Stay tuned for the date of the “I Survived the Sandy Pond Beach Extravaganza”

HUGE PARTY AND BENEFIT

And now without further ado, here's the story:

The Day my Music Died…or, The Sinking of Shaggy’s Ship

Take your pick, either way this stories a doozy. Buckle up your seatbelts this is going to be a bumpy ride.

It couldn’t have been better, a decent day in the shittiest July that I can remember. The water was warm on the sandy shoals of Sandy Pond, and we were rocking again. It seems like I wait all year to see people at this party. Beaner’s dad Huggy Bear who has so much fur on him I actually was drunk enough to pet it last year. Pop L. whom always has a look of mild displeasure and concern when Mike and Joe do the absolutely cool and crazy things that they do. The boys, Beaner (Dustin), Bobo, C Bass, Sodus Point Jeff, Jimmy (love your dad River!), and Joe and Mike. We have added many more to the list since then, but these are the originals that helped me - help you have the time of your life at the Sandy Pond Beach Extravaganza.

We roll in to a welcome that only the regular beachcomers at the pond can give you, and get set up for a day of glorious intoxication, bathing suits, and with a little help from JPShaggy, Slick Rick, and some Jeffy-beads—who knows where we can go! The day was long, the sky was blue, and as we set up I said hi to many people that I have seen four years in a row. At the party without fights, or accidents, or too much drama. The Pond is a community, and though the Extravaganza can get a little rowdy when I’m involved later on in the day, it’s still about all of us getting together and doing it the way only we can do it. I think there was only one little tiff/fight this year and though that’s one too many, I’m still proud of that number.

There was another band (JB’s) that pitched in throughout the day, they actually jumped in later that night and closed the show on me, but I didn’t mind so much really. They were excited to play and that was fine with me. I think I ended up naming them, “The Drummer has Too Many Drums Band,” because their drummer reminded me of one of my old drummers. If you have more than 3 symbols and a couple toms on a boat on the water you brought too much. It’s about my 10th show on the water though and those harrowing rides where water splashes your stuff can scare you. Little did I know…

The day went GREAT! I played the opening set like always, saying hello’s on the mic to all that I knew one at a time, noticing who was craziest, cutest, funniest, and everything else I could think of as I always do. I announced beer pong winners, and the beachcomers had me yell at the people on the beach! If you brought it in, bring it out, I’m not your mom, I don’t wipe your ass, and I don’t wanna pick up your cans in the sand. The band played, then Slick Rick and I made the stage and a night to remember. Fireworks, hooters—you name it, it happened.

You name it, it happened…

There were a bunch of people that had rode out on multiple boats for the ride out that now wanted to go home. I did NOT want all those people on the boat, but I was absolutely NOT leaving my equipment. Turns out the boat didn’t even have a gas tank on it, but was there primarily for a stage for ME! We got about 1000 yards out when it stalled. People moved to one side, then to the other, and the boat took on water. I watched as it slowly flipped over and pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and called Mikey, but there were people playing tunes and he couldn’t hear it. No one could also hear the shouts of people as they jumped into the water. It was like a mini-titanic. I climbed the boat as it flipped, jumped out of the way and then stood on the side of it, my skin burning as I stayed with my stuff and watched it slowly sinking away from me in all directions. It was probably the most harrowing thing I have ever had to go through, not because of the boat sinking as much as watching my life sink. I’m telling you guys it was crazy.

As I’m watching my life float away I look up and I see my friend Joey above me. Moving fast like a goddamn Batman on the end of a boat that Jamie’s driving I saw him snatch the one guitar that survived out of the water and then there was his hand hauling me in.

Long story short, it’s all gone. Divers actually found most of my stuff which is drying and smelling like stinky wet sneakers. The electronics and speakers didn’t survive, but they did find my bag with cables and stands and that made it for the most part.

Don’t ask about insurance or liability. I haven’t had one call or conversation with the driver of the boat and only talked to the marina people briefly. This party can’t go on again next year with lawsuits and claims and things like that and I understand that. Plus these people don’t have a lot, much less the thousands of dollars of equip and money that I lost out there.

We are going to throw the biggest ass party you have ever seen in the very near future to help me try to pay for my stuff. The person driving the boat will be there coordinating everything if I have my say, or will maybe be in a dunk booth. OR BOTH.

I’m sure the marina will help donate food/beer to the cause.

All in all I’m pretty beat up right now, but if I weather the storm and throw a big benefit bash I think in the long run things will work out. It’s just making it through that’s the hard part. If you guys have photos of that day email ‘em to me or throw them on myspace and facebook and tag me so we can check em all out.