When did u know?

[wardog]

AS, of late, folks have directed there opinions, to great divide, on most of the topics here. In most cases about issues not pertaining to the posted top.

 

So, I am calling everyone out. Just Strum, this is for u. J. Smith start running. twang u have the floor. And C. Brown give a newbie some insight.

 

 

FOR THOSE WHO GIG OR HAVE PLAYED IN FRONT OF A BUNCH OF STRANGERS.

 

WHEN DID U KNOW YOU WHERE READY? OR DID SOME MUSE TELL U TO GO FOR IT?

 

 

 

"there's this little voice in my head, saying go kill'em dead." So, come feb 09, i will have my time!!!!!

[JefferySmith]

When my band was still in its formative stages, we played at fraternity parties rather than big functions. Sort of like boxers fighting in lots of 4-round prelims rather than sparring. I guess we decided we were ready when (1) we started sounding like a cohesive band, and (2) we could afford the $40 for a decent microphone. Minimum wage was $1.25, so a Shure microphone cost a week's wages.

[TWANG]

I was 15 or just 16... we played I think it was 13 songs.. over and over. *L*

we played at a bar in a small town.

passed the hat.

made 35.00!

 

It was at least two years before I made that much again.

 

ladys with beehive hairdos pinched my cheeks.

certain relatives unnamed until the statute of limitations runs out gave me beer sips back by the storage room.

other local kid players showed up to see if we were any competition.

 

I remember one of them saying 'oh sh*t' when my older bro did johnny b goode.

I sang one song.

 

I'm sitting in the la la waiting for my ya ya, uh huh.

 

I still feel myself turning red over that.

 

I was ready. I can't say the world was.

Nothing beats getting out there.. you're ready when you do it.

 

I have to say, times have probably changed.

We were all underage. All our parents came to see us. Everyone knew our familys. The cops turned a blind eye.

Noone was really going to judge us or find us lacking in any way.

 

And I still get a certain feeling whenever I see a beehive hairdo.

 

I just don't usually tell anyone. *G*

 

TWANG

 

the gear was all from Sears.

except the drums, Ludwig.

mics into the guitar amps.

we put the amps in front of us, cause that's how we thought it would sound best.

 

some time later, my harmony bass's switch broke, so I borrowed a Conrad and danced on my bass until it fell apart.

I think I may have been the first punk. I certainly played like the first punk.

 

 

 

 

It didn't hurt that I had at least six relatives in the bar, passing the hat.

over and over. *G*

[leicester35]

FOR THOSE WHO GIG OR HAVE PLAYED IN FRONT OF A BUNCH OF STRANGERS.

 

WHEN DID U KNOW YOU WHERE READY? OR DID SOME MUSE TELL U TO GO FOR IT?

 

 

 

"there's this little voice in my head' date=' saying go kill'em dead." So, come feb 09, i will have my time!!!!!

[/quote']

 

I don't know about a muse or an inner voice or anything like that, but I'm going back nearly 15 years here...

 

I'd met my bandmates in the student bar, the first week of the first semester at university. We started jamming, and then rehearsing properly thereafter. Not long before Christmas, the drummer learned that a band had pulled out of a short support slot at very short notice, for a party at one of the Halls of Residence the following night. We were offered the gig, so we took it. As I recall, we played 8 covers (mostly Kinks and Rolling Stones songs) at about 7.30pm in the evening to a pretty small audience. Then sat back, had a few beers, and watched the other bands...

 

So, a matter of co-incidence rather than a definite decision. Still, we would never have accepted the gig if we thought we were going to make fools of ourselves. All in all, it went OK and the band eventually developed into a respectable enough blues band, and kept going for the next 4 years until life took us all to different parts of the UK (or indeed the world), and the band petered out.

 

If you feel you're ready then you'll go for it. Good luck.

[Ron G]

When I was 15, my girlfriend's older sister's boyfriend suggested I play at an open mike

in a Germantown (Philly) coffee house. The place was a typical college-age 60's hangout,

lots of hippies, lots of noise, more like a frat party minus the booze. The "audience"

wasn't paying much attention to the "performers" who were mostly making noise or

reciting poetry. I finally had my turn and started with You've Got To Hide Your Love Away

. As I played, the audience, one by one, stopped talking and started to focus on me.

I don't remember what I played for my next two songs but other musicians jammed

along and the crowd was really into it. That was when I "knew".

