So, we moved to the desert. Or Fresno. Or whatever you want to call it. "Why!?" You ask. I ask myself, too. Daily. I don't like it much, too hot in the summer, the original songs music scene here is a bit sparse. I found this odd considering the State college and all. While we're stuck here in this dry dusty desert hell, I've tried to get back into music.
I checked through CraigList, but there is this 'fake ad' thing here. Apparently, years back, some musician pissed off another musician and decided to post a bunch of fake ads to make it impossible for the adversary to find a new band. This prank was so much fun, it has been continued for at least the past five or six years. About 90% of the musician wanted ads are fake. Just for fun! Awesome.
I answered a bunch of ads anyway. The first answer went well for a week or two then went completely Outer Limits.
I cooled it for a while after that little fiasco, a year or so, then tried again. This time, success!The lead guitar for Denver's Liebermonster and Typical Ghost was out here on a medical fellowship. We met a well populated public establishment to confirm lack of cannibalistic tendencies, and got to playing. Along the way this last year (2016/17) we've met and played with some really good musicians. Good original tunes in the jazz vein, no vocals, little structure, just pick a line and go. It's been an eye-opening way to play. People listening seem to enjoy it, too. Always a bonus. We've been planning on recording some of the pieces with good mics and isolation, but time is running out. The fellowship is almost up and some members are having time conflicts. Such is life. Still, some of the "first time through" practice recordings have come out not bad...
Charlie Can't Dance
Polygroove Belt
Reedley Run Up
Steamroller
Fifty Dollar TrainwreckShould a "real" recording actually happen, I'll post it here.
UPDATE:
The stars aligned, and we ended up with four days together to lay down tracks at John Blossom's little music room. Mixing the recording sessions we squeezed in has been interesting...
The looseness and jammy character of the songs really doesn't lend much to repeatability. I.e., take 1 is a completely different song than take 2, or 3, or 4. Al lthe takes are quite good, have interesting hooks and leads, and the very basic structure is the same, but each performance is very obviously different. Maybe if we were performing these day in, day out, a "standard" version would have evolved.Here are a few mix-downs:
Charlie Can't Dance
Polygroove
Reedley
$50 Trainwreck
First Thing
Nirvana cover- Heart-BoxThere are four or five songs still to go...
•••
On stage once again! Shorter hair, sweet old Silvertone 1443 bass.
And, the whole band at a walk-on/guerrilla gig.
Left to right: Ike, Stevie, me, and Shane.
Shane, Stevie, me.
Where is Ike???
