Tuesday, May 8, 2012

Former Punk Daddy Has Children Who Play and Sing Jazz and Classical Music



Well, since I was in a one-hit wonder punk band in the seventies, I knew better than to subject my children to mind damaging loud music.... Thank god for that. I have one friend who was a hard-core Rolling Stones fan when he was young and brought up his kid listening to the Rolling Stones. Today? That kid has gown up to be a hard-core Hip Hop fan.... Yo yo man! (Chuckle!!!!)




The dad is so disappointed. I laughed at him and said, "See?" Rock music is brain damage. Don't play it for your children! 


But I digress....


It certainly amazes me sometimes. I don't know why but here's a video of my son playing Tchaikovsky's "Sleeping Beauty" when he was six-years-old. For some reason, this video has had over 10,000 views in these last two years.... 


僕の奥さんが撮影した、息子(6歳当時)のビデオ。僕はこれまで沢山の音楽ビデオを撮影してきたけど1万アクセスになったビデオは1本もない。それなのに!!!すごくない??


What really blows my mind is that I will go out and make a promotion video for some rock band that plays in front of a few thousand people or tours Europe or appears at SXSW and those videos don't get more than a few thousands views.... What gives?


Anyway, I just told me wife that it makes me proud and it seems curious thing that I am the head of a household of musical people... Yes! Really! My daughter is a Jazz singer in Japan with her debut album just out to good sales, sold out shows and excellent reviews. My wife is a classically trained pianist who graduated from one of Japan's top classical music universities; my son has won awards from the Japan Association of Professional Piano Instructors, and the above video has surpassed 10,000 views... And all because daddy was in a sh*tty one-hit wonder punk band in the seventies????


Probably not.

1 comment:

  1. Hey Mike, that is great to see. Your son has talent - and I know your daughter sings opera! Awesome! I can't sing to save my life - at east not since I hit puberty and I went from 1st soprano to talking like i was in The Sopranos. Fuggedaboudit!
    Because my uncle was a conductor for the New Delhi Symphony, it was expected that I would take up the reins. Forced to play the accordion, I switched to piano when I was 16 and taught it when I was 25. I also taught clarinet, and can play all brass, woodwinds and keyboards - though I have not even touched an instrument now in 20 years. My 6-year-old has no interest in music - only sports.
    I played semi-pro soccer and was a decent 3rd baseman who could hit for power but couldn't make the throw to 1st.
    I refuse to teach my son unless he comes to me and says he wants to play. He asks me about soccer and baseball and seems to love hockey. That I will teach him.
    As a writer, I am also frustrated by his inability to read well despite our best efforts for years. He wants top read, but has difficulty. It's why I haven't even begun to try and confuse him with music reading. It's my frustration that worries me about teaching him. Dude - as long as your son is happy to learn, more power to him. I have no idea what my point is except that I enjoyed the post.

    ReplyDelete

Comments must be succinct & relevant to the story. Comments are checked frequently and abusive, rude or profane comments will be deleted. I’m just one of many bloggers who answer questions online and sometimes for the press. I usually handle questions about Japan, marketing or the economy, so in those areas I’m more likely to make sense and less likely to say something really stupid. If I post something here that you find helpful or interesting, that’s wonderful. This is my personal blog. If you don't like what you have read here then, just like when you go into a restaurant or bar that allows smoking, if you don't like it, there's something at the front that has hinges on it and it is called a "door."