[QUOTE = princeofcats67] stuff. [/QUOTE]

Yes, Bass Guitar. I mess with drums a bit, but that's more to get a better feel for it so I can program a drum machine better than it is to actually get decent at drumming.

Originally Posted by Kepi

stuff

I've got it! Ok, here's what I believe is going-on with the brackets not working correctly.
On the opening bracket, there can't be any spaces between the characters.
So, instead of: QUOTE = Prince, it should be: QUOTE=Prince.
(I had to leave off the brackets for this example).

I believe that should fix the issue. But, don't forget that you can always respond
via "reply with quote"(at the bottom right, and the computer should set-it-up for you.
Plus, by using the "reply with quote"-option, after the name, there's a semi-colon and
the original post # to which you are responding. It comes in handy to try and
figure-out what statements/observations are being responded to.

Originally Posted by Kepi

Yes, Bass Guitar. I mess with drums a bit, but that's more to get a better feel for it so I can program a drum machine better than it is to actually get decent at drumming.

Cool. IMO, Bass Guitar is THE most important instrument in the band
(well, other than having a drummer that is not playing completely out-of-time).
Bass is that perfect instrument for holding down the fort, both sonically and rhythmically.

Best bass-playing ever, IMO:
James Jamerson, hands-down.
Ain't No Mountain High Enough!


Prince

[QUOTE=princeofcats67] stuff. [QUOTE]

We'll see if that works. I'm doing this on mobile, so it gets more complicated (hence why I rarely try to use it).

I feel the same way. Bass is kinda like being pit boss. You're holding down the fort and you're both holding the other elements together and you're kinda directing workflow. When you were talking about ego spectrum, bassists usually fall somewhere between Meglomaniacal control freak (Frank Zappa and Les Claypool of Primus are good examples) and Zen Master (Matt Freeman of Rancid is a good example). Most folks fall somewhere between the two, but that's where it is.

That's one of the reasons I mess with drum programming (that and incorporating a drummer is often times not cost effective when all you're trying to do is jam a couple times a month, because you're talking practice space and sound proofing), because getting that experience with how drums fit together is important for a bassist. One of these days I want to build a theramin, mostly because I saw a local noname group use a theramin instead of a bass once. It wasn't anything I'd want all the time, but it was an interesting idea, and I'd kinda like to play with that.

Don't forget the backslash in the second quote tag:

[ QUOTE=Prince ] stuff [ /QUOTE ]

Without the spaces, obviously.

~Chas'88

Originally Posted by Chas'88

Don't forget the backslash in the second quote tag:

[ QUOTE=Prince ] stuff [ /QUOTE ]

Without the spaces, obviously.

~Chas'88

I'm effing terrible with this crap on the phone. I can't type as fast as I think on it, and so I make mistakes.

[QUOTE=Kepi;462590][QUOTE=princeofcats67] stuff. [QUOTE]

Originally Posted by Kepi

We'll see if that works. I'm doing this on mobile, so it gets more complicated
(hence why I rarely try to use it).

LMAO! Dude, you are SO close! I believe you forgot the backslash on the ending-bracket.
(I'm beginning to think you're just fuckin' with me, Kepi!<insert ultra-smiley>)

ETA:

Originally Posted by Kepi

I'm effing terrible with this crap on the phone. I can't type as fast as I think on it, and so I make mistakes.

Ha! I was horrible until Justin, Chas, and some others on the MB helped me out. I'm just "Paying it Forward"!

Originally Posted by Kepi

I feel the same way. Bass is kinda like being pit boss. You're holding down the fort and you're both holding the other elements together and you're kinda directing workflow. When you were talking about ego spectrum, bassists usually fall somewhere between Meglomaniacal control freak (Frank Zappa and Les Claypool of Primus are good examples) and Zen Master (Matt Freeman of Rancid is a good example). Most folks fall somewhere between the two, but that's where it is.

