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I have finally stopped giggin for good.

John Vasco

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 23, 2002
Messages
2,064
Woke up Wednesday morning, 7th September, not feeling well. Still not well a few hours later, so son phoned for an ambulance.
Vomited massively before ambulance arrived, so son phoned 999 again and told them to upgrade the call to urgent (he is nurse-trained and knows his shit inside out).
Ambulance crew took my blood pressure - it had tanked and my temperature was way above the norm (my son later told me it was at 43.5!).
Fast ride in an ambulance to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital, to the 'Resus' section of A&E. Serious shit, because 'Resus' means you are one step away from lapsing into unconsciousness.
Cellulitis had also flared up again in my left ankle. So through the blood taken, it was deduced that I had an infection that had triggered everything. A kidney not working to full extent was also noted.
In the meantime, I had a catheter up my 'eye' (horrible!).
They did some kind of 'oscopy', the camera down my throat to see what was going on in my stomach. Showed that there was small ulcerations on my stomach lining.
Over the days with intravenous fluids, antibiotics and antacid tablets they finally got me back to something near normal, with the small ulcers being tackled and my kidney back to working order.
I was discharged on Monday 12th September, getting home at 8:15 pm.
Total, total, shock to me and Anne.

I have taken stock of this serious health scare with Anne, and decided that I should cease gigging. Gigging, as you all know, is not just about the playing but the complete end-to-end situation from start to finish, house-to-house. I'm not going to drive my body to do the 6-7 hours involved with gigging any more.

I can't complain. I started gigging in the night clubs of Liverpool when I was 18 and still at school. I played at many 'famous' venues that The Beatles had played at: Litherland Town Hall; New Brighton Tower Ballroom; Aintree Institute; Blair Hall; Dino's (then call the Peppermint Lounge); the Pyramid; The All Fours; and the original Cavern Club in March 1969 when an 18 year-old schoolboy. Can't complain with those on my CV alone.

So now I'm recovering and taking it easy. I'll be selling three of my four lefty Les Pauls, and my two amps: a Mesa Boogie F-50 Limited Edition, and the Albion Gulfstream15 (which was my gigging amp for the last 3 years - I retired the Mesa once I got it as it was just WAY better!).

I'm still knee-deep in the Battle of Britain Luftwaffe research side of things, presently involved as a Specialist Contributor to the Red Kite series of books, 'Battle of Britain Combat Archive'. Volume 13 due out soon, with about another 4-5 still to come.

So my playing time has come to an end. I loved every second of it, and wouldn't have swapped it for the world!
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garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583
I’m sorry to hear of your health issues John but selling your gear so soon my be a decision you’ll regret later ..I’m sure you’d find pleasure in just playing around the house even if your not gigging any longer..good luck
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
Glad to hear you averted disaster, are well on the mend, have things in perspective, and your horizons are full of activities.

I hope you still play at home or in a situation that's no taxing like a gig! Perhaps adapt to a 'bedroom set-up' or home recording, maybe even very local circle of friends, lessons to d'yutes! Although you have a good dance card.

Best to you, fellow southpaw!

And Now His Watch Is Ended
 

Any Name You Wish

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 15, 2021
Messages
493
Good that you got the right care fast. My father-in-law died suddenly from an ulcer he didn't even know he had, crazy. For the past year I've been dealing with my inner ear issues and have not even been able to play in a band (just quiet practice at home). I have to tell you, losing the ability to play in a band has brought me to tears a couple of times. Now I know that growing old is about things you love dearly being taken away. I agree with posters above, keep your gear for a while and get together with local friends for fun. Its not over.
 

Vics53

Active member
Joined
Jan 21, 2021
Messages
149
So glad to hear you're on the mend John. My gosh, you've played in some places where I'd give just about anything to be able to walk into and soak up the vibes of the past. Especially the original Cavern Club and Litherland Town Hall.

I'm 69 and while I quit gigging around 1996 (worked very long hours) I kept my gear and started playing at church in 2009. Not saying you'll do the same but you might enjoy some jamming with friends here and there.

It ain't over!
 

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
Wow. Oh man, get better, dude. That's what is important. You're still here, man. That's what counts.
 

goldtop0

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Messages
8,931
All the best John and sorry to hear this news from you, here's to a good recovery.
There's about 2.5 years between you and me and in a not too dissimilar vein I was discussing today with our drummer what the likelihood was for the future of our R'n'R band given that the crowds we(and other bands also) are getting now being much less than pre-covid.
Another vote for keeping your equipment.
 

gmann

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Joined
May 26, 2003
Messages
6,147
Sorry to hear this, glad you’re OK. Stay healthy.
 

ourmaninthenorth

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 28, 2009
Messages
7,119
John, you're a musician...it's a difficult thing to turn off internally.

Of course health is the primary driver, but I'd humbly offer the idea that keeping a guitar to play will also become a primary driver in the recovery and reassessment stage you're entering.

The music will guide you home, all we need to do is let it.

It's not game over, it's just a different game.

All the very best.
 

corpse

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 9, 2007
Messages
4,876
Hey- you rebounded- gratitude for that.
I suggest not panicking/over reacting. I had some stuff a couple years ago that might have had me curl into the fetal position.
Easy does it. You have enough on your plate!
I am a huge WW2 historian (won a medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution- you know- the first one in Elementary school and never stopped). What an opportunity being right in England with access to the film and records.
I am a "target" guy- ground combat, armored vehicles. I lived in NJ years ago and had business at Ft Dix- so i stumbled into the CECOM Historians office. There was one poor old guy there- has said he had a warehouse full of film and photos and needed help going through it all... I had young children and lived 2 hrs away- sorry nope... i wonder if it is still there?
 

brandtkronholm

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 3, 2006
Messages
2,737
My thoughts are with you as you continue to recover.

