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04-26-2007, 03:58 PM
|  | Analyzer Records
Endorsing Artist: Mesa/Boogie - Shop Manager/Tech, SF Guitarworks | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA | | | Today I became a professional musician.
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Today I played a gig with John Lisi & Deltafunk, having never met most of the band, playing in a style with which I am unfamilar on tunes that I had not heard until two days ago... on a fretless. We played for about an hour, during which I had to watch the bandleader like a hawk as he apparently never plays a song the same way twice. I had to improvise alot of the set, and even played a tune that I did not know and never even heard before. All this was in front of about 150 people.
In a word - I nailed it. John came up to me after the gig and said, "Man, you just stole somebody else's gig. Can you play tomorrow?" The crowd enjoyed us, and I even signed a couple of autographs - regardless of the fact I had never played with these people before. What a strange feeling.
So now I'm officially in the band. I am a professional bassist. No more swinging a hammer for me. Wahoo! |
04-26-2007, 04:04 PM
|  | A Hard Rockin Lover of GREENBURST Moderator | | Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Where I lay my head is home | | Congrats Ben all the best witht he new gig !  
__________________ If its not green, its not for me!!!  |
04-26-2007, 04:07 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Edinboro, PA | | | Glad to hear it, I knew you were having a hard time finding a band for a while.
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04-26-2007, 04:08 PM
|  | I'd kill for a Nobel Peace Prize! | | Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Ottawa, Canada | | Congrats! It sounds like you really outdid yourself
I was in the same situation when I started playing country, only replace "a tune I didn't know" with "all tunes I didn't know"  However, this was at a much more amateur level. |
04-26-2007, 04:22 PM
|  | Moderator
Endorsing Artist: Martin Keith Guitars Moderator | | Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Long Island, NY | | | That's great! Congratulations.
Can you tell us how the you got the opportunity?
Marshall |
04-26-2007, 04:30 PM
|  | prefers electric miles davis | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | congrats!!! it's feels good doesn't it? oh so good. love the music, feel the funk. |
04-26-2007, 05:58 PM
| | Analyzer Records
Endorsing Artist: Mesa/Boogie - Shop Manager/Tech, SF Guitarworks | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by smperry  That's great! Congratulations.
Can you tell us how the you got the opportunity?
Marshall | In a word: connections.
I am friends with the bassist who is leavng the group. I called the bandleader and offered my services as a replacement.
The previous bassist was supposed to play this gig today, but he had a doctor's appointment he couldn't get out of, so I got the call. I wasn't even expecting an audtion for at least another month, much less a pickup gig.
I consider myself extremely lucky. |
04-26-2007, 06:41 PM
|  | Deteriorating faster than I can lower my standards | | Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Frederick MD USA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange No more swinging a hammer for me. Wahoo! | May you continue to nail it, without needing to swing a hammer ever again!
(except for hanging pictures and awards!)
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Herding noodlemeisters since 1971 |
04-26-2007, 09:14 PM
| | Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to... | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, California. | | | No pics, soundclip. No band.
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NO BASS, NO AMP, NO NOTHING. |
04-26-2007, 09:20 PM
| | Analyzer Records
Endorsing Artist: Mesa/Boogie - Shop Manager/Tech, SF Guitarworks | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Rakie No pics, soundclip. No band. | Sorry about that. Here: http://www.deltafunk.com/ http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm...endID=64799943
I didn't take any pics at the gig... I was too busy trying to remember chord changes.... |
04-26-2007, 10:19 PM
| | Let me take you down, 'cause I'm going to... | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Huntington Beach, California. | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange | Good time's, sounds fun !
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NO BASS, NO AMP, NO NOTHING. |
04-26-2007, 11:32 PM
| | prefers electric miles davis | | Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Los Angeles, CA | | | sounds good man. YIKES you got a lot of gigs scheduled. Looks like you should be making some good loot. God Bless!! |
04-27-2007, 08:52 AM
| | Analyzer Records
Endorsing Artist: Mesa/Boogie - Shop Manager/Tech, SF Guitarworks | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by markjazzbassist sounds good man. YIKES you got a lot of gigs scheduled. Looks like you should be making some good loot. God Bless!! | We'll be playing about 200 gigs a year or more. In fact, I have another tonight - and I still don't know all the material. Gah! |
04-27-2007, 09:13 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: Queens, N.Y.(Near JFK Airport) | | Way to go Ben! 
Much good luck with it.
Mike
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#7 Hollowbody Club
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04-27-2007, 09:19 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Edinboro, PA | | | I dig the dudes tunes a lot, it's so different than your solo stuff, it's kind of funny though. Seems like an cool gig though, with plenty o gigs lined up.
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Mediocre Bassist Club Member #4
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04-27-2007, 09:35 AM
| | Analyzer Records
Endorsing Artist: Mesa/Boogie - Shop Manager/Tech, SF Guitarworks | | Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: San Francisco, CA | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Matt Till I dig the dudes tunes a lot, it's so different than your solo stuff, it's kind of funny though. Seems like an cool gig though, with plenty o gigs lined up. | Yah. It's not so much that I've joined a band as it is that I'm working in a band. I'm not sure if I'll be writing, but I am encouraged to do whatever I want on stage and have fun with it.
It's kind of weird having to be a "normal" bass player for once. |
04-27-2007, 10:05 AM
|  | You don't want to do that. Trust me. Forum Administrator | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: atlanta ga | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Benjamin Strange Today I played a gig with John Lisi & Deltafunk, having never met most of the band, playing in a style with which I am unfamilar on tunes that I had not heard until two days ago... on a fretless. We played for about an hour, during which I had to watch the bandleader like a hawk as he apparently never plays a song the same way twice. I had to improvise alot of the set, and even played a tune that I did not know and never even heard before. All this was in front of about 150 people.
In a word - I nailed it. John came up to me after the gig and said, "Man, you just stole somebody else's gig. Can you play tomorrow?" The crowd enjoyed us, and I even signed a couple of autographs - regardless of the fact I had never played with these people before. What a strange feeling.
So now I'm officially in the band. I am a professional bassist. No more swinging a hammer for me. Wahoo! | awesome. congrats - that rocks.
__________________ Talkbass Forum Administrator Ask me, I'm here to help. Lord Only on Myspace - 4 New Lord Only Tracks from our 2nd CD Lord Only - yes. we're back. sorta versatile residue -12 minute instrumental I find it elevating and exhilarating to discover that we live in a universe which permits the evolution of molecular machines as intricate and subtle as we. - Carl Sagan Rock 'n' Roll... It's got nothing to do with journalists, and it hasn't really even got anything to do with musicians, either. - Pete Townsend |
04-27-2007, 10:19 AM
|  | Registered User
Endorsing artist: Brubaker Guitars | | Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: Gaithersburg, Md | |
Congrats... there's no feeling like it. |
04-27-2007, 11:15 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Dublin, Ireland | | | That's great, Benjamin. I was wondering what would happen when you were asking for Blues stuff to get you into the feel of it.
I hope that you were able to enjoy the experience despite the anxiety of the unfamiliar ground you were threading for the first time.
I went to the site, but the mp3s are not loading for me. The page is, but the soundfiles aren't. I went to the myspace site and listened there. I really love the stuff I'm hearing. pumped up Delta Blues.
I can certainly dig it!
Hope you continue to enjoy the gig. Going from 'swinging a hammer' to 'nailing it'. And autographs too.
Walnut
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04-27-2007, 11:37 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NJ | | | Good show, congrats to 'ya
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