United States

So I played with another group last night, in a bass capacity.

They were a trip. A few orthodox gents and the music was WAY OUT THERE and kind of cool.

I kind of dug it. They had a lot of nice equipment and their music wasn't bad but I feel a little out of it considering they are all Orthodox.

(The hair was enough to get me to pay to see it) lol

But I have to be fair to them, they were good musicians.
They even played this abused version of Hava Nagila that was an eye opener. (I felt like I was hanging with the offshoot of Matisyahu and AS I lay Dying.)

And I got some odd looks at the onset, lemme tell you.
I thought the one guy was going to give me grief or some such nonsense.
After we started to play, they calmed considerably.
I figure that they realized it wasn't going to be a complete bust.

But now I am left with the option of playing with them and they want me to adapt what i wear and how I look. (I don't want to grow my hair out and I don't want to wear that head thing or attire, regardless.)

I always try to say it's about the music, but I can't honestly say that I am comfortable in this situation even though I know a couple of tunes like Hava Nagila. (I just learned that off of the TV one day when I was bored.)

And yeah they have all kind of dates/venues/things to play.

I feel like less of something, but I digress.

===

Even worse, a local bunch out of Manhattan that doesn't sound half bad just gave me the "side swipe special".

I listened to their music. (www.dogzofzeus.com)
It reminds me of some music I was doing a while back, so I figured that I would solicit them in hopes of a minor jam to see if we'd be conducive.

BAM, they wanted samples and I directed them to this site, with a reminder that this was just the last thing I was involved with.

So I just got a DEAR JOHN letter that basically sounded like they were afraid I would be trying to morph them into what I was doing last, even though I mentioned the fact that they were just samples and I had played heavier stuff for "Cutter", "Dragged To Death" and "Motorwolf".

So the last line was basically, "we don't feel like you'd like our music enough, so good luck and goodbye NO AUDITION FOR YOU". (NO SOUP FOR YOU.)

I just can't believe that anyone would be this stupid.
Didn't they read the email I sent ? I guess I wasn't clear or didn't type it in ALL CAPS. lol

Is it the idea that one is only capable of doing something that they have a sample for? I have to laugh, I only play a few different types of music depending on what I am doing but I never thought I would have to have a sample of every different genre I am capable of.

===

Meanwhile back at the farm, I just got 5 emails (one right after another) from one band that sounds heavy but not in a good way, but in a rather non-melodic, chromatic fashion. (you know I like MELODIC almost exclusively, regardless of genre.)

They cued in on one aspect of a CL ad I ran that said I was using a Marshall bass head and all of sudden, "I could be their new poly-metric bassist".

Really? (Look of sheer disgust)

I feel like drowning myself in the bathtub. lol

Just let me fill it with GIN first and maybe I'll hop on here and go all supernova and PUI all over the political crew, before I gasp for breath one last time through a sea of alcohol and barbiturates.

I'd rather play with anyone that actually can play some real music before I lower myself to a poly-metric hardcore breakfast of champions and alcoholics/drug addicts and general gutter overlords.

===

The biggest slap is that I just received a bid to play rhythm guitar and be the vocalist for a fairly reasonable band PLAYING COVERS.

That in of itself isn't a sin, but considering I stated clearly I DON'T WANT TO PLAY ANY COVERS, I feel violated.





"Filling the bath tub with GIN" and looking through the medicine cabinet now. (That's a joke, please do not misunderstand and email me.)

PS: If I ever lay eyes on you again Lester, I'm going to sock you in the eye just on principle alone.

I can't blame you for not wanting to 'play the part' for the orthodox group. Dealt with that, a little, with the Beatles tribute band - right from the start they said 'no costumes etc'., then when we got the tv program gig, 2 of the guys started talking about 'Shea jackets', shirts and ties and stuff, I just no F*cking way. I sunk enough money into new equipment for that band, I'd have been really pissed to have spent money on clothes!

