P Diddy's Makin the Band.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Sounbwoy

I caught some of the second episode today. Interesting how the keyboard player was allowed to switch to drums. Just as the MD said, he better bring it, for real. I think it's also gonna be a battle between Jamero and the other more experienced guys that another poster says are there.
I just wish though that there could a be show about the music and not the drama. I came in where the big man drummer was arguing with someone and it looks like one of the keyboard players wants to go home...If you can't stand the heat...

I thought that was lame. Very lame. Maybe there's a back story but after he did his keyboard task, to then allow him to switch to another instrument that others had already auditioned on and been cut... it just smells like a setup.

[Lo end PUNCH]

Do not be fooled. I know a couple of people who auditioned for the show from Chicago and from what I'm told it was all politics. Most of the people picked believe it or not are all pretty established in music already. I was told there were people sent away who were 20 times more talented, had more groove and pocket than many of the people picked for the show. Jamareo is very good and obviously loves what he's doing, but c'mon, he's already favorited by the MD's who I feel have a few issues, there were some pretty nice bassists there besides him who got little if no camera time. The comment made by one of the MD's(who is I've been told, a guitarist) "I'm not really feeling ANY of the guitarists here" to Puffy just made it all seem kinda hashed. I dunno, just might be me. Its gonna be interesting to say the least.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Lo end PUNCH

Do not be fooled. I know a couple of people who auditioned for the show from Chicago and from what I'm told it was all politics. Most of the people picked believe it or not are all pretty established in music already. I was told there were people sent away who were 20 times more talented, had more groove and pocket than many of the people picked for the show. Jamareo is very good and obviously loves what he's doing, but c'mon, he's already favorited by the MD's who I feel have a few issues, there were some pretty nice bassists there besides him who got little if no camera time. The comment made by one of the MD's(who is I've been told, a guitarist) "I'm not really feeling ANY of the guitarists here" to Puffy just made it all seem kinda hashed. I dunno, just might be me. Its gonna be interesting to say the least.

Common guys, we know reality TV is an oxymoron. The competition is not real. Just enjoy seeing musicians being featured on TV for a change.

[Phil Smith]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Common guys, we know reality TV is an oxymoron. The competition is not real. Just enjoy seeing musicians being featured on TV for a change.

One still has to call things as they see them, the show is contrived even though it's somewhat entertaining that gets old fast though when you realize that it's more reality show nonsense. I'm not even going to get into the exploitation angle especially if no one is getting paid to be on the show.

[Rudreax]

As long as I'm entertained, I'm happy with the show. I mean, let's be honest; who actually watches reality shows nowadays expecting to see actually reality? The genre's already gotten to the point were it's been parodied on both humorous and serious shows, so I think the general public should be able to understand.

I like stuff like what was shown on the second episode, when we saw how poorly people did on the simple proficiency test. That was honestly pretty funny (especially how that really good chops drummer fell flat on his face and got eliminated so quickly, even after all that crap he said about how was going to "bring it" to the guy that basically took his place).

[ElMon]

I'm really diggin this show. The importance of vibe/look/attitude is something that's overlooked by a lot of players but that can make or break your career. I've known some jaw-dropping bassists around OK who because they rub people the wrong way don't work as much as they should. On the other end I've seen other guys with competent skills and GREAT attitudes be much more successful. These aren't things you consider often when your woodshedding your instrument and yet they are often MORE important.

[Hoover]

Originally Posted by J. Crawford

And on the pianist, Im really pulling for Brocket. Such an odd dude, but he has been through a lot and can really play!

I'd never heard of "Making The Band" until I had dinner with my sister & her husband last week and they mentioned their old college roommate Brocket was on some new MTV show...!

[Lo end PUNCH]

Originally Posted by ElMon

I'm really diggin this show. The importance of vibe/look/attitude is something that's overlooked by a lot of players but that can make or break your career. I've known some jaw-dropping bassists around OK who because they rub people the wrong way don't work as much as they should. On the other end I've seen other guys with competent skills and GREAT attitudes be much more successful. These aren't things you consider often when your woodshedding your instrument and yet they are often MORE important.

