I'm just a bit excited. Saturday week is the debut of my new band. We are doing a 50 minute set on a 3 act gig. We're up last, which is kinda surprising for a new band. We've come up with lucky 13 for our performance set. I'll list them, see what you think (the * is my vocal)
Hoochie Coochie Man E I Wish you Would G * Have a Good Time G * Boogie Chillun E Checkin' up on my baby A * Shake your Money Maker E Early in the Morning E * Caledonia G * Ah'w Baby G * Bring it on home E Sloppy Drunk A * Shake Your Hips A Got My Mojo Working E
I have to sing quite a bit, which I like, but not all the time. That seems so much less stressful. I think the guitarist likes that too. I don't love all the songs but I get enough of my own and we find a fair bit of common ground.
Last Edited by SuperBee on Aug 19, 2016 5:49 AM
I think even the songs on there that u don't perticularly like, i would still enjoy playing live. They are all pretty damn good songs.
But you know i gotta bring it up .....
Have A Good Time?!?!? REALLY?? After all that about "Wtf are the words?" ... lol. Im just messin'. Seriously tho how are you gonna sing it? With the widely accepted lyrics .. my hair just rolls? ... whatever that means. 8^)
Hippie the gig goes well man. Sounds like you ve got a good band together. ----------
Ha ha yeah ive put a lot of time into have a good time. I have my own interpretation of the words and i just dont do some. But yeah thats why im so big on .wth are the words.
I sing preach like peter, pray like paul, judgement day comes thats all thats all, i wanna have a good time
Spend my money on my clothes, i dont care where my money goes, im gonna have a good time
And sometimes i also do Spend my money on my clothes, i never hav to worry cos i have this rul, to have a good time
Im good with that
But mainly i just love playing those big walter choruses on the harp. And the band swings.
The trip with that list is like we get into it straightaway with the signifying hoochie coochie man and the harp is integral to the thing then wish you would is that boogie with the harp riff so dominant and then have a good time has the much more fluent harp so younknow if anyone hasnt gotvthe message there is a harp in this band by the time i get to back off and just play rhthym in boogie chillun theyvare probably not really paying attention. Looking at the list, that is a heckuva lot of harp specific stuff. Bring it on home is like a relaxing moment but sloppy drunk i model on sonny boy 1 then ape lester butler's take on shake your hips Caldonia is the tough one. I love it but i find im so busy playing singing and remembering what to do next, directing traffic, im always a little up tight about it And mojo. If anyone is still listening at that point i figure theyll be up for that
And thanks adam gussow for getting me started on checkin up on my baby and haveca good time. Those 2 would probably not be in my bag had i not seen adam's tradebit lessons. I did a lot more with have a good time off my own bat than adam teaches, but he made me awsre of thd song and got me started with how to learn to play it. And also early in tge morning i learned the intro from adam's lesson and it just became part of my bag and led to checking out jr wells ( whom i rate in my top 10 favourite players . I dunno "best", but i know whatvi like ) Caledonia i a lready had butbthere are a couple different ways to tackle it, and mojo i am still working on and would be in this set regardless of me, but adam definitely helped there too.
Yea i figured you probably just made up some words lol. Who cares. The harp is what matters.
And hell yea that's a harp heavy ser list. It's awesome. I hope you get some on video. I would love to see it.
I learned alot of those songs from adam aswell. All but checkin up on my baby. That one i learned from will wilde. But even still i always change them as i see fit. Both adam and will (aswell as 99% of teachers i find) teach pucker. But most blues songs dont come alive until you throw atleast a little dirty TB in there. But that's just my opinion.
Anyhow man, i hope the show goes well. And hope your able to get some videos posted. 8^) Would really love to see it. ----------
I've been waiting for some videos, sound clips, Anything. After you posted that Killer Set List ive been really ....... well jealous to tell you the truth, ... but also glad that it seems you got a tight group together.
It's tonight. I didn't go to work yesterday because I can't concentrate. All I think about is this gig. Guess I'm wound up. Tuned a few harps yesterday, today I'm gonna run through the songs, check my gear. Oh yeah I watched the new interview on blues harmonica dot com. It's Ronnie ShelList. But yeah today is the big day. Guitarist cried off rehearsal this week, claimed to be sick. He wasn't keen to practice though so he may have been pulling a swifty.