These days, you do need good samples of your music online and if you can play (or want to play) multiple styles, you better have samples of them all. There are too many wannabes out there, and if you ever spent a few weeks auditioning them, you'd get a lot stricter on who you bothered with in the future, too.

There's a ton of people who just respond to any 'similar' CL ad, too - I get plenty from classic rock-type cover bands who obviously have not paid attention to the first sentences in my ad "MOSTLY ACOUSTIC", you frickin' illiterates!

I can't really "bag" on the orthodox people.
Yeah they were different but at least they could play.
That puts them ahead of at least 4 bands I played with of late. (Zzzzz)

But I am not wearing anything different and I have no intention of changing my appearance to suit someone else.

If the way I play isn't doing it for you, then def. get someone else.

For me it's "what you play, not what you look like while you are playing it" and if it doesn't sound good, you could have the best get ups/costumes in the known world, you still sound like a$$.

I knew it would be difficult to get into something reasonable as the vocalist or guitarist, but I had no idea that it would be an outright hardship to get an audition.

I would give my eye teeth for someone to come along and be willing to support something I was doing, instead of the other way around.

Every a$$hole in the known world wants to do it their own way, yeah I got that much down just working with Les.

Right or wrong, up or down, they are right even when they aren't right in the head but you never think you will encounter such resistance when going to plainly support someone else's efforts.

Just another day in life's grand adventure ehh... Is some ways I envy you Scott.
You may get some NO's but you don't take no for your answer!

At least you're trying... you know the drill. Thank You sir may I have...

Besides when you find the right ones it'll be all that much sweeter!

Don't envy me. I got whip marks all over by now. I am just losing, losing, losing, losing. I'm the Charlie Sheen antithesis. (They all think I am on drugs et cetera, but it's a heck of a lot more mental perspiration than recreational inspiration and all that it entails.)

I thought by playing bass, I could take down the anxiety of it all a little bit but for some reason, it's not working. "People are some bitchy mfers".

Every time I stumble into something grandiose, I got some other nut trying to take the whole thing down a notch, you know "purely to keep me grounded" and "for my own good".

Better yet are the types that want to work with you, but feel like there isn't enough room to do but their interpretation of whatever music is on the menu. (feh)

I can tell a decent band a mile away. I guess that's another skill.
But I'm thinking that I intimidate people one way or another and that baffles me because it's unwarranted. Most all the time, I am just trying to be a part of something solid that I can add to, not change into what I might want. (that never works)(nobody cares what I want, that much is not new.) lol

I firmly believe in the "sum of it's parts" method of playing with people, as in no one person is ever going to be the determining factor, so invariably people have to work together or have their project die in the process.

I'm not going to take "no" for an answer. I played bass for 10 years now and guitar even longer but there are always a plethora of guitarists and would be vocalists (I have to think about it to get a solid figure.) But it makes me scratch my head when it's really becoming quite arduous.

I'm thinking I might as well go back to my open mic haunts and just full blast it, see if I can dig up some people to support me since it's basically becoming just as much work to do that as to play bass with a reasonable entity.

I'm regretting not playing anymore with the vampire band I was involved with, at least the music was cool and I could look like a nut nightly.

As far as that goes, I could reignite "Asteroid Suicide Cult" for something really heavy but again, it's more personnel woes just waiting to happen.

I have to laugh, I don't think anyone in this entire area even reads this forum and that alone is depressing. (Can any of them even read?)

"Pass the soap, I need to flavor my gin and barbiturate cocktail".

You should go out and play your music, Jahva. Plenty of people that really suxor are doing that with much less than you have going on for you.
Your music is quite good and different, worth the price of admission.

If I was smart, I would have video taped every band I ever played with or auditioned for. I'd have quite the reel of clips and some of the boobs would astound you and I am not talking about female breasts. lol

Scott

You can borrow my hat if you like. I thought I looked like Billy the Kid when I wore it out to a remote farm, but my pal called me the Hassidic Hillbilly.

That was an interesting adventure - strange world of musicians eh? I ran from a job once when I was told I'd have to wear a Santa Claus suit for the holiday. At least that wouldn't be an issue with your Orthodox buds.

