Post 1: pgs. 1-56 (first 3 chp.)

Book: "So, You Wanna Be A Rock And Roll Star?"
So far, this book is about a drummer Jacob Slichter. He was a graduate of Harvard University, majoring in "Afro-American studies and History." Jacob Slichter was born in Champaign, Illinois. He is the drummer for the band, "Semisonic," who has sold multi-platinum albums. What has happened so far, is he met one of his closest friends, Dan, who was his roommate in college. He also plays an instrument, a bass guitar, which he played in college, then switched to guitar after college. Even though they both had a different taste in music, they still played music together in college in their dorms.
After college, Dan got married to a girl named Diane. Dan also joined a band called "Trip Shakespeare," where they formed in Minnesota. Jacob went to the wedding as best man, and he thought it changed his life. Why? because the wedding took place in Minneapolis, where he got to meet many musicans (none named), and they all recommended to Jacob that he should move to the Twin Cities. At the wedding, Jacob played at the reception with Dan and Jacob's other friend, John, the bass player; Dan played guitar, and Jacob played Drums.
Jacob signed his first big contract with a record company when he was 13, when he signed up for the Colombia House Record Club. John, Dan, and Jacob were all a band together, ever since the wedding reception. Their first performance in front of another record company, was at "7th Street Entry," where 250 fans piled in to hear some jams. A&R Records was in the front row, and the band knew that they had the record in their palms of their hands. Instead of A&R, or Elektra (another record company), the band signed with MCA, and they sponsored bands like: The Who, Elton John, and Tom Petty. This was a big step in their lives.
Eventually in the 80's, the band started recording in L.A. They were in a Hollywood hotel, where they would settle each night. Each day, the band spent around $1,000 a day in the recording studio. The band was there for months, and eventually flew back home.

REACTION: My reaction to these chapters were surprising. I was surprised because he signed a record deal at the age of 13, and that's really young. "This impromptu set was such a success that in the ensuing weeks the three of us recorded some new song's of Dan's (with small contributions from me)-songs that suited the bare textures of our trio more than the ornamented arrangements of Trip Shakespeare (page 7)." This quote shows that Jacob is now more confident in himself to be something big when he grows up. I also admired his taste in music, because that's the music I listen to. He is great, and this book wants me to keep reading and reading.

This I Believe....

1.) Link- http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5587766

2.) Author- Quique Aviles

3.) Title- I will take my voice back

4.) A sentence of what the belief is- I believe that crack can kill me, but that in the end, that communication and direct human contact will save me.

5.) 2 Examples from the story that showed their belief- 1.......I decided to stand on stage and share stories from my notebooks that have born witness to my nightmare. 2.......But by telling my story here and on stage, I will take my voice back. People will bear witness to my life.

6.) 1 favorite passage- In the early '80s, crack came to D.C. I saw my city change and me with it. Crack is a killer. Crack turns a ladybug in your house into a hungry rat. Crack transports you into paranoid obsession. You don't sleep. You don't eat. Your high lasts 10 to 15 seconds so you need to keep pumping your brain with this poison over and over again.

One goal for myself in my sophomore year is ...

The one goal I have as a sophmore is that I want to get awesome grades so I can later go to a successful college (i spelled college right Mr. Hatten), and so i could then go on to a successful career.

The thing I am most anxious about at Edina High School is ...

What I am most anxious about at Edina this year, is getting lost during the day. I mean, this school is huge, and i feel like everyone can get lost, and i know i have had my fair share of being lost in this school. Other than that, i'm pretty excited for this school year to start i guess.