Well, not sure I should post this, it's way too personal...but- I could use some help.
My younger brother has always dreamed of being a rock star, and of course I'm to blame for that- he always looked up to me and the bands I was in, and learned to play lead guitar extremely well- he even went to CA to the Guitar Institute for a year, chasing the dream. He has the skill, just hasn't had the breaks and I'm not so sure he has the work ethic for it. Well, that was 10 or so years ago. Lately he's been hanging sheetrock, and manual labor jobs such as that. His wife has been out of work for two years, and shows no signs of even trying to get a job, just sleeps, drinks and watches TV. (The marriage has been rocky for years, he left 4 years ago for a spell)He has two boys, 15 and 13, and has been renting a trailer for the last 10 years or so in South Carolina. Let's be nice and call it "poor" living conditions....maybe unhealthy. They had to turn in his car, couldn't keep up the payments with her out of work. Not sure how he's getting around.
Well, about a month ago, he took off a weekend, headed for Jersey, went to the local Guitar Center, found out what bars to go play in to get exposure, did a couple open mike sessions,(to standing ovations, he says) and then came back home all fired up. He claims he was offered three jobs (non-musical) while he was up there, and the manager of one of the clubs wanted him to come back for a weekly gig. All sounds great, but- he's been known to exaggerate.
Anyway, he left the wife and boys behind,(with the boy's blessings, they want him to be happy) and took off a week ago last Thursday, and that's the last I've heard of him.
If any of you have friends or connections in the Jersey/NYC area in the music business, let me know. I want to help him out, but at the same time he needs to be responsible for the boys. I know if he makes any money he'll send it to them through my folks, but I'm worried that he's a sheep in the wolf's den, he's not the most street smart kid out there.(Well, he's 36, so he's no kid...just has a kid's brain at times) Don't want to see him get taken advantage of.
He really does have talent,(he can play any Van Halen, and most Allen Holdsworth, and loves Rippingtons- my fault again!) so maybe this has a chance to work out. Send me a PM and I'll give you his name and whatever locating info I have, not sure if he's using a stage name or not.
Any info is appreciated. It's not like he's a "missing person" or anything. He'll probably get up with my folks soon, especially if he's running low on cash... :rolleyes:
Thanks for your help, I'll pass on any music job leads to him as soon as I can find him. I just would like to see him get hooked up with somebody we can trust.
TonyY