• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Mike Skinner Music

Mike Skinner Music

  • Home
  • Contact
  • About
    • What I Do As A Musician
    • What I Do As An Advocate
    • Testimonials
    • Biography
    • Awards
    • Accomplishments
  • News
    • Articles
    • Video
    • Interviews & Performances
  • Music
    • Album: Waitin’ For A Train
    • Album: Train of Tears
      • Thank You
    • Album: Pirates
  • Presentations
    • Presentations, Workshops and Writing
    • Let Michael Talk At Your Next Meeting
  • Advocacy
    • Why Advocacy?
    • Creativity, Mental Health and Advocacy Resources
    • Hope, Healing & Help for Trauma and Abuse
    • Peer Support and Help
    • Famous People With A Mental Health Concern / Illness
  • My account

50 years ago the Beatles came into my life, transformation & Surviving Spirit newsletter 2/08/14

February 8, 2014 by Michael Skinner

 

“There is always a hand reaching out to help you but it doesn’t always come in the form of a hand. Help materialize in songs we hear on the radio, books we read, conversations we overhear in public. Messages of help and hope are all around us. We just have to look for them.” Kate J. Tate

Hi Folks,

50 years ago the Beatles came into my life and taught me how to play…and so much more. This was a time of transformation for a young boy who knew only fear and sadness…a nine year old boy whose dreams and plans were to attend West Point Academy, graduate as an officer, join the Army’s elite Rangers and then transfer to the Green Berets. My mission was simple, to learn all that I could about weapons, covert military warfare and then come back and protect children. First on my hit list were my abusive parents and their brutal friends….hard to imagine that a little boy thought this way, but that was my reality.

And then came the Beatles and my life was given meaning and inspiration to become a musician like them. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it and I cherish every single moment and experience that music and all that it entails has given to me.

Music became my life saver and it gave me the means to grow as a human being. I taught myself how to play the drums and joined the neighborhood band which soon morphed into a well oiled and finely tuned instrument – we started winning the battle of the bands contests and were performing at parties, dances and nightclubs and getting paid for it. The accolades the band received for how good we were and for my talents as a drummer gave me something I had never had before – compliments for what I could do. There was never a word of praise or acknowledgement from either of my parents for anything that I did – to receive it from others was so valuable in shaping some sense of self-worth within me. I was proud of becoming a professional musician and it helped to mask the deep held shame and self-loathing.

The band became my family and also gave me the ability and confidence to meet girls and develop friendships. I learned the value of working hard as a team and what could be accomplished when people all pull in the same direction. My band family brought me into contact with the parents of my musician friends – loving and caring parents. I was a sponge and from them I learned that life was not all evil – that good people do exist in the world.

Later in life I taught myself how to play the guitar while struggling with PTSD and depression – this too was another turning point in my life. Part of me would have preferred to go the route of the singer/songwriter/guitarist traveling the coffeehouse and college circuit – but the advocacy took hold of me and that too has brought me into contact with so many wonderful caring people.

Many of us have come to some crossroad in life where we take another path…it may not be what we thought we wanted, but sometimes the universe is pulling us in way that we may not see or fathom at the time it is happening…and that is okay.

Once again, grateful to be able to share with you some inspirational people and resources…what has been a transformational moment for you? Please let me know.

Take care, Mike Skinner

FYI – The Ed Sullivan Show featuring The Beatles – a truly magical moment!

2014-02-The_Surviving_Spirit_Newsletter_February_2014

To subscribe to the monthly newsletter, please write to me via this site or the Surviving Spirit site Contact Us  Thanks!!!

Filed Under: News

Primary Sidebar

Recent News

  • Surviving Spirit Newsletter May 2025
  • I Hear You Calling(c) By Michelle Skinner and Michael Skinner – Live Performance
  • Monday Music sharing – Peace Of Mind
  • Surviving Spirit Newsletter April 2025
  • April is Child Abuse Awareness Month; thoughts, statistics and a song to share

RSS Trauma & Abuse News

  • We CAN do something!
  • Artificial Intelligence is coming for us all
  • ACEsTooHigh on hiatus
  • This isn’t your usual article about how bad domestic violence is; it’s about a solution
  • To end domestic violence, heal the abusers…say those who do
  • 2 Worth checking out: Neighborhood uses ACEs to prevent opioid deaths; burgeoning research about PACEs science
  • 2 Worth checking out: innerBoy app a promising solution for family violence. Could Ozempic curb cravings for alcohol, shopping & gambling?
  • 2 Worth checking out: Childhood adversity linked to health, financial problems in older adults; bill introduced to untangle poverty from child neglect
  • ACEsTooHigh spins off from PACEs Connection
  • Mayday at the Bottom of the World

Archives

  • June 2025
  • May 2025
  • April 2025
  • March 2025
  • February 2025
  • January 2025
  • December 2024
  • November 2024
  • October 2024
  • September 2024
  • August 2024
  • July 2024
  • June 2024
  • May 2024
  • April 2024
  • March 2024
  • February 2024
  • January 2024
  • December 2023
  • October 2023
  • July 2023
  • March 2023
  • February 2023
  • January 2023
  • December 2022
  • November 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • July 2022
  • June 2022
  • May 2022
  • April 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • January 2022
  • December 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • June 2021
  • May 2021
  • April 2021
  • March 2021
  • February 2021
  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • November 2019
  • May 2019
  • March 2019
  • July 2018
  • December 2017
  • June 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • September 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013

Categories

  • Articles
  • Interviews and Performances – Audio Files
  • Mental Health Advocacy
  • Music
  • News
  • Sexual Abuse Advocacy
  • Uncategorized
  • Video

Footer

Address

38 River Ledge Drive
Goffstown, NH 03045
Google Map/Directions, Contact Form

Site Links

Biography
Testimonials
Resume
Awards
Events
Contact

Advocacy

Why Advocacy
Trauma / Sexual Abuse / Incest
Peer Support And Help
Mental Health Info & Resources
The Famous List

Connect With Mike

Visit Mike On Facebook Visit Mike On Twitter
Visit Mike On YouTube Visit Mike On MySpace
Get The RSS Feed