I thought I would never have to write this. Yes, I am talking about a breakup. Well, since this will probably be the last Live Suicide blog let me tell you how it all began. When we started back in the 2005, I never thought it would get as far as it did. I formed the first version of the band with an ex-student of mine, and it was her vision, not mine that started all this. I can't disclose her name for legal reasons (No, I didn't do anything; I'm just protecting her identity!) but she took lessons for years and we got to be friends before she told me about starting a band.
Anyway, as you might have expected when we started, I had a thing for her and so I said: "Why not?" But with school and other factors, her life just got too complicated and she had to quit. And shortly after starting the project, the bassist (now ex-bassist of our group) Andy Arrazola, who was also another ex-student of mine, joined the group. At first we worked at the same place, and our day would end by going to the Chicken Kitchen and then going back to my place to generate some beats for what would become our set list.
A bit after that got started Andy suggested adding a pianist. This is something that I thought would be nice if we could find a musician that was suitable enough for the job. In comes Angie Aguirre-Wong. We met and it was a musical match that brought a whole different vibe to the group. She also added songs of her own which made the group sound less Industrial and Heavy and made it more Jazzy. So then the band was near complete. We tried a few drummers but none of them stuck around, for a whole mess of different reasons. It was either because they saw this as a hobby, or just because they weren't focused enough. But the trio of Jerry, Angie and Andy was like a dysfunctional version of the three musketters.
As (bad) luck would have it, Andy had to quit due to his hectic life. He was going to school and working which allowed no time for practice or rehearsal. After that, Angie and I kept the vision going by doing a performance at the Wallflower on June 2nd, which was purely magical. It was at this time that another ex-student of mine joined the group, after witnessing this performance of ours, which literally left him stunned. So in comes Jose Flores, AKA: Pepe. I rehearsed with him twice and he was determined to stay until the end. And this was just in the nick of time since we had a gig at Churchill's on July 22nd.
However, as (more bad) luck would have it, I was struck with a series of events that needed my attention and we had to cancel the gig at Churchill's. That right there was the beginning of the end. Well, actually it started going bad a bit before tha, since there was a time when we were all rehearsing with no gigs to play... but the defining moment came sometime in mid July. Angie kept writing, doing her thing, and after a while I picked up the sitar, which made me take a complete 180 degree turn in my musical approach and so I took up Eastern music almost exclusively. That move wasn't planned but I guess on some level, it was meant to be. So shortly after my "unwanted vacation" (AKA: hospital trip) from the band I tried contacting Pepe but after several unsuccessful tries I took the hint and gave up; which meant that the band was actually now just Angie and myself.
Last night I attended a solo gig that Angie did at Jazid. I just sat there and realized that it was over and the only thing left to do was to say it. As she played her set I saw a solo artist who needed support to achieve her goal. So today we talked and I told her that it was okay, despite the feelings I had for this band. I knew it was dead. I knew it was dead long ago, but I tried to keep riding the horse until it could no longer take another stride. As for me, I will keep playing my sitar which has now become my main instrument. In a sense I found my god and it is in the form of sound; which comes out of my sitar. I had also thought of making beats and doing a solo, instrumental thing later on, but only time will tell...
So to all of you who supported this band I say thank you and just remember; this is not a bitter goodbye; it's more like a mutual "I'll see ya laters...!"
The Fly Kingdom (TFK) will now remain as it was; my one man band. Clips of my sitar work will be posted online at the official Fly Kingdom music website as they become available (that is, whenever I can get a chance to sort them out...)
R.I.P. for now...
Jerry
