General Music Chat

Sounding good Bob, especially you and the drummer but I have to be honest: I don't care for the music of Hendrix when it's not played on a Strat. The tone just isn't there. Your guy's a good player for being young but he needs to go study those riffs a little more. Just my opinion, keep rockin!

He tried a few Strats, he just doesn't like them. Kind of like the argument between Fords and Chevies. Some people simply prefer Gibsons. I've never been a fan of doing covers exactly like the covers anyway, but I understand where you're coming from. We've got three other Hendrix tunes in our repertoire, Hey Joe, Purple Haze, and Red House. Alexander IS very young (17). I never thought I would be in a band with a person that young but he's got a LOT of talent. Can't wait to get into the studio (soon).

Didn't wanna mention....but singer is spot on on the first tune....Something happened with "The Man"...He's singing it completely out of key.. Maybe the monitors weren't working??... Otherwise...you guys seem like you're just gonna tighten up and get better within time...just tell the vocalist to concentrate on the key.. His guitar playing is right in the pocket with the genre you're playing.... Wish that kinda stuff would go over in my neck of the woods but there's no money to be made doing that stuff here....and you know me, I'm in it for the $$

The monitors weren"t working that well, you"re right. He just started singing recently in front of people. Nobody can sing well unless they sing. I encourage everybody who wants to try and sing to just do it. He'll get better with time. He's already improved dramatically since I've been with him. I don't believe this kind of stuff wouldn't go over in your neck of the woods. I believe people everywhere are yearning for a new sound. You're a helluva guitarist and I know damn well you've got to have some original ideas. What's the harm in sneaking one or two originals in your setlist? Maybe middle of the third set? What are they going to do, turn the power off and kick you out of the bar? Your band sounds very well established, has a good following, sneak something new in. You might be pleasaantly surprised.

Yeah, I watched it! Like I said on your FB page, I'm gonna watch it again...and did. Would have been much better to hear it live though. I miss a good Rock/Blues gig.

Dammit Bob, first they cut your head off and second, I can't hear you. Frickin' guitar players all the same, you hear them all over the place and the band starts sounding like the White Stripes and the poor bass player is chugging away without being heard.

The dynamics are there, I mean, I would have got up front and did my Woodstock hippy dance, just tell Elvis or the sound guy to turn him down.

Chaeya

If you did a Woodstock hippy dance in front of me I might have a heart attack, I'm an old fisherman. My bass doesn't sound too bad on this one and you can see me a little:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txvikd4npY0

I really enjoyed your Hendrix cover. Your frontman is a good guitarist.

I really enjoyed your Hendrix cover. Your frontman is a good guitarist.

Thanks. As much as I like covers it's the originals that have me the most excited. The first four songs we played are originals and the crowd ate it up.

[quote="fisherman bob] The monitors weren"t working that well, you"re right. He just started singing recently in front of people. Nobody can sing well unless they sing. I encourage everybody who wants to try and sing to just do it. He'll get better with time. He's already improved dramatically since I've been with him. I don't believe this kind of stuff wouldn't go over in your neck of the woods. I believe people everywhere are yearning for a new sound. You're a helluva guitarist and I know damn well you've got to have some original ideas. What's the harm in sneaking one or two originals in your setlist? Maybe middle of the third set? What are they going to do, turn the power off and kick you out of the bar? Your band sounds very well established, has a good following, sneak something new in. You might be pleasaantly surprised.[/quote]

You're right, Bob.... I should start writing again....it's just the present band that I'm in is very, very "commercial" and have been together for 8 years and normally I wouldn't play 1/2 the stuff we do but it's actually a business venture and the clubs consider them a "Party Rock" band... I mean for cripes sake..do you really think I'd be playing Maroon Five, SR-71, Greenday, etc..??? I honestly can't stand a lot of the bands we cover but I've had it here playing clubs and walking out with nothing because everyone and their grandma plays Ozzy, Halen, Sabbath, Metallica, etc.. They have to book at least 3-4 bands a night in order to get peeps down there wheras we do the whole night ourselves and are geared to a younger, more "poppy" crowd....and in the end, I walk out of there with my hard earned cash....FINALLY! So if I'm gonna do originals, it would have to be with another project wwhich I really can't put time into at the moment because I have so many other personal things on my plate!

Not every musician HAS to write and record, it's perfectly fine to only play covers and play for the money. In fact, I don't recommend it unless you're obsessed with it, because it takes a lot of time and money. I've produced all of my recordings and estimate I've spent $50K.

Not every musician HAS to write and record, it's perfectly fine to only play covers and play for the money. In fact, I don't recommend it unless you're obsessed with it, because it takes a lot of time and money. I've produced all of my recordings and estimate I've spent $50K.

Hopefully a labor of love that will bear future fruit for you. I know a very good songwriter/singer/guitarist who spent his life's savings, mortgaged his house, etc. to record some CD's. I believe he went to New York City and Connecticut to do some of the recording with some of the best session players in the United States. Don't know if it's paying off for him but the product he puts out is first rate.
I'm not saying that every musician HAS to do anything but I know many musicians I've met who have originals and never did anything with them. At the least play a few once in a while at a gig. Even for a few minutes it would be nice to think you"re a recording artist instead of copying other recording artists...

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR ENCOURAGING COMMENTS AND CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM. It is most appreciated.

YOU GO BOB! This is just the beginning! If you go and look at my 1st post in the US section of my first gig, I only picked the axe up about 3 months before... Last time I played before that was in 1987! It has been non stop playing since and have probably been in at least 10 different bands in 5 years....some 2 at a time... You will see... all you need to do is promote yourselves, even if it means playing for free in the beginning and after a while, you'll build up a following and then you can make the decision if you'll get more gigs playing covers or originals or both... You decide if you're in it for the money at this age (which I am) or if you want to invest $$ and pursue that very hard attainable route (again at our age) of originals and getting the world to actually purchase your CD's! I'm poor.... I opted for the cover band route

I like doing BOTH covers and originals, covers of MY choosing done MY way. I think there's a market for doing BOTH. I've included some originals in our "cover" sets for 20 years. Money may be readily more attainable doing strictly covers. There's nothing wrong with money. After all, we all need to eat and pay bills. With this stinking economy even the cover gigs are making less and less money these days. If I'm going to make peanuts at least I'll do it playing tunes I want to play, whether it's covers or originals. Crip, from all the pics you post of your gigs it looks like you're having a blast. What could be better than having fun and making $$$? I can't think of anything I'd rather do than play music for cash, well maybe fishing for cash, but there's even fewer people making money fishing than playing music. Some of the big tribute bands out there are making a fortune doing covers. I was recruited to play in a ZZ Top tribute band. Those guys are getting BIG BUCKS. Turned it down so I could stay home with my gorilla-sized autistic son. You're staying active, making some good money and looks like you enjoy it. More power to you...

Bob

I thought your bass handled the three piece thing quite well. Like the sound. What's your amp?

cheers
Talbot

I don't know how I missed this.

Great job Bob !

I don't understand whats with you bass players.
Never can get your face in a video.

Bob

I thought your bass handled the three piece thing quite well. Like the sound. What's your amp?

cheers
Talbot

I use a Peavey TNT 115. Not a loud amp, but has the right tone for me. I prefer playing through 15 inch speakers with a touch of high end. I call it "hot bottom". I've got a Fender Precision Special bass with active elctronics. Between that amp and bass I've got almost infinite tone control. The only other bass amp that I like more are some of the high-end Ampegs. They are just out of my price range...