Right now I'm parked about 80metres from the venue, but more like 120 from the stage. There is sfa parking at this venue. I just had a look and the kit and bass amp is there but still packed. It's 90 minutes to the 1st set. I just don't wanna give up my park because it took like 25 minutes to get this one, and my amp is over 50 pounds. But there's no one I know in the bar yet and I get super bored in bars unless I drink. I think that's a bad idea to start drinking at this time. So just waiting,
I'm back home. I'll give a break down tomorrow but it went well. Dance floor full from start to end. Volume too high but didn't seem to bother punters. Was asked to turn harp down but just played a bit quieter for a song or two. Blew a reed in my D harp. No problem, it's been a few years. So much dancing. We were the highest energy, most 'blues' act...as in the only Chicago-style act. Those women are amazing. There was only lady standing right in front of me with her arms up just shaking her boobs. I looked up and saw her then made eye contact and she became a little self conscious maybe and moved over to do the same thing in front of the guitarist. So weird. Like I am over 50 and so are these women, but it's like a mosh pit for old people. Like they have permission to forget decorum for a while
Just checked my broken harp. Seems I have blown a 3 draw. That's a first for me. This harp is a crossover from 2011, I've replaced 4 and 5 draw over 2 years ago. For the 3 to go; well I've never replaced a 3 slot reed and I've repaired hundreds of harps. Anyway, good job I had a backup. Richard Sleigh is buildin a D harp for me, due the end of this month. Might be time to retire this reed plate anyway but I'll get some use from the comb and covers. I don't really like the plates I've repaired with screws. I think this one might be the first harp I ever repaired. That gig was so loud after the 3rd song. Unbelievable. In practice everything was sweet. But on stage man it was loud. I had drums right behind me so I couldn't step back. Funny a guy came up to me after the first song to tell me how good the harp sounded and a moment later the sound guy came and asked me to turn it down because it was drowning out the guitar. I left it and just played a bit quieter which was a good plan because it wasn't long before I couldn't hear a thing from the amp. But I know I had the good harp sound anyway. That is a 60 watt 410 Deville and it does project. It's modded for harp. There was no sound reinforcement from PA, only vocals. That amp is really bitchin but I needed all of it. Blues club hosted the event and President told me it was 'spot on'. Secretary came up to me and said harp was 'lovely'. Which I think means we get a club gig sometime soon.
Hmm...punters. To punt is to take a chance, place a bet. So at the track I suppose there are the owners, the connections, the jockeys, stewards, and everyone else are 'the punters'. Somehow that term is used for the customers at a hotel. Maybe a corruption of 'patrons'. The Hoi polloi, the general ruck, the paying customers. Yeah I'll take a closer look at that reed. I think it went bad in the opening phrase of the first number I picked it up for, so I've done the damage in practice. It's the same reed as 5 blow in an A harp. I'll find a spare and have it back up by lunchtime. That was so much louder than our rehearsals though. And cramped on that stage. I've been on that stage before, in a 5 piece, and felt I had more room than last night.
The deal was 3 bands, 1 set each. The club organised for drum kit and bass amp to be provided. Everyone got that memo. The gear hire joint just dropped off the gear, ie no set up. The club didn't arrange set up or sound management. I saw the club secretary struggling with setting up the kit, then I saw the drummer from one of the other bands and I said ah good, we could use a drummer to help here. I could not believe my ears when this guy says 'I want to use my own kit'. Like, for real? He says 'I'll set them up and just push it out of the way and set the other kit up' Anyway, the way that turned out was that there was all the cases for the hire kit stacked in the back corner of the stage and then the bass player from that same band rolls up with his own bass amp, and a trolley and anyway it all adds to the amount of gear to store around a tight stage which you can imagine was already pretty packed with gear with 3 bands...2 of which did not insist on using their own kit and bass rig. Unbelievable. Consequently my amp was off to my right, under a ride cymbal, and when things were going off I could not hear it. I had to drop to one knee and lean toward it, but I was right in front of the kick. Like I could not take a backward step. And the bass player had me hemmed in the left. My amp off to the right but the guitarist had that space and the monitor wedge between us so during his vocal that zone was off limits... AnD no sound check
We did have a camera set up, so we'll see if anything is worth sharing. I got a couple of comments that the vocals were too low. I reckon we were too loud for the PA but also the sound guy was not up to much. I noticed in the earlier bands there was a great female singer and she was lost in the mix and the eq was rubbish for her voice. yeah I don't hold any great hopes for a good clip but maybe see something in a week or so. We practice again next Saturday which is Friday over your side of the dateline
i know that Sleigh rivet tool is pricey, but i just saved about $90 repairing that crossover rather than replacing it. or $50 i suppose because spare reed plates.