…I’m betting you’ll perform/gig/play again! Maybe it will be on a smaller scale, but music is…music! The joy it brings is everlasting.

Best wishes!
 

jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
I lived in NJ years ago and had business at Ft Dix- so i stumbled into the CECOM Historians office. There was one poor old guy there- has said he had a warehouse full of film and photos and needed help going through it all... I had young children and lived 2 hrs away- sorry nope... i wonder if it is still there?

Sideline, but hopefully lifts your spirits (John V) and piques your military history interests (all): CECOM/Fort Monmouth, New Jersey area history is fascinating!

Of course, this area dates back to the Revolutionary War (Molly Pitcher fame) as a vital geographic location guarding NY Harbor and still occupied afterwards, especially War of 1812 onward. Prior to the Civil War, Dr. Albert Myer (surgeon who became military communications mastermind) developed and tested wig-wag signaling via semaphores around locations in NY harbor, using Highlands, NJ (Twin Lights) near Sandy Hook. They used to practice on the Sandy Hook dunes (now a National Recreation Area park), according to established lore. Thereafter, the merchant exchange established the first permanent semaphore telegraph operation, linked with Staten Island and Manhattan for shipping reports. Prior to WW1, the area saw more US Army Camps which consolidated into permanent Forts thru to the post-9/11 modern era.

[Too much to detail, but notice the telecommunications industry as exemplified by Bell Labs located with the greater NJ area with Monmouth as its nexus: commercial telecommunications and computational innovation being inextricably linked with military communications R&D.]

Most interesting tidbit: The US Army maintained the Army Pigeon Service/Signal Pigeon Corps at CECOM/Fort Monmouth, NJ until it was decommissioned in 1957, including the U.S. Army Signal Corps Breeding and Training Center for military carrier pigeons i.e. "Homing Pigeons." Imagine training pigeons in the NY area given how many wild ones are also in the environment which may 'corrupt' them! At its height during WW2, there were 54,000 pigeons in service, assisted by over 3,000 troops. Even after radio telecommunications were the norm, 32 pigeons were decorated during WW2, still in use for their reliability when other means would be jammed or otherwise unreliable. I knew a Signal Corps officer involved.

US government closed (BRAC'd) Fort Monmouth by 2011, relocating its functions to various installations based upon synergy. Main CECOM tenets e.g. HQ, R&D (RDEC) went to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland.

I hope they preserved all the historical artifacts, sending them to the US Army Historian function out of the DoD Pentagon.

(Fort Dix/McGuire AFB also changed significantly but that's another story...)
 
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John Vasco

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 23, 2002
Messages
2,064
I’m sorry to hear of your health issues John but selling your gear so soon my be a decision you’ll regret later ..I’m sure you’d find pleasure in just playing around the house even if your not gigging any longer..good luck
I'll be keeping one Les Paul, this one. The 1991 Custom.
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And my 1971 Eko Rio Bravo 12-string and my 2002 Taylor 314.
The Eko is a freak! It has a metal nut and a metal zero fret. It has the thinnest neck of ALL my guitars, and hasn't moved an inch since I got it in 1971! It has also got a genuine bookmatched back - crazy!
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The Taylor 314.
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So I'm not going back on my decision to retire from playing out, and will definitely sell 3 of my Les Pauls. We are merely custodians of our instruments, untl they are passed on to the next generation.

And as Vic53 says, I've played in some places that most others would have given almost anything to have played, so I have wonderful memories of those times. Here's my diary page for the Cavern gig.
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I'm half-way through writing the history of my early 1970s rock band for my two grandchildren, but granddaughter won't get her hands on it until she is 18! Some of the stuff in it - you guys wouldn't believe!

So thank you for all of your kind comments - they are appreciated.
 

John Vasco

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 23, 2002
Messages
2,064
Hey- you rebounded- gratitude for that.
I suggest not panicking/over reacting. I had some stuff a couple years ago that might have had me curl into the fetal position.
Easy does it. You have enough on your plate!
I am a huge WW2 historian (won a medal from the Daughters of the American Revolution- you know- the first one in Elementary school and never stopped). What an opportunity being right in England with access to the film and records.
I am a "target" guy- ground combat, armored vehicles. I lived in NJ years ago and had business at Ft Dix- so i stumbled into the CECOM Historians office. There was one poor old guy there- has said he had a warehouse full of film and photos and needed help going through it all... I had young children and lived 2 hrs away- sorry nope... i wonder if it is still there?
I am mainly Battle of Britain, Luftwaffe (Messerschmitt Bf 110) side, although my research over the decades has necessarily involved extensive research into the RAF side opposing them.
These are my two latest:
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And I'm heavily involved in contributing to and proof-reading each volume of this series, which still has some volumes to go:
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In two weeks time I'm over the border into Suffolk to give a talk to the Martlesham Heath Aviation Society on the Messerschmitt Bf 110 in the Battle of Britain. Should be interesting, as the Luftwaffe fighter-bomber unit I wrote my first book on bombed the absolute shit out of Martlesham Heath airfield on 15th August 1940! I hope I get back over the border into Norfolk alive!
 

tdarian

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Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
3,575
Enjoy this next phase and the instruments you’ll be hanging on to!
 
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