Bullet

       About thirty years ago, my older brother Lee and I were sitting around my Aunty You-You’s kitchen table during one of her epic summer pool parties. Aunty You-You was my mom’s sister, and although she didn’t have any kids of her own, she was a second mother to not only all of my siblings, but to most of my cousin’s as well.
       Her parties were the blueprint for the mayhemic soirees that my twin brother Mike and I would start throwing just a few years later. There was a festiveness and a palpable love that swirled throughout these events (and always, always, always, live music), and it was my goal to replicate that energy at our own events. My aunt loved to entertain. My whole extended family does. We’ve all taken that ball and ran with it, as anyone who’s ever been to one of our parties can attest to.
       On this particular night, Lee and I were getting pretty looped when our discussion turned to love. Lee laid a phrase on me that has stuck with me ever since. This phrase summed up, albeit crudely, how I feel about some of the people I truly love. He said to me, “Some people, you love so much, you would take a bullet for them.”
       I got it right away. It was something I already felt, something I already knew, even though I had never articulated it. The idea of stepping in front of a bullet for someone I loved rang so true that I felt an echo within me; like the energy of the words literally sledgehammered a piano wire within that had never been struck, but I was aware of nonetheless. I knew exactly what he was talking about.
       It was the very first time I had even heard love put that way.  
       There are a number of people in my life that I would in fact take a bullet for. I’m hoping they know who they are. Some of them are likely reading this. As soon as the opportunity is right, in a quiet moment, I will tell each of these people that, just so that nothing this important goes unsaid.
       This choice of who I would take a bullet for is not so much a conscious decision as it is an energy that I feel between someone that makes me perfectly willing to put their welfare ahead of mine in a life and death situation. These people mean that much to me. These people touch a part of my soul that is somehow reserved for them. It’s like a switch that only they can turn on inside of me, and the mechanisms behind that are not fully known to me. For there are many people in my life who I deeply love. But there is something about The Bullet Crew that sparks a protective nature in me that isn't completely conscious. It transcends the physical.
       I never had kids, but I imagine this is the way good parents feel about their children. And part of this is physical. Part of this is my Manhood DNA wanting to protect and keep safe those who mean the world to me. Even though I’m not a parent, I am connected to that energy, and therefore I am connected to that which wants my loved ones to be safe, even at my own expense.
       Maybe some of it has to do with how I see myself: A strong man who could absorb a bullet and not die from it. That may be a completely erroneous assumption, but it’s not the fact I’m plugging into but the feeling of willingness to do anything to keep these people from being harmed. The desire to take care of people I love. I will step in front of this bullet, whether it’s a physical bullet or a metaphysical one, and take it on. I will deal with the blood, the pain, the suffering, or whatever else comes from it. As long as you are safe. As long as you are spared. I will deal with this. I will do this for you. Because I can. Because you mean that much to me.
       Over the years, Lee and I have had our ups and downs, to put it mildly. We’ve at times been at what I would call war, or as close to war as I’d ever want to get. And yet, even in those times where I could not stand the thought of him, I knew, deep inside of me, that, if it came down to it, the bullet would hit my body before it hit his. It was precisely that kind of feeling that made it so agonizing to be at such odds with him. I would say the same thing about my twin. And Mike and I have been in court, at opposite tables.
       I honestly do feel this way about certain people in my life. That doesn’t make me a martyr, it doesn’t make me better than anyone else. It just makes me aware of what I’m willing to do for the people in my life who I frankly can’t imagine living without.
       Who would you take a bullet for? Tell them, someday. That’s something they need to know.

    
 ©2014 Clint Piatelli, MuscleHeart LLC, and Red F Publishing.

Race

       Last night, I attended the multi-media solo performance of my writing coach, Anika Nailah. Her performance blended poetry with images, film clips, audio recordings, and music, to raise awareness on racism. It was a powerful and moving show on a topic that I rarely give much attention to. But it worked. Because I've been thinking about it a lot since last night.
       After her performance, the experience got interactive, as Anika and someone from the Amherst College Multicultural Resource Center took questions and talked about prejudice, discrimination, and racism. The audience then went to another room and had access to all sorts of art supplies, where we were asked to create something based on what got moved in us by the performance. Then we got to share that up on stage if we wanted.
       Experiencing what people wrote and drew and created as a result of the show was as impactful as the performance itself. The whole experience has raised my awareness about my own prejudices, and how those translate into my life. Thank you, Anika, thank you everyone who participated in the evening, for helping me wake up to some of my own bullshit.     

RACE

The Human Race
is just that

A Race

trying to get somewhere
as fast as we can

We Just Don’t Know
WHERE
The Fuck That Is

sometimes i wish we were all the same

all the same color
all the same height
all the same weight
all the same speed

then we wouldn’t race would we?

sure we would

So Let’s Not Change
The Human

Let’s Change
The Race

let’s start racing towards each other
instead of away from each other

I Will Not Push You Away
Just Because You Are Different Than Me
I Will Move Towards You

that’s
MY
Race


©2014 Clint Piatelli, MuscleHeart LLC, and Red F Publishing. All rights reserved.

