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Tyrant Music leader?
- Thread starter tonylevinkix
- Start date
When I was with Jerry Reed I brought a fretless out on the gig. He said "No one is going to play fretless on my show." Fortunately it was lined and I just didn't Jaco it up and played in tune with both pickups up full. He never knew.
Not that I don't appreciate the good technique & musicianship required - because I do. But where's the fun in playing a fretless - if you're not allowed to let it sound like a fretless?
MM
Boz Burrell in Bad Company
Rick Danko in The Band
Tony Franklin in The Firm
Bill Wyman in the Rolling Stones (all of his early lines were recorded on an old bass that had such a bad neck he pulled the frets)
Roger Waters in Pink Floyd (he plays some on "The Wall" album)
Tony Levin in King Krimson/Peter Gabriel
Sting with The Police
While we're on a roll, let's not forget Colin Edwin - the monster fretless groove master who plays for Porcupine Tree.
MM
Well, not that you guys were waiting for an update but I gave the WL my # last Sunday and he said he would call me for an audition (had the conversation about fretless), never heard from him. So I went to church this Sunday and he saw me but never approached me about playing bass. Another thing I've noticed about this church, we've been going there about 3 months, is that yes the music sounds modern and progressive but the songs are unfamiliar, my wife says she thinks the music leader writes the songs. Also, where other churches have special music or guest musicians or singers, this church doesn't have that; only WL with his back up band for 4 maybe 5 songs and then the sermon, get the picture? I recently put out an ad in Craigs list giving my experience, my equipment, and my desire to play modern Christian music. I've gotten several responses from secular bands. A few months ago I told a drummer friend of mine that I would never consider going back to playing bars, now I'm not sure. Even the "progressive" churches seem very restrictive when it comes to music.
Had a similar experience at my ex-church (Catholic) they had a service with a "band" and I volunteered my services as bass-player during the sign-up time, never heard peep one back from them. Methinks there may be some bigger egos even than the average "rock star" bar band involved with "church" bands.
All original material would be a plus for me. Our church very seldom has outside bands come in, and almost never on Sunday morning. We do CCM praise music, and a few originals.
A lot of the reason for not having outside bands come in are not so obivous, plus church leadership has to be careful in this area, as they are accountable to God as to who they turn the pulpit over to. Not pious at all, simply careful.
If you are really wanting to have a chance to play at this church (seems like you said you are enjoying it) then truely make it a matter of prayer. Turn it over to God. The last thing you want to do is go play in a bar band and risk missing the blessing God has prepared for you. Think of this as a wilderness experience, and remember the promises of God.
Also remember the WL is most likely praying about this same situation. One thing I gaurantee you he knows, it is a whole lot easier to ask someone up to play in the band than it is to ask them to sit down.
Consider the idea of forming or joining a Christian band outside of your church and have a music ministry. I play every Sunday and Wednesday, and I am in two christian bands outside of my church. I am at best an intermediate player, but my wife and I play three or four nights a week plus Sundays. I personally would never consider playing in any type of secular band, as I have dedicated my talent to God's work.
Who's to say that this band opportunity is the blessing? Seems to me that's bestowing too much divinity on this worship leader. Churches are places set up and run by human beings who are often every bit as sinful, weak, and imperfect as the rest of us... a bit like bars, in fact...
Again, who's to say that thought isn't God's voice speaking to you? If you're trying to follow the path he's asking you to take, don't second guess him. Maybe He is showing you that you can do His work 24/7, just by making a good job of being you.
Thought I would keep this thread going a little longer, I would be surprised if no-one else is going through this. So I gave my phone number to the WL, I guess about a month ago. Since then I've seen him at church and he's pretended to not know who I am. So in a church of like 800 people I figure theres got to be other musicians in the church besides just the 5 allowed on stage (I've noticed that there is also never any special music, vocal solos, instrumentals nothing), so I filled out an application to put a note in the bulletin "Christian rock band forming, if interested please call etc...". When the note didn't appear in the bulletin I spoke with the office who said it had gotten "lost". So I filled out another, when it again didn't show up in the bulletin I again asked why and I was told I needed to talk to Toby the Arts Director, "he'll call you", he didn't. So, after 4 days I called the office and asked them to have Toby call me, that was 3 days ago. The sound guy talked to me and said "we sure need another bass player, talk to Toby". 
This is not the only problem this church has but they're the only church in town attempting to be relevant! I miss improv with other musicians, I miss playing jazz, the "big" city Tulsa is about 30 miles away, I think we might start trying some churches there. Is it any wonder that 1 in 5 people now profess to not be interested in any "organized" religeon?
This is not the only problem this church has but they're the only church in town attempting to be relevant! I miss improv with other musicians, I miss playing jazz, the "big" city Tulsa is about 30 miles away, I think we might start trying some churches there. Is it any wonder that 1 in 5 people now profess to not be interested in any "organized" religeon?
Just playing devil's advocate- Fretless definetely sits in the mix different, and is a different animal. It just may not be appropriate for every situation and band/song.
Now if this D-bag says you can't even play it on 1 or 2 songs, that is unacceptable. But personally I know fretless does not work for the music I play.
Now if this D-bag says you can't even play it on 1 or 2 songs, that is unacceptable. But personally I know fretless does not work for the music I play.