Question - this bathtub full of gin thing? Can you do that with whiskey?

Talbot

This may sound kinda off coming from me but.

To thine own self be true.

The tub of gin sounds kind good, but reminds me of a recent news posting about a woman in Tyler Texas found drown in a bathtub full of milk, and a banana stuck in her ass.

They believe it may have been . . . a cereal killer.

You can put whatever type of booze you want in the tub. If you mix the boozes, it's faster..but my head will be ringing like a gong tomorrow.
(any dark booze and any light booze is cause for a blackout)

And if my baseball cap don't cut it, FAQ EM ALL. If ya talk sh*t about my bush hat, that's thin ice there...

(I'm glad I'm not driving.)(smell of rocket fuel and cheap nachos)
FWAAAAAAAAAAP and truck backfire. lol

I've passed up on plenty of paying gigs because I didn't dig something about one or more of them, it's just another one on the woodpile but it does gall me.

But the pukes that wouldn't even let me audition because my samples weren't heavy enough, that was a "dick punch" followed by the "grab and twist".

Oof you haaad to say WHISKEY. (i think I am going to boot, gotta goooo)

George, all I have to say to you is that choices seem easy when everything is going well right? Well things are not going right and I have no banana stuck up my ass and my tub is not full of milk and I am far from dead.

PS: Corn flakes suck ass regardless of whether it's milk or whiskey at the bottom of the bowl.

I don't know man. Seems, for me at least, when things are rolling the choices are harder cause I'm a feared I'm gonna screw something up.

At any rate, I hope you can find some musical solace.

Cause "your a diva when it ain't "

What is it you said to me once, "You don't know me".

I think you should do what you do and thank god you got whatcha got, which really ain't much. But do not think for a moment you know anything about me, because you don't but that's ok..."I'm a diva".

You should take up music as a hobby, man.
You might be good at it someday.

I can't blame you for not wanting to 'play the part' for the orthodox group. Dealt with that, a little, with the Beatles tribute band - right from the start they said 'no costumes etc'., then when we got the tv program gig, 2 of the guys started talking about 'Shea jackets', shirts and ties and stuff, I just no F*cking way. I sunk enough money into new equipment for that band, I'd have been really pissed to have spent money on clothes!

These days, you do need good samples of your music online and if you can play (or want to play) multiple styles, you better have samples of them all. There are too many wannabes out there, and if you ever spent a few weeks auditioning them, you'd get a lot stricter on who you bothered with in the future, too.

There's a ton of people who just respond to any 'similar' CL ad, too - I get plenty from classic rock-type cover bands who obviously have not paid attention to the first sentences in my ad "MOSTLY ACOUSTIC", you frickin' illiterates!

Much As I love the Beatles music...I dont think I could ever drag my self to do a tribute band, without feeling that I was playing a funeral... My hat's off to anybody who can weather it. However, At the end of the day , we either put on our best show., covers or originals...working with what we got, or we retire to the den and become sentenced to air guitar wars... Scotty I think its kinda cool that you have options... Savor them ...

What is it you said to me once, "You don't know me".

I think you should do what you do and thank god you got whatcha got, which really ain't much. But do not think for a moment you know anything about me, because you don't but that's ok..."I'm a diva".

You should take up music as a hobby, man.
You might be good at it someday.

My point exactly. I attempt to insert some levity in hope to cheer your spirits and you get ugly.

God bless you . . .

Levity?

I'm a "diva", man which BTW would be a "devo". (look it up)
You going to offer me a Snickers next? I don't eat candy.

And if you think that's ugly, you REALLY don't know me.
Try some role reversal, I think you might have taken offense to what I said, had I been you. But don't concern yourself too much, I'm not hanging by a thread about it. Every day is a new day.

=
Grant, I don't have any options. Sure I got a pack of people who love to play in the backyard or as long as I do what they want to do, but nothing substantial or dependable.

