I began to notate “The Road Is” in year 2000. I was still jotting down my social observations in fragments under the influence of Bukowski, Kerouac, Burroughs and Thompson. When the muse kicked in, I began to mentally retrace, flash back and write my (The Road Is) excerpts. Before the formal organization of my book, Notes of a Young Drummer 1966- 1967.
The Road Is: resembles a mini compressed brother to Notes, in some ways. Many of the excerpts in (The Road Is: date from the Notes time period, 1966-1969. The last excerpts include my 2005 gig on the cruise ship Victory.
As I’ve repeated in my description of Notes of a Young Drummer 1966-1969, this book, The Road Is: could be authored by thousands of musicians playing music in the 60s and beyond. They’ve had similar events happen to them on their journey, traveling to the gig, on the gig, after the gig etc. Many of my experiences out there “On The Road” ran parallel with those thousands of musicians, (Their Unique, Similar, Experiences) playing music during the 60s and beyond.
Yes my title, “The Road Is” comes from my homage to “On The Road” written by Jack Kerouac. I’m a fan of Kerouac. I’ve had several encounters with people and places from Kerouac’s past. In 1966, I had a date with a Edgewater High School beauty. Her family lived in Kingswood Manor, in Orlando. Their neighborhood is where Kerouac briefly owned his first Florida home. (Post 1957) After he got a little royalty money from On The Road.
Previously, in 1957, Kerouac was renting a house (a few miles away) in College Park, Florida when “On The Road” broke in the NYC media. He caught a bus, went to NYC and the rest is history.
That house has been designated as a historical landmark. In 2000, I produced a film performing several spoken word/drumset pieces in the Kerouac House.
Another brush is my 1984 master class at The Atlantic Center for the Arts, in New Smyrna Beach, Florida. I was accepted into a 3-week program to study with drummer Elvin Jones.
The other 2 Master Artist in Residence were Robert Frank and Allan Ginsberg. Both of them were friends with Jack. They also collaborated in the film Pull My Daisy.
In 2000, I met and performed with David Amram for a Kerouac House benefit. We’ve performed several times since then. I’ve had the honor to read from On The Road with David playing piano. At one of our collaborations, David introduced me to Carolyn Cassidy, wife of Neil Cassady. David was Jack’s closest friend. As I type this, I’m re-reading David’s book (Offbeat-My Collaborations With Kerouac) David’s stories and writing is fantastic. You understand who Kerouac really was. How he spoke, his respect for jazz, bebop, classical music and literature.
(Finally) In 1969, I was playing a nightclub gig in Saint Petersburg, Florida. I read in the local newspaper that Kerouac had died. His house was in the neighborhood. I’ve visited that house several times. It’s sad to think how Kerouac was tortured by his success and rejection. Somehow between 1957 and 1959, the media and greedy marketing turned On The Road, into a stereotype Beatnik movement. (The Beat Generation) it sold books, turtleneck sweaters, bongos, berets and dark glasses. It was a weekend party for Suburbanites. In David Amram’s book, he talks of him and Jack being at their old hang, The Figaro in 1959. Everything was changing. Tour buses were coming to be weekend Beatniks, hang out with the hipsters, be part of the scene. I remember the show on black and white TV, Dobie Gillis, it’s debut in 1959. Maynard G. Krebs, Dobies friend is a lazy, goofy Beatnik. In 1959, Kerouac was 37 years old, continually disregarded as a serious writer by the critics. He wasn’t hanging out with a goatee playing bongos. His rhythmic spirit was from bebop, the music of Monk, Bird, Dizzy.
Both of my offerings, The Road Is and Notes of a Young Drummer 1966-1969, have sentimental value each time I visit.
These 2 projects are what my music mentor and teacher Tommy Thomas would call. (My Birthright) Meaning, this is my soul and spirit. Each excerpt is a rhythmic diary from my journey.
In 2022, at the age of 73, I’m offering these projects on my web site. (They are free or pay what you want) I also post excerpts daily with my music, text, media, animation and more. This happens on my Substack site. (If you’re reading this elsewhere) Substack, that’s where it’s happinin, dig.
I have a formal web site with all of my publications. This includes my brand “Boom Boom the Bass Drum” and Mrmikesmusicmats. (www.michaelwelchpublications.com)