I have decided to start recording and posting my ad-lib piano practice sessions. I figure this will provide good incentive for me to improve, because it's easy to continue to suck when you know no one is listening :)

However, I thought it might be too dull as a series of posts if there wasn't a theme. So I've decided that I will try to think about something in particular each session, after I start recording, so I can be on the same page as the listener as to what the music is trying to convey.

For this first recording, I chose a topic that I had recently hypothesized about with some friends at dinner. As many of you know, 3D Realms, the developers of Duke Nukem Forever, recently closed up shop. In their heyday, they made quite a bit of money with Duke Nukem 3D and Max Payne, and it was somewhat well known that company co-owner George Broussard rather liked to go to the strip clubs and spend copious amounts of money.

But now, with his company shutting down and no prospects on the horizon, I decided to put myself in George's shoes, and imagine a late Friday night street corner in the Dallas red light district. Without the necessary cash on hand to hit the clubs in style, George walks slowly past the neon and the animated signs, wishing that the good times had never left.

He is solemn at first, but memories of the late nineties comfort him. For a moment, he's back at his favorite table, his wad of twenties so thick he'd had to split it in two and use both pockets. The future holds nothing but promise, and around him are starry-eyed young developers excited to work on what will surely be the next great first person shooter. But just as he reaches out for that sinewy thong of the past, crisp bills between his fingers, the back of his hand catches the street lamp, and the fantasy dissolves.

He looks at his watch, and heads for home.

Topics: George Broussard, strippers, money, Duke Nukem Forever, 3D Realms, closed, canceled, sadness, reflection

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