Over the course of the last 7 days I’ve experienced some highs and lows, almost all highs, but one notable low.
Last Sunday night, after a weekend full of Little League baseball (Eric’s team won twice, I umpired a well played game Sunday afternoon), the surf band recorded a 5 song demo for our myspace page. The performance was VERY crisp, great energy, great comeraderie with John Santos, a musician friend and bandmate of Danny’s in Braindozer. John was patient, accommodating and altogether very generous with his time and effort. I think he really busted his ass for us, by Tuesday he’d finished mixing and mastering the demo. Gene dropped off a CD made to look like a vinyl 45 – very cool (one of John’s touches).
The week progressed, work went well, Nat’s team won 2 of 3 games, Eric had his practices, Friday night we enjoyed a great meal at Nama, a relatively new Japanese restaurant on Fruitvale. Another weekend of baseball, Nat had a strong pitching workout Sunday morning. Eric’s team, the Angels, after losing a sloppy game Saturday, came back to beat a usually strong Rangers team Sunday afternoon. Home made pizza for dinner, I’m off to my weekly Sunday night rehearsal.
Gene greets me at the door and asks if I’ve spoken to Danny recently. “I have some really bad news,” he tells me. In the ensuing second, a couple things run through my mind: did something happen to Danny or someone in his family? Was the house broken into and gear stolen? Is the surf band kaput? Is someone quitting? Then he tells me that John Santos died in his sleep day before yesterday. Now, this is not someone that I’d known very well, or was necessarily close to, but we’d just been in close contact with him and the weight of the news was a little bit crushing. Just 32 years old, John had treated us incredibly well, and we were looking forward to spending more time with him, away from recording and playing, him being part of our circle was something that was going to happen.
John, thank you, you’ll be with us all the way. We won’t forget your easy going demeanor, your kindness and generosity.