Band Drama!!!

[jive1]

The links I posted weren't intended to show what a bad day it was; I thought those two songs came off OK, other than the disclaimer about Arthur's brother having a little trouble getting his voice through the mix. We should've turned him up a bit. I'm going to repeat that part:


"Use Me" with our Guitar Player's seventeen year old little brother on lead vocals. He did try to cut through the mix best he could. He was using my mic, and I'm just a bit louder than him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMQXQ...layer_embedded

"Ain't That a Shame," with me on vocals, and my lovely wife on bass.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJHQJ...layer_embedded

I think your guitar player was too loud on "Use Me" which contributed to the vocals getting drowned. The guitar and the vocalist are sitting in a similar frequency range. But since you have a higher timbre of voice, you occupy a frequency range above the guitar so you cut through better.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Yikes...

I have just a few questions about your band...

Why do you and your wife play through different rigs? That seems ridiculous/overkill/unnecessarily competitive. (Onset tension begins here...)

Why did she shove or jab you right before Ain't That a Shame? That was really awkward ...I'm sure more for the crowd than yourself, probably. I'd have a long talk about not bringing that to the "stage", despite what kind of moods people are in before the gig.

Your guitar player and drummer aren't bad musically. Guitarist really has good chops. How do they feel about being in a band with a married couple? Do you guys bring drama to rehearsals/gigs?

Lastly, one comment / piece of advice I have for next time is: Remember, the crowd is going to have NO fun if you aren't...and they didn't sound too dead either. People were looking to have a good time and hear some music. You guys look pretty miserable up there. Just keep the smiles going (yes, you have to fake it sometimes, that's part of the game), forget about the drama, the hike to your stage, the fact that its hot-as-balls out, no pay, BUT you're getting to play music for the day! It's just music. It should be fun. If you're not having fun, I'd probably move on to another project.

 

[mellowinman]

I think your guitar player was too loud on "Use Me" which contributed to the vocals getting drowned. The guitar and the vocalist are sitting in a similar frequency range. But since you have a higher timbre of voice, you occupy a frequency range above the guitar so you cut through better.

For quite a while, the mix was PERFECT! Ain't That a Shame was the opening song, and I thought it sounded so good that I made a video!

By the time we did "Use Me," his guitar had crept up in the mix again. He swears he didn't touch anything, but Arthur uses a a few different pedals, and plays two guitars, and sometimes I wonder if he knows how all that stuff works.

And remember, Donald is not even close to a pro singer; he's a high school kid who we invited onstage to have some fun, and fun is what he had. He doesn't project that well, and whether he OR Arthur sing "use me," they tend to get lost on the mids. I think at this point Arthur needs to have two VERY DISTINCT volumes on that song; one much lighter rhythm volume, and then kick it in on the leads; you know; like a PRO player.

I've had so much worse guitar players than him when it comes to volume, but that doesn't mean he could still use work. He's 23, and this is his first band.

He's a really nice guy, and he's pretty easy to get along with.

 

[mellowinman]

Yikes...

I have just a few questions about your band...

Why do you and your wife play through different rigs? That seems ridiculous/overkill/unnecessarily competitive. (Onset tension begins here...)

I'm not really sure what to make of the "yikes." I liked that performance, and put it on YouTube because I did, and not to illustrate problems. The problems happened during setup, and even more so during tear down. It was a hot day, and we had to carry the gear a long way from the car.

We play through different rigs because we are two different bass players. I wouldn't want to play her Ibanez, and she wouldn't want to play my Fender Jazz. We are both wireless, and continuity wise, she can be ready to start playing as I'm ending a song.

Why did she shove or jab you right before Ain't That a Shame? That was really awkward ...I'm sure more for the crowd than yourself, probably. I'd have a long talk about not bringing that to the "stage", despite what kind of moods people are in before the gig.

Your guitar player and drummer aren't bad musically. Guitarist really has good chops. How do they feel about being in a band with a married couple? Do you guys bring drama to rehearsals/gigs?

