Secret Skill: Saxophone
CM Punk
“I want to say I started playing in the fifth grade. I picked the saxophone because as far as rentals went it was the cheapest. I chose an alto, and it was also the wind instrument that sounded most like the human voice, which I thought was very interesting. Reading sheet music was the hardest part about it, though. If you were into punk rock in the mid-1990s, then chances are you were also into third-wave ska music. I just liked it—you could shake and dance around in a different way than you could a hardcore show. What’s not to like about that? So to make a short story even shorter, many years ago, before I started this career, I briefly played with a local band called Hot Stove Jimmy. You’ve probably never heard of them. Their sound could be categorized as Chicago jump-up ska, from that very same third-wave ska revival. I was friends with a lot of guys in the band. One day, their saxophone player moved to Denver and, as a joke, the drummer asked, ‘do you still have your trumpet?’ even though I played the sax. They told me to bring it to practice. I wound up practicing with them but never too seriously. Eventually, they told me I wasn’t that good. That was fine; I was going to be a wrestler anyway. I’m sure I’ll play again someday. I can probably play whatever, a little of this or a bit of that. I was never very good at reading sheet music, but if I can hear it I can probably figure it out. The question was posed to me, ‘If you had to name a ska band after a wrestler, what would you call it?’ The answer to that question is an easy one. Skamala, of course!”
what? No one commented on this? Mr. Punk just seems cooler and cooler. “Skamala” be up to him for giving Kamala a wink and a nod on that one. I use to play the clarinet, but give me one today and wouldn’t know how to play Hot Cross Buns, lol. Alright I’m done showing how much of a nerd I am.
Sorry Silver, Music isn’t my forte. I am tone deaf and rhythmically challenged. You did good. We’ll leave it at that, OK? But I do agree, the more I know about the man, the more I like and respect him. He is putting himself out there for us fans to get to know him. He’s a good guy, even when he’s bad, he’s a good guy! I liked the sit down at Comic Con too. He commanded the room with laughter. Very cool. Wish I could travel to meet him one day.
Um….okay, Red. Mad cool, hope ya meet him one day.