MamaBlogger365 - The Journey, an excerpt - part 7 by Jax Resto

When mom-rocker Jax Resto last checked in... local celebrity guitarist Jeri Jay was en route to meet Jax, Raven and Sam... (Need to catch up from the beginning? Click here for an archive of posts that chronicle The Journey by Jax Resto.)

Our first rehearsal: There were moments when I wasn't sure this day would come...

Half an hour in, we are minus an integral member—the guitarist. Jeri Jay is on his way. I'm still not sure how I feel about letting a guy into our girl band, even one who dresses like a girl. But I am eager to move forward. I've spent so much time these past few weeks putting together a band, I've barely had time to just play music.

Despite the Speedy Gonzalez cartoon short that ran through my mind after Jeri told me he would be right over, realistically I know it will probably be another half hour before he arrives.

I walk into the spare room of our house, which we refer to as the “drum room.” Now equipped with full PA, and speakers, thanks to Samm, it has suddenly evolved into a rehearsal studio.

I look over at Samm, who stands in the left corner of the room, hip cocked, holding her bass, looking like a superhero. I feel compelled to give her a superhero name. Beautimus.

“Wanna try running through some songs before Jeri gets here?” the golden superhero asks.

I grin at her eagerness. At the name I've mentally given her. My silliness. Something.

Raven plants herself in front of the microphone in the center of the room, and looks at Beautimus, “Do you know 'Alone?'"

Beautimus responds with an unsuperhero-like blank expression.

Apparently our desperate search for female players ultimately overshadowed our initial plan to hold more formal auditions where the players came prepared. It turns out that, though we each know many songs, there aren't many we all know.

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Bio: Jax Resto is a wife, mom and business owner by day, mom rocker by night. In 2010 she performed with Band of the Year at the Mamapalooza Festival in NYC. She left the band shortly after to start her own band of rockin' moms Female Band Invasion. But her mom rock band took an interesting turn. Visit www.reverbnation.com/femalebandinvasion.

The Museum Of Motherhood is the first and only facility of its kind, celebrating the “her”story of mothers around the world. We need your help -- please make your tax-deductible contribution today! Visit the Museum of Motherhood NOW OPEN in NYC - Tues.-Sun., 10:45-6:30.

MamaBlogger365 - The Journey, an excerpt, part 6 - by Jax Resto

Two days after talking with local celebrity guitarist Jeri Jay on the phone, I can't get his hot pink MySpace page out of my head... or his request to audition for my girl band. I send Raven a text about considering it. She thinks I'm joking. Since we're still short a bass player, I don't pursue the issue.

I haven't quite gotten over losing our bass player of 2 hours to Jesus. I think about Chelsea's parting words over the phone. “I'll pray for you to find a bass player.”

My phone vibrates. I think it's Raven, but it's a number I don't recognize. I answer.

The caller says, “Hi. My name is Sam. I'm a friend of Micky's. She said you were looking for a bass player for your new band.”

Though I know better than to let myself get too excited, I can't help it. Sam is short for Samantha.

Thursday evening, Raven and I are sitting in a booth at a local English pub waiting anxiously to meet Sam. I sit facing the front door, so I can watch Sam's entrance. The day we interviewed guitarist Micky at Starbucks, she described Sam as tall, blonde, and gorgeous. Even if Micky was exaggerating, the half hour conversation I had with Sam last night over the phone practically has me sold... not to mention the fact that she's female.

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The Museum Of Motherhood is the first and only facility of its kind, celebrating the “her”story of mothers around the world. We need your help -- please make your tax-deductible contribution today! Visit the Museum of Motherhood, NOW OPEN in NYC - Tues.-Sun., 10:45-6:30.

MamaBlogger365 - The Journey, an exerpt, part 5 by Jax Resto

Jax Resto

It's been three weeks since I set out to start a band of rockin' moms.

I was excitedly optimistic when I quickly found single mother of five/vocalist Raven. But the rest of the lineup hasn't been as easy. Yesterday after acquiring what seems to be the only female bass player in two counties, things were finally looking up... until this morning, when she called to say she'd had a change of heart.

Deflated, I mull over some of the responses we've gotten so far, including one that had Raven texting me this morning about driving to Miami. I'd barely had time to think about how unlikely the possibility of an impromptu roadtrip to the other coast on a “school day” would be before she texted, “Nevermind. It was for an adult video.”

My train of thought leads me to an absentminded Googling of HERA, which subsequently takes me to our Myspace page. It's impressive, considering we're not even a real band yet. The sexy photos. Creative logo. Clever catchphrase that reads, Cougars that know how to rock hard...Wait...what?

