[Applause] [Music]
Thanks
Thanks so let’s do this like a concert and put
so let’s do this like a concert and put
so let’s do this like a concert and put your hands in the air like you just
your hands in the air like you just
your hands in the air like you just don’t care
don’t care
don’t care come on people do it that’s beautiful
come on people do it that’s beautiful
come on people do it that’s beautiful yeah so I wish I could join you guys but
yeah so I wish I could join you guys but
yeah so I wish I could join you guys but as you can see my right arm is like yeah
as you can see my right arm is like yeah
as you can see my right arm is like yeah dude let’s party but my left is like
dude let’s party but my left is like
dude let’s party but my left is like maybe Netflix and chill and I actually
maybe Netflix and chill and I actually
maybe Netflix and chill and I actually mean watching Netflix and chill you know
so as you could see in the video I used
so as you could see in the video I used to be a professional guitar player I
to be a professional guitar player I
to be a professional guitar player I started playing the instrument when I
started playing the instrument when I
started playing the instrument when I was 11 and when I was 23 I was proud to
was 11 and when I was 23 I was proud to
was 11 and when I was 23 I was proud to be working with several well-known Dutch
be working with several well-known Dutch
be working with several well-known Dutch artists among which our postman
artists among which our postman
artists among which our postman salvation and Anouk and I was living the
salvation and Anouk and I was living the
salvation and Anouk and I was living the dream making music
dream making music
dream making music following my passion and my life
following my passion and my life
following my passion and my life couldn’t get any better sex drugs and
couldn’t get any better sex drugs and
couldn’t get any better sex drugs and rock roll yeah you know what I’m talking
rock roll yeah you know what I’m talking
rock roll yeah you know what I’m talking about until May 10 2007 when I came home
about until May 10 2007 when I came home
about until May 10 2007 when I came home from a concert I went to bed and I was
from a concert I went to bed and I was
from a concert I went to bed and I was woken up by the fiercest headache you
woken up by the fiercest headache you
woken up by the fiercest headache you can ever imagine and I don’t mean fierce
can ever imagine and I don’t mean fierce
can ever imagine and I don’t mean fierce like Beyonce no it was literally like
like Beyonce no it was literally like
like Beyonce no it was literally like somebody was hitting me in the face with
somebody was hitting me in the face with
somebody was hitting me in the face with a sledgehammer which is not a good look
a sledgehammer which is not a good look
a sledgehammer which is not a good look for me and I thought it must be stress
for me and I thought it must be stress
for me and I thought it must be stress and a handful of advil and the good
and a handful of advil and the good
and a handful of advil and the good night’s rest wood did the trick
night’s rest wood did the trick
night’s rest wood did the trick but within 30 seconds the whole left
but within 30 seconds the whole left
but within 30 seconds the whole left side of my body was paralyzed and it
side of my body was paralyzed and it
side of my body was paralyzed and it couldn’t even get up anymore so my
couldn’t even get up anymore so my
couldn’t even get up anymore so my girlfriend called 9-1-1
girlfriend called 9-1-1
girlfriend called 9-1-1 and i was rushed to the hospital where
and i was rushed to the hospital where
and i was rushed to the hospital where it became clear that i had suffered a
it became clear that i had suffered a
it became clear that i had suffered a massive stroke on the right side of my
massive stroke on the right side of my
massive stroke on the right side of my head of my brain and they had to operate
head of my brain and they had to operate
head of my brain and they had to operate on me to prevent me from dying which is
on me to prevent me from dying which is
on me to prevent me from dying which is a thing not dying
a thing not dying
a thing not dying so what they did is they removed a piece
so what they did is they removed a piece
so what they did is they removed a piece of my skull and to alleviate the
of my skull and to alleviate the
of my skull and to alleviate the pressure my brain was under and later
pressure my brain was under and later
pressure my brain was under and later they reattached it to my head which was
they reattached it to my head which was
they reattached it to my head which was formerly perfectly symmetrical but now
formerly perfectly symmetrical but now
formerly perfectly symmetrical but now I’m still I still have a dent which is
I’m still I still have a dent which is
I’m still I still have a dent which is not that beautiful but whatever I woke
not that beautiful but whatever I woke
not that beautiful but whatever I woke up a week later to a broken body and a
up a week later to a broken body and a
up a week later to a broken body and a broken brain and the doctors told me I
broken brain and the doctors told me I
broken brain and the doctors told me I would probably have to spend my days in
would probably have to spend my days in
would probably have to spend my days in a wheelchair my life would never be the
a wheelchair my life would never be the
a wheelchair my life would never be the same again
same again
same again never again would I be on stage for
never again would I be on stage for
never again would I be on stage for doing the thing that I love most never
doing the thing that I love most never
doing the thing that I love most never again would have experienced the joy of
again would have experienced the joy of
