Recordings of your early band efforts

drpepper · #1 06-03-2011, 01:45 PM

A tape turned up of my high school band (~1980-1984), Red Shift. Amazingly, pushing 30 years old, it still played reasonably well...well enough that singer's son was able to make mp3s from it.

I had absolutely no idea that any such thing existed. Getting to hear it has just been the coolest thing I could imagine. I never would have though that it would be so great to listen to something that's so bad.

I'm 46 and didn't play from the time I was in my early 20s until last year. I've noticed a lot of similar stories around TB.

One of the most amazing things about it was I had completely forgotten that we did a couple of original tunes. When I heard the first one, I had absolutely no idea what I was listening to.

I made a facebook page for this 27 or 28 year defunct band and started posting some of the mp3s.

Red Shift on facebook

Do you have any recordings of your earliest band efforts from years back?

VS · #2 06-05-2011, 12:27 PM

That's really cool man! Cool tunes as well! -Luke

Hoover · #3 06-05-2011, 03:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drpepper

Do you have any recordings of your earliest band efforts from years back?

I definitely still have the first studio recording I ever did, from 1976 when I was 15 years old and the rest of my band ranged from ages 13-16. All original material. It's...well, I suppose "charming" might be an appropriate word if you're aware of the context

Otherwise, "embarrassing"

What I don't have though are the basement tapes that I made with that same band during the two previous years. IIRC that would be some seriously "un-charming" stuff!

E-At · #4 06-05-2011, 03:40 PM

hey you were really good!

jakrees747 · #5 06-05-2011, 04:13 PM

alcatraz melon project | Free Music, Tour Dates, Photos, Videos

let the laughter commence

drpepper · #6 06-05-2011, 05:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VS

That's really cool man! Cool tunes as well! -Luke

Thanks, Luke. I tell you, I still haven't gotten over the shock of the idea that there's even a surviving recording. That it's 9 songs is just awesome.

I'm still just blown away. I cringe, but I love it. Being a whole different time technologically, I didn't have an big picture takers in my group, and this was probably the only time any kind of recording went on, so aside from one or two other pictures that might be laying around somewhere, this is it.

When today is looked back on...it's going to be a lot easier to look back on with all the digital images and digital video recording options.

drpepper · #7 06-05-2011, 05:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoover

I definitely still have the first studio recording I ever did, from 1976 when I was 15 years old and the rest of my band ranged from ages 13-16. All original material. It's...well, I suppose "charming" might be an appropriate word if you're aware of the context

Otherwise, "embarrassing"

What I don't have though are the basement tapes that I made with that same band during the two previous years. IIRC that would be some seriously "un-charming" stuff!

Post some up. When's the last time you listened? Context is important.

drpepper · #8 06-05-2011, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by E-At

hey you were really good!

Ha, thanks! It certainly is better than I would have expected, but "good"...I'll just leave it at "thanks."

drpepper · #9 06-05-2011, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jakrees747

alcatraz melon project | Free Music, Tour Dates, Photos, Videos

let the laughter commence

There's some interesting stuff in there, Jack. Is that "old" or just early, but not that long ago? Either way, it has an older vibe. I liked that change up in Henry the 8th right around 2 minutes in...quirky and cool.

iPie · #10 06-05-2011, 05:52 PM

Heres my band Keys to the City, with a couple of recordings done on my laptop in our drummers living room

tell me what you think

peace

iPie · #11 06-05-2011, 05:56 PM

just realised there aren't any songs on that page

here's some links

Keys to the City - Vanity

Keys to the City - Blink

I think the bass is a bit quiet in the mix so crank it up

iPie · #12 06-05-2011, 06:00 PM

sorry for the third post, i feel like i should add this is my first proper band

drpepper · #13 06-05-2011, 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPie

just realised there aren't any songs on that page

here's some links

Keys to the City - Vanity

Keys to the City - Blink

I think the bass is a bit quiet in the mix so crank it up

Good stuff, Matthew! I like it. Are you guys still in school? Kicks the crap out of what I was doing then.

I think you guys should pull the money together to get some real recording studio time.

One Bad Monkey · #14 06-05-2011, 06:45 PM

I have a large number of tapes from my gigs with my first gigging band, a smooth jazz group called Too Smooth For Notes. While the playing is pretty rough and at times, a little hard to listen to, the fact that we were having a ball and laying the groundwork down for where all of us would go as musicians is undeniable.

James Hart · #15 06-05-2011, 06:46 PM

Very cool! Sounds like a fun band.

I 'ripped' all my old band cassettes to my PC back in the late 90s...

Here is a sampling of my original stuff...

1989ish

1992ish I was just a 'hired gun'

1992ish a band I put together for the singer, we wrote most of the material together.

1994ish (ignore my lame walking at the end)

VS · #16 06-05-2011, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drpepper

Thanks, Luke. I tell you, I still haven't gotten over the shock of the idea that there's even a surviving recording. That it's 9 songs is just awesome.

I'm still just blown away. I cringe, but I love it. Being a whole different time technologically, I didn't have an big picture takers in my group, and this was probably the only time any kind of recording went on, so aside from one or two other pictures that might be laying around somewhere, this is it.

When today is looked back on...it's going to be a lot easier to look back on with all the digital images and digital video recording options.

You're welcome! Oh, you have the best screen name on TB,lol.
Dr. Pepper is the best soda on the planet.

I think about that a good bit. It's so easy to save our memories these days with digital cameras and digital camcorders. I'm only 27 and when I was growing up, we had one 35mm camera that lasted over 20 years! Cameras don't last for crap now,lol. -Luke

drpepper · #17 06-05-2011, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by One Bad Monkey

...a little hard to listen to, the fact that we were having a ball and laying the groundwork down for where all of us would go as musicians is undeniable

That says it all

drpepper · #18 06-05-2011, 07:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by James Hart

Very cool! Sounds like a fun band.

I 'ripped' all my old band cassettes to my PC back in the late 90s...

Here is a sampling of my original stuff...

1989ish

1992ish I was just a 'hired gun'

1992ish a band I put together for the singer, we wrote most of the material together.

1994ish (ignore my lame walking at the end)

Nice collection. It's good to see the variety.

BassBob1 · #19 06-05-2011, 07:14 PM

this isn't the first band i was ever in but this is when the guitarist and I were 16 and the drummer was 14. I think the best track is "Foolin around" I really dislike the sound I had back then. That spector rebop just never recorded well or at least we didnt know how to record it well we did this all ourselves.

Englysh | Free Music, Tour Dates, Photos, Videos

I'm 21 now. My sound now is much more old school i guess. I love my jazz with flats.

Some cool stuff here guys.

drpepper · #20 06-05-2011, 07:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VS

You're welcome! Oh, you have the best screen name on TB,lol.
Dr. Pepper is the best soda on the planet.

I think about that a good bit. It's so easy to save our memories these days with digital cameras and digital camcorders. I'm only 27 and when I was growing up, we had one 35mm camera that lasted over 20 years! Cameras don't last for crap now,lol. -Luke

Ha! I've drank a dr pepper or two in my time.

Yeah, as you go back in time, the amount of casual video (or film if you go back far enough) recording is just a night and day difference. It's a great development.