[This is a true story]
There are so many lines dividing all of us. Cliques, race,creed,nationality, hell even at some point what you wear can seperate you. If you're skinney or overweight set you apart. Everyone [ by "everyone' I mean "somepeople"]talks about unity and all together "one-ness" but who really means it. Racist is bad and if you listen to enough people you will discover that everyone is racist.
People who are obviously better spellerz and more intelligent than me talk about unifing princibles. Like Mathmatics links us all ooooor all children fear the dark. I'm pretty sure there's more but I cant help thinking about one link. That is what todays story is about.
Now its no secret that I was a skateboarder. A bigger secret might be that I grew up listening to Hip-hop or pop if you are a gangsta rappa. I liked the beats and flow, to be honest if my mexican ass could dance I woulda to all that but apparently dance was not in my genetic code. When i became a skater Andy, who was my mentor dissaproved. Like all skaters of the year 1990[?] he listened to punk. Wanting to fit in I delved into the likes of Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys and the descendants. I listened to my old Hip-hop and my new punk. Eventually I found one of my main genre of musk "Pop-punk".
Many years ago while running the "Projects" as a "legitimate" business, Greg came to see me when I worked at a Weinerschnitzel. He had a dire need for a video to graduate High school. I agreed to make it in return for two tickets to "the Edgefest", a local music festival that came to town. My non-blood brother, Dave came up from El paso everynow and again to Skate and hang. A days worth of concerts would be something to write home about. So the video was made and I recieved my payday.
Now to be honest at the Time I hated Ska.Chuck Ryan had a girlfriend at the time who absolutely loved Ska. She would pick on me and use peer-pressure tactics to try to get me to listen to her music. Being completely stuck on Green Day did not help her case. I using my notorious stubbornness refused to entertain her or Ska.
That particular year it turned out that the second/local stage was more rocking than the main stage. Ironically It turned out that "The Giant Steps" was playing that year. The Giant Steps were a local favorite ska-band. That particular day changed my life forever.
I believe the band "Elephant" just got done playing and the Giant Steps were announced. I think that the mainstream band was one that I did not care for, so me and Dave opted to stay.the band came out and began to play. I have to admit that I liked it. they were different. They were not wearing Zoot suits, they were wearing normal clothes. They totally dominated the crowd with the best cover ever of "Brown eyed girl". I was completely and utterly moved by the music and the atmosphere of the crowd.
It was then that I noticed it. I stopped "dancing" and looked at the crowd. I was up at the stage looking back at all the people. I saw skaters, regular people, metal heads people in cowboy hats and people in ICP shirts, all dancing together. There was no one just standing around, they were all dancing or jumping to the music. All different kinds of people with different opinion and attitudes all brought together by the Giant Steps and music.
The rest of the Edgefest didnt seem the same afer The Giant Steps finished playing. People melted back to what was originally there. Drifing back to their ways and the path of self. I kept hoping that another band would pick up the torch, but none did or could. I took the memory home and have treasured it ever since. After that I had also developed a fondness for Ska and Ska-punk.
For once in my life I had seen the lines that divide us blurred away by music which in my opinion is preferrable to the boogyman.
-B
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