So I’ve been a regular performer at a local karaoke bar for a couple decades. Somewhere along the way, about the time I turned 47 years old, I somehow figured out Brian Johnson’s vocal technique. After years of trying and failing, I suddenly discovered that I could sing Johnson’s AC/DC material without hurting myself, and without running everybody out of the room. Specifically, the song Shoot to Thrill. It’s been my favorite AC/DC song ever since I first heard it in 1980. It’s fucking difficult to sing properly.
But I figured it out. And when I sing it, I get AC/DC fans in the audience going, “WHOA!” and telling me how I “nailed it”.
Meanwhile, there’s this young “kid”, Caleb, probably about 25 years old, who typically sings songs that I’m just going to describe as “screamo”. I don’t know if that’s the actual genre. I’d describe his typical singing as “death metal growl, but higher-pitched”.
This kid always sits there with this irritated, mocking look on his face every time I get up and nail AC/DC.
My last time at this karaoke bar, I sang Shoot to Thrill, and got the usual response from blown-away fans in the crowd. But as I was stepping off the stage afterward, I heard Caleb whispering to the karaoke host, “Hey, Back in Black”.
Kid gets up there and yells at me over the mic, “Hey, Rik, you’ve inspired me!” and then proceeds to sing Back in Black.
It was … pretty good. He hit the notes. Mostly. But he finished the song and glared at me like he was telling me, “I can do it too” (not that I ever thought it was a competition).
But if it is a competition … Okay dude, let me hear you sing that again when you’re 50, like I’ll be in about two weeks.
I think I give this kid an inferiority complex. He’s at the karaoke bar every night, and all the girls are “ooooo” over his singing. And then I waddle my “old” ass in there and blow him away.
So sad.