"Pit boss" is a decent term; I usually say Music Director(or Stage Director ie: Operations).
Most bass-players(if they're "good"), have a keen sense of what's occuring within the band at
any given moment. FWIW, your statements tell me that you know what you're doing, or at least
are on a productive path. Having that POV is a real bonus(ie: You're ahead of the game, IMO).
Now, the big jump occurs when you learn how to not get pissed-off when other musicians
aren't doing what you want them to do!(which is like: always!).

It's difficult to take-out a lot of the chording of a song because it often is what's used to give a
song structure. So, the bass-guitar can adapt to whatever's needed at any given moment, whether
playing more(ie: swinging a tune more rythmically and/or sonically), or pulling-back and playing less.
IME, the latter is more than often the better choice!(ie: playing "less").

Originally Posted by Kepi

That's one of the reasons I mess with drum programming (that and incorporating a drummer is often times not cost effective when all you're trying to do is jam a couple times a month, because you're talking practice space and sound proofing), because getting that experience with how drums fit together is important for a bassist. One of these days I want to build a theramin, mostly because I saw a local noname group use a theramin instead of a bass once. It wasn't anything I'd want all the time, but it was an interesting idea, and I'd kinda like to play with that.

Yup. Bass and Drums. That's the core. But, not all music need be interesting from a bass/drum POV.
There's tons of music where it's important that they don't swing too much(for different reasons).
I play a number of instruments and often see how players that only play one instrument believe that theirs
is always the most important! Every instrument has a role to play, but there are indeed some instruments
that are more important i/r/t getting the whole thing to work cohesively(ie: The Bass-Guitar).

Thanks for sharing, Kepi.


Prince

PS:

Prince's Rules of Music

Rule #1: Try not to play out of tune.
Rule #2: Try not to play out of time.
Rule #3: Try to play only as loud as is necessary; No more.
Rule #4: Don't step on the vocals.
Rule #5: Try to free-up the bass-player so they can swing the tunes
(ie: generally speaking, do NOT walk bass-lines on a guitar!).

IME, an unhappy bass-player leads to a really crappy gig.
(IOW, you guys are bunch of babies!)

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

(I totally hated Under The Bridge and the fucking thing went to Billboard #1! Shows you how much I knew! FWIW, I still don't get-it ie: Its popularity).

I can try to help out there, although I have a question first:

What do you mean when you say you "totally hated" the song? I'm asking because, for quite some time, I've been trying to eliminate the words "like" from my language because they strike me as lazy and imprecise. I mean, when I say that I like something, what am I really saying? That it resonates with me emotionally? That it captures the essence of some experience I've had? That it reminds me of someone I enjoy being reminded of? That it's funny? That it flatters my self image? That it presents me with a puzzle that needs to be unlocked? That I am impressed by its craftsmanship? That something about it is innovative or novel?

If I am being completely honest, I have to admit that I'm not always certain myself of my reasons for saying that I "like" or "dislike" something, and judging from conversations that I've had with others, that's not uncommon at all. As a result, I've gotten into the habit of asking people why they like or dislike what they say they do.

With that being said, I think there are several reasons that "Under the Bridge" was so popular when it was released. I mean, Anthony Kiedis is a good looking, personable guy. He's fit, muscular, and tough looking. At the same time, he and his band were known back then primarily for performing funk-inspired punky hard rock, while "Under the Bridge" was a complete departure--a soulful and (painfully) honest ballad that revealed Kiedis' sensitive side. Which is a long-winded way of saying that maybe the track opened up a whole new audience for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, an audience that, in terms of success, makes or breaks pop acts--girls and (generally young) women.

So there's that.

However, I think there's a bigger reason. While "Under the Bridge" is not framed in explicitly Christian language (although it comes close), a traditional Christian would immediately recognize that the song is about divine grace--unmerited (and unasked for) aid given by God to the sinner that brings about his (or her) salvation. That's what the song's about, being saved from darkness, and that's true whether you choose to interpret it in secular, generally spiritual, or even explicitly Christian terms. I mean, notice that Kiedis never sings about climbing out from under the bridge, or even making a decision to try. I would suggest that, when the song came out, maybe there were a lot of people who had their own "under the bridge" and their own something that pulled them out, and it resonated with them.

