I'm in a band again! 2023 UPDATE: We're doing the BOTB again... Ongoing bloggy updates in progress…

hywelg · August 2022

stickyfiddle said:

hywelg said:

stickyfiddle said:

Adey said:

And when you feck up on stage, you have to keep going until it comes back together.

The audience prob won't know you went wrong. But if you stop, it'll be obvious to them.

Haha 100%. I usually grin at the drummer whenever I fuck up in previous bands. TBH I've done hundreds of gigs so I'm not worried about me at all - it's the others that scare me because I don't know any of them at all yet.

Good news is the singer & I have clearly realised that we're both capable and reliable so I think we'll be able to drive it between us. He even suggested it might be a sustainable thing for occasional gigs afterwards, which would be great if it works out.

So is it a he or a she? It was a she two posts further up. I'd suggest a Commitments number or two if she has the voice.

Typo - It’s a girl!

We have a few other potential vocalists interested so might end up with more than one lead, but no news on that yet. The main core is a 5-piece - me on bass/maybe guitar, a drummer, another guitarist who I’m hoping to trade for bass duties on a song or two, a girl on keys and the singer who had the idea in the first place.

It's always difficult finding good rock songs for a female vocalist with a normal female range, hence why I suggested Small Faces, Steve Marriot had a very high voice. And Axl I suppose, what about River Deep Mountain High?

stickyfiddle · August 2022

hywelg said:

stickyfiddle said:

hywelg said:

Typo - It’s a girl!

We have a few other potential vocalists interested so might end up with more than one lead, but no news on that yet. The main core is a 5-piece - me on bass/maybe guitar, a drummer, another guitarist who I’m hoping to trade for bass duties on a song or two, a girl on keys and the singer who had the idea in the first place.

It's always difficult finding good rock songs for a female vocalist with a normal female range, hence why I suggested Small Faces, Steve Marriot had a very high voice. And Axl I suppose, what about River Deep Mountain High?

I should add (with all the love in the world..) that I'm also looking for material anyone under 35 has heard of... :P

fretmeister · August 2022

stickyfiddle said:

hywelg said:

stickyfiddle said:

Adey said:

And when you feck up on stage, you have to keep going until it comes back together.

The audience prob won't know you went wrong. But if you stop, it'll be obvious to them.

Haha 100%. I usually grin at the drummer whenever I fuck up in previous bands. TBH I've done hundreds of gigs so I'm not worried about me at all - it's the others that scare me because I don't know any of them at all yet.

Good news is the singer & I have clearly realised that we're both capable and reliable so I think we'll be able to drive it between us. He even suggested it might be a sustainable thing for occasional gigs afterwards, which would be great if it works out.

So is it a he or a she? It was a she two posts further up. I'd suggest a Commitments number or two if she has the voice.

Typo - It’s a girl!

We have a few other potential vocalists interested so might end up with more than one lead, but no news on that yet. The main core is a 5-piece - me on bass/maybe guitar, a drummer, another guitarist who I’m hoping to trade for bass duties on a song or two, a girl on keys and the singer who had the idea in the first place.

You want to swap to guitar when you have Jackson 5, Otis, etc bass lines to play?
And Duff too!

Behave yourself!

Sambostar · August 2022

That is so cool, now persuade them to do something else. Music is entertainment but it also nurtures the soul, but then, if it's hysterical and everyone is pissed and singing along, then you only need a singer and or bass and drums. I'd give the rest of my teeth to see some act, or someone that is doing something from the heart on a one stringed cigar box than the incessant cover bands and 'Original' tenor acts that all sounds morosely, in my head, the same. Midnight Riders Prayer's a good one, sounds like all the Americana crap I like from the '40's through '70's but was released in 2020 and there are a lot of truck drivers these days.. Let's be honest, with the way electric and gas is escalating, there won't be anymore venues anymore and people's hearts will be confused, under duress and with their family. Big tribute bands which seem to be the nostalgic flavour packing trend of the moment, at the cost of original bands, in the few venues that have survived retirement flat development complaints opposite will disappear and the smaller pisshead variety will disappear into obsolescence, in favour of those small artists that can tell the truth. At least that's my hope.

stickyfiddle · August 2022

fretmeister said:

stickyfiddle said:

hywelg said:

Typo - It’s a girl!

We have a few other potential vocalists interested so might end up with more than one lead, but no news on that yet. The main core is a 5-piece - me on bass/maybe guitar, a drummer, another guitarist who I’m hoping to trade for bass duties on a song or two, a girl on keys and the singer who had the idea in the first place.

You want to swap to guitar when you have Jackson 5, Otis, etc bass lines to play?
And Duff too!

Behave yourself!

Haha. I’ll be keeping those ones for me

stickyfiddle · September 2022

4 rehearsals down and it's starting to sound quite good. The guitarist needs a bit of guidance, so as notional bandleader I've given a hefty set of notes to everyone for specific parts to pick out, tones, confidence-boosting encouragement etc (and encouraged them to tell me anything they want me to do differently as well). Not sure what we do if the guy can't get to where we need him to get to, but we'll see. Hopefully he's amenable to constructive criticism.

I must say I was a little frustrated when he showed up with the new shiny modelling box but no idea how to use it ("can you turn that reverb off - this song needs to be really crisp?" "I don't know how" :grrr:)

fretmeister · September 2022

Bedroom players always have too much reverb.

If in doubt - turn it all off. See what the room sounds like alone.

stickyfiddle · September 2022

fretmeister said:

Bedroom players always have too much reverb.

If in doubt - turn it all off. See what the room sounds like alone.

