General Music Chat

... Too late for California by a few decades. LA is dying and S/F died a long time ago (they are all zombies now). UK ? if you are in the North go south and if you are in the south go North. Blues is better in Holland and Germany ... look there...they still pay. If you must come to The North American Union then go to Canada as it is safe for a bit longer unless you are a child or an Indian. But you might freeze the Bollocks off if you dally too long. Going to California is like joining the Band on the Titanic at present.

If you are serious check Northern CA Robin Silver ... ex Tired of Sleeping and he may steer you onto another doomed ship other than the Titanic.


Ta Live Well Die Well

I haven't got the foggiest notion of "living the dream" if you play blues anywhere in the United States. My best advice is become more versatile because "living the dream" means "making a living" in my dictionary of terms, and "making a living" playing blues in the U.S.A. isn't likely this day and age. Sorry for the pessimism but I've been "living the dream" for 30 years, and it's not gotten me out of poverty yet....

And the dream turns to a nightmare...has anyone got something to say to me that isn't a quote? 'I mean Im loving all this wisdom, just not sure how to apply it to my own situation?' - Stargazing Boy 2013

Heres a novel Idea....Pack yer butt, go to California and make your own dream... Ha! How about that now...

Sorry, I dont mean to be rude, but seriously... make your dream happen and dont rely on anybody else to make it for you..lest you become owned and wind up working for In & Out asking folks if they want fries with their orders...

Good luck!

Hey, look thanks people for all your thoughts. It has given me plenty to think on. Going to stay put for the time being as just received news that my trio (The Jay Tamkin Band) will be opening for The Yardbirds on 15th march in a london stadium for their 50th anniversary with invites sent to ALL former members! Seems a bit daft to jack it all in just now? Check out the details:

http://www.eelpieclub.com/

http://www.jaytamkinband.com

Opening for the Yardbirds beats playing at Podunk Blues Bar in Bluesville, USA any day of the week.

Hey, look thanks people for all your thoughts. It has given me plenty to think on. Going to stay put for the time being as just received news that my trio (The Jay Tamkin Band) will be opening for The Yardbirds on 15th march in a london stadium for their 50th anniversary with invites sent to ALL former members! Seems a bit daft to jack it all in just now? Check out the details:

http://www.eelpieclub.com/

http://www.jaytamkinband.com

No matter where you go . . . there you are.

Best wishes & enjoy!

Here is a little taste of LA Blues to wet your whistle:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ejqCXZn ... ps18Cz6ecQ

I wonder what the Euro market is for unknown blues bands ...
Maybe he's just tired of playing dank dives in gritty cities.

New Orleans and maybe Nashville, besides Chicago, will get you full-time work doing blues. It may not be MUCH of a living, but ...

At least you won't starve in the land of fruits and nuts.

Huh? California? Blues? I would wager we have a better blues scene in the D, and it pretty much sucks here. Like Jerry said, Chicago, New Orleans, Philadelphia all have thriving blues scenes. L.A. is the genital wart of the blues scene.

Scratch Philadelphia.. no blues scene here...

Any why would anyone go into blues today? It's pretty much a dead horse.

Only so many progressions and tones. Like living in a closet.

Only so many progressions and tones. Like living in a closet.

* GASP *
Im not a blues guy by any stretch but a big part of it is yeah its 3 chords and the same feel for eternity but that is actually pretty challenging to do and be creative and play with emotion.
Anyone can learn 3 chords. But not everyone can say something with them.
There will always be gigs for blues guys because its ingrained into our culture..
.02$

.

Scratch Philadelphia.. no blues scene here...

Any why would anyone go into blues today? It's pretty much a dead horse.

Only so many progressions and tones. Like living in a closet.

[/quote]

I'm going into the blues . Heres a novel thought...Blues is considered by many great musicians as the genre of raw emotion. WHen you learn blues, you learn something valuable that can be applied across many other genres...including a spirit of song. (YOu cant get that from kentucky-fried Acid rock, sorry)

Is Blues a shiney, distracting , marketable genre? NO... But it aint dead by a long shot. Its the Vitaman B that all musicians should take from time to time... Just sayin....

I think that if you see blues as a bunch of limited progressions and tones you may be missing the point slightly? Is it not about the soul of the musicians involved? I would say so and that gives us an unlimited wealth of diversity. Just sayin...