ubit

For a good few years now I have been unable to gig due to the constraints of my job, or mainly the shift patterns wouldn't allow me to plan ahead. I have now changed onto a more regular shift pattern and went to see my mate, our guitarist and said let's get the band back together. He sounded quite up for it and our drummer is very keen. Over the next few weeks it became apparent that he wasn't bothered about it at all. I spoke to the drummer and he agreed that the guitarist wasn't showing any signs of wanting to get together for a jam and basically can't be arsed. Now we are struggling to find a guitarist. I never would have believed that a guitar player would be a problem. It's usually drummers that are hard to find. What to do?

You would have been handy for getting carry outs for the other kids. You look older than twelve!

I can still remember our very first rehearsal. It was in the scout hall, which we had hired. My mate the guitarist had got a guitar for his Christmas and we had decided to form a band. I got hold of a horrible old bass which had a kind of hook horn that had been glued on to the top and then painted with Dulux gloss paint and my other mate got a cheap drum kit. We learned Ride On by AC/DC, or at least we learned bits of it. A local musician heard us and popped in. "Ok guys let's hear you." We started and he was like "stop, stop, you have to play together!"

Yup, why no new music from people who used to churn out hits every month? I am always amazed when you hear about old bands and you find out they are still going but their last album was in 1994 or something. I think what are they playing then? Just their old stuff over and over.

This is something that has annoyed me for ages. To me a band is the singer. That's who you identify a sound from. Yes, the guitarists may have a particular sound and obviously some bass players are famous but when you have bands that have one original member and it's the drummer, you have to think, wait a minute?

We saw Rory Gallagher once years ago at a festival. He was fluffing his guitar work and disappearing for long spells and letting his bass and drums fill in. It became apparent that he was absolutely out of his face drunk. It was a shame to see such a legend in that state and he died not long after. I realise this is different to an ageing rock star but it was still horrible to see an idol drop so low.

But they are enjoying themselves. Isn't that the point of playing? Plus they will improve with practice. I wish people would live and let live. I used to hear the folk behind us playing music loudly and thought, magic, now I can play music without worrying about complaints. We used to rehearse quite loudly in my spare room. I worried that it was too loud for the neighbours and Mrs Ubit went out to monitor the noise. She said you could hear it quite loud but I said you are standing right out side the house and everyone round here has double glazing so they would need to be standing in our garden to hear it loudly. We never ever had any complaints anyway.

Why not try to sound proof the summer house? I s that possible option? Is it actually used as a Summer house or as a shed?

So true. Plus if a song that you find boring means a lot to some punter who claps and cheers your performance then why shouldn't you suffer for your art as they say? There is nothing better than people enjoying themselves and you think we are responsible for them having a good time.

Going by some members comments on having the same flat wound strings on for years I reckon this is quite normal for some.

Rammstein Cardiff. Simply incredible!

I always remember The Reading Festival was the biggie and Glastonbury was always thought of as a folk festival. At least in the early 80's and before. Its quite interesting to see how the lineup has changed from folk/rock to pop over the years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glastonbury_Festival_line-ups#1980

Functions are usually filled with a varied age group so you have to think what's inoffensive and catchy. What goes down well in the pub to a bunch of young, pished revellers might not do so well in front of their Auntie Joan and her husband George. We used to have almost two sets. One was for gigs and one was for functions.

I watched a bit of The Pet Shop Boys set. Jo Whiley said they always put on a superb show. My erse! A bang average singer standing still singing along to a machine. What could be more boring?

Sorry mate but that example you described is far from normal. We have all had nights like that but it's the good ones that make up for it. I certainly can look back and laugh at some of the situations we have found ourselves in over the years.

I can’t understand how when I watched the highlights years ago there was never anything I liked. It’s still like that. I’m doomed to never enjoy a lineup.

Being the singer I am tied to the mic but as soon as there’s a vocal break I’m off. My biggest pet hate was our rythm guitarist who would gaze at his shoes with the most miserable expression on his face. I believe you are there to not only entertain musically but visually. A band that looks like they are enjoying themselves rubs off onto an audience.

I’ve had nothing but great service from every music shop I’ve tried in Glasgow. These guys know that they don’t sell loads of guitars and almost all of the staff are musicians or at least massive music lovers. The ones I have dealt with genuinely want you to try out guitars because they are exited to share the experience. Maybe I’ve been lucky.

I don’t see what your religion has to do with it.

There is no doubt when the stars align and everything works out perfectly, say you have no hassles getting to the gig. Get parked just across the road. There’s no one in the pub when you are setting up (but it gets busy after you start). You have a great stage sound. The band is tight and the crowd love you. THEN gigging can be great. But when all of those things conspire against you, gigging can become arduous and a chore. Especially if you are reaching middle age. You say to yourself. Why am I still doing this? I suppose it’s like golf. You think this is rubbish then you hit a great shot and you think, I’m good at this. I’m gonna carry on.

Oh for the rolled up bunch of notes at the end of the night.

Root notes.

I find active basses more trouble than they are worth. You don’t use one for ages, leave it unplugged and go back to it and the battery is flat. Over cooked sounds as well. I just prefer a naturally aspirated bass.

Surely you rehearse before gigging, so any nuances would be sorted well before the performance. If you want to play a different version go for it I say. Cover bands should play songs but add their own flavour. Sometimes your band doesn't have the luxury of full horn sections or multi layering so the guitarist might have to cherry pick the best bits to make it recognisable.