Smilodon (part 1)

       Smilodon. Sometimes, though incorrectly, referred to as the “Saber Tooth Tiger” (incorrectly because, although it was a large saber toothed cat, it was not a tiger). My favorite prehistoric mammal of all time. Not just because it was one bad ass MoFo. This devil is truly in the details.
       The process of examining, analyzing, and understanding why we are powerfully drawn to something can be a worthy pursuit. Understanding our attraction to something, or somebody, is ultimately a process of self discovery. We can use this opportunity to know ourselves better. Like a mirror, such knowledge reveals facets of ourselves that may lie below our surface. We can usually superficially explain why we’re attracted to something, or somebody, but if we have the motivation to dig deeper, we not only embark on a journey of self knowledge, but we often surprise ourselves with what we discover.    
       Since I’ve loved the Saber Tooth Cat since I was a little kid, I wanted to know more about the animal when I got older. What I found out not only made me love the beast even more, but, again like a mirror, reflected pieces of myself back to me. It evolved into far more than just boyhood fascination. The more I discovered about what this animal was, and how it lived, the more that information drew me in and inspired a deeper connection. The more I found out about Smilodon, the more I identified with the animal. Sort of like those cases when the more you get to know someone, the more you grow to like them. Or love them.  
       Smilodon was robust (6 1/2 feet long, weighing about 700 pounds). That’s pretty massive compared to modern day big cats, but compared to it’s contemporaries, it was not a gigantic carnivore. It was, however, one powerful son of a bitch; very muscular and supremely well built. Well right off the bat, I can relate to the animal physically. Because that’s how I aspire to keep my physical vessel, and I’m an average size man.
       It was not an endurance hunter, but the fast and furious kind, possessing explosive speed and power. Once again, I can relate. I’m a drummer. We tend to be explosive. I was a sprinter in high school, and, even though I’m a runner, I’m not a distance machine. I’m built for shorter races, not marathons.
       The big cat would stalk it’s prey methodically, putting itself in the best position to strike quickly in an ambush. Now, I don’t consider myself particularly stealth. With anything. In most cases, you can see me coming a mile away. But I have the capacity to be quite methodical. I adore studying strategy. And I actually appreciate subtlety and nuance very much. I’m very intrigued by people who possess those qualities and use them with aplomb.
       Moreover, in my approach to life, you will discover a fair degree of nuance to it. Sometimes, however, those nuances fall so far outside the lines that they appear anything but nuances. They in fact may appear outrageous. You could say I’m one big Outrageous Nuance. Kind of like Smilodon. Get to know us. We’ll surprise the hell out of you.
       I’m fascinated by subtlety, and know that in some cases it serves me to cultivate it. It just isn’t my natural style. I have to work at it. But I very much appreciate the quality, and I respect people who display it.
       More than a few times, I’ve heard that, between the way I dress, my physique, my overall appearance, and first impressions from a relative distance……well let’s just say that people don’t always expect me to be intelligent, articulate, deep, gentle, friendly, and warm.  
       In part two, I’ll dig even deeper into this. Between now and then, maybe you’ll start asking yourself about your own fascinations. Maybe you’ll be inspired to examine something you are drawn to, and what it might say about you. Then you’d be on this ride with me. And that’s more rewarding than doing it alone.  



©2014 Clint Piatelli, MuscleHeart LLC, and Red F Publishing. All rights reserved.

Larry's Rhythm Wallet

I wrote this at a writing workshop at Omega this summer. The exercise was to tell a story, about a wallet, using nothing but dialogue. It was quite challenging for me, because I had never written dialogue before. The format is that of a screenplay, where the character's name appears over his or her dialogue, which isn't in quotations.

                       BANG

Hey man, can I borrow your wallet?
                    
                        LARRY
Excuse me?

                        BANG
Can I borrow your wallet? You can take everything out if it. I just want to borrow the wallet itself.

                        LARRY
What for?

                        BANG
Well I’m recording a rhythm pattern over there on my laptop, and I need to hit something else to create another tone. When I hit the wooden table with my drum sticks, it gives me the chick sound. Hitting the wallet will give me the boom sound. Ya know, “Boom/Chick, Boom/Boom/Chick".......

                       LARRY

Yes, I get it. But that’s…….ridiculous. I’m not lending you my wallet to record drum sounds.

                        BANG
C’mon man. I’m really onto something here. I’ll even give you a writing credit when the song gets made.

                        LARRY
Yeah. That’s a real incentive.

                        BANG
I’m serious, bro. What’s your name?

                        LARRY
Is this some sort of a scam? Because this sounds like some sort of a scam.

