Geetahzan
May 29th, 2006, 07:59 AM
My current band has been together for about 4 months now, Its formed up from the lead singer, and drummer from my last band that had broken up due to some differences with someone that only wanted to do covers, nothing original, And if it was an original he'd have to write it or would not sing it. Never willing to help with pretty much anything and a hole list of other things.
We hashed out our differences and promises made, dedication planned, heads held high. At this time the drummer and singer found a bass player and a guitarist, the guitarist was not comfortable playing lead so this brings the to asking me back. At first I was pretty reluctant but missed the whole band thing like crazy. So I gave it another go, we gathered PA gear lights and so on. The things we were lacking was timing isses, and a few other things but most importantly lacking in the vocal department. I have in the past told him that he really needs to crack down on his vocals and maybe take lessons. We all wanted him to be in the band with us hes a good friend and this is "constuctive critisim". Unfortunatly is wasnt taken as such and more or less started a war between us. That and other things broke us up.
We all got our timing problems in check, everyone knows there part and were sounding pretty decent for amatures. Exept for the one last lacking issue, but hes a friend so we just kept going on with it. We then decide to plan our first show in front of people which is going to be a small party maybe 50 people, in witch was called mudders ball. this was going to be great Mudding, beer, Food and live music.
A week before hand I decided to record our band so everyone could really buckle down and check their parts and make sure of the little things. things were off and we knew what to practice, we also knew that the vocals were still lacking terribaly ( I hope im not sounding to mean but you would understand if you herd it).
So the day before the party we have to tear down the home made stage all the gear, transport it set it up.....you get the picture, you've been there. We all get out there at 8 in the morning load up, drive the 20 miles. Takes us till about 2 O'clock to get all set, and we still have no singer, still not helping with the "grunt work" and were back to the same old ways. its not untill 5 he shows up, ( this is the time the Mudding and people were supposed to show up) We have done the sound check as best as possible with his mic without him, basically did everything without him.
8:30 rolls around and its time to start, we all get up feeling good, im exited as hell but nervous just as much. 1st song Plush from STP. Nailed it, crowd cheers, Singer says "this is not good im losing my voice". Now we all know hes not losing his voice he sounded just fine ( for his singing). Play a few more songs and he just says "I cant do this im losing my voice my throat is too dry". So we end the first set early only 1 song early but still early. "Okay lets just break for the time being and we'll come back for the second set" he says "okay but I dont know if I can continue". 15 minutes later we would like to get back on but he says hes not ready yet. 15 more minutes and the audience starts to think something is up and are asking questions. I jump on stage and ask in the mic " Is our singer still here, we would like him to come up and start the second set" finally he comes out, gets up and we begin. We got about 4 songs in, shut his mic off pulls his in ear monitors out, says "im done" and walks off. Now im fuming, Embarassed, and a whole mix of other emotions. I said " wait a minute get back up here you doing fine your not losing you voice". So we take another break.
We rally the guys up and decide we are going to do some instramental stuff we have been working on because our lead singer does not want to do original stuff, but we really do. We got some material, and just go off into our own little worlds playing and enjoying our selvs. The audience goes nuts with applause, so we have another go at something totally off the wall, I turn to my bass player and give him a progression to the rythum guitarist and do the same, told the drummer just to follow along. We get done playing that.... whatever the hell it was I have no idea anymore, Audience cheers and applauds more. Then the singer comes up and says "sorry guys im taking off and I'll explain later" I was not real happy at this point. We take a brake again and try to get him to get his *** back up to no avail.
We get back up butcher the hell out of a bunch of songs and just have a good time to finish off the nite. Before we know it the cops show up to shut us down and there is only a hand full of people left.
Feels good to talk about it lol, I feel it is time to find a new singer because if were going to progress its not going to be with him. So thats my story of my 1st gig, thanks for reading and I'll leave you with a couple pics.
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5336/gig1stage1eg.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7050/gig1band7jn.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5540/gig1me2up.jpg
We hashed out our differences and promises made, dedication planned, heads held high. At this time the drummer and singer found a bass player and a guitarist, the guitarist was not comfortable playing lead so this brings the to asking me back. At first I was pretty reluctant but missed the whole band thing like crazy. So I gave it another go, we gathered PA gear lights and so on. The things we were lacking was timing isses, and a few other things but most importantly lacking in the vocal department. I have in the past told him that he really needs to crack down on his vocals and maybe take lessons. We all wanted him to be in the band with us hes a good friend and this is "constuctive critisim". Unfortunatly is wasnt taken as such and more or less started a war between us. That and other things broke us up.
We all got our timing problems in check, everyone knows there part and were sounding pretty decent for amatures. Exept for the one last lacking issue, but hes a friend so we just kept going on with it. We then decide to plan our first show in front of people which is going to be a small party maybe 50 people, in witch was called mudders ball. this was going to be great Mudding, beer, Food and live music.
A week before hand I decided to record our band so everyone could really buckle down and check their parts and make sure of the little things. things were off and we knew what to practice, we also knew that the vocals were still lacking terribaly ( I hope im not sounding to mean but you would understand if you herd it).
So the day before the party we have to tear down the home made stage all the gear, transport it set it up.....you get the picture, you've been there. We all get out there at 8 in the morning load up, drive the 20 miles. Takes us till about 2 O'clock to get all set, and we still have no singer, still not helping with the "grunt work" and were back to the same old ways. its not untill 5 he shows up, ( this is the time the Mudding and people were supposed to show up) We have done the sound check as best as possible with his mic without him, basically did everything without him.
8:30 rolls around and its time to start, we all get up feeling good, im exited as hell but nervous just as much. 1st song Plush from STP. Nailed it, crowd cheers, Singer says "this is not good im losing my voice". Now we all know hes not losing his voice he sounded just fine ( for his singing). Play a few more songs and he just says "I cant do this im losing my voice my throat is too dry". So we end the first set early only 1 song early but still early. "Okay lets just break for the time being and we'll come back for the second set" he says "okay but I dont know if I can continue". 15 minutes later we would like to get back on but he says hes not ready yet. 15 more minutes and the audience starts to think something is up and are asking questions. I jump on stage and ask in the mic " Is our singer still here, we would like him to come up and start the second set" finally he comes out, gets up and we begin. We got about 4 songs in, shut his mic off pulls his in ear monitors out, says "im done" and walks off. Now im fuming, Embarassed, and a whole mix of other emotions. I said " wait a minute get back up here you doing fine your not losing you voice". So we take another break.
We rally the guys up and decide we are going to do some instramental stuff we have been working on because our lead singer does not want to do original stuff, but we really do. We got some material, and just go off into our own little worlds playing and enjoying our selvs. The audience goes nuts with applause, so we have another go at something totally off the wall, I turn to my bass player and give him a progression to the rythum guitarist and do the same, told the drummer just to follow along. We get done playing that.... whatever the hell it was I have no idea anymore, Audience cheers and applauds more. Then the singer comes up and says "sorry guys im taking off and I'll explain later" I was not real happy at this point. We take a brake again and try to get him to get his *** back up to no avail.
We get back up butcher the hell out of a bunch of songs and just have a good time to finish off the nite. Before we know it the cops show up to shut us down and there is only a hand full of people left.
Feels good to talk about it lol, I feel it is time to find a new singer because if were going to progress its not going to be with him. So thats my story of my 1st gig, thanks for reading and I'll leave you with a couple pics.
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5336/gig1stage1eg.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/7050/gig1band7jn.jpg
http://img505.imageshack.us/img505/5540/gig1me2up.jpg