Living in a blender

[LKTraz]

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Things have been so tumultuous and confusing that I opted not to say anything until everything shook out (and they finally have).  The end result isn't really near what I expected but.................

So  I had the project in the works that was slated to become Rock Dogs.  Well at the practice before Christmas John (guitarist) suddenly stops, packs his stuff up and states "This ain't working!"   As the rest of us (minus the keyboard player who couldn't be there that day) were hanging out jaws to the floor, I managed to ask "What do you mean John?"  He then goes into a tirade saying that "you guys" want to do all these songs that Tommy (keys) and I don't know,  me and Tom were trying to get back what we had before (we guessed he meant his last band), "you guys" shoot down all the songs we (he and Tom) want to do (which is blatantly untrue) and just keeps shaking his head as he walks out the door.

Now Shawn (other guitar) Tomcat (drummer) and I are left standing there confused as hell!  After 2 or 3 minutes I look at them and ask "Do you 2 want to try something together then?"

Shawn says yeah but we need a place to practice and Tomcat agrees.  We all agree that this was a blindside and an assload of drama that we neither want or need.

Later on (after New Year's Day) I make the official announcement that it's over (didn't want to fuck up the holidays).  Amazingly John and Tommy thought it would just blow over and we would reorganize the way THEY wanted to.  Yeah right.

So after that I was searching for practice space and another guitarist as was Shawn and Tomcat. 

In a twist of fate, my buddy Lenny tells me that he's had the shits with his band because of some backbiting bullshit and discourtesy going on.  He said that both he and the singer/rhythm guitarist Anna were both thinking about walking.  I ask if they would be interested in teaming up with Shawn, Cat and I and he said they would be interested.

Fast forward a couple more weeks..............
I still can't find a practice space and in this time Lenny and Anna's bass player quits.  They find out that HE was the shit stirrer causing all the problems.
I offer to jam with them to help out till they can hire a new bassist.

I jam and it turns out that I know 90% of their playlist and did well with 5% more.  What's even better is that I was tighter than the bass player who was with them for over 2 years.

They only get one response to their ad and they guy (after trying out) would take 6 - 8 months to get up to speed so Lenny asks me if I'd take the spot.

I had really wanted to put something together as a new project but......with Endless Plague we can be gigging by April at a previously booked fundraiser.  Ok.......I'm now the new bass player.

We have practiced 3 times and I have 97% of the list down and we are pretty damn tight on it.  I honestly wouldn't be ashamed to play a gig the way we have it together right now.  We're already better than many of the local bands that are booking jobs.

Talk about lots of change in just a few weeks time!

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Nice! Sounds like the bullshit we've gone through for nearly a year with drummers and drama. Shifty & The Gears are up, running and finally a drummer who actually can keep time. Got a gig March 7, tryouts for Stone Pony (tentative) Summer Stage and headlining at the Motor Social in April on the 6th.

And a full boat starting to fill the calendar.

The last drummer was one of those "ultimatum givers" that denies he's doing it. He created an utter shit-show for their first gig and blamed everyone else. Well I got news for ya buddy, we have video. He refused practice that next scheduled practice and we all went to dinner. For 3 fucking hours he rambled on and on with the same thing over and over, insulting Matt by saying he "Had to wear that stupid hat, tie and shirt" while Matt is sitting there with his every day look of some guy who digs Rockabilly, haircut and all. He insults Keith by proclaiming that the $50 Matt handed him made them professionals. Keith is Julliard trained, trained classical guitar in Spain and teaches music for a living. He went on to insist on hiring another guitar or lead singer and then fire that person until the threesome gets better. Um... you don't do that. That's a cunt move.

Then after we laughed at him in the parking lot, we all decided he was fired anyway after that bullshit. He goes and texts both of them that "this isn't for me". No shit, Dick Tracy. You were fired while you were ruining dinner for 3 hours with the longest "I think I quit" in history.

fast forward a couple weeks and we steal a drummer from a band and a friend of Keith's and after the audition and an hour of playing around, they're tight enough to get out and do a one hour set. Let's hope it lasts. There is way too much drama for this at our age. Bands are lucky enough to get $100 per man for a gig and those who hire you at that shit price think they're paying you millions and you should be grateful.

