to comment something here since you made your resignation announcement. I thought in my wishful thinking, hell maybe he will change his mind. But after the Boulder shows and these past Stroudsburg shows, it is all real in my mind buddie. I just didn't want to believe it. I became a huge fan of the music of Railroad Earth before you came up here to play. Carey, Todd, Tim, Andy and Skehan just didn't know what was really happening here in the beginning. As we became friends, their minds slowly started changing and they saw that something was brewing with this band. In my eyes, there was something special going on. Something that was really going to be great. It was not until you came up here to Jersey that things gelled together. It was just missing one thing brother and that was you. I didn't and still don't till this day just see you as a member of Railroad Earth. As each day, each month, each year passed, we got to know each other better and better. You really are a special person buddie who has set his mind to keep growing and moving in the paths of which you feel inherently in your soul and heart. That is a wonderful trait to have. Keep that spirit as it will be the driving force to keep moving you to better things. Johnny, you see to me you are not only a bass player to this band. You are not only a musician that was just playing in a venue. You brought alot of heart and soul into this band. You infused some new youthful energy that in turn showcased on stage. As soon as you arrived up here in Jersey, you were treated as part of this family. We wanted to make sure that this something special that was going on here kept on going without losing a beat. I was not part of the whole beginning of the Grateful Dead movement. But in reading alot of the stuff that went on and hearing stories, the RRE experience is very akin to that same birth and growth. The music it moved us and still does to this day. You made an effort to become part of that movement, to become part of this family, to become part of this whole thing that we love so dearly. In doing so, you let yourself open up to a whole new experience that brought love, joy, laughter not only to yourself but to those that surround you. You connected to alot of people here in this great Hobo Family. You made yourself a staple in the community. Those are hard things to do for some folks. But you did it and to me it is one of the things that made this Hobo Family what it is today. It became a shared experience, band and fan alike. One big family. We haved alot of great experiences together throughout this country. From all these great times here in Jersey, from you being at Ronquillo Ranch, to the Happy Brigade, to all points in between. These will be memories I will cherish for a life time. I have travelled near and have travelled far with you my friend. And although you have now decided to change your path, I will still be there walking beside you as our pathways have not divided. As it has been in the past as it will be in the future, I will always be there for you buddie, whenever you need help, whenever you need a friend to chat with, whenever you need to just have a beer and chill out. You know you can count on me Johnny. From my point of view, this ain't goodbye. We just won't be doing our travelling around the countryside anymore. Much love brother, Allan
Johnny,As a fan, I am sad
Johnny,As a fan, I am sad beyond words. As a person that just chucked it all to follow my heart, I am thrilled for you. Each day gets better and better as you follow that path that is lit just for you. God Speed
Johnny,As a fan, I am sad
Johnny,As a fan, I am sad beyond words. As a person that just chucked it all to follow my heart, I am thrilled for you. Each day gets better and better as you follow that path that is lit just for you. God Speed
Johnny boy, you will be
Johnny boy, you will be insanely missed!!! I wish you, your wife and two beautiful babies all the happiness and best of luck in on your new path! I sincerely hope to see you some beautiful sunny day in the future!
[...] And mine. [...]
[...] And mine. [...]
I'm so grateful that I had a
I'm so grateful that I had a chance to speak with you in Toronto even if it was just about bass amps. Thanks for the Gillian Welch, Johnny. You've shared a lot with me and it's not gone unappreciated.
Post new comment