I'm late to the party, but this all sounds brilliant. All those harp-rich classic tracks. Plus all the mess and fuss setting up, too much kit, cramped stage, too loud etc. Then it all comes good! I enjoyed reading this.
I can't see the vid, but no matter.
Even the blown reed is a battle scar. I've still not managed one yet, which I think means I'm not enjoying myself enough.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Aug 29, 2016 12:45 AM
i bit the bullet and put it on youtube. i wont highlight the flaws, suffice to say the song is todays project. the version i played is based around things i learned from Adam Gussow lessons, combined with my own fudging and some borrowing from Jr Wells' Messin' with the kid (in one or two of the solos) today i start working on the version Little Walter recorded with Muddy on his original recording. Some say it was Cotton on that record, but my reading indicates LW, and i say it sounds like LW. Today? not really; i've been working on the I chord rhythm part for a while. I have the Gussow part so deeply ingrained that i still default to it and go blank on the original but i'm getting there. today i started work on what Walter does in measure 9 of the 1st chorus. its a really neat little figure using the 2', 2, 1 and +1. Walter's playing is just amazing in its inventiveness. it reminds me of Hoochie Coochie Man, in that when i really dig in to isolate what he plays i discover a new dimension to the song which i have not been hearing.
well yes, alcohol and older folks letting their hair down. The first band were rather tasteful, a little country-blues flavour in evidence, a harp, even a version of 'Juke', but a rather light feel. some very nice lead guitar work, tight basslines and a female singer who really could sing but was rather poorly mixed. it was very civilised. the second band mixed rockabilly and freddie king. good grooves, nice sound, a trio though so perhaps a little same-y. but i was slightly worried that our band would be too heavy and sleazy. the trio even played 'wish you would', which i was planning to play as seconnd song in our set, and my first vocal. but of course, they had no harp and played the harp riff on guitar.
when we finally got to start (somewhat inebriated committee person making a meal of an announcement), hoochie coochie man was just the heaviest sound heard to that point. and then Wish you would with its hypnotic angsty groove, that jungle-drum beat and the billy boy/lester butler harp riffs. i'm not sure if billy was copying lester with the version he recorded for 'back where i belong', but that is the version i base mine on. it was a hit with the crowd and they stayed up on the floor for the rest of the set. after 'have a good time' things got a bit too loud and crazy for me but what can one do? the thing is happening and you just have to do your best. but yes i picked up my D harp for 'checkin up on my baby and it was not right, from the first line. i forgot to remind the band about the long pickup, so my bad, but i wouldve missed ther intro anyway as i had to get my backup harp. ive put my harps in circle of fifths order to force my awareness along. its starting to pay off i think.
What a racket! Seriously though, despite the distortion you can hear the harp sounds just the ticket. You can hear the nice tones during the solo-intro and after that it's still up front throughout, even over all the backing.
It's exactly that energetic amped harp sound I like.
As I said ... At first I had a bit of a shock because im used to hearing that song a certain way. But that very quickly wore off. I think what yall are doing is great. I really cant wait to hear your take on other songs. Hope you can get some more of the show posted up.
And yes you can hear your harp pretty well. I know you couldnt hear yourself on stage. Do you find it a bit easier to play in a loud citation like that? Well not easier, but what I mean is ... It's seems like there is a small advantage of not having to play absolutely perfect. Because the band kinda covers those minor imperfections. Atleast that's something that occurred to me just now. Is that usually the case?
As far as Mojo. I know you said you use adams version. But have you listened to KW version on Ludella? I know thats kindof what Adam is basing his off of, but He doesnt give you any of those tasty licks Kim uses.
Anyhow I really like what your doing man. Glad you found a band you enjoy working with and has similar tastes in music. Something I have thought about when thinking of forming a band is .... Where am I going to find people who want to play the same stuff that I do?
