Kind of a strange last few days. We've been trying to get the band back together for awhile without any luck so we put an add on Craigslist and had a guy come by this past Friday.
But before that story my buddies play at an open mic every Thursday ( I play rarely) and one of the guys is an awesome guitar player he can play anything, anytime. He's also in high demand an plays in a couple bands but they are pretty close with him now and have been wanting to try and hook up with him. So Thursday the drummer comes by the house and tells me to get my gear and go down to the bar we are going to play with this guy. I was kind of reluctant since I don't really like the place to begin with but they've asked me several times and I did want to play with this guy.
So I got down there around 9ish and set up real quick (used someone else's amp) and we decided to knock out songs, all pretty easy. We played Beer Drinkers/Hell Raisers, Crossroads, Badge, and Born to be wild...and I have to say we rocked that mutha out. For never having played together we sounded good, people actually stood up and clapped..Go figure.
So now Friday comes and we play at my house with the guy we got on Craigslist. We played about 15 or so songs with him and man this guy was really good too, he knows all the songs we were playing and for the most part there were very few glitches which I though was pretty good for the first time together.
This guy is looking to get out there and gig ASAP and I wasn't sure what he thought of us. We aren't any virtuoso's but we aren't hacks either. Based on the travel time and everything he had told me I figured he wasn't really into us (he does have another project going), but I just got an email saying he was into but couldn't practice every Friday but wants to get a list of songs and get some gigs.
So here we go from nothing to maybe two really, really good guiarists. It would be better if it was the guy we played the open mic with mostly because we all already know him, I know he doesn't have an ego and he's local so we could practice at will.
I hope I just didn't jinx us now.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Choice of two!
Nice position to be in.
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Yea Alan and the two are very good, but I have to say I'm a bit doubtful about the local guy, I'm not getting a good vibe on him, he's got so many other things going on but we will see, the good thing about him is we see him all the time so there's a better chance of getting him even if it's not right now.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
hoping the best happens. sounds like the local guy is busy. our new band has a bass player that is better than my mate and I on guitar. he plays killer bass. then he showed us his guitar playing. we had to ask why does he play with us. he said he likes us and our band idea and does not think we give ourselves enough credit.
so pick the best player with the best attitude.
Dog yea I hear you on that one. Both these guys are very good but and I told the guy we found on Craigslist it's going to be more about the chemistry than anything else. Of course if we really stuffed it up he probably won't be interested but we aren't that bad and with the right person I think we'd be OK, we have our moments.
But both are doing other projects and playing with us right now would be kind of secondary, mainly because we are not out there already with gigs lined up. Both of these guys want to be out there getting paid.
We still have the issue of a singer none of us have gotten much better there although the drummer has stepped up and is singing more of the songs now but it's a strain on his playing and he really doesn't want to do it.
If nothing else it has made the three of us get together again which we haven't done much of since last year. I wish I was better at leads we could do the power trio thing although I'm not a big fan of those bands I like a guitar driven band with at least two guitars to me it's just a fuller sound.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Sounds encouraging Chris! Keep us posted.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Well things keep getting better although still nothing solid. I put an ad on Craigslist looking for a singer this morning and got two very quick responses.
One guy just wanted to know how old we were and where we practiced but the other one sent me a long email about himself with pix etc. He's currently in a Journey tribute but says it's moving too slow and he said he really doesn't fit the Steve Perry look...looks more like Chris Daughtry.
I just send the other guitar player a list of another 16 songs so we potentailly have about 30 - 35 right now and with a few practices with the new guys we should be ready to go.
TR knows how exciting it can get when you feel like it's starting to come together but it can all end abrubtly so we'll see.
At least it's given me some new drive to play more.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Latest update:
I checked out the singer from the Journey tribute band he's very good, light years ahead or our singing and the good news is after seeing the 38 songs I sent him he wants to come and try out.
He actually likes most of the stuff we are doing except some AC/DC, ZZ and Van Halen he doesn't think he can sing those well.
So I sent the other guitar player and email and see when we can get together.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Fantastic news! All sounds very promising, i look forwards to seeing the u tube vids :-)
Thanks Apache, this time I wouldn't be ashamed to post them. we've got a couple singers now that are interested and I'm not sure what one guy sounds like but the guy from The Journey tribute band can sing and he also has a good look for a front man so there is hope.
I just don't want to get too excited as these things sometimes fizzle before anything ever starts but right now it's all good.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Exciting times! :D I hope it all works out well Chris. I'm more than a bit impressed (OK, and a tad jealous too....) of how much you've achieved with your bands over the past few years. I'm sure that something good will come out of this situation, one way or another.
TR knows how exciting it can get when you feel like it's starting to come together but it can all end abrubtly so we'll see.
When you get to my age (mid 60s) and your friends start falling off the perch with some regularity you realise that, sooner or later, everything ends abruptly. So the only thing is to enjoy things right now and not spend time worrying about how long the good times will roll for.
At least it's given me some new drive to play more.
That's all that matters, eh? Have a good time whichever way it goes. :D :note1: :note2:
Chris
Good news Chris! :D
(Sorry I missed this thread.)
As usual things start fast and then..well nothing bad has happend but we were going to have the singers come down this week but the other guitar player is going out of town so we will be forced to wait another week.
The good news is there are now 4 singers interested in trying out so we'll see how that goes.
Did get to jam with the other really good guitarist Friday night. He doesn't know all the songs we do but he still was able to come up with some killer solo's. Even though he's the local guy and we see him alot I don't think he will commit, oh well no big deal just have to move forward without him.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Sounds like it could be exiting times ahead. I bet you cant wait to just get your line up sorted now?
"I like to play that guitar. I have to stare at it while I'm playing it because I'm not very good at playing it."
Noel Gallagher (who took the words right out of my mouth)
I've been watching this thread with interest. I hope something good hapens for you in relatively short times with this.
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