Good Luck Rick...I hope the drama ended and you can keep going forward. I know you've been on and off with this bullshit for a couple years now. I only help promote the band, I wouldn't be as kind as Matt if I were actually part of it and had a say.

[LKTraz]

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Thanks.

Honestly, more bands than not are some degree of an everlasting shit show. It's just that the more successful the band, the less the shit show is visible.

As for the drama, yeah I no longer have any tolerance for it. I always had little tolerance for it but now it's simply not worth the effort to "be hopeful it will subside".

I've been playing in bands for almost 46 years now and experienced more than my fair share of assholery and douchbaggery. I have raised all of my children and the last thing I want to do now is babysit an adult crybaby child. These days I'm really adhering to my longtime motto of "If it ain't fun then it's time to move on".

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Thanks.

Honestly, more bands than not are some degree of an everlasting shit show. It's just that the more successful the band, the less the shit show is visible.

As for the drama, yeah I no longer have any tolerance for it. I always had little tolerance for it but now it's simply not worth the effort to "be hopeful it will subside".

I've been playing in bands for almost 46 years now and experienced more than my fair share of assholery and douchbaggery. I have raised all of my children and the last thing I want to do now is babysit an adult crybaby child. These days I'm really adhering to my longtime motto of "If it ain't fun then it's time to move on".

Yup. I hear that. The good thing about the Rockabilly community is that it's just that, a community. Everyone helps each other out and when we find that one drama queen or shit stirrer, word gets out fast and they're back to playing alone int their basement.

There is no band whoring and if someone needs a fill in, someone is always there to help out or make a suggestion on who to call. They all share equipment making set up and tear down easy and there is no greed. The greedy get weeded out too.

It's not like anyone is going to get famous or make a living doing this so why be a douche?

[LKTraz]

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I was going to put up a new post but saw this one and figured this would be the appropriate place.

The April show was cancelled due to douchebaggery on the part of the venue. They expected us to play the benefit (which was a time donation thing) and then stick around and play a full gig for them (still with no pay)! When we said "Uh....no" they raised a ruckus and the folks running the benefit ended up just cancelling the event altogether. Bear in mind, it was for a veteran who was diagnosed with cancer and the funds were to help offset his expenses. It takes quite a bunch of assholes to submarine a fundraiser like that due to being butthurt over a band not wanting to provide them a free show for paying patrons after a fundraiser.

So......................this coming Saturday (May 4th) we have a gig at the Valley View Gun Club and IT will be our first show with me as the bassist. They are being very good about promoting the show and giving us any help they can. They will let us load in at noon so we can set up and do sound check long before the show starts at 9 PM. It's only 6 miles from my house and not much more than that for the drummer and one guitarist. We plan on everyone showing up, dragging gear, setting up and doing sound check then heading back home until evening.

In the last 5 or 6 weeks we've added songs, dropped a few, juggled the set list and basically worked out some small glitches.

The one tune I had a bit of a time with is Metallica - For Whom The Bell Tolls, but now I have a handle on it and last practice I found where I was lacking so it came together nicely!

I'll post the results after the show. If I have video/audio I'll load it up.

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Matt has a gig Saturday. No pay as it's a fundraiser for the school and it's only an hour. They're considering it a live rehearsal. Personally I'm getting frustrated with the guitarist. He's talented off the hook but he just seems to be winging it and doesn't want to have rehearsals. Everyone else does. His solos are the same for every song. C'mon man, you're Julliard trained and you can't individualize your solos for each song? To be honest I don't think he even practices at home.

Anyway, good luck on your gig! We're expecting rain. yay. Hope it goes well enough for a call back!

[LKTraz]

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The gig at the Valley View Gun Club was a success!  After the show we had a good number of people coming to us and saying they had a fun night.  No "It's too loud" complaints, no "Can you play (insert total out of genre song here)?" and the club president/manager liked what he saw and heard and said he'll be calling for a return gig after their meeting o they can arrange their calendar.

You can't really ask for much more.  AND we had a fair number of people through the door considering we were competing with prom night (many parents stay home) and events at 2 other places locally.


Rebel Yell from set #2


https://youtu.be/u6LOnt-IHnw

[Twitchin Kitten]

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Very nice! Looks like people were truly having a good time!

[LKTraz]

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There is one video that we won't be able to use because all the camera caught was people on the dance floor. So yes......fun times had by all.

[twisteroo]

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Sounded good Rick.