As support for my position, I'd like to call your attention to another song that was a hit at almost exactly the same moment: Pearl Jam's "Alive". The triumphant, repetitive, mantra-like refrain ("I'm still alive") is undercut by the memorable exchange that takes place about two-thirds of the way through the song:

"Is something wrong?" she said / "Of course there is." / "You're still alive," she said / "But do I deserve to be? Is that the question? And if so... if so... who answers? Who answers?"

That's not the exact same sentiment as "Under the Bridge", obviously. However, it is an attempt to grapple with the same kind of experience and the same kind of feeling, just from a more agnostic, searching perspective. The success of "Alive" probably had something to do with that, although it probably didn't hurt that Eddie Vedder's not a bad looking guy either...

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

I was working in rock-radio back in the late-80's/early-90's. It was really sorta cutting-edge as far as
hard-rock/heavy-metal/pop-metal was concerned. I distinctlyremember hearing Nirvan-Smells Like Teen Spirit
on a promo-disc and realizing immediately that things were gonna change. In fact, I distinctly remember working
with the 7-Midnight DJ(announcer) and doing some o-night production at the time, and the afternoon-drive DJ
came-in one night and announced that he was applying for the Program Director's job at a big NE rock-station.
I told him that I didn't see how regular rock-radio stations were going to survive given that it would be nearly
impossible to play AC/DC and The Eagles along-side Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Etc.(Remember, this was like 1989-91
and Jeremy hadn't even hit the air yet). Anyway, I said that there would have to be a split. So get this: This dude
totally re-writes his resume/mission-statement and incorporates what would become "classic-rock"(I kid you not!).
Sure enough, "classic-rock" stations started popping-up, the other stations went with the grunge/alt/music "du jour",
and our beloved pop-metal died a horrible death(pushed along by fucking Beavis and Butthead). You could see it coming with all that Jane's Addiction, Faith No More, and RHCP-stuff creeping-in(I totally hated Under The Bridge and the fucking thing went to Billboard #1! Shows you how much I knew! FWIW, I still don't get-it ie: Its popularity).

[Note: BTW, all that grunge-stuff was next to impossible to market to the public;
It was literally the death of that sort of all-encompassing radio i/r/t promotions
(although all of that's changed now, but not really) Shit. Our promo-events were
like rock-concerts! Seriously. It was good times!]

Ah so you had a front row, industry seat at just the right time.

I'm curious, what is your opinion of the alt/progressive rock stuff coming out before and after Nirvana (BN, AN)? Not talking heroin grunge, I'm talking about bands like Sonic Youth, Pixies, Dinosaur Jr. and later bands like Radiohead, Hum (my personal all-time favorite band), and Clutch (the ladyfriend's all-time favorite band).

This might get pretty interesting.

Originally Posted by Semo '75

I can try to help out there, although I have a question first:

What do you mean when you say you "totally hated" the song? I'm asking because, for quite some time, I've been trying to eliminate the words "like" from my language because they strike me as lazy and imprecise. I mean, when I say that I like something, what am I really saying? That it resonates with me emotionally? That it captures the essence of some experience I've had? That it reminds me of someone I enjoy being reminded of? That it's funny? That it flatters my self image? That it presents me with a puzzle that needs to be unlocked? That I am impressed by its craftsmanship? That something about it is innovative or novel?

If I am being completely honest, I have to admit that I'm not always certain myself of my reasons for saying that I "like" or "dislike" something, and judging from conversations that I've had with others, that's not uncommon at all. As a result, I've gotten into the habit of asking people why they like or dislike what they say they do.

Hey Semo. Well for me, "like" is about "connecting" with something in some manner.
And I whole-heartedly agree that what may be more important than recognizing that
I, or someone else, "likes" something, is why, or for what reasons, the thing is "liked".
That "connection" is what I would call a "feeling"(ie: a feeling of connection with something).
IMO, Music, and the other Arts in general, are a prime way in which Individuals, and thus
Societies(or Cultures) communicate(ie: "commune").
(Latin: co-munio : "to build/fortify-together" aka "share")

BTW, thanks for asking.