again would have experienced the joy of performing live then after a month in
performing live then after a month in
performing live then after a month in the hospital they try to make me go to
the hospital they try to make me go to
the hospital they try to make me go to rehab and I said yeah yeah yeah
thank you
thank you [Music]
[Music]
[Music] and that’s when I had to learn
and that’s when I had to learn
and that’s when I had to learn everything you normally take for granted
everything you normally take for granted
everything you normally take for granted all over again
all over again
all over again stuff like washing yourself getting
stuff like washing yourself getting
stuff like washing yourself getting dressed which today worked out just fine
dressed which today worked out just fine
dressed which today worked out just fine but you should have seen me then
but you should have seen me then
but you should have seen me then horrible you name it I had to relearn it
horrible you name it I had to relearn it
horrible you name it I had to relearn it even speaking was kind of tough and then
even speaking was kind of tough and then
even speaking was kind of tough and then after six months working hard on my
after six months working hard on my
after six months working hard on my recovery I they let me go and that’s
recovery I they let me go and that’s
recovery I they let me go and that’s when you just have to find your way on
when you just have to find your way on
when you just have to find your way on your own which is easier said than done
your own which is easier said than done
your own which is easier said than done because when I came home I felt kind of
because when I came home I felt kind of
because when I came home I felt kind of lost and I didn’t know what to do with
lost and I didn’t know what to do with
lost and I didn’t know what to do with myself I didn’t have any purpose felt
myself I didn’t have any purpose felt
myself I didn’t have any purpose felt useless and that’s when I realized I
useless and that’s when I realized I
useless and that’s when I realized I wanted to pick up a sport to get my mind
wanted to pick up a sport to get my mind
wanted to pick up a sport to get my mind off things and mainly honestly not
off things and mainly honestly not
off things and mainly honestly not become a total fat bastard so I decided
become a total fat bastard so I decided
become a total fat bastard so I decided to go with swimming which because you
to go with swimming which because you
to go with swimming which because you know running is no longer an option it
know running is no longer an option it
know running is no longer an option it would probably take me three days to
would probably take me three days to
would probably take me three days to finish a marathon and so I joined a club
finish a marathon and so I joined a club
finish a marathon and so I joined a club for handi-capable like me and I started
for handi-capable like me and I started
for handi-capable like me and I started training but at one point I wanted to
training but at one point I wanted to
training but at one point I wanted to swim a bit more fanatic and my eye was
swim a bit more fanatic and my eye was
swim a bit more fanatic and my eye was caught by an invitation to an open water
caught by an invitation to an open water
caught by an invitation to an open water swimming event called go engine or the
swimming event called go engine or the
swimming event called go engine or the island which is an island in the river
island which is an island in the river
island which is an island in the river Maas which runs through our beautiful
Maas which runs through our beautiful
Maas which runs through our beautiful city and it’s a 3k open water swim
city and it’s a 3k open water swim
city and it’s a 3k open water swim people thought I was crazy
people thought I was crazy
people thought I was crazy they were like did you have a stroke or
they were like did you have a stroke or
they were like did you have a stroke or something
something
something but the thought of me being able to
but the thought of me being able to
but the thought of me being able to challenge myself to a 3k open swim with
challenge myself to a 3k open swim with
challenge myself to a 3k open swim with only using one arm and one leg really
only using one arm and one leg really
only using one arm and one leg really got me excited it made me feel alive
got me excited it made me feel alive
got me excited it made me feel alive again
so me and my buddy Arno we trained for
so me and my buddy Arno we trained for one and a half years and eventually
one and a half years and eventually
one and a half years and eventually finished the swim yeah thank you
finished the swim yeah thank you
finished the swim yeah thank you [Music]
the clock is still ticking by the way
the clock is still ticking by the way but thank you and our participation was
but thank you and our participation was
but thank you and our participation was greatly appreciated by all the swimmers
greatly appreciated by all the swimmers
greatly appreciated by all the swimmers you can see they all just doback right
you can see they all just doback right
you can see they all just doback right into the water and this actually this
into the water and this actually this
into the water and this actually this was fulfilling for me it gave me a sense
was fulfilling for me it gave me a sense
was fulfilling for me it gave me a sense of purpose again you know just getting
of purpose again you know just getting
of purpose again you know just getting back into life actually reinventing
back into life actually reinventing
back into life actually reinventing myself in sports and even my function of
myself in sports and even my function of
myself in sports and even my function of walking got better by movement and
walking got better by movement and
walking got better by movement and sports because you know sports and