I cringe, stray cursor scrambling for the delete icon. How many of my friends and professional contacts have seen the cougar comment, I wonder. At least that explains the adult video offer. I shake off my humiliation and focus on something more productive: A Bandmix profile for a 29-year-old mother of 3 named Tara who plays keys. I send her a message, to which she responds that evening with a confession that she is only an amateur keyboard player and primarily a vocalist. Disappointed, I tell her I already have a vocalist, though I'm not just being polite when I tell her I will keep her contact information just in case. Maybe I'm just still reeling from the cougar debacle. Maybe not.

The next day, I follow up on a response from a female guitar player named Micky. I fall in immediate like with her after 5 minutes on the phone and schedule a meeting at a Starbucks in Sarasota. Though she is slightly older and less edgy than I'd hoped, she wins me, and surprisingly, even Raven, over with her great personality and Scottish accent.

On the way back to Venice, Raven and I discuss the possibility of Micky becoming part of HERA, as well as the fact that Micky knows a female bass player who may also be interested. It all seems too good to be true... .and it just may be since Micky's only means of transportation is motor scooter.

After a few days, Micky's lack of reliable transportation seems moot. Raven's already labeled her “flake” because Micky has not been in touch. I'm not sure why, but I have a sinking feeling that Micky is afraid of Raven.

Days later, ears undoubtedly burning, Micky finally calls me from a local music store. She says she's been talking me and my band up to guy who works there named Jeri Jay. The name is familiar: A guitarist for hire that plays around town. I saw him play years ago, but don't recall much beyond a long-haired middle-aged guy in a suit who played great guitar.

Micky puts Jeri on the phone, who greets me with a cheerful, “Hello.” Then without missing a beat, he asks, “When can I audition for your girl band?”

I feel a deep triangle forming in my brow, not sure which puzzles me more: The fact that Jeri wants to be in my girl band. Or the fact that he thinks he'd need to audition.

Unclear what part of girl band he doesn't get, I reiterate, “It's a girl band.”

“I know,” he replies in his manly New York voice. “Check out my MySpace page.”

The triangle in my brow deepens. “Okay. I will.” I'm mostly just being polite, but soon curiosity has me typing in the link. A hot pink page pops up on my computer screen. I lean in closer and peruse the profile picture of the middle-aged woman adorned in hot pink hair extensions, startling pink and blue makeup, a Hello Kitty tee, and pink leopard print skinny jeans. Did I type in the wrong link? Or am I thinking of a different Jeri?

I explore the Myspace page further, clicking on earlier pictures of a slightly less pink Jeri. A slightly less feminine one. I have the right link. The right Jeri, though apparently a lot's changed since the last time I saw him. Her....?



Bio: Jax Resto is a wife, mom and business owner by day, mom rocker by night. In 2010 she performed with Band of the Year at the Mamapalooza Festival in NYC. She left the band shortly after to start her own band of rockin' moms Female Band Invasion. But her mom rock band took an interesting turn. Visit www.reverbnation.com/femalebandinvasion.

Our Year-End Giving Campaign is going on NOW! The Museum Of Motherhood is the first and only facility of its kind, celebrating the “her”story of mothers around the world. We need your help -- please make your tax-deductible contribution today!

Visit the Museum of Motherhood
NOW OPEN in NYC - Tues.-Sun., 10:45-6:30

MamaBlogger365 - The Journey, an exerpt by Jax Resto

When we last heard from Jax Resto: "I imagine the possibilities of being in a band with my big brother. I'd gladly ditch the “all-female” theme for a brother/sister one...." And then she met potential bandmate Chelsea Bass... and now....

Raven texts me about doing a photo shoot this Saturday. Apparently she is also great with hair and makeup, as well as photography. “Sure,” I text back. Anything to feel like we are moving forward. Or maybe just a distraction from the fact that we are not. I stare at the blank computer screen, debating whether to get up and do something “band” or just veg in front of the TV. As if helping to make up my mind, my cell phone rings. I glance at the caller ID and my heart pauses as I recognize the name I programmed in a few days ago: Chelsea Bass.

I answer the phone with “Hi!” rather than “Hello.” She laughs and we gush in excitement over finding each other and over the project I have in mind. We plan to meet Monday at Starbucks in the Port Charlotte Mall.

Saturday, Raven and I go ahead with our scheduled photo shoot, figuring we can add other members as we go. I guess it's a way of remaining optimistic. So, that morning, I fill a suitcase with different outfits and drive to Raven's house in North Port. After an hour or more in hair and makeup, we are ready to shoot, but as luck would have it, my camera suddenly dies. Feeling ready for the cover of Rolling Stone, we drive to a nearby Walmart, where I purchase a new camera.

Later, back at the “studio,” Raven gives her expert opinions on how I should pose. “Don't smile,” she tells me. “Rockers don't smile.” I smile anyway, later glad I did when we upload the photos and Raven looks pissed and I look happy. However, though I don't claim to be an expert photographer and the one thing Raven doesn't claim to be expert on is modeling, she seems almost as pleased with the pictures I've taken of her as the ones she's taken of me.