It's really cool what you've got going. ----------
Thank Ye for kind words. Of course I hear all the problems. Because I could barely hear the harp, I was playing full bore. If I'd been able to have a better idea of the relative levels I'd have been lower during the vocals. But also, I was listening during the choruses where paddy is singing ...erm...the 'chorus', and I stop playin. I can still barely hear the guitar. The dominant sound is that 'hailstorm in an iron-clad barn' from the drums. But I've got 4 10" speakers against paddy's 12". I usually run that DeVille with all 12ax7 preamp tubes, but I put a JJ 5751 in V1 just to get a little more sweep with the control. The amp has had a few mods, initially inspired by the amp Aki Kumar set up to use as the house harp amp at the jam he hosts. I don't know if they still use that amp but it saw a fair bit of use. I was able to ask Aki a few questions about it, and bought my stock unit on that basis but then actually went a bit further with the mods. It's mainly about preamp gain, but also power tube bias and some higher value coupling caps, higher power ratings for some resistors which are prone to fail. Amp is a '97, made in USA export model. Yep KHz I will have to make a real study of this song. I can tell it is gonna be a regular inclusion, and that it will teach me a lot. It's demanding of one's attention to time and while you can play simple and get away with it, so many superstars have played it and put their own twist on it, there is a wealth of ways to tackle it. I do have the KW/jimmy Rogers version. I better load it up on the amazing slow downer. The other thing, about finding musicians. i can go on a long time about that but joining the local blues club, and just meeting a few people has probably been how this happened. I hope we can hold it together for a while.
Last Edited by SuperBee on Aug 29, 2016 6:22 AM
Lol. Yea the drums were a bit crazy. All you can hear back there is that snare RATT RATT RATT. But its cool. It really pulled off a great kindof onld school Punk vibe. Real basement club stuff. Brings back memories ... lol.
The Kim Wilson version (Btw I wasnt trying to imply that your version needed anything, its fine the way it is, but I know I like to have as many variables to randomly throw in as possible,) Kim does a lick that he repeats throughout the whole album thats pretty cool. Like in Sloppy Drunk he plays licks that can pretty much lay right over Mojo. I have yet to take the time to figure them out, but I will now that I brought it up. Weather I will be able to play them worth a shit is another question, but ...... you kno. Lol.
Yea, I should take your lead and join a local Blues Group. Since moving into my new house I have the ability to just play all day long. I play in the bathroom, in the hall way, while making dinner, LOl ...... So my playing has increased quite a bit recently because of it. So I'm getting a little confidence. I think I'm ready to start hitting Jams and such. And learning the " real world " side of it all.
But anyhow. I hope yall hold it together too. Good Luck with it all man. See if you cant get anymore videos. Perhapd you can post them in our shared folder? Or is that just for sound bites? To save you from youtube, as I know your not a fan.
I'm gonna have to get that entire Ludella album. I have taken a bit of a liberty with putting the video on you tube. Paddy published it to Facebook and I just downloaded it and then uploaded on my YouTube account. I know he has the entire show video, maybe he will edit some other clips. I'd like to see it anyway and I think would be good from a development angle so they'll become available I'm sure.. I am pretty lazy with YouTube. Sometimes I think of making a video but I know how much time I'll spend in editing and it puts me off. Something about sitting down with the computer. I can do it but it always seems that the 'driving the computer' part becomes bigger than the 'playing the harmonica' part.
Right. I know i would do the same, but theres no need for editing. Just put it up as is, it'll be fine.
Well just let me know if your boy puts up anymore of the show.
Ludella is a MUST OWN for sure.
I was just given a computer. So when I get my Wifi hooked up at the house and get the computer setup and squared away .... I'll make you a nice playlist and send it to you. 8^) I've got a few things I think you'll dig.
Plus my new record player has the MP3 function. So I can turn all my LPs into MP3. Im loving that. ----------
Interesting how you couldn't hear yourself on stage, but the harp is really up front in the recording, even with all that loudness around.
For some time now I've been routinely recording my band's rehearsals, not to share with others but to work on improvements amongst ourselves. These are ambient recordings on a Zoom. It really shows how the recording isn't really a record of what you hear in the room. It's 'something else', a manufactured thing. Some significant post-processing brings it towards something you might expect to hear.
Glad to hear you are thinking about getting out and playing kHz, it really is a lot of fun. And annoying and frustrating and a whole lot of faff at the same time.
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Aug 31, 2016 2:37 AM
Clearly a result of my position relative to the amp. The guy with access to the PA controls (I'm not going to honour him with a job description) told me to turn the amp down, so I knew it was audible. He even acknowledged that it wouldn't seem loud to me. He didn't offer a solution for how I might hear it if I turned down. Lack of planning from all involved. I knew I wanted the harp amp on my side of the kit but met a lot of resistance from the bass player who was in the space I wanted. While I politely stayed out of the drummers' way as they set up, the other band members leapt on stage and set up straight away so when I entered the fray I found them set up like a 3 piece, with actually no very suitable place for my amp. This mainly happened because there had been no opportunity to discuss the way we would set up. The drummer arrived 5 minutes before end of second set and all the focus was on the argument about the kit. He set up a much bigger kit than the previous bands. The first band was 5 pieces and used available space much better than us. There was a big hole at the rear left next to the drummer, which the bass player had effectively roped off. I'd have put the bass back in that space and shifted across to the left, or put my amp back there. The bass player clearly didn't want my amp in there and the guitarist had grabbed the right hand side and set up his amp and pedals based around a mic stand. I'd have been more comfortable by far if I'd been over there. But a failure all around to discuss as everyone was excited by an argument about drums. News is that the sound on the recording is 'shocking'. Who'd've thunk it? I concur with your observations about recorded sound, MTG. If accurate recording was a matter of placing a single mic and setting a recording level there would be a lot of redundant sound recording engineers.