sports because you know sports and
sports because you know sports and movement stimulates the making of new
movement stimulates the making of new
movement stimulates the making of new connections to the brain but I also
connections to the brain but I also
connections to the brain but I also realized that I could make difference in
realized that I could make difference in
realized that I could make difference in how people with disabilities are
how people with disabilities are
how people with disabilities are perceived so by now you must be
perceived so by now you must be
perceived so by now you must be wondering what happened to the music
wondering what happened to the music
wondering what happened to the music because I’m a musician first and the
because I’m a musician first and the
because I’m a musician first and the swimmer second well I needed to find a
swimmer second well I needed to find a
swimmer second well I needed to find a way of making music again without the
way of making music again without the
way of making music again without the use of the guitar which was kind of hard
use of the guitar which was kind of hard
use of the guitar which was kind of hard because I put my 10,000 hours in unitive
because I put my 10,000 hours in unitive
because I put my 10,000 hours in unitive master it but I turned to composing and
master it but I turned to composing and
master it but I turned to composing and producing on the computer and this took
producing on the computer and this took
producing on the computer and this took a lot of getting used to but by now I
a lot of getting used to but by now I
a lot of getting used to but by now I have a long company with which I make
have a long company with which I make
have a long company with which I make music for all kinds of media and
music for all kinds of media and
music for all kinds of media and recently I started booking live music
recently I started booking live music
recently I started booking live music for two venues which is a great feeling
for two venues which is a great feeling
for two venues which is a great feeling because I get to offer the states to a
because I get to offer the states to a
because I get to offer the states to a new generation of artists it’s really
new generation of artists it’s really
new generation of artists it’s really cool you guys are really you want to
cool you guys are really you want to
cool you guys are really you want to clap right it’s cool
clap right it’s cool
clap right it’s cool four minutes to go but even when you
four minutes to go but even when you
four minutes to go but even when you remember how I started this talk by
remember how I started this talk by
remember how I started this talk by saying I had a stroke on the right side
saying I had a stroke on the right side
saying I had a stroke on the right side of my brain well
of my brain well
of my brain well incidentally the right side is
incidentally the right side is
incidentally the right side is considered to be the more musical side
considered to be the more musical side
considered to be the more musical side of the brain and the left side is more
of the brain and the left side is more
of the brain and the left side is more responsible for language which is not a
responsible for language which is not a
responsible for language which is not a good thing if you’re a musician
good thing if you’re a musician
good thing if you’re a musician but still I compose and produce daily I
but still I compose and produce daily I
but still I compose and produce daily I listen to music 24/7 in essence I am
listen to music 24/7 in essence I am
listen to music 24/7 in essence I am music and I wanted to make sense of how
music and I wanted to make sense of how
music and I wanted to make sense of how this would work because you know seeing
this would work because you know seeing
this would work because you know seeing that this half of the brain is for the
that this half of the brain is for the
that this half of the brain is for the musical stuff sorry
musical stuff sorry
musical stuff sorry wouldn’t it seem impossible to get back
wouldn’t it seem impossible to get back
wouldn’t it seem impossible to get back into music somehow right so I wanted to
into music somehow right so I wanted to
into music somehow right so I wanted to make sense of this all and I went into
make sense of this all and I went into
make sense of this all and I went into an MRI scanner and this is what my brain
an MRI scanner and this is what my brain
an MRI scanner and this is what my brain looks like lent like now so you can see
looks like lent like now so you can see
looks like lent like now so you can see the right side is almost totally gone
the right side is almost totally gone
the right side is almost totally gone which is pretty gruesome and it made me
which is pretty gruesome and it made me
which is pretty gruesome and it made me this picture always makes me think of
this picture always makes me think of
this picture always makes me think of Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd
during the scan I listened to music so
during the scan I listened to music so what you see here is the activity that’s
what you see here is the activity that’s
what you see here is the activity that’s going on in my brain when I’m
going on in my brain when I’m
going on in my brain when I’m experiencing music so we carefully
experiencing music so we carefully
experiencing music so we carefully assume that left had taken over the
assume that left had taken over the
assume that left had taken over the musical functions of the right which is
musical functions of the right which is
musical functions of the right which is really cool so my brain was essentially
really cool so my brain was essentially
really cool so my brain was essentially reinventing itself in order for me to
reinventing itself in order for me to