Satisfied with the progress we've made, but too tired and hungry to do anymore, I head home, happy to find the pizza my husband and son saved for me from their lunch. I wash it down with a Yeungling Porter while I excitedly tell my husband about my productive day. He smiles politely the way he usually does when I talk about anything band related.

Monday afternoon, we meet Chelsea, our bass player hopeful, at a Starbucks in the Port Charlotte mall. She is lovely. Still deserving of too-good-to-be-true status, but seemingly real enough. She must not be able to play.

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Our Year-End Giving Campaign is going on NOW! The Museum Of Motherhood is the first and only facility of its kind, celebrating the “her”story of mothers around the world. We need your help -- please make your tax-deductible contribution today!

Visit the Museum of Motherhood
NOW OPEN in NYC - Tues.-Sun., 10:45-6:30

MamaBlogger365 - The Journey, an exerpt by Jax Resto

When we last heard from Jax Resto: "I imagine the possibilities of being in a band with my big brother. I'd gladly ditch the “all-female” theme for a brother/sister one...."

I sleep on the idea of scrapping my all-female band idea for two strong moms and a couple of dudes, and awake to an inbox flooded with responses to our ad for a bass and guitar player. Not a female in the bunch; only men who want to work with two chicks. The next day we meet with a male bass player named Robert at a Starbucks in Venice. After two hours of talking like we're old friends, I'm feeling pretty good about our band situation. If my brother agrees to be our guitarist, Robert would be the last piece to our HERA puzzle.

The moment Robert is out of earshot, Raven perforates my happy little bubble. “He's just not Hera material,” she says with conviction. And I realize that Hera has taken on a life of her own, despite the fact that we're not even a real band yet.

Any existing remnants of my bubble dissolve completely when my brother tells me later that day that he doesn't want to be in the band, adding that he doesn't like the new song we worked on together—the one Raven made all her changes to. So I tell myself that it's Raven's modified version he doesn't like. Or maybe just Raven. “Okay. No problem,” I say with a smile, my heart slightly breaking on the inside. But rather than pursue the topic, I'm already planning my next move, which sadly won't include a brother sister act.

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MamaBlogger365 - Female Band Invasion - the Journey, an excerpt, by Jax Resto

Need to catch up? Click here for last month's installment of Jax Resto's work in progress!

Part 3

I am artistic, creative, and like to do things out of the ordinary. And I suppose I'm more of a leader than a follower. So doesn't it stand to reason that at some point I would become drummer and writer in my own rock band?

A few days after meeting Raven — the first... second member to my mom-rocker band, we get together to figure out ways to acquire more members as well as market the band. We meet during the day while my husband is at work. Taking care not to share too much band stuff with him is no easy task, since even when I don't willingly share, he asks. Just being polite or genuinely interested via selective memory? I don't know, but once he opens those flood gates, it's hard to curb my excitement. I wonder why he gets so annoyed about these things... or maybe why he married me in the first place, since all I'm doing is fulfilling my destiny. I know some of his frustration stems from thinking I take more than I should from stupid people. Evidently he doesn't view my writing songs like “Cuntessa” as a viable form of retaliation.

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MamaBlogger365 - Female Band Invasion - the Journey, an excerpt, by Jax Resto

I'm at work. Excited. Today I will meet my first mom rocker hopeful. I found her on Bandmix and we are meeting this afternoon at my office. The only thing that would excite me more is if she played guitar or bass. She doesn't. She is a vocalist, but I am excited nonetheless.

I sit cross-legged on one of the green fabric reception chairs in the waiting area, playing paradiddles on the chair arm with my drumsticks. A year ago when I needed an office in a hurry, I jumped at the offer to rent a room from my friend Matt in his electronics store. It's a bit unconventional for a massage therapy practice, but since I spent my first round of twenties as a circus aerialist, and I'm spending my second round as a drummer in a rock band, I'm thinking “unconventional” is my middle name.

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Support MamaBlogger365 and help the Museum of Motherhood secure a permanent home in 2011! Your tax-deductible donation in ANY amount will help us make our September POP-UP exhibit in NYC a permanent reality - visit our Members page to learn more.

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Photo credit: ronnieb|MorgueFile

MamaBlogger365 - Female Band Invasion - the Journey, an excerpt, by Jax Resto

I awaken to sound of the bustling streets of Manhattan. Though I grew up in New York, the Bronx, to be exact, it's been a long time since I've lived here. I am back on my old stomping ground, performing again, though this time not as an actor, dancer, or circus aerialist. I am a drummer in a mom rock band.

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Watch next month for another "episode" of Female Band Invasion—The Journey, a work-in-progress by Jax Resto!

Support MamaBlogger365 and help the Museum of Motherhood secure a permanent home in 2011! Your tax-deductible donation in ANY amount will help us make our September POP-UP exhibit in NYC a permanent reality - visit our Members page to learn more.



Visit the Museum of Motherhood, NOW OPEN in NYC!