Volume 1
Edition 3
Marty Deeks – The Music Man
by Gayle @ghartler
Music is to the soul what words are to the mind. – Modest Mouse
This quote is a wonderful descriptor of the inner workings of our beloved Marty Deeks. In “Patriot Acts” (3×20) we learn Deeks played the violin growing up; in “Ravens and the Swans” (4×22) we further learn Deeks was “the front man and lead guitarist” for his teen rock band. While there has been no demonstration of these abilities (yet?!) and since both of these “confessions” were made to Kensi, we must believe he was telling the truth. (Other than forced undercover, he’d never lie to Kensi – out of both respect and fear.) So accepting these facts into evidence, how might music have become an integral part of Deeks?
The Guitar & the Rock Band
Kensi & Deeks (NCIS LA) Facebook Fan Page
This most recent discovery is the simplest to consider and the most believable. A young (then & now) Deeks mind likely goes something like this: Teenage boy + Rock Band = Girls. In fact, Deeks confesses to this very basis of the bands existence. And then there’s the name of the band. “Touching Wood”?! Only a teenage boy would come up with this! Yet, more importantly, how/why was his old high school shirt in the Armory?! Hmm…
Based on the tiny example of Deeks’ singing (using that term very loosely), we can presume 1) either he is quite terrible, or 2) he was faking with Kensi in an effort to simply appease her and move off the topic. (BTW, if you want to actually catch ECO “singing”, check out his appearances on “Community”. Personally, I hope they never write something like this into NCISLA! Now a “Say Anything” moment serenading Kensi… that’s a whole different issue!)
Anyway, this is a plausible, and quite probable, piece of Deeks’ background. After all, it’s easier to learn a second instrument after you’ve learned the first….
The Violin
In a stunning revelation, Deeks admits he “grew up playing the violin”. As a musician myself I can, remarkably, picture this – even if it was completely unexpected. Knowing what we currently do about Deeks’ childhood, it is quite likely a teacher, neighbor, community center staffer, friend’s parent, etc. saw something in Deeks – a talent, a need, or an undiscovered ability.
Learning to read music and tackling an instrument, particularly one as challenging as the violin, requires focus. Perhaps this helped tamp down Deeks’ perceived ADHD? Perhaps he saw this as a challenge to overcome? Perhaps the person who introduced Deeks to the instrument served as a safe-haven mentor to escape his unhappy childhood environment?
While any and all of the posed situations could be true, the one this writer is betting on is true for just about anyone who has ever been a student of music. Music provides the opportunity to focus on what one is thinking or feeling, either by internalizing the emotion music produces or by expressing emotion through the generation of music. We can all probably agree the best music is that which congers feelings and emotions. (A prime examples is “Arms of a Ghost” from “Neighborhood Watch” (3×22). Or just consider your favorite Densi video!) Such an experience would have provided a young Deeks with a physical and mental escape from his painful childhood.
Further, this is the one thing he could completely control – when and how frequently he would play, what he would play, what emotion he could choose to express depending on the piece and his mood. In essence, this would serve as a place where Deeks could deal with his feelings and emotions in a healthy, yet individual way.
Back to the opening quote, “Music is to the soul what words are to the mind,” describes all the Deeks is. With rarely a filter, Deeks has no hesitation to speak his mind and work to connect with others through seemingly endless talking. In short, he regularly thinks out loud. The music, however, would be like an internal heartbeat, keeping him in focus and grounded. If the show ever expounds on this background trait, I personally hope they do it in a heart-felt and meaningful way. This would show us more of Deeks than we could ever likely imagine.
How/why do you think Deeks became a musician?
We would like to welcome Gayle to Decidedly ‘Team” Deeks! She will be a regular contributor to this feature! For more on Deeks check out Gayle’s tumblr: www.densiland.tumblr.com
Come on…Make us Laugh Caption Contest!
This week we launch a Caption Contest! Add your caption to this picture and we’ll announce the winner next week. For your caption, be fun, humorous, or real, but stay clean and keep it Deeks!
See you next Thursday at Decidedly Deeks for a very special contest where you can win an autographed picture of Eric Christian Olsen! Come back next week for more details!
