A band I was in once, we used to joke about naming the band The Recliners, and doing exactly that.
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this sounds stupid but is it ok to play punk live while sitting down not standing up?
- Thread starter Cole Allar
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A band I was in once, we used to joke about naming the band The Recliners, and doing exactly that.
Ooh, ooh, ooh, there's a great short vid of Darryl Jenifer, of the bad brains, telling about HR doing a show duct taped into a chair:
If you do sit down make sure that you are wearing your McDonalds costume, that will show all of us uptight corporate drones that you are punk and only live by your rules.
Play with one of these with baritone guitar strings and an octave pedal? It won't sound like a bass but if it works with the songs your band plays who cares? And when people ask how you came up with the idea say you "had a s--- job and were f-ing tired."
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I saw Murphy's Law around 1988 or so and the bassist was seated in a wheelchair with a giant full leg cast. That is about the only example that I can think of.
Is the OP even remotely entrenched in the punk scene at all? Surely if someone has been to a few shows, they would know what's going to fly or not. Personally, after 30 years of punk and hardcore shows, I would walk out immediately if I saw a band open their set with a bassist who was too lazy to even stand up.
Is the OP even remotely entrenched in the punk scene at all? Surely if someone has been to a few shows, they would know what's going to fly or not. Personally, after 30 years of punk and hardcore shows, I would walk out immediately if I saw a band open their set with a bassist who was too lazy to even stand up.
Hey.... I resemble that remark. I play a Gibson EB-3 and SG Standard and sit on a stool for half the gig. Then again, I'm old.
a few thoughts here.
first, for many years i played guitar sitting down 90% of the time, and when i started playing bass, i continued sitting down. i assumed it would be hard to get used to changing to standing. then i tried standing up while playing at home and within a week found it not only easy to do - in some ways it was easier than playing sitting down - but i found myself naturally moving when i played, which made for good shows a little down the road.
second, punk is by nature very energetic music, and that's what punk fans go to see and hear. sitting down could work for your audiences, but don't bet on it. if they're going to shows to experience energetic, a guy sitting and looking exhausted isn't what they're going to want to see.
third, if you're so overtaxed and tired out that can can't stand on stage, i would think you should spend more time resting, not playing in a band. constant exhaustion makes it harder to retain information and analyze, and that's not good if you're in school. don't get me wrong - i'm all for playing, but not if it makes your body and mind fall apart.
first, for many years i played guitar sitting down 90% of the time, and when i started playing bass, i continued sitting down. i assumed it would be hard to get used to changing to standing. then i tried standing up while playing at home and within a week found it not only easy to do - in some ways it was easier than playing sitting down - but i found myself naturally moving when i played, which made for good shows a little down the road.
second, punk is by nature very energetic music, and that's what punk fans go to see and hear. sitting down could work for your audiences, but don't bet on it. if they're going to shows to experience energetic, a guy sitting and looking exhausted isn't what they're going to want to see.
third, if you're so overtaxed and tired out that can can't stand on stage, i would think you should spend more time resting, not playing in a band. constant exhaustion makes it harder to retain information and analyze, and that's not good if you're in school. don't get me wrong - i'm all for playing, but not if it makes your body and mind fall apart.
Dude, don't make that comparison. I know I'm not that good. But I'm not Sid viscious.
Honestly, if you are too exhausted from working at McD's and going to school to stand up you may need to visit a doctor. Maybe you have mono or something. Unless you have a physical condition that prevents you from standing and playing there's no reason to sit. That's just sad and lame, especially at a punk show. Good grief man.
Punk is an attitude, not a style of music.
If you are a punk you don't give a damn about what anyone thinks, you aren't inclined to tell anyone what you think.
If you want to express yourself it is best done loudly, offensively with noise or a middle finger.
There are no true punks on Talkbass. If there were, they would be banned immediately.
They aren't community minded enough to participate in an internet forum and they don't give a damn about gear porn.
Basically, you are asking the wrong people and no one here knows the answer to your question including me.
But if I'd hazard an imaginative guess, I'd say Jabba the Hutt was about as punk as you could get and he never stood up.
Be like Jabba!
...Also, Isn't that kinda what Dave Grohl did when he broke his leg?
If you are a punk you don't give a damn about what anyone thinks, you aren't inclined to tell anyone what you think.
If you want to express yourself it is best done loudly, offensively with noise or a middle finger.
There are no true punks on Talkbass. If there were, they would be banned immediately.
They aren't community minded enough to participate in an internet forum and they don't give a damn about gear porn.
Basically, you are asking the wrong people and no one here knows the answer to your question including me.
But if I'd hazard an imaginative guess, I'd say Jabba the Hutt was about as punk as you could get and he never stood up.
Be like Jabba!
...Also, Isn't that kinda what Dave Grohl did when he broke his leg?
No it's not okay! IMO the only times someone should play sitting is in an orchestra, doing some intimate acoustic coffee house type gig or if they are physically disabled. I'm nearly 50 and I have on several occasions gone straight from working an 8-10 hour day (a good portion of it standing, walking and climbing stairs) to playing a four hour gig until after 1 a.m. If you are rockin' then you should be up and moving around!
The only genre where sitting down was the norm was blues. In fact, Buddy Guy was the first bluesman to stand up and he got flack from his fellow bluesmen. (The last of the original bluesmen who still got away with sitting were BB King and John Lee Hooker, but they have recently passed away.)
And now for something completely different,
"What's the best chair for punk?"
"What's the best chair for punk?"
Only acceptable seated playing position for punk:
Nice chair, I have sat in this one while playing guitar at a friend's house:In some countries, this:
