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So I quit the band (again)


EddiePlaysBass

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You don't need Low D for Summer of 69....

 

It's the Disturbed cover.

 

that's disturbing

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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You don't need Low D for Summer of 69....

 

It's the Disturbed cover.

 

that's disturbing

 

I'm pretty much onboard with "disturbing" but that seems to be the way the culture flows today. Sigh.

 

Well, only 87 or 69 or two or three months or days to go!

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low D. And I'm fairly sure it was recorded that way, too.

The original Bryan Adams version was recorded in 1984. Dave Taylor played bass. Steinberger's L-2/5 (1982) and (maybe) Yamaha's BB5000 (1984) would have been the commercial 5-strings available to Dave.

 

However, looking over his FB page, it looks like Dave played exclusively 4-stringers: P, StingRay, J, ... ?

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low D. And I'm fairly sure it was recorded that way, too.

The original Bryan Adams version was recorded in 1984. Dave Taylor played bass. Steinberger's L-2/5 (1982) and (maybe) Yamaha's BB5000 (1984) would have been the commercial 5-strings available to Dave.

 

However, looking over his FB page, it looks like Dave played exclusively 4-stringers: P, StingRay, J, ... ?

 

So, he drops to C#?

 

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

 

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[video:youtube]

 

I hear it played, and have always played it, in the same octaves as the open A and D strings (though on the E and A strings higher on the neck using the open E and A to as ghost notes), except for the occasional g on the E string (and B). All neglecting the bridge, of course.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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:D

 

I did not intend for this to turn into a discussion of the bass tuning on Summer Of 69. I will revisit the recording again and see if I'm just used to playing it with a low D or whether I have a different recording :)

 

On a side-note, the (non-BL) guitarist mailed me yesterday to inform me that the BL told the band via WhatsApp that he will inform the two new kids tomorrow or Friday (via mail) that I am leaving and that I will address the reasons why during rehearsal. Funny part is that (1) I am not in that chat (due to lack of smartphone) and (2) he hasn't bothered consulting me about it.

 

Guess I could always proactively decide to inform the new kids myself ...

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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47 days remaining!

 

Broke the news to the new kids last Friday. They were ... unmoved :) The male singer had heard about it the night before, apparently, and had already started making phone calls. After we played a couple of tunes he turned to me and said: "That actually sounds pretty good, what you're doing. You can't quit."

 

I've stated before that I would not have hired him and I'll stand by it. He has a good (but generic) voice, but his ego is huge, even for a singer. After song 1 he asked for more of himself in the monitors. When our sound guy pointed out that this would drown out the two female singers his response was: "Yeah but I REALLY need to be able to hear myself." Ugh. When he sings backings he still tries to outsing everyone and it's almost as if suddenly he's taking over lead vocals.

 

Worst part was after the rehearsal had ended. This band has always had a one-for-all policy: we all help load in/out. Mr Ego sat down and started playing fancy licks on the BL's semi-acoustic, and singing some songs which he likes. I'll grant him this: he has some nice guitar chops. But the "senior" lead vocalist told me afterwards that Mr Ego never picked up as much as a cable.

 

Now, this guy was invited into the band without the second guitarist's consent and this was actually the first time he met the guy. He totally dislikes him and has told me it will be either the singer or him. Unfortunately for this guitarist, the BL has a total bromance-thing going on AND wants to get rid of the guitarist anyway so I know how this will end. Additionally, the "original" singer is getting so fed up with the whole band drama that she told me if it persists, she'll quit too. Oh and she likes the new male singer's voice but doesn't like his attitude either.

 

My prognosis is that pretty soon the band will consist of the new male singer, new female singer (who got exactly 1 lead vocal during a 3 hour rehearsal - way to treat the new kid!) and the old BL, drummer and keyboard player. And if the new male singer knows a bass player, and brings that guy on board, the new incarnation will be one step closer to being his backing band - which is what he is after.

 

Imagine: I would have missed all this drama if I'd just quit on the spot!

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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This band has always had a one-for-all policy: we all help load in/out. But the "senior" lead vocalist told me afterwards that Mr Ego never picked up as much as a cable.

 

Nothing, I mean NOTHING bugs me more than this. I was in a horn band for a while with like 10 people. I was the oldest in the band. Me, the drummer (who owned a lot of the PA) and a couple other guys did all the work. The horns and singer just drank and watched us work. Everything was set when they arrived, and magically got in the van after the gig. I was pissed after every gig.

 

Even now when I sub, I haul gear. That's just the way it should be.

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Even now when I sub, I haul gear. That's just the way it should be.

As a PA owner I know exactly how much of a PITA it is to have to load in/out my bass gear and then the PA gear.

 

I always pitch in. Not only am I helping my band mates I'm also helping the venue staff; they can't go home until the band is out the door.

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My prognosis is that pretty soon the band will consist of the new male singer, new female singer (who got exactly 1 lead vocal during a 3 hour rehearsal - way to treat the new kid!) and the old BL, drummer and keyboard player. And if the new male singer knows a bass player, and brings that guy on board, the new incarnation will be one step closer to being his backing band - which is what he is after.

I experienced similar drama with a 7-piece band (3 vox-only members). It's certainly easier to get 3 or 4 people on the same page than 5, 6 or 7.

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Even now when I sub, I haul gear. That's just the way it should be.

As a PA owner I know exactly how much of a PITA it is to have to load in/out my bass gear and then the PA gear.

 

I always pitch in. Not only am I helping my band mates I'm also helping the venue staff; they can't go home until the band is out the door.

 

Interesting side debate. In my band, if we bring PA, we all chip in and don't leave til it's all loaded.

 

I've been subbing occasionally with a band and when we played a place with house sound, I stuck around to help carry everything out, including the huge drum set.

 

After that, I played a gig where they brought their own stuff - a box truck full of production. I waited around for a good long time after loading out my own stuff. They were mostly just hanging out and chit chatting for hours into the morning while some of the production crew unloaded most of the stuff. I eventually just left.

 

So now when I sit in with them on those kind of shows, I unload my own stuff, then if anybody else appears to have their stuff broken down, I'll help them load out (usually the bass player) then I'm outta there. I'm I cutting out on my duties? I don't think anybody else is really doing much more except maybe the drummer, but they have a whole production crew doing that stuff - usually around 4-6 people between sound and lights. I don't want to be skipping out, but I also don't want to wait around an extra hour until they're ready to load out there stuff.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Occasionally, one or two of the guys likes to take their time getting their stuff together, talking to people (which I know is important) and just generally being slow and then I don't have a problem leaving. Not going to wait for them to chit chat. I like to work fast, get it done and then chit chat.
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Even now when I sub, I haul gear. That's just the way it should be.

As a PA owner I know exactly how much of a PITA it is to have to load in/out my bass gear and then the PA gear.

 

I always pitch in. Not only am I helping my band mates I'm also helping the venue staff; they can't go home until the band is out the door.

 

Interesting side debate. In my band, if we bring PA, we all chip in and don't leave til it's all loaded.

 

I've been subbing occasionally with a band and when we played a place with house sound, I stuck around to help carry everything out, including the huge drum set.

 

After that, I played a gig where they brought their own stuff - a box truck full of production. I waited around for a good long time after loading out my own stuff. They were mostly just hanging out and chit chatting for hours into the morning while some of the production crew unloaded most of the stuff. I eventually just left.

 

So now when I sit in with them on those kind of shows, I unload my own stuff, then if anybody else appears to have their stuff broken down, I'll help them load out (usually the bass player) then I'm outta there. I'm I cutting out on my duties? I don't think anybody else is really doing much more except maybe the drummer, but they have a whole production crew doing that stuff - usually around 4-6 people between sound and lights. I don't want to be skipping out, but I also don't want to wait around an extra hour until they're ready to load out there stuff.

 

Within reason, but I get stuff done faster at the end of the night. I'm not a bar person, I don't linger, I want to get home. So yeah, I hustle a little bit. When I'm loaded I have little patience for slackers. If its late, I'm not waiting on slow pokes. I'm outta' there as quick as possible. The band that I'm currently in hires out sound. I'm comfortable with letting them earn their pay.

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In my band, no one helps anyone. We each bring our own gear and we each move it ourself. Whoever brings the PA gets extra money for dealing with it. Every band I've ever been has been like that and it's fine with me.

 

Yes, the lead singer gets there last and leaves first, but on the other hand her singing is getting us hired. No one cares who the bass player or drummer or guitarist is.

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To be clear, I stuck around and helped the one bar gig I did with them (which was house sound). Every other gig I've done with them has been large production using their crew, and after a few times waiting around after I was done loading out, I've started just taking off. One night I hung out for a couple hours. They weren't talking to fans, they were just hanging out partying while the crew broke down the sound and lights. It seems like it's usually a fill-in singer when I play with them as well. I've played with their regular singer 3 times, another guy twice, and another guy once. The singers usually bail. Bass player is usually torn down pretty quick, so I usually help him. Drummer has a huge set and breaks for quite a while before tearing down. Guitar player has 3 amps that sit on rolling road cases. Usually amps and drums just roll into the box truck with production...so not sure what to do...the crew kind of has their process. I'm not in the band, so I kind of feel like I'll stick around for a bit and help where I can, but I don't want to get in the way either.

Dan

 

Acoustic/Electric stringed instruments ranging from 4 to 230 strings, hammered, picked, fingered, slapped, and plucked. Analog and Digital Electronic instruments, reeds, and throat/mouth.

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Any band I'm in, I tell them right up front - I can't lift heavy objects, period. My guitar amp weighs 20 pounds for that reason. If they want to complain about me not helping with load-out, hey, I told you up front this was the deal - I'm a couple more major compression traumas from being paralyzed from the waist down, folks. A packed house at the Meadowlands wouldn't be worth that.
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I don't do heavy lifting any longer and let that be know up front. Over the last two years or so I sold all of my heavy gear with the heaviest piece of my bass gear being the Accugroove Tri112L at 34 pounds.

