(Heads up! When I get money, I'll have an editor make it perfect)
All you need to know is above, because this is a nothing little band project. If anything should happen, I have this hot and ready.
BAND 'STORIES'
(lessons, fails, adventures)
Now, if you like to read band stories on your lunch break at work, I'm going to share stories from the gig life. That said, I think some of these stories below maybe fabricated. These stories were organic to me as I was playing music for real and not as a joke. It is funny to play music, it wasn’t joke to me. It is still funny, unless it was filmed in a mean way.
I used to work at a high traffic location where people would do tiktok dances and pranks all the time. I'm only mad because they dropped shit on people from a higher location, skate boarded through stores or I was a little over weight in the video they were posting online. (High salt carbs diet from cheap easy meals. Those Ramen cups)
For fabricated stories
I show up to this Walmart to sell a guitar and I’m standing at the front by the opening doors. Two minutes go by and a guy that is robbing Walmart, gets stuck on the electric doors. Somebody remotely pushes the lock on the doors stopping the thief. The thief pushes through the doors making them come off the track. He’s carrying clothes. Didn’t look like he got much for risking a high stakes Walmart dash. Looked like a ball of folded long sleeve shirts.
I’m holding a bright red guitar right by the front door. My worry is security may think I’m a diversion. So I slowly move over to the Garden section door. A few minutes later when the buyer meets me, I asked if he was filming a Youtube prank video. (No tiktok yet)
The buyer said he had nothing to do with that, nor did he seem excited to hear or care about the story. Oh, Walmart got robbed... he didn't say that, but that's the tone.
"Guy holding guitar while Walmart is robbed" is not a video online. That is a fabricated story because its too coincidental. (Mr. Thaw getting in his legal statements out of the way)
WIKI : The Backstory.
I have been playing guitar / doing vocals since High-school, around the mid 2000's I was bad at both. I'm not the re-incarnation of anybody so its going to take some time. All you need to know, is once I dropped out of college, I was working jobs where I had time on shifts to work on creative stuff. Your doing 8 hour shifts / five days a week. Netflix is not a thing yet.
At one point in my 20s, I had a cool grunge vocals and played a bunch of solo coffee shop local shows. One stuck out where a kid in the audience put his hands over his ears. (Yeah, like that blooper in one of my favorite movies: North by Northwest. Look it up. The gun about to go off was my vocal cords). It was a country music show so they were also not happy about my emo thing I'm trying out.
I been in about 10 groups in 20 years. All short lived. Here's the best of stories. Every band was important, but its not interesting for you to read about. Everybody I thought was cool, unless they were secretly a bad guy.
SO-CAL Bands in college / Meeting a Pre-rockstar
Lets talk about one of the California bands. In this group, they were high-schoolers, I was 17, so its not too weird. I think the high-schooler's didn't like the go-tee so they thought I was older. With a go-tee I had more chances with women. Not bringing it back, but more is a lot more in a shorter period of time then now. No Ramen cups fat yet.
This band was bad, mostly my fault. First potential because we had a three piece like most pop punk bands at this time. We had to improv a song for the drummers family and I think the family was embarrassed we didn't have any good material yet. Family just walking out of the room as we play. Different hobby for their son... looking for their gear receipt. (If I would stayed with these guys, we could have been decent. Would have taken a while).
This was a step up before the first band where we didn't practice and just played a show. Half way through the third song, where all the instruments started to not be in-synch anymore. "I'm like, that's it." I just started packing up.
NOW! At that show, I'm going to talk about a rising rockstar. He ended up being in a big band. I'm not going to say this guys name, because then he might know who I am and come fight me or something. "Google alert from a loser talking about me on his shitty band site". Later on, I saw him live when his band was big and I was going to say something while he was standing by his merch table. He looked away so I kept walking to go to the restroom. "That loser I remember, almost said something to me."
Back to high-school, I'm in a small town and kept running into this pre-rockstar. I think he's getting worried. Same friends circle, he's showing up sometimes where I show up. It wasn't weird to me, I friends with the people you know. I go to pick up this chick from her school to hangout and there's a talent show going on.
I'm standing in the door way of the auditorium and this rockstar is doing a rap on stage. This timing seems little too movie like at this moment now since he made it. Back then, it was just, guy I know is on stage. He recognizes me after his rap and tags along to hang out with this girl. We go to this diner and are talking. The coolest thing in his pre-rockstar state: he's like "Why you hanging out with this chick?" He found her annoying.
Last thing about the California 3-piece. I go to pick up the guys from their high-school so we can go to Guitar Center to look and not buy stuff. I'm in the parking lot, and I look over and remember the location.
Green Day, the band, I think went to High-school here. They played their first shows right over there by those picnic tables. That could be my 3-piece So-Cal band playing in High-school parking lots like Tiffany played malls when went people went to them. Remember i'm 17, so I'm allowed to be here. Security just making sure the guy with a go-tee is up to nothing.
Our band ends, because I don't like driving an hour to practice. Yes, that's the only reason. Now, i'm in college and I meet this guy in a local hardcore band. He tell's their bassist quit and needs a fill in for the weekend. I told him I’m mediocre at bass, but what he only liked: is that I had a bass. The go-tee I don't know if that's hardcore, its more ska look.
