... what would it be like?

I'm sure most of us like the band we're in, like the style of music we play, and so on.

But let's imagine, for an instant, that you could form a "side project" doing someting that was a big departure from what your current band is capable of (or desirous of). In this imaginary side project, you could define the instrumentation, the genre of music, and so on.

What would you do?

- Jeff

I'm slowly approaching the age where four keyboards and a PA are just too heavy to carry. A bit over two years ago I purchased a tenor sax, and just recently added a soprano. I'm hoping in the next few years to ease into a duo or trio acoustic situation, and just play laid-back clubs, sushi bars, mixers, etc.
I mean, I can't remain a flaming sex rock god forever.

I would love to be Chester Thompson's replacement in Tower of Power. Pounding rhythm section, bad ass horns, a soulful singer. Great tunes with great arrangements.
What more could you want?

I would love to sub for Jason Scheff in Chicago. Wide variety of material, great rhythm section, great horns, vocal harmonies.....ahh

Probably have to woodshed for months, but it would be worth it

My main instrument is electric bass, but I just started learning trombone a few weeks ago.

I'd love to anchor a horn section in a smoking funk band!

AAAHHHHHHH!!! Tedster! You brought Them back! You brought THEM back!!!

AAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!

HAHAHAH...

I'd like to be the replacement for George Harrison when Paul and Ringo do the Beatles reunion tour...

Actually I'm negotiating with a guitar playing friend of mine about doing a side-project. I'd like to do some "old-school" punk stuff, like the Ramones, Dead Kennedys and so on.

It'd be me on bass and lead vocals, the friend on guitar (rhythm, and also lead if he can cut it) and a drummer. I'd like to stick to three people, just for a change.

Another small dream of mine is to do a jazzy standards band. Nothing too complicated (I'm a fairly simple & straightforward type of bass player) but with piano, vocals, drums and of course bass. I could use the fretless for that ...

I'd fill in for Lennon... ...but of course, not if it interfered with any "Gert Jonnys" gigs...

Here's my answer...

I'd like to fully geek out and do an over-the-top prog rock thing, with 12-minute opuses and time signatures that would require a calculator to figure out.

Of course, no one would want to listen to us except other seriously geeked-out musicians, but it would be a nice change from the 4/4 classic and alt rock I've been playing for several years.

- Jeff

Call it "Yes Crimson"

Or "Ozric Theater"
or "Emerson Lake and Klopmeyer"

Has a ring to it!

Wait, that means I'd be the drummer. Playing drums in odd time signatures is not a skill I possess, so that's out.

The funny thing is that I'd grow bored with that and move to do some loop-based repetitive electronica after that. Life's too short to only appreciate one type of music.

- Jeff

I beg to differ !!! What better drummer for odd time signatures than one who can't play them? Think about it, it makes sense

Look at it this way. You may have to live with Yoko..

I guess it didn't hurt Carl Palmer that much!

- Jeff

I'm pretty lucky in that the two projects I'm involved with now address my passions pretty damned adequately: a jazz piano trio that does many different things, from standards to original compositions to covers of other composers from both the jazz and non-jazz worlds, and some free-improv from time to time; and my friend's hip-hop/R&B/funk/soul band, with some elbow room for improv/jamming. I've played with another friend who is an acoustic singer-songwriter... kind of early Tom Waits-ish.

If Jason Rebello left Sting's band, I'd love that gig. If I could sing, I'd like to do a project that trod similar territory to Billy Joel, Elton John, Paul Simon, Joe Jackson and Ben Folds.

David

One thing that most non-musicians don't understand is our ability to have an appreciation of great music that covers a wider variety of styles than the one we end up playing for the most part.

If you do have the time/energy/ability to play in multiple projects that cover different styles you enjoy (like David above), that's a very fulfilling way to go about it, IMHO.

- Jeff

Funny thing is that the band I'm in now was my "side project".

I was working with a woman who is a very talented singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentaist. We were doing all original music. We were playing out as a duo and were in the process of putting a larger band together. However, before we could get it all working her life kinda came apart and she had to move away.

I really miss working with her. I really believed in the music we were making and I had very high hopes for it. We still keep in touch from time to time and I hold out some hope of working with her once more. Only time will tell.

My current band is fun, but I am really itching to do original music. I feel a strong need for another "side project" soon!

I think if i could be in any other band it would be a old 50's Rock n' Roll band or a country band from the same era (Johnny Cash sorta stuff)

I was in a metal band, moved to Texas, and now am in an Alt.Country band.

If I could be in a different band it would be punk/rock/indie. Something with a faster, straight 4/4 feel and more energy.

Sounds like my band Seriously, this is our current set list:

Elvis Presley - That’s all right
Elvis Presley - Stuck on you
Johnny Cash - Cry cry cry
Elvis Presley - Burnin’ love
Danzig - Thirteen
The Dapper Dans - Sweet candy baby
Johnny Cash - Folsom prison
Johnny Cash - Cocaine blues
Bill Haley & His Comets - Shake, Rattle & Roll
Tennessee Ernest Ford - Sixteen Tons
Hank Williams - Move It On Over
Elvis Presley - Blue Moon Of Kentucky
Elvis Presley – Hound Dog
Carl Perkins - Blue Suede Shoes
Stray Cats - Rock This Town
Stray Cats - Stray Cat Strut

And we're working on:

Mike Ness - Devil In Mss Jones
Buddy Holly – Oh Boy
Chuck Berry – Maybellene
Chuck Berry – Johnny B. Goode
Hank Williams - Alone and forsaken
Creedence Clearwater Revival – Down On The Corner
Willie Nelson – Always On My Mind
Rickie Nelson – Mary Lou
Neil Diamond – Solitary Man
Neil Diamond – Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon (Urge Overkill version)
Neil Young – Heart Of Gold (Johnny Cash version)
Johnny Cash – Big River
Eddie Cochran – Summertime Blues
Bobby Fuller Four – I Fought The Law
The Ventures – Hawaii Five-O

Okay so it's not all '50s and such, but it's great fun !!





Same thing happened to me, actually. Except the moving to Texas But my current band used to be my side project, and I was involved in a sort of Metallica tribute band and later a '70s classic rock cover band (with my dad) which were, at the time, my main projects.

Somehow, after a while the "side project" evolved from crappy contemporary pop (we sounded awful) to '50s rock'n'roll / rockabilly and it all snowballed from there ...

I would play second keyboards/drums/percussion in the Derek Trucks band, or drummer/second keyboardist with stevie wonder.

That would be epic.