"Listentothis."MyfriendOscarputarecordourntableadowntheneedlewithcare.The45poppedandhissed;thenthemelodylinerose,followedbythefour-partdoo-wop,"EarthAngel"byThePenguinsor"Gee"byTheCrows,abatheedgeofthebed,closehiseyes,andpullapartthosedifferentharmonies,firstsingingtenorandsohthebass.OrhedputonanewjazzriffbyMilesormaybeDaveBrubedpickouttheterpoint,coghiseartothenearlyinaudiblepianounderhehorns.Allthroughhighschoolwedspendhoursinhisroom,idlylisteningtohisvasteclecticrecordcolle,analyzingandarguihemoresubtlepointsofthepositions.OscarLovespassionformusicputmyambitionstoshame.Inhighschool,hewasniamed"TheWhiteNegro,"ashewassoalienfromtherestofthecrowd,socool,soinhisheadallthetime.Oscarwassuoutsider,hemademefeelnormalbyparison.Ahoughhewasayearaheadofme,heweleintohislife.MyfatherthoughtOscarwilderthanBrando,butmymothersawbehefacadeandlovedhimlikeasohefirstpersonIapproachedaboutfaband.

    OscarstuckwithmefromitsbeginningasTheHenryDayFivethrougheveryversion:TheHenryDayFour,TheFourHorsemen,HenryandtheDaylights,TheDaydreamers,andlastly,simplyHenryDay.Unfortunately,wecouldhesamegrouptogetherformorethanafewmonthsatatime:OurfirstdrummerdroppedoutofhighschoolandenlistedintheMarineCorps;ourbestguitaristmovedawaywhenhisfatherwastransferredtoDavenport,Iowa.Mostoftheguysquitbecausetheycouldntcutitasmusis.OnlyOsdhisclaripersisted.Westayedtogetherfortworeasons:one,hecouldplayameanlianyhorn,particularlyhisbelovedstick;two,hewasoldenoughtodriveandhadh