#1645475 - 04/17/05 04:16 PM
Inspiring band pep talk
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Lee Flier
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We played Friday night at this bar that's historically known for being a total dive. But they've tried to improve it of late, and it's better, and it actually pulls in a decent crowd nowadays. It's still a dive, though.
"Oh well," I said at rehearsal the night before. "They're still people who are paying to see us. So the least we can do is give them our best."
"You're right," said Lyle. "The least we can do is the best we can do. So let's go do the least we can do."
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#1645476 - 04/18/05 03:20 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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GZsound
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I have a simple pep talk that originated in an actual event.
We were playing back in the seventies at a dive club for about ten people. We were trying our best to do our best.
The next day I got a call from one of the ten audience members. He owned a ski resort and wanted us to play for him because he loved the band. We played monthly every ski season at his resort to a packed house for the next fifteen years.
Always treat the audience, no matter how small, like one of them is that important. They might just be.
That's my stock pep talk.
_________________________
Mark G.
"A man may fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame others" -- John Burroughs
"I consider ethics, as well as religion, as supplements to law in the government of man." -- Thomas Jefferson
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#1645477 - 04/18/05 09:28 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Lee Flier
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Yeah, good advice, Mark. We feel the same way, as we've had similar things happen. In fact one of our "best" gigs that way was one where there were 6 people in the audience. Every one of those 6 people bought a CD (not too often you can say you have a 100% target to sale ratio! ), one of them invited us to play a great paying private event, etc. etc. All have since come back to most of our gigs and brought friends. So it's true, you never know, and you should always play like it's a huge crowd.
I still thought Lyle's quip was funny, though.
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#1645478 - 04/19/05 02:22 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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GZsound
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Actually it was funny..
We had a bass player that always decided a small crowd was a great reason to get drunk, forget all about following the set list and would constantly call out "puking in the parking lot" in the middle of a set. A rather gross song not fit for proper audiences.
Needless to say, he didn't last with the band for very long.
_________________________
Mark G.
"A man may fail many times, but he isn't a failure until he begins to blame others" -- John Burroughs
"I consider ethics, as well as religion, as supplements to law in the government of man." -- Thomas Jefferson
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#1645479 - 04/19/05 11:42 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Geekgurl
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My pep thoughts:
* You're a musician, aren't you? So PLAY. Make every time important, say something through your instrument. Any one time could be your last time.
* It doesn't matter how many people are in the audience ... at least they're there. Don't make them wish they'd rather be home, falling asleep on the couch to David Letterman. They came out, they chose to come see you, when you hit the stage, they chose to stay. So give them something.
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#1645480 - 04/19/05 01:36 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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CMDN
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We have had fun shows for six people and awful shows for 600 people. It really depends on the way you approach the gig. I always get onstage with the intention of playing my heart out. If I don't come offstage feeling like my guts have been sandblasted, then I failed in my goal.
IMO, dedicated musicians shouldn't need a pep talk to get onstage and play. If you can't get excited about playing for sake of playing, then maybe you shouldn't be playing at all.
_________________________
\m/
Erik
Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?
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#1645481 - 04/21/05 02:46 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Lee Flier
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Very true, Erik. My original post was just meant to be humorous!
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#1645482 - 04/21/05 02:51 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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CMDN
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Totally, Lee... I getcha.
_________________________
\m/
Erik
Where are we going, and why am I in this handbasket?
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#1645484 - 04/24/05 01:43 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Bill@Welcome Home Studios
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I have a very straight-forward attitude about playing.... I love to do it. Yeah, on any given night I might get myself intimidated and take a wjhile to loosen up, but I always know at the end of the night I'm going to have had a ball. So I look forward to playing. I've never had to get fired up to do it. I just set up my shit, go get a drink or something, and wander up on stage when it is time. I'm happy to be there. (Advantage to only playing out a few times a year... it doesn't become drudgery. Though when I was playing out 6 nights a week, didn't think it was drudgery, either.)
I have seen a lot of interesting rituals. I was backstage with Green Day last night, and those guys stood behind the stage for a few minutes just yelling at each other, jumping up and down, and basically getting all pumped up, just like a football team. When they were ready to go on stage, I wanted to go out and win one for the Gipper. It worked for them, and I thought that it was pretty cool. It would be hard to do something like that at your local club, though.
Bill
_________________________
"...it's easier than hitting the kids, and almost as much fun..."
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#1645485 - 04/26/05 04:57 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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LiveMusic
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Haha, that's pretty funny about Green Day. And hey, I like a lot of their songs.
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For ~courteous~ musicians
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#1645486 - 04/27/05 11:43 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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strat0124
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Well, I have to admit thats happened to me albeit a different way. We had a club we weren't going to play again and all decided to just let it rip, placin caution to the wind. We weren't going to concern ourselves with anything but having fun. Know what? It was one of our best shows ever.
_________________________
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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#1645487 - 04/27/05 08:50 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Lee Flier
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Hahaha yeah we've done that occasionally if we show up at a place we've never played before and it's obviously a total mismatch. Sometimes it totally works, other times it just pisses people off but at that point we don't really care. We just have fun.
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#1645488 - 04/28/05 09:47 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Wewus432
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Originally posted by Lee Flier:
Very true, Erik. My original post was just meant to be humorous!
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#1645489 - 04/28/05 11:13 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Wewus432
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Anyway Lee....you made me laugh, that's gotta count for something. 
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#1645490 - 04/28/05 11:52 AM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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strat0124
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I do think from time to time all of us take ourselves too seriously. Doin it because its fun sure makes up for those nights when you tried too hard and possibly got pissed at your player for hitting a wrong note/missing a break, or whatever.
I've dreaded shows, I'm human, and occasionally the show I was amped up about really wasn't all that. The opposite has been true with shows I didn't think would be so cool and turned out to be my "Filmore".
I realize there are plenty of folks in their mid thirties or forties who still think they are gonna make it, get discovered, and fully realize all this musical genius bouncing off the inside of their skulls. And thats cool, whatever floats your boat. In my life I've come to know what and who I am and where I fit in the world, and fully happy that I have a side job/hobby (gigging) that pays for all my neat ass gear while giving me all the perks of being a recognized local musician. Somehow riding four and five deep in a van up and down the east coast doesn't appeal to me anymore. It was fun while it lasted but it ain't everything. Getting amped about playing........hey I can do that at home, bonus that I get to do it for the people and get paid to do it! 
_________________________
Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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#1645491 - 04/28/05 12:09 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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Wewus432
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And
what let to that tangent? Gene what's up buddy?
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#1645492 - 04/28/05 02:34 PM
Re: Inspiring band pep talk
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strat0124
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Well livin in the mountains diggin life!
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Down like a dollar comin up against a yen, doin pretty good for the shape I'm in
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