reinventing itself in order for me to make music again
but thinking back of my life as a guitar
but thinking back of my life as a guitar player sorry I’m funk this up so
player sorry I’m funk this up so
player sorry I’m funk this up so actually my brain was reinventing itself
actually my brain was reinventing itself
actually my brain was reinventing itself and you know I’ve always felt that there
and you know I’ve always felt that there
and you know I’ve always felt that there must be more to it than just a head full
must be more to it than just a head full
must be more to it than just a head full of air until recently I have the chance
of air until recently I have the chance
of air until recently I have the chance to make a so-called brain feat which is
to make a so-called brain feat which is
to make a so-called brain feat which is a selfie of the brain on what they do is
a selfie of the brain on what they do is
a selfie of the brain on what they do is they make a scan of your brain activity
they make a scan of your brain activity
they make a scan of your brain activity based on electromagnetic energy so what
based on electromagnetic energy so what
based on electromagnetic energy so what we found was this this is like the left
we found was this this is like the left
we found was this this is like the left side of my brain as you can see red is
side of my brain as you can see red is
side of my brain as you can see red is activity and blue is inactivity this
activity and blue is inactivity this
activity and blue is inactivity this looks rather normal
looks rather normal
looks rather normal so what would you guys expect show of
so what would you guys expect show of
so what would you guys expect show of hands what kind of activity will we see
hands what kind of activity will we see
hands what kind of activity will we see on the on the right side where there is
on the on the right side where there is
on the on the right side where there is no physical brain matter would you
no physical brain matter would you
no physical brain matter would you expect activity raise your hands you
expect activity raise your hands you
expect activity raise your hands you would or no activity remember there is
would or no activity remember there is
would or no activity remember there is no physical brain matter and this is
no physical brain matter and this is
no physical brain matter and this is what we saw so it’s totally red which is
what we saw so it’s totally red which is
what we saw so it’s totally red which is amazing it’s shocking to see that
amazing it’s shocking to see that
amazing it’s shocking to see that there’s no physical matter and there’s
there’s no physical matter and there’s
there’s no physical matter and there’s still so much activity going on well
still so much activity going on well
still so much activity going on well thinking back of my life as a guitar
thinking back of my life as a guitar
thinking back of my life as a guitar player I was maybe I didn’t have
player I was maybe I didn’t have
player I was maybe I didn’t have physical impairments as I have now but
physical impairments as I have now but
physical impairments as I have now but maybe just maybe how the way I was
maybe just maybe how the way I was
maybe just maybe how the way I was living was kind of superficial right
you know when movement isn’t that
you know when movement isn’t that self-evident anymore and life forces you
self-evident anymore and life forces you
self-evident anymore and life forces you something you don’t seem to have a
something you don’t seem to have a
something you don’t seem to have a choice in I believe that you always have
choice in I believe that you always have
choice in I believe that you always have some sort of choice as Chinese
some sort of choice as Chinese
some sort of choice as Chinese philosopher loud Tsai once said when
philosopher loud Tsai once said when
philosopher loud Tsai once said when there’s a stone in your shoe you can
there’s a stone in your shoe you can
there’s a stone in your shoe you can totally become that stone it’s all about
totally become that stone it’s all about
totally become that stone it’s all about focus
focus
focus do you choose to become the stone or do
do you choose to become the stone or do
do you choose to become the stone or do you keep your sights on the horizon it’s
you keep your sights on the horizon it’s
you keep your sights on the horizon it’s all about making choices we make on a
all about making choices we make on a
all about making choices we make on a daily basis you know what my disability
daily basis you know what my disability
daily basis you know what my disability has learned me is that you can still
has learned me is that you can still
has learned me is that you can still choose and in fact you make these
choose and in fact you make these
choose and in fact you make these choices every day do you choose to let
choices every day do you choose to let
choices every day do you choose to let limits define what is possible or do you
limits define what is possible or do you
limits define what is possible or do you choose to explore new paths essentially
choose to explore new paths essentially
choose to explore new paths essentially reinventing yourself in the end you guys
reinventing yourself in the end you guys
reinventing yourself in the end you guys are the only one that can choose for
are the only one that can choose for
are the only one that can choose for themselves and as for me I’ve got half a
themselves and as for me I’ve got half a
themselves and as for me I’ve got half a body and half a brain but more than ever
body and half a brain but more than ever
body and half a brain but more than ever I’m a complete person living the dream
I’m a complete person living the dream
I’m a complete person living the dream thank you
you
you [Music]
”
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