Originally Posted by Semo

With that being said, I think there are several reasons that "Under the Bridge" was so popular when it was released. I mean, Anthony Kiedis is a good looking, personable guy. He's fit, muscular, and tough looking. At the same time, he and his band were known back then primarily for performing funk-inspired punky hard rock, while "Under the Bridge" was a complete departure--a soulful and (painfully) honest ballad that revealed Kiedis' sensitive side. Which is a long-winded way of saying that maybe the track opened up a whole new audience for the Red Hot Chili Peppers, an audience that, in terms of success, makes or breaks pop acts--girls and (generally young) women.

So there's that.

So, when I say I "hated" RHCP-UTB, I'm saying that not only did I not "connect" with the music
and/or the message, but I also was sensing that the whole game for rock-radio was moving in
a direction that was un-sustainable given the parameters that we were working-under. The fans of
these new "grunge"-tunes would go to an establishment and just "hang-out"(ie: not spend any $$$).
That really wasn't very conducive to getting an establishment to buy ad-time on the radio
(and that's how radio-stations earn their keep). So, as far as UTB is concerned, it was an example
(along with a bunch of the other "grunge"-type tunes), of ending what for some of us were
some pretty good times. IOW, I normally wouldn't care, but because of my job, they were
"invading my territory" so to speak.

On a personal note, I couldn't connect with the image at all(but that's just me).
Although many of the "creators" of the Art were Jones/Early-X, the "listeners/consumers"
were Late-X/Gen-Y. It speaks volumes, IMO.

And "good looks"(or better-put: not "bad-looks"!) do matter to a degree. Personally,
I have a difficult time attempting to judge what guys are considered hot by girls,
and what guys are considered cool by other guys. From a marketing standpoint, I knew
that Nelson was freaking "marketing gold!"(I mean the pedigree alone is almost unique).
[Note: FWIW, we played the shit outta that record(it had 2 top-ten singles(a #1 and #6)!]

So, yeah, despite the "indie-cred" that "grunge" had, image does matter. It's just that
that particular image, and more importantly, the generation that was connecting with that
image and material, was not conducive to the economics of the time from a promotions-POV
(they all did sell a decent number of records, though).
[Note: I'm only looking at this stuff from a business-angle here, currently. I certainly
have my own artistic taste, but for this conversation, it's not about what I "like", but
about what occured and why. I believe(hope!) you understand where I'm coming-from.]

Originally Posted by Semo

However, I think there's a bigger reason. While "Under the Bridge" is not framed in explicitly Christian language (although it comes close), a traditional Christian would immediately recognize that the song is about divine grace--unmerited (and unasked for) aid given by God to the sinner that brings about his (or her) salvation. That's what the song's about, being saved from darkness, and that's true whether you choose to interpret it in secular, generally spiritual, or even explicitly Christian terms. I mean, notice that Kiedis never sings about climbing out from under the bridge, or even making a decision to try. I would suggest that, when the song came out, maybe there were a lot of people who had their own "under the bridge" and their own something that pulled them out, and it resonated with them.

As support for my position, I'd like to call your attention to another song that was a hit at almost exactly the same moment: Pearl Jam's "Alive". The triumphant, repetitive, mantra-like refrain ("I'm still alive") is undercut by the memorable exchange that takes place about two-thirds of the way through the song:

"Is something wrong?" she said / "Of course there is." / "You're still alive," she said / "But do I deserve to be? Is that the question? And if so... if so... who answers? Who answers?"

That's not the exact same sentiment as "Under the Bridge", obviously. However, it is an attempt to grapple with the same kind of experience and the same kind of feeling, just from a more agnostic, searching perspective. The success of "Alive" probably had something to do with that, although it probably didn't hurt that Eddie Vedder's not a bad looking guy either...

I believe I hear what you're saying and completely agree looking back in hindsight
(it seems so obvious now, but at the time it was confusing and a conundrum).
Of course alot of that has changed now i/r/t radio-airplay. I'm only describing the
late-'80's/early-'90's POV.

Now, that said, please keep in mind that I was 25 years-old and really didn't have any
views i/r/t culture and where it(or I for that matter) was heading. Maybe other people
were(which is obvious considering the popularity of "grunge"), but I wasn't. All I saw was
an ending of an era(in a way).