She most certainly did NOT "jab or shove" me at any time in that vid, or at any other time. I walked up to her, and I was talking to her, and she turned so she could hear me, and I moved a little, because I didn't know if her headstock was going to hit me. I told her "more bass," and she went over to the board and turned her channel up a bit. It was the opening song.

Arthur has played with us over three years. He would like less drama, and has said so. I think we all would. It's not easy. We also run a photography business together, and frankly, spend too much time together. We also have this huge place to take care of, along with far too many animals.

Lastly, one comment / piece of advice I have for next time is: Remember, the crowd is going to have NO fun if you aren't...and they didn't sound too dead either. People were looking to have a good time and hear some music. You guys look pretty miserable up there. Just keep the smiles going (yes, you have to fake it sometimes, that's part of the game), forget about the drama, the hike to your stage, the fact that its hot-as-balls out, no pay, BUT you're getting to play music for the day! It's just music. It should be fun. If you're not having fun, I'd probably move on to another project.

I'm surprised to hear we looked miserable up there. I enjoyed that song, and that's why I shared the video. The audience loved our performance, and the people right up front were Arthur's family.

I'm not seeing how smiles really play into rock and roll. Most of the bands we cover are not known for doing much smiling. We've been told quite a bit that we're both fun AND funny, and I don't feel that our performances are really the issue; it's the whole "getting to the performance" part that can be dodgy. Once we start playing, we really don't have issues.

The part you didn't see was what happened BEFORE the show. That we pretty bad.

My wife and I don't get physical with each other. We don't insult each other, and call each other names. But man, can we argue! I actually told her I quit, AND I want a divorce a few days after this show, but then I thought about it, and I realized I really don't want either thing. I just want to get this right, and get it to be more fun for both of us, and everyone.

As far as Tim and Arthur, they just show up and play. They don't book shows; they don't buy PA gear; they don't even have their own monitors and microphones! Krystal and I are the reason we ever get out of the house, and we also provide the practice space. We don't give them a lot of crap about HOW they play, or WHAT they play. Arthur has a guitar solo in almost every song, and we do about a 12 minute version of Voodoo Child (slight return) where Tim and I just work off each other, and the highs in this band are pretty damn high!

Bottom line is, yes, we could bring less drama, and I hope we do.

But you're seeing more than was there in that performance! We were feeling pretty good during that song!

And for all the mix problems during "Use Me," we had a blast bringing Donald onstage, and having his parents see two of their sons jamming together with us.

 

[guy n. cognito]

That's a lot of drama.........

 

[mellowinman]

That's a lot of drama.........

You don't have problems with drama; I don't have problems with feedback.

 

[FreshTrooperXBL]

Yeah some gigs just suck before and after the musics over. Shuttling gear really far always sucks. If you havent already, invest in castors or small walkable trailers to get gear to the gig. Its amazing how much bandmates complain in my band too. Every once in a while you have to put it all in perspective to make them realize how silly they sound in the heat of the moment.

Its amazing how the 95% fun of gigging almost gets forgotten in the 5% when it all hits the fan doesnt it???

rock on

 

[mellowinman]

Yeah some gigs just suck before and after the musics over. Shuttling gear really far always sucks. If you havent already, invest in castors or small walkable trailers to get gear to the gig. Its amazing how much bandmates complain in my band too. Every once in a while you have to put it all in perspective to make them realize how silly they sound in the heat of the moment.

Its amazing how the 95% fun of gigging almost gets forgotten in the 5% when it all hits the fan doesnt it???

rock on

All my gear is on casters, but we had to go down a big hill, and a good ways on a soft track for running on.

Do you know what we should have brought?

DOLLIES!

We plan to have 300% more dollies by our next show.

(we had none, and now we will have three; I don't know if the math is right, and don't care)

One thing for sure; I use a Fender Rumble combo amp (only sixty watts!) and I've never turned it up past halfway. I don't get why my wife needs her ten thousand pound 1970's cab with two fifteen inch JBL's in it.

 

[Spinal Tapper]

Sorry Mellowinman. Didn't mean to offend. And I wasn't insinuating you and your wife get physical with eachother. I just meant doing small digs before or after a gig, especially onstage can really make an audience uncomfortable.

