going to extreames to put on a memorable show.

[elgecko]

So you've 1) paid the electrical bill 2) bought a gig-worthy amp 3) bought an instrument cable 4) and found a band already?

 

[mat b]

So you've 1) paid the electrical bill 2) bought a gig-worthy amp 3) bought an instrument cable 4) and found a band already?

And a carton of ciggarettes, two six packs, and a box of razors...

 

[Hayseed]

GG Allin was a big f'ing joke in the punk scene back in the day. It's the Johnny-Come-Lately Punks that give him any "punk points"... the guy was an idiot. The Sex Pistols were a fabricated punk band like the Monkees. They had good music, but don't ever confuse it with their "originality"... it was all Malcolm McLaren's script.

Honestly, I think you're putting us on Faux Punk.;-) It's a good joke though.

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

the irony of all this is I have F.A.K.E on my knuckles and "faux" in my sn but I hate being fake so i'd rather avoid the fake blood. I do like the idea of the lit cig in the head stock though. In a poorly lit bar that could look pretty interesting. The cutting probably will screw up my playing though/deaden my strings if the blood got that way (which it probably would). Don't want things to be to rehearsed but at the same time I really need to be aware of the do's and dont's.

As far as the band goes - old school punk band.

Question: How much are you getting paid?

Alot: Let'her rip
Not alot: Fake blood

Once you set precedent (cutting yourself, you can't go back) make sure you are getting paid enough for using weapons on yourself

Let me clue you in to how Club Owners will talk about you.
"Dude, there's this guy who cuts himself on stage for $100..No, the whole band gets a $100 dollars..Yeah, I don't know what the f*** he's thinkin'"

 

[JacobE]

check out this band the're called die! die! die!, now the name is arguably a bit **** but the band is not. whilst i wasnt at this show in particualrs, i have seen them live and this was the kind of stuff that i remember (note: pay attention to the singer running around like a mad man and that the rythum section is TIGHT). see this is current day punk rock at its finest and maybe something you should aim for.

 

[Munjibunga]

Beats "waxing"

It would also cause the demise of any little arthropods that may reside there, too.

 

[LuckyBassPlayer]

iggy pop.

Blast, my genius idea, which has been put together with the greatest care has been used already??

 

[xxfaux_punkxx]

Originality is far from dead, just not as obvious as it was. That said, avoid gimmicks, save that stuff for huge arena shows n such. For small clubs, no ones going to care about gimmicks, they are there to drink and enjoy some music. Also things like your describing, will seem fake anyway, because it's no longer spontaneous. Then people will know your trying too hard just to get attention, which is lame. Your better off to just be yourself and play the best you can.

self mutilation is actually being myself :/ kinda weird but I like ciggerette burns.

 

[jimmyjames77]

Personally I wouldn't do it... I think that kind of stuff has been done and should be left in the past. Stuff done for shock value only works if you shock people. Since it's already been done, that's not shocking. I think people are more sophisticated now. Plus, it's a gimmick and isn't really going to build a career with longevity. Very few of the greats that have been around forever, resorted to gimmicks. I'm actually kind of amazed at how little stage shows have progressed over the years. Considering how affordable projected imagery and other things are now days, I'm surprised at how many bands still just stand there in front of their amps doing the same old thing. If I was a kid starting out, I'd be looking to be as innovative as possible. Who cares what the old guys use to do... Blaze your own trail.

+1
The thought of doing things, premeditatively, that have already been done in the past for shock value seems a bit contrived to me. I've seen bands that weren't the best doing odd things similar to this and it just comes off lame. There has to be something behind the theatrics.
Personally I'd try to write better songs or get better at my instrument. No I'm not mocking you, just thinking things through.
My .02.

 

[xxfaux_punkxx]

The fact that you are thinking about this now makes it allready rehearsed and probably fake according to your standards. I can totally see how you can get caught up in the moment and hurt yourself smashing into the drum kit or jumping of something but the way you talk about this makes it sound totally lame. You intend to do these things on a regular basis as part of your act? That is the un-punkiest thing you could do man. If you turned out to be the first to do it and it just happened one gig, that be legit, the fact you ask this makes it totally fake if you ask me.

