Everybody else's doing it...

Seems like all the 90's bands are getting back together. It makes sense, given the "20-year nostalgia cycle" of music ... where the middle aged folks start feeling warm feelings about their old favorite bands, and the smart bands capitalize on it if they can.

I think there's a little more to it, though. Even though the Cells might not have gotten as big and famous as we would have liked, I think everybody involved is pretty proud of what we did. We've got some pretty wild adventures we can think about when "adult life" gets to be too much of a drag. We got to do a lot of things that a lot of musicians only daydream about, and even got to play with some of our heroes and role models.

We just put a Facebook page up for the first time ever, and the response from old friends and fans was pretty gratifying.

I think I know why so many of the old bands are getting back together and having such a good time. After a couple years pass and everybody grows up and kind of gets their shit together, whatever differences that drove band members apart in their booze & drug soaked twenties just kinda don't feel that relevant anymore. Maybe they even feel a little trivial after you get a few years of real adult responsibility, and maybe even parenthood, under your belt.

What remains is the fact that the folks you played with are still kick-ass musicians (at least all of my old pals are)... maybe the best you'd ever played with. And there's a collection of shared memories and stories that you share with that group of people and nobody else.

And if you're lucky, there's a great bunch of songs you can get together and play. And maybe some newfound respect and a different chemistry that can make new music happen.

I feel a special bond and affection for anybody who's ever spent time playing music in the Cells. It's great Randy, Johnny and I live near each other and can still play decently. Randy and I went and had dinner with Brede last night, who's visiting from Oslo Norway, where he's a big shot TV producer. On the way there Johnny and I were texting about whether or not he should buy an amp he was eyeing at a pawn shop. Mark Doyle's band Textbook just put another album out. Rick's becoming an English professor and still plays in a yacht-rock band with his brother Bob. I think Zack's got a studio. Skid still has his band the Ladies and Gentlemen. Andy still has Million Yen. Josh James is a kick-ass artist now. I can't believe how big Pat's daughter's getting. Kevin's in Austin and does all kinds of showbiz charity stuff. Who the hell knows where Bob is, he was in the band for like 10 minutes.

I love them all.

-C