Ricky's MSN Group

[styxfanNH]

From Ricky's MSN Group
http://groups.msn.com/RickyPhillips/new ... ricky.msnw

5-22-06

It has been a crazy year. Probably the craziest I can remember.

As most of you know, while performing the week before Christmas, I got a flat tire on stage. I spun around to Todd at the end of Too Much Time, like I always do, to end the song and wham...a blow that felt like I’d been struck or shot in the back of the ankle. When I turned to see what fell from the rafters, there was nothing there. As I attempted to take a step...I realized I was more _ucked up than I could imagine. We’re talking a completely torn Achilles tendon...right in two. The Chinese used to cut the Achilles tendon of their prisoners because it left them completely immobile. Anyway, I finished the last song on one foot...the band had no idea...except for the fact I wasn’t singing...I couldn’t make it to the microphone. I went into shock and have memories of Charlie Brusco and Tommy Shaw carrying me to the paramedics....then the hospital...and Don Felder and Danny Seraphine helping me with crutches and walking up the steps of a small jet to fly back to LA. I had a window of 5 days to get into surgery before it would start to create further problems so I didn’t take any pain medication for fear of being too out of it to take care of the business at hand. I got in Dec. 23rd for surgery and don’t remember much for a week or so. My Brother brought me food and got me to the hospital and my God kids came to visit and cheer me up but its kind of a blur for a few days. I do remember watching a Lakers game on the telly and seeing Labron Profitt from the Lakers tear his Achilles two days after I tore mine. Its a crazy injury that looks like you hardly did a thing to warrant such nasty results. So I started the year with a bang. I actually had to give myself shots in the stomach to fly to the new years show in Florida. Apparently, long flights can create air bubbles in the ankles which can lead to strokes. Well, that’s right where I had some serious damage so there I was in the SKY ROOM at LAX asking, “Anybody know how to use a syringe?” With the help of Keith Marks and laughing all the way, I Jammed myself in the stomach and pushed down on the plunger....not so bad. The best part was the looks from fellow fliers...that’s how rumors get started, right? “Damn Rock n’ Rollers.” So, as some of you know, because you were there, I did the New Years show in a huge Gene Simmons boot, basically standing on one leg because I was too proud to sit down. Skunk Baxter excepted, no self respecting Rocker is going to sit down to do a show unless you’re a drummer. Ok, got through that show, another shot in the stomach and a 5 hour flight home. Woo Hoo...Happy New Year!

I entered 2006 not able to walk without crutches and not able to drive...not able to drive? Are you kidding me? I got really bored. I decided to sell my house and leave all my friends and loved ones for a place where I knew less than ten people. Seems like a well thought out plan, right? My house sold in a day and 1/2. I’m still not sure what forces motivated me to make this move, but, whoever they were, I somehow knew they were pushing me in the right direction. In spite of the physical challenges I forged on. Once I was motivated to move forward I found myself, cast and all, picking up boxes, pianos (of which I have three), standing on ladders...well you get the picture. One word to all, “NEVER MOVE”. Stay where you are ... God I hate moving, especially over 1,000 miles away in less than a month...however, turns out its the best thing I could have done. Still its a mystery how it all happened. Sometimes you’ve got to listen to the inner voice and go where your heart or sense of adventure leads you. It was time to shake it up and find new challenges. My buddy Mike Murphy helped me load the semi including my car and everything I owned. He took loads of my stuff to storage and took care of so much stuff around my house that I couldn’t physically do. I’m super close with Mike, his wife Diane and their kids Maddie and Cole. At one point he said, “You know what I should do? I should trash all this stuff and create such a mess that you wouldn’t be able to move.” Instead, after all of that, he flew to Austin to help me unload the semi full of all my stuff he hoped he’d never have to look at again. It gets worse. I bought a house overlooking Lake Travis and the hill was so steep the truck couldn’t get up the hill. So we had to off load everything on to smaller trucks. I hired a crew but Mike Murphy had to load or unload everything I own...three times. Now that’s a bud...I will be repaying him with bottles of expensive booze, dinner tabs and whatever else I can do for the rest of my life. To myself and all of his friends he is know as, St Murphy.

