Our last stop was in Argostoli, capital of the Greek island of Kefalonia. After a day too short at Platis Gialos, one of the most beautiful beaches we’ve ever been to, we needed to get a ride back to the port. We found a random taxi and hopped in for a quick trip, me in the front seat, with my wife and two adult daughters in the back.

Our driver was Alex. He was in his late 30s. His old model Mercedes sedan was clean and well-kept, and Greek folk music played quietly on the radio. His native language was Greek, but he knew enough English to get along with tourists.

The broken conversation started with the typical touristy exchanges: Where are we from? How long are we visiting? What other islands have we visited?

We asked the typical tourist questions: How long have you been here? How busy is tourism season? How long are your days?

Alex explained that, for him, the tourism days are only really busy from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., when the cruise ships are in port; then the nights are extremely quiet and boring. He joked that Argostoli is where old people go to retire. But he uses the time practicing guitar for when tourism season is over and can return to Athens to play in his band. His rock band in Athens was his true passion, but driving provided better income. And unfortunately, his time spent driving in Argostoli during tourist season meant his Athens bands were never able to play consistently and get regular bookings.

I’ve played in Chicago bands for years, so I was suddenly full of questions, and Alex had the same! What kind of bands were we in? What kind of music do we play? What kind of gear do we use? By this point, the poor passengers in the back seat were forgotten, ignoring both of us as Alex and I geeked out about string gauges, pick-ups, and amps.

Alex and I came to find that we had a lot in common, especially a love of blues-rock music with big horn sections. We got into the specifics of which Joe Bonamassa live album was better, and why. We debated on if Kenny Wayne Shepherd really needed to re-record Ledbetter Heights with Noah Hunt on vocals. We both hoped that Buddy Guy’s October birthday show at Radio City Music Hall in New York would be recorded.

Our bands had the same issues. How do we balance a set list with new songs and old songs? If club owners want our bands to play for free “to get exposure,” our fans should get to drink and eat for free so their menu and staff can also “get exposure.” And the ongoing frustration of having a rehearsal where one band member doesn’t learn the songs that everyone agreed to have ready.

The similarities between bands in Athens and Chicago went on until the car stopped. We got to the port much too quickly, and I had to be pulled from the car so we didn’t miss the tender.

Music is one of the great unifiers.

Dan Stremlau is a Nomadic Spirit reader. He plays bass in Chicago bands and lives in Tinley Park, Illinois.