[charlie brown]

My first "band" wasn't really a band, at all...just 4 guys, who loved "rock & roll," who had some

talent (modest or othewise), and had the time of our lives, playing on the tennis court, at the

local town park, for a summer night dance. I was 13, at the time. We did "Louie, Louie," Little

Latin Lupe Lu, some Chuck Berry stuff, Roy Orbison, and Buddy Holly songs...2 or maybe 3 times

each. No one in the crowd cared...they just danced, no matter what, and we then started playing

a lot of functions, at school, and some "teen dances," around the area. But, it was (first) to see

if we COULD, play something together, how much fun it would be (it was GREAT FUN, even then),

and I don't (honestly) think we thought much (if at all?) about being "Ready?" We just did it!

In all honesty though, there were precious few "bands" back then, except in the cities, mostly.

So, there wasn't the competition, or that kind of "attitude" either. It was a lot more innocent,

and FUN, for fun's sake, really. After The Beatles appeared on Ed Sullivan, EVERYTHING changed,

and very quickly! It suddenly became quite "serious" (still fun, however), but it was done in a

more abitious way, I guess? Bands sprung up, like weeds, all over the area...and though most

were a friendly competition, there was a definite "competitive" feeling, that didn't exist prior to

that night in February, 1964. At least, that's what it seemed like, to me...at the time.

 

CB

[Just Strum]

I'm still waiting.

[charlie brown]

I'm still waiting.

 

Me too, Strum! The first (Bar) gig I did, after my 30 year hiatus, was

just as nerve wracking, as anywhere I've ever played. You do settle

down, after awhile...but being "ready?" I guess I'll never feel totally

"ready!" Who knows? But...the more I play out, the easier it gets, generally.

 

CB

[rafaelh]

Heck you're always ready as an individual IMO. I think once you get the MATERIAL ready as a group then you're ready to take it out.

 

...or you can take a look at some of the bands playing around your neck of the woods. If you don't once say to your self "I can do that" then you aren't ready

[ButchCassidy]

TWANG, the times definitely are changing. My first gig was at a local bar, and every band member had to bring their parent to get in.... then right after we played we got kicked out by a fat bald guy who thought we might try to order drinks.

 

We played good (minus our singer maybe) but it was kind of embarrassing playing young people music to a crowd of older people who, I could tell, were really looking forward to that jazz band going after us.

[charlie brown]

Remember the scene in "The Blues Brothers" of them playing behind "chicken wire!" I've done that

very thing, many a night. "Good old boys," and a pint/fith of liquor...and you're thankful to have that

chicken wire, in front of you! Talk about NOT being "ready!" LOL!

 

CB

[wardog]

all, i can say to those who have posted. Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D>

[Legend Killer]

For me the moment came when I couldnt fit any more equipment in my room. So I took my hondo and my big cheap amp I thing it was a vox bass amp. And sat in with my Brothers band It was very cool and I was hooked. I whipped up some guys and started playing anywere we could. **** we even played in a parking lot for a store opening.

20 years later I dont get out to much but I get together with anyone who will show up at my house every thursday night. The wifes come and so do the kids its always a blast. Best thing my buddys son ever said. Did they have electric

back then dad??????????????? lolol

 

KJK

[Nelson]

AS' date=' of late, folks have directed there opinions, to great divide, on most of the topics here. In most cases about issues not pertaining to the posted top.

 

So, I am calling everyone out. Just Strum, this is for u. J. Smith start running. twang u have the floor. And C. Brown give a newbie some insight.

 

 

FOR THOSE WHO GIG OR HAVE PLAYED IN FRONT OF A BUNCH OF STRANGERS.

 

WHEN DID U KNOW YOU WHERE READY? OR DID SOME MUSE TELL U TO GO FOR IT?

 

 

 

"there's this little voice in my head, saying go kill'em dead." So, come feb 09, i will have my time!!!!!

[/quote']

 

I have a confession to make...playing music for people was never an obsession or dream for me...it all just sorta happened. When I was very young (11) I started taking classical guitar lessons because even after growing up with an uncle in a rock and roll band in the 1950's and another aunt and cousin running rock clubs, my dream was to be a goalie in the NHL...as a result of the classical guitar lessons, which happened after I saw a classical guitarist and the sound just called out to me, I took part in about four public recitals a year playing in front of well-dressed people who all looked incredibly bored but too well-bred to admit it ... as much as I loved hearing it, my classical music playing never came to fruition...well, at least not by the time I was thirteen..