It's possible that the PA-man judged that the harmonica should be 'seen but not heard' if you know what I mean. Rather than front-and-centre as it should be with the songs on your set list.
Re sound recording, ok, maybe I'm making an overly obvious point :) But it feels more like painting a picture or taking a photograph, in that you have to do special things to give the impression of 'being there' to the listener/viewer. That said - setting the recording level so it's not distorting is a great first step ha ha!
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Sep 01, 2016 12:05 AM
His words were specifically that it was drowning out the guitar. This was after hoochie coochie man and to be fair, it was good to know because I couldn't tell. The second song was all about the harp, and I had no problem hearing so was able to actually go easy, third was have a good time and I had solos where loud was no problem, and could play quietly also. It was boogie Chillun where things became a bit hard to hear. And shake your money maker I basically didn't play except for a solo, and mojo I was playing all the way through and probably stepping on the guitar as in hoochie coochie man.
Apart from the set bookends I did actually make a conscious effort to not step on the guitar.
And yes, the levels. On the other point, I was reading an obituary for the great recording engineer Rudy Van Gelder, which included a description of his approach to recording, in which he attempted to do just as you mentioned.
Harp drowning out the guitar - that sounds like an unusual and desirable situation :) All is right with the world.
It's just too easy to make a guitar loud IMO. I watched a documentary about Marshall amps, and how electric guitarists, starting on the back foot with tiny little amps, pushed things forward during the 60's so they could compete properly with the drummer. But it all went too far as these things do.
There are 7 tracks there. I like checking up on my baby, but please check them out and give me some feedback if you can find the time. I find it difficult to be objective when I'm really close to something.
Yes, I really like these. As I said before, I like that the harmonica is a central part of the song and sound, and you're playing solid harp parts, rather than being wheeled on to do some pyrotechnic solo (then repeat on the next song, and again...)
On the MF I notice a group emerging that find the amp'd harp a bit samey and prefer the acoustic sound. I'm exactly the opposite. Just as with the electric guitar vs the acoustic, I never tire of the electric sound, and I do tire of the acoustic.
So you take this with the pinch of salt that I'm predisposed to like this style and approach. I expect to get kudos from the MF you might have to be pyrotechnic rather than solid.
Objectively, I think your amped harp sound has all the right components. I single out the TB-slap sounds in Sloppy Drunk.
In plenty of places you're playing behind the vocals (a deadly sin). Good. IMO this kind of music is lacking something just played on guitars.
Thanks for taking time to listen and comment. 'Solid' is quite an acceptable accomplishment for me I think. I'm really conscious of the capacity to overreach,or overplay,or both. And the band is solid enough I think that I need to only play where it adds something and doesn't prevent another element from contributing. I want people to have a good time with an energising band with solid danceable grooves where the harp is enjoyable, and part of the sound of the band without being irritating. I get the best of both worlds here really, accompanist to paddy on his vocals and frontman harp at other times. May even find somethings to sing without harp. But I'll also get to explore the horn lines and padding. Repertoire is fairly set as 50s songs but not necessarily 50s treatments. Although listen to the guitar on shake your money maker. I do think that sounds good.
Yes, I can easily see a room full of people drinking and dancing to this, so you've got it.
BTW 'solid' isn't damning with faint praise, it's where you want to be, for playing to a real audience (vs budding harp players, I mean). I guess you could do some circus tricks on one song if you felt like it!
Yes, the guitar sounds very well, both vocals sound good. Drumming energetic and appropriate for the chosen style. It's a little hard to hear the bass, but that's the recording. I hope you are all pleased with what you've done.
I listened to them all. Yes, solid, and nothing faint about it. I can't add much to what MTG has said. I heard a great sounding band, well balanced, jumping, giving folks a good time. Actually, kind of inspiring for me. I'd love a similar opportunity. Just need to keep working at it.