That's kind of the moral of the story here. People are always gung-ho if you are doing what they want you to do, but god help you if you have something going on that doesn't quite match their vision. This is mainly why I didn't play Bar East, that and the fee(s). (haw-haw-haw)

I.E. If the round peg doesn't fit in the square hole, just use the mallet and after repeated hammering, we'll get that sucker to fit right in there or we'll just discard and move onto a peg that is easier to hammer into place.

The only reason I have any options at all is that I keep my nose exactly 1 cm above the grinder at all times and I play with anyone and everyone.

I have no such airs about what I will do and what I won't do, with minor exceptions. Truth be told, if I didn't have to change my appearance and wear what I consider to be a costume, I'd play with the orthodox folks.
The only other line I draw in the sand is obvious sabotage. "If you want to suck for whatever reason, do it by yourself".

Normal people create enthusiasm for me.
The inflated head crowd make me wonder why they think what they do.

Diva? Prima Donna? Wow, I must be thinking something more than "I'd like to play with anyone reasonable". I'm doing it again, creating adversity where there isn't any, right?

How many people do you know that will join someone else's setup just to play? Now how many people do you know that will play bass for someone else just to get their project off the ground?

But I'm a diva. Say a prayer, hell, say 2 prayers because this is bugging me. I'm fresh out of answers and I'm sick to death of this sh*t.

Vocalist/guitarist/bassist, what step lower do I retreat to now?
Do I play the lapsteel? I've been doing that lately as well.

My one buddy illustrates this rather well, I think.
He saw me play in a few small places, trying to drum up a few musicians to join the fray and instead of him supporting me, he's decided that he will learn to play guitar. After all "if Scott can do this, then anyone can".
He believes that in 6 months, "he will play me under the table". Truth be told, I am ready to beat him up. As it is now, I avoid him like the plague and don't even take his calls. He's a vexation to the spirit.

"I love people, but they are wormy thus you have to cook them extra hard and watch what you eat lest you get a rotten one".

Seems to me that anyone even remotely qualified deserves an audition.
And if someone comes along that can play a bit that isn't looking to change your whole show, you might want to embrace a kindred spirit with open arms. Why I am viewed as a negative catalyst is beyond me.

Even the orthodox folks relaxed as soon as the music started to flow, people are just people and musicians are just musicians unless you are inept in general.

And I think we all know of a couple of acts that are inept. There are a few around every locale, like rotten apples in a barrel. "There's bound to be at least one in every barrel".

You wanna hack on my music, go for it. Tell me when you're performing, so I can get a good seat and record it, otherwise save your quips for someone else. I hate when people call me out of the crowd, but I take pleasure in smoking the fools that do. "If you wanna play, I'll make you pay and I'll make sure you don't put me on the spot again".

I think that "capable" is a synonym for "dangerous" to the musical crowd.
Plenty of 76 IQ types playing for others because they do not represent change and yet reflect stability. All I need is a gaping head wound, and I'm set. Stability/dependability is not an issue with me, but evidently I don't mesh otherwise and everyone is afraid of change, including myself but I embrace those that reflect something admirable like a little bit of talent and creativity.

Don't be scared of that which you don't understand. Learn to use it in a way that's productive or risk losing something that could make your thing better in a holistic manner or something similar, know what I mean?

What's worse, spinning your wheels and staying in one place or moving like hell at high speed in an almost uncontrollable fashion?

I say "staying in one place" because change is inevitable. You can run but you'll only die tired.

"The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And many miles to go before I sleep,
And hard miles to go before I sleep."
-Robert Frost

Scott - you'ge got a lap steel? What brand? I keep seeing those inexpensive (under $140) models at places like Music123 and get tempted .... on my first CD I used my old Epi LP Jr for slide because the action was so damn high!

Mike, I have a circa 1962 Fender Champ Lap steel.

I basically ran into it at a garage sale and as usual, I am the only one who can play it.

Fing tits, man. The thing is exquisite..and that's just the sound.
Otherwise, i think it's ugly but as usual, it's only about how it sounds to ME !!!