Agree, but the comments made about how complicated Puffy's music is by the MD's and all just digs at one's intelligence. Those who know Puff's music knows that 90% percent of it is samples, which the only issues musical wise for a great player should be time and pocket. Attitude is important but the MD's attitudes are $h!+, sometimes downright condescending. I'm sure they are going for a "live" feel for the shows but the simple excercise tests just dont make sense when you can just give the players a set list and run them through, weed out any of the issues from there and pick the one you think nails it, feel, sound, presence, attitude, look and all.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

Common guys, we know reality TV is an oxymoron. The competition is not real. Just enjoy seeing musicians being featured on TV for a change.

You can pretty much tell who's going to make his band by the editing.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Lo end PUNCH

Agree, but the comments made about how complicated Puffy's music is by the MD's and all just digs at one's intelligence. Those who know Puff's music knows that 90% percent of it is samples, which the only issues musical wise for a great player should be time and pocket. Attitude is important but the MD's attitudes are $h!+, sometimes downright condescending. I'm sure they are going for a "live" feel for the shows but the simple excercise tests just dont make sense when you can just give the players a set list and run them through, weed out any of the issues from there and pick the one you think nails it, feel, sound, presence, attitude, look and all.

That would make for a very short show.

When I first saw the task for the second show I thought it was about weeding out the non-readers. It wasn't IMO... it was about weeding out the non-workers.

Which goes back to the keyboard player cum drummer from Baltimore. He's in there for the drama. Maybe it was also put in to impress people that he could play two instruments. Shows like this need drama and it'll be interesting to see if people bite on this contrived drama as hard as pro wrestling

[Dr_Funkdamental]

I agree Brad. I mean it looks like they are really trying too hard with the drama part. Esp. when the girl was getting frustrated with the other keyboardist. I was like, yeah, this is kinda wack LOL. Its not like real world where you grab a bunch of crazy different cats. Musicians dont really fit that kinda bunch.

Originally Posted by Fire-Starter

Wow, on Caught up, he is really killing it! He reminds me of Sharay Reed. Is that a MTD he is playing and do those basses really sound like that WITHOUT a lot of mixing etc!

Well part of that may be because Sharay has been getting alot more shine, esp. around here. I think Tim has played for more ppl though. Yeah, you should see his personal myspace page. I think that is where his basses are pictured. Hes got 3 HOT MTD's, one thats a gorgeous blue.

[Dr. Cheese]

I saw the eighties episode online tonight. I enjoed it, but I guess the orders must have been to use keyboard bass because some of those parts could have been nailed on bass guitar with the right right hand technique and maybe some effects processing.

The other thing I could identify with was the dumping of the keyboard player for not being to "me first." Although I think it was trumped up in his case, I know first hand that there is nothing worse than a guy who goes "well I know my part," with no sense of how he has to jell with the rest of the band to actually sound good on stage.

[ElMon]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I saw the eighties episode online tonight. I enjoed it, but I guess the orders must have been to use keyboard bass because some of those parts could have been nailed on bass guitar with the right right hand technique and maybe some effects processing.

The other thing I could identify with was the dumping of the keyboard player for not being to "me first." Although I think it was trumped up in his case, I know first hand that there is nothing worse than a guy who goes "well I know my part," with no sense of how he has to jell with the rest of the band to actually sound good on stage.

Plus there's also the element of 'do we really wanna travel cross country for extended periods with a jerk?'

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by ElMon

Plus there's also the element of 'do we really wanna travel cross country for extended periods with a jerk?'

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Lo end PUNCH

Agree, but the comments made about how complicated Puffy's music is by the MD's and all just digs at one's intelligence. Those who know Puff's music knows that 90% percent of it is samples, which the only issues musical wise for a great player should be time and pocket. Attitude is important but the MD's attitudes are $h!+, sometimes downright condescending. I'm sure they are going for a "live" feel for the shows but the simple excercise tests just dont make sense when you can just give the players a set list and run them through, weed out any of the issues from there and pick the one you think nails it, feel, sound, presence, attitude, look and all.

