A Lot of Rock, Not Enough Roll

When drummer Morgan Young played his last gig with Silverbird on August 3 -- just shy of a year after forming the group -- few local music fans were surprised. Young has played in area bands for decades, along the way acquiring a reputation as a musician who flits from project to project.

"I'm fully aware that there is a theory that I join bands for 12 months or less," says Young. "I hear the comments and the jokes. I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt."

Among the groups he has performed with are the Millionaires, Vertibird, the Incredible Moses Leroy, the And/Ors, Vinyl Radio, and the original incarnation of Lady Dottie & the Diamonds. Currently he drums for Los Angeles artists Ari Shine and Emma Burgess as well as locals Madjuana, a band that features recent Ocean Beach transplant and New York Doll Sami Yaffa.

Young cites "creative differences" and a growing reputation as a studio drummer in Los Angeles as reasons for his split from Silverbird. (Silverbird front man Justin Rodriguez was unavailable for comment.) Young acknowledges that there are many good artists in San Diego, but...

"When it comes to San Diego, there is a lot of rock, but not enough roll," he quips. "Music is supposed to be something you craft and put your heart and soul into, to get it right. Many musicians are complacent, rarely rehearsing or putting in serious time.... I mean, when there are rehearsals and people want to leave after an hour, there's something wrong. When I get the feeling that others aren't putting as much in as I am, I'm walking."

Young claims to have received three pages of e-mail about his departure from Silverbird. Though he's disappointed to have felt the need to leave the band, he's even less thrilled with the buzz about his work ethic.

"To go down in San Diego music history as the guy that couldn't stay in a band isn't what I had in mind."