+1 that was my exact thought. He's a nice chap and def has chops when it works, but I don't think he's played much with others - everything is covered in reverb and either clean clean or a dimed Marshall sound, while the material absolutely needs something just a little bit hairy. I'm hoping we'll get there - we've picked songs that are fun on bass so it's not even like I can make him play roots & 5ths and I'll pick up the guitar instead! I've told him what we need from him, so we'll see on Saturday!

fretmeister · September 2022

I've broken in a few guitarists.

Even the metal guys wanted to keep their reverb until a quick A/B was done.
Then the battle to get them to reduce the gain and the bass...

This is why I like 3 piece bands!

stickyfiddle · September 2022

Oh god yeah there's a lolwis. I wouldn't be too worried except we all have corporate jobs, someone needs to sort 3 or 4-part harmonies for the singers and the pianist was brought up on Bach & Beethoven so we have our work cut out...!

stickyfiddle · October 2022

Another update. He's definitely got a little better, so the soul stuff is definitely sounding cleaner and tighter.

Now I need him to learn how to work a crunchy guitar sound and play confidently with palm muting when needed. He's just so polite and strummy!

RocknRollDave · October 2022

stickyfiddle said:

fretmeister said:

Bedroom players always have too much reverb.

If in doubt - turn it all off. See what the room sounds like alone.

+1 that was my exact thought. He's a nice chap and def has chops when it works, but I don't think he's played much with others - everything is covered in reverb and either clean clean or a dimed Marshall sound, while the material absolutely needs something just a little bit hairy. I'm hoping we'll get there - we've picked songs that are fun on bass so it's not even like I can make him play roots & 5ths and I'll pick up the guitar instead! I've told him what we need from him, so we'll see on Saturday!

I can’t think of a single musical situation where I would choose properly clean cleans from the amp. Having a little bit of hair, winding down the volume on the guitar, yes, but actual clean clean? No thank you.

stickyfiddle · October 2022

Yeah same. If you're not playing jazz you need a smidge of grit/hair/crunch etc.

I hope I can get him there on the guitar songs - Summer of 69 and All These Things That I've Done. Very similar guitar-vibe-wise.

We are swapping instruments for one song so far (One Way or Another by Blondie) so there's a possibility we could stay swapped for at least one more. We have time and I'm convinced he has the technical ability. It's just frustrating as I can play that sort of thing with almost no effort. Gah!

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Gig on Wednesday! 6 songs, 21:30 set, tightly blocked and rehearsed. Final rehearsal tomorrow.

Starting to get the nerves a little bit now. Not least because I don’t know what’s next and I really need this in my life

stickyfiddle · November 2022

SOUND CHECK IN 30 MINS.

I haven’t been this nervous in years. Fuck!

drofluf · November 2022

Hope it all goes well!

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Sound check done and sounding good despite a sound man who doesn’t 100% how to run the digital desk with this many inputs.

Just put on my band uniform for the first time in almost 10 years. Feeling GOOD now.

Full report later

stickyfiddle · November 2022

This is the stage…

This is my set list (and work phone)

and most importantly, these are the pedals

Offset · November 2022

stickyfiddle said:

Just put on my band uniform for the first time in almost 10 years. Feeling GOOD now.

Uniform? Do share...

chillidoggy · November 2022

Fuck me, that's impressive, a proper stage, lights, and everything. You just need some scantily-clad groupies, and you're all set!

Break a leg, Sticky!

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Offset said:

stickyfiddle said:

Just put on my band uniform for the first time in almost 10 years. Feeling GOOD now.

Uniform? Do share...

Haha nothing fancy. I’m in a shirt over a T-shirt. But it’s band clothes and that’s everything

chillidoggy · November 2022

Can I have your autograph now, please?

stickyfiddle · November 2022

It is done. There are many many photos and videos.

The Adrenalin has gone and I am fairly broken.

But we fucking rocked it.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

WE FUCKING WOON IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

stickyfiddle · November 2022

6 bands in total, ours formed in fucking September.

We played 22 minutes and 800 people went nuts.

I am super proud of these talented gang of muppets, somewhat astonished, and fucking tired…

stickyfiddle · November 2022

A couple of quick pics before I've been sent everything by a million people. It looks like this one was right at the end of the set.

And yes, Jordan (leather jacket in the middle) was on the bar at one point, because of course he was...

TheBigDipper · November 2022

Well done!

viz · November 2022

Awesome

nice 1!

stickyfiddle · November 2022

Time for more of a debrief as I'm supposed to be at work but can't concentrate on 4 hours' sleep and a huge buzz (and quite a bit of tequila)

The ES-330 works amazingly well with the soundpost. No bad feedback but still scope for loads of easy "good" feedback. Also Lollars for the win - I had multiple comments on good tone (And this on a night with multiple Tele players suffering all sorts of horrible shrieking noises!)
The Tonemaster Deluxe Reverb is epic. I was DI-ed to the PA which meant I could just set it for the stage volume I needed for monitoring. Epic setup and super-easy to load out through a packed bar at 1am.
My parts-built MJT P-bass + Origin rig was also DI-ed and apparently sounded great. Downside was with a shit soundguy I literally couldn't hear anything I was playing on bass so was playing entirely on muscle memory and more looking-at-left-hand than I'd have liked. But the best bassist from the other bands said it sounded awesome so I'll take that
My nice leather strap went walkies before our set and I had to borrow one (I think I left it on a table after soundcheck, so will keep fingers crossed someone has it!). Need to always pack a spare...
Every single of these guys raised their game SO MUCH on stage - even those who'd never played a gig in their lives. You never know whether people will do that or go to shit but it was awesome. I literally could not be more impressed.

stickyfiddle · November 2022

https://youtu.be/Ln3OsZOu15c

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I'm in a band again! 2023 UPDATE: We're doing the BOTB again... Ongoing bloggy updates in progress…

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