"Play as loud as you can, as fast as you can, as hard as you can." That was a quote written in black Sharpie on one of my cymbals when I was playing in a band. I wrote it there because that was the energy I wanted to bring to our live shows. And our shows reflected that ethos. They were high-octane dance parties (even if there wasn't anyone at the show - we were more than happy to entertain ourselves). It's how I saw myself as a musician. It was the image in my mind that I tried to live up to. It's how I self-identified. There was nothing wrong with that self-image, but when I listen to old recordings of our shows, I can also … [Read more...]