My understanding is that this will be his live band. Listen to a Jill Scott recording vs. live performance and you'll see where I'm going here...


Again, I think the exercise tests made perfect sense... they were a discipline test.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

My understanding is that this will be his live band. Listen to a Jill Scott recording vs. live performance and you'll see where I'm going here...


Again, I think the exercise tests made perfect sense... they were a discipline test.

If you look at it as a discipline test, it makes sense that the keyboardist was allowed to switch to drums since he is clearly a a strong musician who is also willing to put in the work too.

[Sounbwoy]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

I saw the eighties episode online tonight. I enjoed it, but I guess the orders must have been to use keyboard bass because some of those parts could have been nailed on bass guitar with the right right hand technique and maybe some effects processing.

The other thing I could identify with was the dumping of the keyboard player for not being to "me first." Although I think it was trumped up in his case, I know first hand that there is nothing worse than a guy who goes "well I know my part," with no sense of how he has to jell with the rest of the band to actually sound good on stage.

Just saw it. I Jamero rolls thru again. For someone who never played key bass before, I guess he worked really hard at it. So many variables in how people get picked to go home. If they looked at interaction between band members, based on the video editing, Jamero didn't interact either. He kept his head down, so he could play (and I don't fault him for that at all).
So was the swagga that Jamero showed different from the swagga that J-Sweet showed? Jamero did play it good tho..

On an issue TOTALLY unrelated to bass...what's with the Members Only jacket that Om'Mas (??) was wearing? Will I become a better player and MD if I get one. BTW, I had one once. The WARMEST jacket I EVER had, for real..

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Dr. Cheese

If you look at it as a discipline test, it makes sense that the keyboardist was allowed to switch to drums since he is clearly a a strong musician who is also willing to put in the work too.

Did you see him perform the task? I wouldn't call that putting in the work, in fact it looked like he was headed for home. Then they gave him to option of switching because he talked smack about what great drummer he was.



And if it did look like he was putting in the work, it still makes no sense to allow him to switch instruments in the middle of the competition. He'd be able to stay on the instrument he was putting the work in on. If I had to guess, as I said, he's there for the drama. There's footage of him on the MTV site confronting "J-Sweet" about calling the female drummer an MF. Apparently he was drunk when he decided to chew him out.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by Sounbwoy

Just saw it. I Jamero rolls thru again. For someone who never played key bass before, I guess he worked really hard at it. So many variables in how people get picked to go home. If they looked at interaction between band members, based on the video editing, Jamero didn't interact either. He kept his head down, so he could play (and I don't fault him for that at all).
So was the swagga that Jamero showed different from the swagga that J-Sweet showed? Jamero did play it good tho..

On an issue TOTALLY unrelated to bass...what's with the Members Only jacket that Om'Mas (??) was wearing? Will I become a better player and MD if I get one. BTW, I had one once. The WARMEST jacket I EVER had, for real..

I have a hard time believing someone with no keyboard experience just jumped on the keyboard bassline to "Pleasure Principle".

Just saying.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by Brad Johnson

Did you see him perform the task? I wouldn't call that putting in the work, in fact it looked like he was headed for home. Then they gave him to option of switching because he talked smack about what great drummer he was.



And if it did look like he was putting in the work, it still makes no sense to allow him to switch instruments in the middle of the competition. He'd be able to stay on the instrument he was putting the work in on. If I had to guess, as I said, he's there for the drama. There's footage of him on the MTV site confronting "J-Sweet" about calling the female drummer an MF. Apparently he was drunk when he decided to chew him out.

Assuming his reading background might be weak, I he showed evidence of having studied beyond what the gospel drummer had shown when he was assigned rudiments. That is a low bar, but he did put in more work relatively speaking.