 

.When I was thirteen and in the eighth grade I had a social studies class and of course I was one of the annoying brats who actually enjoyed the class along with a young lady named Stephanie (who I had known since the previous year)...To say the least, I was smitten but unsure of how to address the issue. In class we were great friends and we even took part in a mock United Nations project thing together where we got to go and play diplomats at these mock Security Council things...again, in front of a lot of people so it was getting that between playing sports, classical guitar recitals and these school things, performing in public wasn't a real big deal to me. This also meant we were often traveling and spending time together but still no magic happened...then...one day I see her at her locker and she says "Hi" and I pause to say "Hi" and she has an album (big, round black things...hard to explain) in her hand..."Mellow Yellow" by Donovan...hmmm.. I says to myself..."this could mean something". I was aware of Donovan but not a fan or anything but within a few days I owned that album and was studying it for clues to this young lady's heart.

 

I was taking guitar lessons from some really cool guys at the music shop where I had bought my Epiphone Texan after the classical music thing didn't pan out. I asked the guy to teach me to play "Mellow Yellow" which was incredibly simple. Every year in January the school had a talent show and I joked after explaining my motivation in learning the song that I should play it for her in the show to see if that got my point across and instead of laughing it off they said "you should"..but that meant singing it as well... but Donovan didn't require a lot of range or vocal gymnastics...and one of them said...and learn "Wear Your Love Like Heaven" too (which was Donovan's current hit at the time) "it'll knock her out"(lol)...so for the next few weeks these guys helped me develop the performance (I think they were getting off on it as much as I was) including making "Mellow Yellow" audience participation and wrapping it up with "Wear Your Love". It also included changing "I'm just mad about Saffron" to..."I'm just mad about Steph-anie"...when you're thirteen and in love you do some really corny things...I eventually chickened out about changing the lyrics though...and the "Allha, kiss me once more" didn't have quite the same impact in 1968 though I'm sure it raised some eyebrows lol so, I was good to go...

 

Well, the big day comes. I'm going on in the middle of the pack between"clog dancers from Venezuela and knitters in Canada" (that's for Charlie Brown)...actually, I only remember following four guys from glee club doing barbershop harmony...Scared to death...not because of the crowd but because I'm putting my heart out there for a dumb ole girl.

 

I try to do my bit asking the audience to help me with the "quite rightly" part of "Mellow Yellow"...what I can see of the audience are blank faces with no clue to what I'm talking about but I soldier on and by the end of the song I've got maybe twenty people out of maybe 400 singing "quite rightly" along with a lot of other rude things being shouted back but I remember what the guys at the music shop had told me..."hecklers heckle because they're jealous and insecure that they can't be up there with all that attention so see it as compliments of a sort"..I get to the end of Mellow Yellow'...polite applause...a few whistles...some rude stuff...soldier on to "Wear Your Love" which doesn't have easy lyrics to remember but I get it down and done...more polite applause...a few whistles...some more rude stuff I raise my Texan over my head, do my best "thank you" and practically run for the exit lol....OK moment of truth...I get a 6 out of 10 from the judges (who have no idea who Donovan even is)...who gave a cello solo a 9 and an 8.5 to four girls who did a medley from "Bye Bye Birdie"... go figure...but I didn't come here to win a talent contest, I came to win a heart.... Afterwards I see her...I approach expecting her to fall into my arms and tell me I'm wonderful...she says "you were good".. quick sisterly hug..." and I say "I thought you'd really like it being a Donovan fan"...she says.."I don't really like Donovan"...huh? seems she was borrowing the album to check it out but it didn't float her boat...she likes The Fifth Dimension though...bleedin', bloody 'ell... all that and for what?... I am not learning Up, Up and Away" for her. No way!

 

OK, I didn't win Stephanie's heart that day (or ever...damn) but I'll tell you what did happen...the talent show was Friday afternoon..BY Monday I had no less than four offers to be in bands..people I had no idea who they were were coming up to me and asking me to join up with them...I got invited to parties by people I didn't even know... I was a little hockey freak so I didn't spend much time around school so very few people knew anything about me...especially that I played guitar or had the stones to get up in front of people with little consideration of my psyche's well-being and do my thing. I eventually joined a band and the rest as they say, is history. Overnight I went from being an unknown hockey player at school to an unknown musician(except to the total loser musician types lol) at school. It was fabulous...and my first gig in a band (about five months later) was less than a stellar experience too but I blame whose ever idea it was to hold a downtown street fair with a battle of the bands and have five cent hot dogs...which can become devastating projectiles with the proper application of mustard...but that's another nightmare for another night.

 

There was never a point when I didn't think I was good to go playing music once I had learned my stuff inside and out because I'd been forced to do the classical thing in front of adults, doing it in front of peers seemed even easier...It's really funny because I continued to play in bands and play hockey through high school though until I was seventeen and was injured and couldn't play hockey one season,(I usually played two seasons a year) music was this thing I did for sh1ts and giggles and hockey was my focus...after I was hurt it all changed...also, the skill level at the more advanced levels in hockey really gets up there and those requirements eventually exceeded my talent...that also happened with music about this same time but it didn't stop me there lol

 

 

Nelson

[Muskank Sally]

I stepped into the Porta-Jon at the left, off stage...said a prayer, had a smoke (improvisation) and then came out, took a deep breath and went at it.

