Having done some reasonably in-depth research into the subject, I have come up with a list of the 6 most significant differences between Miles Davis and me. These are:
I am quite a good deal taller than Miles was.
Miles is often rightly help up as a pargaon exemplar of Afro-American badassedness. I am, on the other hand, more often held up as an example of peckerwood apathy and middle-class impotence.
Miles put out a ground-breaking album in 1972 called “On The Corner” which highly respected critics have picked through and feasted on for 40 years. I put out trash on the corner which lowly and disrespectful critters pick through and feast on the small hours of the morning
Miles played in a band with a magnificently named drummer called Philly Joe Jones. I play in a band with anyone from the audience who thinks they can play drums
Miles’ father was a dentist who had to bully him to go to Julliard. My father’s name was Julius and he had to bully me to go to the dentist.
Miles was hooked on Dope. I’m hooked on THE Dope.
I’m sure that, if given further thought and deeper introspection, I could expand this list significantly. But in the meantime, I think it is probably a more profitable use of my time to find some less awesome to compare myself with than Miles Davis.
I try not to be annoying when I play the sax, although I haven’t played sax in a while, being more of a clarinet player. Most jazz sax players don’t annoy me. Kenny G certainly does annoy me. Although I don’t know if his music even counts as real jazz.