 

Wally

I have basses to play, places to be and good music to make!
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IMO, there is good and bad to people helping- some people you don't want them helping. You spend more time redoing what someone else messed up than just doing it yourself.

 

In my work band, the drummer and I deal with the PA, which the company owns. I secure the company van we use to haul it and coordinate the load up and unload from storage. The drummer is the system technical expert (he's an EE who originally ordered it) and handles any maintenance, etc.

 

It works pretty good. We've 'assigned' certain people certain things. For example, the singers bring their own mics and cables. They know how to plug into the snake and unplug when we are done. We also have people stage the gear for load-out as it's broke down- stacking monitors, mic stands, etc. in one place, wrapping up cables, that kind of thing. Then the two of us load it into the van (it's kind of like Tetris). It's a pretty good system.

 

Like Wally and Griff, we have a guy who has been retired for several years that doesn't load in or out much other than his amp, and I'm perfectly OK with that. It's the guys (and gals) that want to watch everyone else work that boils my eggs.

"Political language... is designed to make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and to give an appearance of solidity to pure wind"- George Orwell
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IMO, there is good and bad to people helping- some people you don't want them helping. // It's the guys (and gals) that want to watch everyone else work that boils my eggs.

 

Agreed to both quoted parts. What irks me is this guy apparently didn't even offer to help. Probably thinks of himself as "the talent" and rolling a cable is beneath him so instead he'll play guitar and sing while the little grunts do the work. I didn't like him to begin with and an attitude like this really does not help.

 

I am very happy with the Barefaced cab I bought, though. Spent a few years thinking about getting one and finally decided to take the plunge. In retrospect, I might have preferred a 2x15 cab, but the 2x12 is crystal clear, has well-defined lows and weighs close to nothing. I can lift it over my head and walk past the drummer as he's setting up / breaking down his kit! Love it! Now I need one of them micro-amps.

 

 

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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Whoever brings the PA gets extra money for dealing with it. Every band I've ever been has been like that and it's fine with me.

Never had that deal but one band gave an extra 10% to anyone who booked a new venue.

 

We always split costs like posters, website, etc.

 

Rehearsal spots have (thankfully) always been at someone's house for free.

 

Do you give extra money to everybody who deals with anything other than arriving to a gig and playing music?

 

[edit: who picks out arrangements, distributes sheet music/chord charts, houses file cabinets of old music, etc?]

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Never had that deal but one band gave an extra 10% to anyone who booked a new venue. // Do you give extra money to everybody who deals with anything other than arriving to a gig and playing music?

 

My dad's old band did that. I once booked a gig (I was in a bar and spoke highly of the band to the bar owner, who then went ahead and booked them) and got EUR 50.- for it. Sweet deal :)

 

As for how money gets split, there's something to be said for all variants. If we save money by not having to rent a PA,I would not mind giving a fraction more to the owner of said PA. I do think the singer should have their own set-up for vocals at least. I don't show up at a gig expecting the drummer to provide my bass amp, cables and bass guitar either.

 

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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In my rockabilly band, a microphone was all the singer owned. Well, a microphone and a cable. We did 2 gigs to pay for PA speakers, and I provided a really old, heavy Peavey mixing desk. Dude also played guitar. Borrowed the drummer's Marshall ... Drummer and I confiscated said speakers - we'll do something together again in the (near) future so we'll put them to use.

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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PS: 44 days to go!

 

Just got a mail from the band leader saying that next week there's two bass players coming to audition. I wished them luck and said I will not be attending rehearsal :)

 

Not that I couldn't handle seeing someone else playing with them or whatever, but two auditions is roughly 45 minutes each which would make for a looooong evening for me. Plus this is band-stuff and I'm not with the band anymore.

 

Also told the band: if one of 'em is right, and it looks like he'll be able to play the November show, I will not feel insulted! Fingers crossed, everyone!!!

 

 

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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  • 4 weeks later...

16 days, 2 rehearsals and 1 gig to go! And I haven't even considered rejoining! Ha, who'd a thunk, huh?

 

The band now has 2 potential replacements for me, both of whom will be coming back for a second audition round in December.

 

Meanwhile the BL has sent the band a mail with a list of song suggestions by the new male singer. The list is 150 songs long :eek: I'm not surprised at this, the BL seems to have a huge man-crush on the new singer so anything singer wants, BL wants too :)

 

I think I suggested 10 songs in my 1.5 year tenure with the band (none of which have made the playlist). The other guitarist suggested 6 of which 2 are in the playlist. He already mailed me saying he'll ask the BL whether everyone should make a list of 150 songs, to keep things fair :grin:

"I'm a work in progress." Micky Barnes

 

The Ross Brown Shirt World Tour

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