Thanks for listening Fil. I'm not sure there is much of a market for the band in this town but we will find out. I can definitely see a few gigs but I think the guys are hoping to play fortnightly. That will require a following and probably means there needs to be an effort to entertain, 'sell' the act rather than just play the songs. The bands that work around here are all in the 'entertainment' game, visually, verbally as well as musically. That's the challenge for me. Socially reserved and rather dry will probably not have mass appeal. I read this today, from Joe Filisko "most people would much rather hear you play an easy song well as opposed to a complicated tune that you struggle with. So give some time to revisiting early, simpler songs you learned, dust them off and see the value in having them in your Active Repertoire. You can sell these!"
Depends what you want doesn't it. If you want to get successful locally then you have to do the other stuff, and choose a set list that the punters like, not what you like.
Myself, I don't see it as the main measure of success that a load of drunk strangers get up and dance to what we're playing. But I can see the attraction. If it's friends and family, that's better. Last thing we played, the audience would have been happy for us to play Mustang Sally for 25 minutes.
Truthfully, I play music to entertain myself, but the modern format requires us to play to an audience for it to be validated.
Like having a tube of fruit pastels with just the blackcurrent ones in, maybe I should form a band that just plays Mustang Sally.
In case that all comes across wrong, none of it diminishes what you are doing Superbee I think it's great. Everyone else I meet agrees with the conventional definitions of success (getting booked, getting paid, filling a room, people dancing).
Get some stage clothes together. Get a long lead and play out in the audience - everyone loves that schtick including me. Choose a song to go a bit wild on, screaming on the 10 blow bend for a bit, all doubled up like you're blowing your lungs out when in reality your blowing quite softly, with finesse!!!
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Sep 14, 2016 4:23 AM
Now...I struggle enough with these questions as it is... I bought a suit for $15 for just such occasions (gigs, not occasions of existential angst). The thing is that I think to keep the band together will require 'working'. Realised today that we have very little in the way of photos or promotional posters...and the point was (fairly gently) made that the pay from 1st gig had not been distributed. I like to get paid. Not that it's a lot of money but there is something about it...I think of Loudon wainwright' song where he is musing on the oddness of his profession 'it always amazes me when I get paid'. Me too. It hasn't happened very often. I was very rarely paid in the band I played in most, but my expenses were always covered...just not my time. And it was strange when I went to the club gig last week. I've been going to the club for a while now, with a low visibility factor. Last week I had the unusual experience of being greeted with some familiarity by people who had never previously spoken to me. It may help that I'm now organising the Club night jam session. Anyway, it IS weird. It's weird chasing gigs and asking for money and not knowing how much is too much. and its weird watching the personality of band mates emerge once the business phase comes in. Weird watching my own attitude come out when the marketing question arises. I saw a poster idea today and I thought it was fine, artistically. Just a photo of a guitar really, a guitar strapped across a torso. Anonymous, understated, kind of grim. With a space to write a venue and date. And a caption with the band name and the legend 'a blues band'. But as marketing I thought it didn't convey much. Except gloominess maybe. I have only one action shot of the band, with people dancing in the foreground. It's in some ways a pretty ordinary shot, but as a photo on a poster I think it's got Something going for it. I put a banner on it. It's hardly inspired but at least it shows people enjoying themselves while the band plays.
There you are then - in order to play your music at all, you need to gig.
I set up my current band with specific principle that we did not exist to gig. As it turns out, we are offered things from time to time, and building up a set has been a great focus for our meets.
I've had bad experiences in the past. I like it best when there's NO money on the table. Because there's not enough money to make it worthwhile, and as soon as ANY money is involved it can be divisive. Human history proves it so.
My personal view: as soon as you try to make your hobby pay, it's a slippery slope. Unfortunately sometimes you have to do it e.g. to generate funds for club. But I wouldn't do it unless I had to. Sounds like you have to in your situation so that's a done deal.
...similarly I know amateur artists who seem to think that the ultimate validation of their skill is to sell things. Well, obviously, that's what you do. I just don't get it.
Re marketing, it's all bread and butter really. There's no image that's going to drag in a non-blues fan, so all you need to do is set out your stall.
I went to an exhibition of 'Punk at 40' at the V&A. My real roots. All the original posters for those ground-breaking gigs were as simple as anything. A list of scatological band names, all that was needed.
That pic looks fine btw. Just add something to effect of 'We play electric blues. If you like it, turn up (when and where), and if you don't, don't'
Last Edited by MindTheGap on Sep 14, 2016 3:01 PM