It all turned out OK.

[duane v]

Good question......

 

For me I was fortunate to start playing in front of people at a young age, however it sure is a different story when you go out in front of a crowd when presenting original material, (especially for the first time) B)

 

I think when you feel comfortable with your fellow band-mates, and your good rehearsals start out numbering the bad ones. That's usually a sign you and your band-mates are ready to put it out there.

[snookelputz]

Not good enough to play guitar in public, but have performed on stage and played publicly in orchestra, and maybe this will be relevant for you. I was working as stagemaster and KNEW I could perform better than the guys I saw auditioning. Don't you know the show is the thing? How could I let the show go on, with 2nd raters on stage? I auditioned last, took the part and the show started. Lost my job as stagemaster so I could go on, the show folded and everyone thought my talent was just good enough to audition for the really good parts (and push the really good actors to a better performance) but not good enough to do more than understudy. And, hey, how can I let the show go on, when there's a chance a 2nd rater (me) might have to perform? Went on to spend 18 years in the Navy, acting like a sailor - and 15 years in the auto industry, acting like a salesman; so, you can see the experience was very useful in my life!

[frenchie1281734003]

The first time I played live, was after the 1990 world cup final (8th of July), in the Havelock arms, Bermondsey,South London. First song was" Handle with care"(Travelling Wilburys cover). I was lead vocals/Rhythm guitar, and absolutely petrified, I cocked up the simple slide solo, and forgot the opening line to the start of the last verse, so did the first one again! When the song finished, and nearly everyone cheered or clapped (most of the audience I knew), all my nerves just melted away. That`s when I knew.

[Bender 4 Life]

Going onstage in a VERY rough Biker Bar in Alabama, playing our own material that sounded much more like Guns-n-Roses "Live, like a F(^ing Suicide" punk, than Lynyrd Skynyrd or ZZ Top........was when I knew we were ready, but not for our local bars.

Being kicked off a local CP telethon after 1 song for being intoxicated, and sounding terrible, and wayyyy too loud, was when I knew we weren't really ready at all.

I occasionally listen to the master of our old demo tape, and realize we were probably lucky to have made it out of the Biker Bar alive that 1st night.........we were terrible.

[Dave]

We formed in the mid sixties after the Beatles took over the top 10 in America. First there were 3 guys that played guitar, no bass, no drummer. We perfected our chord chops and eventually, after multiple attempts at forming a band, I got a call from a guy who was forming another band and I joined them. We practiced whenever we had time and played for relative's birthday parties and ladies auxillaries just to get some face time in front of a crowd. Our first gig that actually paid was a sock hop at a skating rink.

 

We did the local youth center thing on Friday nights for a while and began to attract some following. After a couple of years, we entered a Battle of the Bands that was held at City Auditorium in front of about 500 people and lost. The next year we WON!!! That was when I knew...

[sexygibson]

Well, when I first played with a band I actually wasn't ready; none of us were. we weren't very good, had no stage presence, and had no idea how to play " together".

I didn't play with a group for years until about 6 months ago I met a guy at a local jam I sometimes went to. His band was in need of a guitarist, he heard me play, and asked me to join them.

We have similiar taste in music and more importantly, we all get along. You have to find guys that you like, enjoy being around, and then it will all come together.

[wardog]

Nelson, one word. awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Thermionik]

The first round of applause - which drove the (giant dinosaur-like) butterflies churning my guts away.

That's when I knew we were 'good to go.....'.

 

The first gig where diners talked loudly through the numbers and we might as well have played a tape.

That's when I knew it wasn't for me.

 

When the record company the lead singer had a solo album on a few years back said they would look at us if we could get a really big gig, and all the really big venues said we had to have record company support before they would book us, and the agents said they wanted to see us at a big gig - or would take us on if we had a record company deal.

That's when I knew the biz was everything Hunter S Thompson had (actually not) described and more.

 

When I heard that same singer had drunk himself to an early grave in LA out of sheer frustration and depression.

That's when the blues really got inside me. Here's to you Kieran.....

 

The oft misquoted Hunter S Thompson is mis-quoted once again:-

"The music business is uglier than most things. It is normally perceived as some kind of cruel and shallow money trench through the heart of the music industry, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free and good men die like dogs, for no good reason. There's also a negative side."

 

(It was the TV Journalism business - and he never said the last bit)