Last Night, I Found An Enigma
Tuesday, June 19, 2018 at 09:50AM I lived through my massive work event, which I ultimately moved indoors - due to heat - with the help of approximately 40 or so staff members over the course of about 8 very active working hours. Then the big event went off without a hitch and fun was had by all! I never want to do that again, ha!
One of my event elements included a steel drum player. He played traditional Caribbean music and then every once in a while would drop in a pop song. I loved when he played Bruno Mars - we danced! During my long cleanup, he stayed a little while to entertain the staff... and started taking requests. Me, being punchy at this point, said "Let's hear some metal!" to which everyone I work with groaned. So I said, "Ok, play some 80s hair metal!" and everyone cheered, seriously. So the amazing steel drum player looked at me said "I don't know what this is" and I said, okay, "Play Def Leppard."
Him: "Who is that band?"
Me: "Def. Leppard."
Him: Spell it.
Me. I did so.
Googling ensues.
Him: "Did you know they have a song called - "
Co-Worker: "Pour Some Sugar On Me."
Him: "How did you know that?"
Me: "Can you play it?"
Him: "Give me a second."
Literally one minute later, this man who had never heard of Def Leppard - let alone the band's most famous song - was looking at a drum tab and started playing. It was basically incredible. I've never heard a steel drum version of "Sugar" before, but I swear it was epic. When he packed up to leave, I thanked him for his hard work. He promised me to look up more songs by Def Leppard and to came back and really kill it for me. I'm kinda pumped. Plus, I've never met someone that's never heard of Def Leppard before, so that was sort of life altering in a way. It reminds us about our world view, perspectives and being open-minded to others. This amazing drummer knows way more bands than I do, I'm sure. We can always learn from others if we just let ourselves be open to new experiences, cultures and people.
Reader Comments (9)
Every moment creating just an incredible story!
How surreal it must have been to watch the Steel Drummer bang out Def Leppard!
Hilarious antidote about first requesting “Metal” to virtual silence and then amending that to “Hair Metal” to ruckus cheers!
Rita, my Heavy Metal Love, thank you for the tip on Elliot’s voice sounding better. Because of your intel, I will definitely make ever effort to see them this go around!
Still, I stand on the side of using music to forge ties, build connections, and find commonalities.
Funny story: I once had someone young-ish, though interested in metal, listen to Maiden's "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner." Their first response? "Not bad. But the band can't even spell the word 'rhyme' correctly" (I had the CD insert out for them). I dusted off my copy of Coleridge (this was a lesson-in-waiting) and said (I paraphrase), "Well, it was a different _time_. Words change. Meanings too. But consider the band's influence. It is quite a good read." Turned a petulant youth onto the classics, and Maiden, through the mere act of sharing. Thing is, I was that kid once. Music can truly expand your horizons, should you let the narrow confines of your existence be the starting point for growth.
When you force thoughts, and music, onto people, they tend to dig in. When you share, well, they tend to consider other possibilities.