I could go into a painfully deep analysis on Music i/r/t "creators" and "consumers" based
on MBTI Personality-Traits, but I will spare you, my friend!


Prince

PS: You used the term "triumphant" i/r/t PJ's Alive. While I generally agree with you,
and knowing that the creators(Gen Jones/Early-X) are in my age-neighborhood,
I have to say that alot of my peers and I didn't need anything to feel triumphant about
because we didn't really feel that alienated!
(although that could've been just me; I was pretty cool back then! Emphasis on "was"! )

And that "non-optimism" had been indeed lurking.(S.O.S.!)

Alright, one last time...

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

stuff.

I totally agree with everything you've said. If a Bassist is going to stand out, usually it's got to be in the pockets and never in every pocket. One night a few of us were jamming and someone had brought a sax, and we split lines with the sax and that was a lot of fun, but if there'd been a second guitarist that probably would have been better suited for them.

Plus the thing about instrumentation is it can always change. Just because for the past 100ish years, drum kits, bass and guitar have been extremely prominant doesn't mean that's the way it will stay, especially with the amount of synthetic sound makers we have now. A few years ago, I shut up a bragging guitarist who said "yeah, but guitarists are the part of the band people listen to" with "no, you're the part of the band that's tollerated because they won't have to pay two more egos to play." And I think that me having a hip-hop bent gives me a different outlook on instrumental priority, because when you go see it live sometimes they have a full band, but more often it's just a DJ. Hell, they don't even need the turntables anymore, it really can be just a laptop into a preamp (or a peddle that emulates a preamp) to the board (never go purely direct to board, without at least a preamp peddle, even though most newer PAs are designed to handle it, it makes any effect, even natural reverb, sound a little tinny).

When you're talking about profitability in the industry, it's easier to feed 1 mouth than 3 to 5 and it actually frees you up to use any sound, bend it to any pitch, and make it sound like anything and who can tell you otherwise? Maybe the rapper or his agent if you're big... But mostly no.

Also having a ska background as a major influence, I think I have a different groove as fat as how much any one person matters. When you're adding a brass section, especially in ska-jazz which is much more likely to feature a organ, piano, or keyboard... You're one of 6-10 people. Why would anybody tolerate you insisting on running the show on every single song?

Originally Posted by Kinser79

*pulls out Malleus Maleficararum and blows dust off of it before turning to appropriate page*

It says here that a witch will be marked by Satan and that the "witch's mark" will not bleed nor shall the witch feel pain should the mark be probed with a sharp instrument such as a needle. So we would strip the accused naked and start poking them with a needle in all their moles, scars and birth marks to see if they scream or the mark bleeds. If they do not scream or it does not bleed then they must be a witch.

If I'm the Witchfinder General communists need not worry about accusations. Well unless they are charged with Apostasy.

If the accused is thrown into a body of water and floats but is not a duck...yes. That would be a "scientific" method of proving witchcraft.

Sounds like you were a Glorious in your past life.

~Chas'88

Originally Posted by Kepi

Alright, one last time...

Kepi shoots, and scores! <applause>

Originally Posted by Kepi

I totally agree with everything you've said. If a Bassist is going to stand out, usually it's got to be in the pockets and never in every pocket. One night a few of us were jamming and someone had brought a sax, and we split lines with the sax and that was a lot of fun, but if there'd been a second guitarist that probably would have been better suited for them.

Ok. Musician joke here.

There's a trombone-player, and he's at a gig. In-between sets he packs-up his horn and puts it in his
locked car for safe-keeping. When the break is over, he goes out with some other guys and notices
that his passenger-side window has been shattered! "Oh no!", he cries. So, he runs-over and looks in
the passenger seat and someone has left two more trombones in his car!

Oh, those 'bone-jokes never get old!