Ok, once I dropped Murph at the airport and got back to what looked like the 94 earthquake, I had a panic attack of epic proportions. What the _uck have I done. I began to question my sanity...quite seriously. I took some long deep breaths and slowly began to talk myself down. I popped open a beer, sat on my back deck and looked out over the prettiest lake imaginable...Lake Travis. And the dark clouds began to lift. I started thinking of all the things I would have had to do to my place in California if I stayed...and the thought of what’s going to happen to California real estate after the next earthquake. I looked down at a couple deer munching on the bushes below me and hawks soaring over the lush greenbelt. A couple sailboats dotted the distant side of the lake and I thought,....Hey, this ain’t so bad.....this is _ucking brilliant! It took me two weeks hobbling around, unpacking boxes and buying and moving furniture. Drummer, Todd and (wife) Taylor, my realtor and her husband and my buddy Ron came over for a cocktail before heading out to my celebratory dinner. I had the fountains going in the entranceway. The shutters, doors and windows were wide open to the lake and surrounding countryside and everything was in its proper place. They were blown away with how much I, the cripple, had done. Honestly, It was two weeks of marking my territory...nesting...you know, what a dog does in a new yard walking from bush to bush. It was more therapeutic than tequila. Everyday has been a good one in my new home. Life is good. Some forces are strong and not always explainable but if you listen to the universe, you will get answers. I hope this gets everyone up to speed. Sorry it has taken so long but thanks for all of your lovely sentiments through all of this.

Styx world is Rockin’ hard and everyone is awesome. We do our show with the 160 piece youth symphony and choir this week. We are in Cleveland upon this writing. Something we never talk about but is always evolving is new Styx material. I think you will all be very pleased with some things in the works. Occasionally, in your career, you may hear something fresh and new and yet it sounds like a classic...rare...but it happens...I’m not sayin... I’m just sayin.

I’ve been asked about the session with Ronnie Montrose, Eric Martin and Denny Carmace (original Montrose drummer and drummer with Heart for many years and the best “feel” drummer in the biz). Denny and I were the rhythm section for Coverdale/Page. Anyway, We tracked a version of the old David Gates tune,” Guitar Man “ for a documentary film being done on guitar collector, Mike Indelicato. Ronnie is one of my close friends and Denny and I seldom get to work together these days so this was a very special day in the studio. We were all bummed there wasn’t more to record. Denny said one of the nicest things a drummer has ever said to me on the way back in the control room after tracking....”Ricky, playin with you is like slippin on an old pair of slippers”. Eric sang his nuts off and we took it into a Hendrix meets Montrose direction. I think you will dig it.

A few of you have been asking about the Frank Marino tribute record. Ronnie was asked to contribute a song and he asked me to sing it. I play bass as well and Eric Singer is on drums. We tried to capture the vibe of the late 60s. Its a little psychedelic and we even put paper towels on he drums to get the older recording tones. There are a lot of other great players on the CD.

Finally, the long awaited Ronnie Montrose and friends CD is getting ever closer. Its Eric and me on drums and bass with 10 different singers. Tracks by Sammy Hagar, Tommy Shaw, Peter Frampton, Greg Rollie, Eric Martin, Mark Farner, Edgar Winter and Davey Pattison who sang with Ronnie in his Gamma days, have been completed. It will be out by 2007.

Thanks kids ...see you in a theater or concert hall near you?

[bugsymalone]

I see Ricky has discovered the beautiful hills west of Austin. There are certainly worse places to live.

Bugsy

[Zan]

Ricky wrote: I’m not sayin... I’m just sayin.

I love this! Great letter, thanks for posting it.