EssexBuccaneer

Not the same, but I have another niche hobby alongside bass - I fiddle around with RC cars and trucks. Yesterday I went to a radio control shop in Rochester. I was stunned at how little the staff cared, also the poor stock and general mess in the shop. You’d think in an hobby with such passionate, geeky fans, the staff would have a similar level of enthusiasm and actually *want* to engage, chat and help their customers. Sadly it seems the opposite all too often.

Great gig on Saturday night at The Chadwell arms, which is become a regular haunt of ours, now. The small crowd were singing and dancing from the off. I knew we’d cracked it when one older chap who’d been nodding along throughout the first set gradually edged closer, and by the mid point of set 2 was belting along with us and full-on dancing! 4 encore songs(!) was a first as well. Absolutely over the moon!

Our Encore is Rage Against The Maching ‘Killing In The Name’ where I take a wander out into the crowd (and climb a table if one is handy). Is one of the highlights of my night! Horses for courses, I s’pose 😆

I suspect that your experience is far from the norm.

Also Iron Maiden, at The London Stadium.

If you want to be in a band, you need a PA - so digging one’s heels in and saying ‘I’m not paying’ is unlikely to prove worthwhile or popular. However in this situation it’s different, with an already (presumably) decent PA that doesn’t need an upgrade. I’d be happy putting it to a band vote and if it’s deemed unnecessary then it doesn’t get bought. I’m always bemused by the pickles that some get into with shares of PA’s, and I own this and you own that, and you can buy me out etc etc. A PA, once bought (by band earnings ideally) is a sunk cost. Write it off.

A long journey down to Fordingbridge yesterday to play the Hart of Martin mini festival thing. Had a good laugh, a couple of huge brain farts, so far from my best performance ever, but we enjoyed ourselves. Second year we’ve made the journey but probably won’t do it next year - just too much driving for the small crowd and little or no money. IMG_5332.mov

Everything I’ve seen in n socials said they should have got the guy from the tribute act (Hybrid Theory?) because he can replicate Chester. I think they’ve found a sound replacement. They’re not trying to replace Chester, they’re starting a new era.

I suspect that had they employed a male vocalist there’d be a lot less hate floating around. The so-called inclusive metal community isn’t actually that inclusive - it’s full of gatekeepers

Linkin Park - The Emptiness Machine. About 20 times now, and I love it. Is the new singer Chester Bennington? No, and she’s not trying to be. It’s a new birth of Linkin Park and it’s exciting as hell.

So, i’ve got this (for want of a better word) fantasy of taking my (6-string) guitar and doing open mic stuff. Just me on my Jack Jones and a room full of people (hopefully!) But man, my voice. i can hold a tune well enough, but my range isn’t great. I also lack the power of the country artists that I really want to cover. Has anyone taken vocal lessons? Were they worth it? Can anyone be taught to sing or is it just a natural talent that some possess? Any help would be appreciated!

No. A flat no.

We play ‘it’s my life’ - gives the singer the opportunity to bring out his spiel - “We’re gonna play some Bon Jovi now….but not *that* one”

It’s the balance between providing something that you enjoy without becoming exactly the same covers band playing exactly the same set as another band elsewhere in town at the same time. Nobody needs another band playing Sweet Child o’ mine and Livin’ on a Prayer.

Got sent this from the local rag, not something I typically read, but happy with my spot there 🤣

We probably gig once a month, on average - though we’re still in our infancy. We don’t need the money at all, it’s a hobby for us. The money goes in a band kitty for band expenses/improvements etc

We only book gigs that we can all make. We’ve not had to deal with short notice absence yet - we’d have to cancel in that event.

Horses for courses, isn’t it? We’ve had discussions about bringing in new members and deps and so on, and found ourselves in agreement - the four of us are the band. Remove one of us for a gig, and it’s no longer ‘us’. It might be good, it might even be better (god forbid!) - but it wouldn’t be us.

This is very true. I’m lucky that my band are all likeminded, all practice our parts at home and turn up ready for rehearsal. If one of us started to act as ‘the leader’ we’d be promptly told to get back in our box, I suspect.

I’m glad I’m not in some of these bands. It’s meant to be fun 😜

We’re a four-piece covers band with very similar taste in music (Think 90’s/00’s alt/grunge/metal). We don’t have a ‘leader’ - we all have a say, we can all veto material that we don’t want to play. We all listen to each other - touch wood, we’ve not had a single argument yet. The very notion of a band ‘leader’ is anathema to me. A band is a band.

My guitarist is one of the engineers, I’ve tapped him up. Watch this space!

Here’s a fine piece of antiquated firepower and technology. And a Vulcan bomber.