True story. I once played a wedding and a dude asked if he could sit-in.
When you're playing a wedding-gig, you're usually getting paid some decent $$$,
so basically, you don't ever say no. Dude comes back with a trombone! Great!(*sarcasm*).
So, he's up there throwing-in trombone licks(as if there's more than one!)and another guy
asks if he can sit-in. Sure, why not? It's not like the gig can get any worse.
The second-guy brings in...wait for it...another trombone! I kid you not.
In fact, there was actually a third-guy, but he didn't have his with him.
(brrrrr...brrrrr...brrrrr...brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr! 5-6-5-b7!)



Prince

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

Ok. Musician joke here.

Yay!

My favorite self-deprecating one from back in the day when I made a little money with my five-string Ibanez:

A missionary lands in a remote jungle village. As the thrum of the plan engines fade, he realizes that there is a booming, pounding, drumming coming from some distance out in the bush. Bum! Ba-bumpity-Bum! Bum-Bum! Ba-bumpity-Bum! It goes on and on, but none of the locals seem to pay it any mind, so he tries to follow their example. He sets himself to his work with the villagers, teaching, helping them build, and so on -- never for one second does the drumming in the jungle stop. Day and night, month after month.
Two years pass this way.
Finally, he reaches the last day of his term. After tearful farewells to his friends among the villagers (accompanied, of course, by the constant drumming from the jungle), he heads off towards the clearing where his plane will come to get him. As he gets to the edge of the village, the drumming suddenly stops.
Total chaos among the villagers. Women moan, men shake their fists and the sky with cries of grief and rage, children begin to sob. In response to his confused and concerned look, one of the elders wails out to him "Bass solo!!"

Originally Posted by Justin '77

Yay!..."Bass solo!!"

<chuckle>

That's definitely one of them.
(I kinda forgot that you had said that you play bass, Justin).

"Bass-solo" always reminds me of this bit of genius from:
This Is Spinal Tap: Jazz Odyssey!
(Oh man, I just remembered the 3-Bass-Attack on Big Bottom).




Prince

PS: OMG. I just saw this when I was grabbing those Spinal Tap-vids.
Metallica showing why tuning matters!(FWIW, this is difficult to listen-to/watch).

Originally Posted by Chas'88

Sounds like you were a Glorious in your past life.

~Chas'88

Maybe.

But for the last one I had this scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail in mind

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

<chuckle>

That's definitely one of them.

Another classic:

What's the difference between a drummer and a large pizza?

Originally Posted by Justin '77

Another classic:

What's the difference between a drummer and a large pizza?

You can feed a family of four with a large pizza.

Did you hear about that drummer with terrible timing? He was so depressed that every band in the city kicked him out that he tried to commit suicide by jumping behind a train.

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

Trombones

So, my first gig, right? I'm in highschool and my buddy had set up a show with a no name but touring act. He'd slated for another band to play, but that fell through because two of the members had their prom that night. So last minute we slapped something together, because it's an actual touring act and it would be poor form to leave them without some opener. Total train wreck, we had too many members, not enough could actually play. I was supposed to play bass, but another guy wanted to do it so they put me on vox (which is something no one should ever, ever do), we wound up giving 3 of the guys who couldn't play brass kazoos and just said have at it, barely competent guitarist (meaning he knew the chords, he just didn't always know what chords he was actually playing, and neither did we)...

But the best part was when our drummer had paired down our horns to people who actually could play... Trombone and trumpet... And we brought everyone in to reherse the one time before the show. So it was technically a Trombone and Trumpet combo... A standard Trombone and a Bass Trumpet, so yeah... 2 Trombones, one keyed one slide. I pointed it out and nobody got what I was saying, not even the 2 brass players themselves.

We were lucky that it was highschool and we knew almost everyone there, because otherwise it would have been just a disaster, instead of a mildly amusing disaster.

Youtube is just awsome.

A "hot" find Doro

Another goodie

Accept - Pandemic - like lots of the bad jams of college days.

Originally Posted by Ragnarök_62

Youtube is just awsome.

A "hot" find Doro

Agree 100% on both accounts, Rags.
(Doro/Warlock definitely Rock(s)!)

But you know me, I'm kind of a wuss, but
"I've got a love for destruction"!
Lita Ford: Shot of Poison.


