Iron Maiden is playing Regina tonight.  I won’t be there.  Couple of reasons – firstly I have to be up at 2:30 am Monday morning for work – secondly, I’ve never really been a metal guy.

The reason?  I was just never really exposed to metal when my musical tastes were being formed.  My buddy, Pete Boysen, had an older brother (by about 5 or 6 or 10 years or so – I don’t really remember, he was just “older”) who had a band that practised in the basement of their house – apparently, like so many garages - theirs was full.  Marty was a computer genius, in as much as there was such a thing as a computer in the late 60’s, early 70’s and he worked at a printing company – where he wore a fake short-hair wig to cover his long rocker hair, in order to keep his job.

Marty listened to and played Procal Harem, Yes, et al – and that was my early introduction to live music.  It should be noted that my first 45 rpm record (it’s a kind of vinyl thing that played back music for all those under 30) was Brown Sugar by the Stones – given to me by my babysitter for keeping my kid brother in line, or some such thing.  Still, not a metal mentor in sight.

Every genre has good and bad music.  I learned that from experience in the early 80’s when I went to work at a country bar and was exposed to the music for the first time.  Ricky Skaggs, David Allen Coe, Montana (a house band that, with the exception of one member, died in a plane crash as they were on their way to a gig) – they gave me music I had never heard before.

So tonight, it’s Iron Maiden.  Like rabid KISS fans, the faithful will be out, lighters waving for the encore.  Enjoy your evening – enjoy the music – and if you are reading this Monday morning – get your butt out of bed and get to work.  And yes, I mean you Cory Kolt.

Rockin’ it old school…  Dave