Example: on Friday night in front of a packed house, our singer was buzzed, and told our keys player to "F-Off!" into the mic. And for what reason? We don't even fight about stuff, I think he was trying to be playful or funny, I don't remember. But it was right before we played our opening song and it made people in the crowd uncomfortable. Some fans even asked me about it after the gig..."what was that all about!?"

Anyways, I checked out your other videos on Youtube, you band is really good! Especially the Whole Lotta Love cover, that was fantastic!
My favorite stuff was your solo acoustic cover of Going to California was, like, damn! Amazing! Blew me away. To me, I saw your soul pour out in that video through your playing. Do you write originals? If I had that kind of talent, I'd focus on that type of stuff 100% and screw the band LOL. But the grass is always greener, right?

I think you stated in your previous post, and I have to agree, I still feel like the two bass amp thing is a little much, and probably causes unnecessary tension in the group. Even if it's a minor thing, we know how these things can balloon over time into ridiculous drama.

I have to commend you for playing in a band with your wife. She is very attractive and I could understand why you would want her by your side.
Though, I must admit, it is something I could never work with...playing in a band w/ my significant other. I'd go totally nuts, and I'm sure she'd probably hate me after a year..or less. Understanding how much drama, work, and business can go into a gigging band with 3 or 4 other guys is bad enough at times...you can always kick out band members or quit, but you can't kick out your wife, right?

Anyways, I'm sure your next gigs will be smoother.

I'd still try and work that bass rig situation out. Two basses is one thing, but hauling two amps just because someone doesn't like to play out of one of them seems rather petty to me. JMO. YMMV.

 

[mellowinman]

Sorry Mellowinman. Didn't mean to offend. And I wasn't insinuating you and your wife get physical with eachother. I just meant doing small digs before or after a gig, especially onstage can really make an audience uncomfortable.

Example: on Friday night in front of a packed house, our singer was buzzed, and told our keys player to "F-Off!" into the mic. And for what reason? We don't even fight about stuff, I think he was trying to be playful or funny, I don't remember. But it was right before we played our opening song and it made people in the crowd uncomfortable. Some fans even asked me about it after the gig..."what was that all about!?"

Anyways, I checked out your other videos on Youtube, you band is really good! Especially the Whole Lotta Love cover, that was fantastic!
My favorite stuff was your solo acoustic cover of Going to California was, like, damn! Amazing! Blew me away. To me, I saw your soul pour out in that video through your playing. Do you write originals? If I had that kind of talent, I'd focus on that type of stuff 100% and screw the band LOL. But the grass is always greener, right?

I think you stated in your previous post, and I have to agree, I still feel like the two bass amp thing is a little much, and probably causes unnecessary tension in the group. Even if it's a minor thing, we know how these things can balloon over time into ridiculous drama.

I have to commend you for playing in a band with your wife. She is very attractive and I could understand why you would want her by your side.
Though, I must admit, it is something I could never work with...playing in a band w/ my significant other. I'd go totally nuts, and I'm sure she'd probably hate me after a year..or less. Understanding how much drama, work, and business can go into a gigging band with 3 or 4 other guys is bad enough at times...you can always kick out band members or quit, but you can't kick out your wife, right?

Anyways, I'm sure your next gigs will be smoother.

I'd still try and work that bass rig situation out. Two basses is one thing, but hauling two amps just because someone doesn't like to play out of one of them seems rather petty to me. JMO. YMMV.

No, no; no worries, man.

No need for anyone to be sorry. I just wondered if what I wrote in the thread colored anyone's perception of what they saw in the video, as I felt we were having a pretty good performance there!

I appreciate your other comments, and yes, I do write originals; quite a lot in fact. I've written over 300 songs. Some of them might even be good!

Here's an example of one I wrote a very long time ago:



I've written my share of hard rock, punk rock, blues, etc.

I think I'm talented enough, I guess, but there's a problem:

There's a whole LOT of people who are talented, and I haven't ever really thought of myself as being MORE talented than the best of them, or even AS talented as the best of them. Do I have ENOUGH talent? I never felt I had enough to make up for my lack of motivation, and late start.

I haven't given up, though. I don't suppose I ever really will.