Prince

PS:
Or you can get 2-for-1 with Heart:
Crazy On You! and/or Barracuda!

Originally Posted by Ragnarök_62

Another goodie

Accept - Pandemic - like lots of the bad jams of college days.

You know, for some reason I never really got exposed to Accept.
Well, other than Balls To The Wall(which is awesome, of course. Udo!).

I've always been more of a Judas Priest-guy.
Delivering The Goods
Hell Bent For Leather




Prince

PS:...and here's a really cool Michael Schenker tune for you:

Are You Ready To Rock!

I better stop before I post all my fave-UFO and Scorpions tunes.

Originally Posted by Kepi

So, my first gig, right? I'm in highschool and my buddy had set up a show with a no name but touring act. He'd slated for another band to play, but that fell through because two of the members had their prom that night. So last minute we slapped something together, because it's an actual touring act and it would be poor form to leave them without some opener. Total train wreck, we had too many members, not enough could actually play. I was supposed to play bass, but another guy wanted to do it so they put me on vox (which is something no one should ever, ever do), we wound up giving 3 of the guys who couldn't play brass kazoos and just said have at it, barely competent guitarist (meaning he knew the chords, he just didn't always know what chords he was actually playing, and neither did we)...

But the best part was when our drummer had paired down our horns to people who actually could play... Trombone and trumpet... And we brought everyone in to reherse the one time before the show. So it was technically a Trombone and Trumpet combo... A standard Trombone and a Bass Trumpet, so yeah... 2 Trombones, one keyed one slide. I pointed it out and nobody got what I was saying, not even the 2 brass players themselves.

We were lucky that it was highschool and we knew almost everyone there, because otherwise it would have been just a disaster, instead of a mildly amusing disaster.

Total train-wreck! Ah, good times!
"Surviving Disasters" is the whole game, Kepi.

My first gig. High school talent show. I was 13(8th grade), but the other guys were a
year older. I had been given an acoustic guitar for christmas by my parents around 1979
(because I wanted to play Neil Young songs), and a really crappy electric Les Paul-copy,
the next christmas. FWIW, I thought that electric was sooo cool; It was black!(which is
kinda funny b/c all the Telecasters I play are white!; Except for one really cool pink-paisley!).

Anyway, I liked hard-rock/heavy-metal, but these guys were more punk/new wave.
The bass-player was really into The Ramones(which is cool b/c I doubt I ever would
have connected to them on my own). We had a South American exchange-student
(who literally could barely even speak english!)playing drums. So, two punky/new-wave
guys on bass and lead vocals, a drummer that we couldn't communicate with(!), and me:
a kid who had taught himself how to play barre-chords and solos. The bass-player had a
1x15 combo, and I had a 1x10 Fender Champ tube-amp(it was so tiny!) and an MXR Distortion+-pedal.
And the song? The Cars: Just What I Needed(I played the keyboard lead and guitar fills in the first break
as if they were only one part). That song will always hold that sacred-space in my heart.
We played one other song that day: A distorted punk-version of The Police: Message In A Bottle.
I did some big extended lead at the end(Mick Ronson-style); It was pretty cool for a bunch of
13-14 year-old kids that had no idea what we were doing. I really can't have any objective interpretation
of how we sounded. I'd say that we had to have sucked(being so in-experienced), but I have a
sneaking suspicion that we actually did OK.


Prince

PS: What was your first song(s) you played live?
(hopefully anybody will feel-free to answer).

Originally Posted by princeofcats67

You know, for some reason I never really got exposed to Accept.
Well, other than Balls To The Wall(which is awesome, of course. Udo!).

I've always been more of a Judas Priest-guy.
Delivering The Goods
Hell Bent For Leather

<snip video b/c Vbullentin has another dumb limit.


Prince

PS:...and here's a really cool Michael Schenker tune for you:

Are You Ready To Rock!

I better stop before I post all my fave-UFO and Scorpions tunes.

Eh, don't stop.

Michael Schenker =awsome find. :: does devil hand signals. ::

Delivering the Goods cover by Skid Row + Rod Halford.

One for Occupy Wall $treet. I wonder if they used thematic music if things would be more successful.