We had difficulties recently with some nagging neighbors that we have had for 3 years. At the request of many, I have shared the letter once again. When it was shared at a local music store, I had such great positive feedback from other parents and musicians who dealt with the same problem. So enjoy!
Dear Nagging Neighbor,
So here we go again. You complain about my son and his drumming and guitar playing to the Homeowners Association?? Well first off how about knocking on my door and talking to me instead of complaining to them every day for three weeks! I am home, I see you outside, I wave, etc but when it comes to this; you hide behind a phone and complain. Well here it goes…..
My son plays his drums and his guitar sometimes at my own request to drown out your screaming kids. Yes, you know the one that screams every day at the top of her lungs because she doesn’t like bathtime and you tend to get too much soap in her eyes or the other who wants you to read her another story. I think it is the Caterpillar story again and again. Or maybe I ask him to play so he can drown out you and your husband arguing about who is going to wash the dishes or put the kids to bed….. Or maybe it is to drown out the barking dog that lives behind us or the neighbor who is working in his woodshop at all hours of the day and night with his skill saw and generator going. See we all have things that we hear and bother us, but as a good neighbor – we tolerate it. I don’t yell at them or complain about them. It is a mutual respect. That is what you deal with when you live in a busy neighborhood and not a quiet elderly community. That is just life.
Now for your comment about how my kid should not be home practicing or having his friends come over for band practice and that you think they should be out somewhere else or hanging out at the mall. Well, see we are proud of the fact that our son has a passion about music that started at the young age of 7 and for half his life has been playing drums and guitars. He has stuck with it and dedicated his free time to cultivating and growing his repertoire of songs to play. He didn’t beg to take classes and then after it getting hard; just drop them. He is dedicated and even has even taugh himself numerous songs. The fact that he is not a clamoring mess of noise and you can actually hear a complete well played song out of him is actually applauded by several of the other neighbors. Some even giving requests of songs that they want him to learn. They have enjoyed hearing him play ROCK and ROLL from old 70’s/80’s Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Motley Crue, Guns n Roses, Nirvana, to todays Rock like Shinedown, Burn Halo, Papa Roach, Avenged Sevenfold and more.
So you would rather my son give up his passion for music and spend the day at the mall “hanging out”… Hmm that sounds quiet boring and non productive if you ask me. Or maybe you would like him to join the other teens who are vandalizng the the park. Is that better for you? You could then have your quiet time. To have him out of the house and possibly getting in trouble. Here he has his friends come over and they love to hang out. The garage is their safe haven where these four boys play music, talk, play games and have good clean fun. Didn’t you say you thought he should play video games instead? Well let’s see he could play them and become obsessed with them and spend 10 to 12 hours a day online playing War or shooting videos and can become a loner in his own home. Well I prefer my son to actually socialize outside of an Xbox or Playstation!
The interesting thing is that the Homeowners Association came over and heard him play and said it isn’t that loud. Hey he even jammed with Ryan to a Nirvana song. So maybe you should try “living” life and start enjoying the music. Because No Music = No Life and Know Music = Know Life. Ryan said he would be happy to take requests if maybe you can remember a song that brings back a good memory for you and he can learn to play it. If not, we could always add your screaming girls as backup vocals to his tracks.
~ Peace, Marisol
For all, here are some videos of Ryan and his friends playing and jamming in the garage now known as Rockin Ryan’s Garage.
right on!!