                        BANG
No man, no scam. I’ll sign something right now that gives you a writing credit for this song. Draw some agreement up on a napkin or something and I’ll put my John Hancock on it. Movie deals have been made over those kind of arrangements. Remember the film The French Connection?

                        LARRY
Yeah.

                        BANG
Well a dude made a boat old of money off that film ‘cuz he had a napkin signed by the producer, Phil Dantoni. Look it up. True story.

                        LARRY
Really? I love that movie. But look, this still seems weird. I’m sorry. Plus, I’m an attorney. It would look bad if I signed a legal agreement on a napkin.

                        BANG
Well I can dig that. My lawyer would probably freak out if he were asked to sign a napkin too.

                        LARRY
Who’s your lawyer?

                        BANG
Teddy Hack.

                        LARRY
Teddy Hack? From Hack, Ream & Shyster? The entertainment firm?

                          BANG
Roger that, Perry Mason.

                        LARRY
Are you in a band?

                        BANG
Bingo.

                        LARRY
Anybody I might know?

                        BANG
Maybe. Ever heard of "Mind Crisis"?

                        LARRY
Mind Crisis? You’re in Mind Crisis? So you’re the drummer, Bang? Formerly known as Stan Kablonski?

                        BANG
Bingo again, man.

                        LARRY
I love you guys! I didn’t recognize you without the long hair and the fu manchu mustache.

                        BANG
Cancer treatment will take away the hair, and I didn’t like the evil mad scientist look, so I shaved off the ‘stache.

                        LARRY
You’ve got cancer? I’m sorry to hear that. That hasn’t been in any of the music rags or trades.

                        BANG
I’ve kept it quiet. Don’t want my folks to know. Maybe after I beat it, I’ll tell them.

                        LARRY
Well I would be happy to lend you my wallet for your rhythm track. In fact, you can keep it. I hate that fuckin’ wallet anyway. My mother in law gave it to me.

                        BANG
Far out man. I’ll name the song…..what’s your name?

                        LARRY
Larry. Larry Van Pulin.

                        BANG
I’ll name the song "Larry’s Rhythm Wallet". How’s that?

                        LARRY
That's great! Thank you! This is too good to be true.

                        BANG
No man. I’ll tell you what’s too good to be true. Staying alive through this awful disease to be able to make music for people like you.

©2014 Clint Piatelli, MuscleHeart LLC, and Red F Publishing. All rights reserved.

Linebackers Drummers And Love (part 2)

 To get more from this writing, please read part 1, Linebackers Drummer and Love     

       Try this at home, kids. Put on a great guitar solo. Eddie Van Halen is my favorite. He’s amazing to listen to. Admire the virtuosity, the skill, the speed, the melodic forays, the originality, the feeling in his soloing. But try dancing to it. Try banging your head to it. Try moving to it. Good luck.
       Now, put on a great drum solo. And when I say great, I don’t mean one where a dude just wows you with his speed and technical ability. I’m talking about a solo where the drummer lays something down; like a killer groove that your body feels compelled to move to. Where you can’t help but shake and shiver and bounce. Now tell me, which solo evokes something more primal? Which solo packs more of an emotional wallop? It could be that I’m totally biased, because I’m a drummer. But I don’t think so. I’ve seen this for myself a million and one times. At gigs. At concerts. And in my own home.      
       The whole point is emotional content. Now again, I’m talking in the context of rock music and football (which actually have a lot in common). I’m not talking about a solo performer playing an acoustic guitar and singing. There can be shitloads of emotional content in that. But that type of performance has got very little in common with football. If I’m looking for high energy, body moving, balls to the wall feeling, I look to rock music. And football.    
        In football, a linebacker who nails somebody so hard they see stars is equivalent to a rock song that makes you want to bang your head, shake your booty, or fuck your girlfriend. And the root of that energy in song form is the drummer.
        A linebacker who attacks a ball carrier is like a man grabbing his woman, throwing her on the bed, and positively ravishing her. At least metaphorically (I’m not referring to imposing your will against a person who wants something you don’t. I’m referring to consensual adults). Again, it’s about setting the emotional tone. It’s about bringing a certain energy to something that creates real fire. This particular fire is aggressive. Passionate. Powerful. And beautiful. It really is. All true fire is.
       One of my goals moving forward is to assist people, both men and women, in BRINGING IT more to their lives. To their loves. There is a beautiful, primal, animalistic, passionate, fiery fury that is missing from a lot of lives out there. From a lot of lovemaking out there. From a lot of relationships out there. Both men and women are responsible. I get that many of us are afraid to let ourselves go. But we can all learn a lot from drummers and from linebackers. Because both breeds know how to bring a passion and a fury and a primal force and a love to what they do. Both breeds know how to bring it.
       Don’t you want to see that in a drummer? Don’t you want to see that in a band? Don’t you want to see that in your lover?
    Yeah. I thought so.

©2104 Clint Piatelli, MuscleHeart LLC, and Red F Publishing. All rights reserved.