Don't get me wrong, I am not at all against having a certain routine as long as it helps get the music across, so i'm not punk if you look at it like that. Apart from hurting yourself sounding just dumm (IMO), I don't see how you seriously plan this and still consider it 'punk'.

Very uncool and very very bad idea.

I could see where you're coming from. Not something that I plan to do every show but something that I thought about while day dreaming at practice a couple of times and didn't really know how it would fly.

Set your hair on fire. Do it every gig. Make it your thing. You're a poser if you do anything less.

The fire could get out of control pretty quickly. Arson is 10 years, self mutilation is a week in the psyche ward.

So you've 1) paid the electrical bill 2) bought a gig-worthy amp 3) bought an instrument cable 4) and found a band already?

Roommate got a decent job and paid all the back rent he owed us (roughly a grand).

Electric bill was paid with the student loan. I thought I mentioned that.

Had an instrument cable already.

Found a band in need while getting new bass strings. Friends girlfriend is letting me rent her bass rig.

 

[knumbskull]

if you are going to go all out for a gimmick like this - and one that the audience will see is obviously pre-planned - you had better be 100% completely confident in every single other aspect of your band.

songs, playing, performance, sound, singer, arrangements, live set from start to finish.

because when you pull 'the gimmick', if there is even the tiniest bit of your performance that isn't up to scratch, you'll just be 'that **** punk band who think they're GG Allin/Iggy Pop/Sid Vicious/Julian Cope/the Black Lips/etc'.

 

[xxfaux_punkxx]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

No self violence on stage then. Last thing I want to do is give the band a bad rep or even worse compromise any gigs (where hoping to play our first show in about 3 months). I guess I'll just leave the ciggerette burns and black eyes to good ol drunken parties.

 

[Stumbo]

Take away the music and what you propose doing to yourself is cause for a 72 hour hold at the local psych ward. Especially the part where you don't want to use fake blood.

Better have a Dr./paramedic on hand just in case you cut a vein or an artery and can't stop the bleeding. Don't forget, whatever you cut has to heal and life threatening infections can set in any time. Hospitals are expensive.

I suggest you do some other theatrical type performance....like play great music....

Good luck.

 

[crusie]

why not just give the "brown note" a new meaning and do a fart solo instead ? that won't get you booted off stage and it sure will get some attention when looking at the "farting during show" thread. plus it's fun.... there's just something about farts that's so darn funny... call me immature but I just can't stop myself from laughing, when discussions ends up with more fart talk.

 

[knumbskull]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

No self violence on stage then. Last thing I want to do is give the band a bad rep or even worse compromise any gigs (where hoping to play our first show in about 3 months). I guess I'll just leave the ciggerette burns and black eyes to good ol drunken parties.

probably for the best, eh

i was thinking about this thread last night for some reason.

To state the obvious: there was the original wave of bands who behaved violently/bizarrely onstage. it was shocking at the time, and it worked (sometimes) because it was a genuinely new expression of anger/attention seeking/showmanship.

...but that was 30 years ago! these days it is as well-trodden a path to rebellion as having a stud in your nose or writing songs about how much you disapprove of the police.

the great thing about any live rock or punk or whatever is the sense of genuinely spontaneous chaos, mayhem and energy, of band and audience together. pre-planned 'extreme' stage moves just don't work anymore, and that includes battering/burning/butchering yourself onstage.

...

this is what i would call 'punk' stage antics, in the original sense: Yamatsuka Eye (from the Boredoms) in his old band Hanatarsh, who literally destroyed the stage and part of the venue mid-gig using a digger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtEfPaTi1hc&feature=related

...but even that was in 1985, so don't even think about it doing it again

 

[drteeth]

Dude, self-mutilation is not cool.

edit: I see I am tardy to the party.

 

[Thor]

I'd like to take some time to review this topic when I get a
chance. Closed in the interim.