They didn't give me time to learn the cords since the gig was that weekend. So were at this cool venue in the So-cal area. A shitty venue were all my hero so-cal pop punk bands played. Previously, when I was here, a guy in a hardcore band was holding a piece of paper reading his lyrics. He was screaming the words. I didn't care, but I just wanted him to tape it to the monitor for showman-ship reasons.
I turn down the bass amp after sound check, just like the Sex Pistols did to their bassist when he did play the right notes. Now I've passed by Sid's house in New York where he died, if his ghost saw mem he would probably spit on me.
The sound guy is confused there is no bass and keeps trying to turn me up. I think we get feedback and the sound guy gives up. He starts looking down at his flip phone. Meanwhile, I'm rocking out giving some energy and taking up more space. Our set ends, and I throw my pick at a crowd member. Crowd member dodged a pick from a nobody.
In the car ride from our gig, the singer says something like "You were doing punk pop movements on bass. You got to do hardcore movements with the body. There's a difference. Its all about the hardcore image." Something close to that. I think he meant, don’t move, be scary, you are the bassist fill in.
Now this hardcore singer, is also disappointed I don't have any hardcore music on my iPod. He goes to songs and skips to the part where these bands have a screaming section. He tells me he only listens to Hardcore music.
OTHER FAILED BANDS
All live videos erased it appears. Not good enough to last on dailymotion server
One potential band was a Christian rock band. My friend didn't say it, but he didn't like my grungy vocals or my spooky lyrics, but I could harmonize with him. We did some shows, before I left town. I grew up in the church, christian songs are hard to write. Your limited to one source material.
There was also the band with the blind guitarist after. Which I didn't even know who we were going to do shows. I think he had trouble opening the sound demos I send to him. I'm not sure how he could open his email...
Another potential band, I find this pop punk singer online. I tell him I knew a member from of his band influences from my home-town. He was a fan of that rockstar I told you about above. I shared him the stories I posted above. So we bonded for the love pop punk rock and this guy I knew.
We're going through a song, and i'm like thinking, oh boy, we got a shot here. The christian soft rock had potential, but I like this style better. Now at one point in his lyrics he talks about a secret society. I get concerned because right around this time I'm writing a book about a cult. I'm like "I don't know if we can sing about that stuff, we might get in trouble", He gets scared like I caught him. What is he up to, I think.
So I send him two guitar rifts and he's like I quit, your not pop punk enough in the style I want, too alt rock. He was right....
"A Haunt We Go"
(First live band with the same music)
Going right on after Elvis Worm
I finally find my alt rock style. So I make an album (I do the guitars, bass, lyrics) with a two different singers because their vocals fit the rifts better then the grunge style I had. Could have just purchased a really good microphone. The drums are software. The violinist was a hired gun. The singers are different because of the timing schedule and price. I tell you which songs, you'll notice.
I had given up doing live music by now and was just going to get my best stuff recorded and write books. ( I’m maxing out my credit card on gear and mastering music)
I recorded those songs in a home studio, because I told my mom, I thought of studios getting those cassette tapes demos thrown in a box and just put in storage. She told me a story of a guy she dated that signed a record label contract and then died two weeks later on a motorcycle accident. Whatever that means. Bad deal I guess. Scared the shit out me.
By this point, I realized I play could these songs live if I get a singer close enough to the one's on the tracks. Couldn't find one, had to change my vocals, which was easy because I just had to do their style. Which is probably not cool, who cares?
Here’s some videos below to see how close I got:
Click on video if not working
GIGS! The fun adventure of a small band
I liked these guys, they let me talk about TV shows and music. We shit on our hero bands and praised them! In the mid 2010's your band went to Chipolte instead of Denny's. All those diners I talked about above, all Denny's. Stage name, forgot about the popular chain where all bands go to eat after a show. Just trying to find words the fit to make my destiny number in a 9.
First real gig for these guys, were we finally finished doing open mics. The other band we booked with us, cancelled. The venue sound guy, he's like, if you want to get paid you have to fill two hours of the other band's slot. So we fill a good forty minutes the album stuff. We take a break and it looks like the sound is getting mad we're taking a break.
So I run up on stage, do a quick half ass-ed wrong cords of lyrics of cover songs I know. The band comes back in a panic. We do a jam and then we just make up songs for the last hour when we run out of covers.
We're moving along gig wise, can't find a band costume look style. We agreed to just wear other bands logos on t-shirts. Everyone had a different band t-shirt for shows.
I start using a vocal pedal, because the singer on the tracks, I put reverb on the vocals. So to sound as similar as possible, I brought my own reverb pedal. First two shows, using it, no problems. Third time, this sound guy cuts off my mic. The vocal pedal is working fine and its plugged in. I tell the guys to jam out while I take the pedal off the microphone. I look across at the sound guy and hes glaring at me. This one has upgraded from looking a flip phone to smartphone.
I got the mic working now, perfect show. The guys nailing a jam while I fixed the issue. Learned a lesson, if your not a big band, sound guy controls the reverb. Half way through that set, my throat gets dry because I have to extend notes since I have not been practicing with reverb. Have to re-learn with out the verb.
I'm jumping here
I'm selling merch at this gig in Maryland and this guy in a band we've ended up playing a couple shows with, is standing awkwardly next to me. We're both watching the current punk band on stage. The singer staples his concert ticket to his forehead. He's has blood falling down his face as he's singing.
I say, "We've been playing shows for a while with each other, but I like your first song, and the song after that." I didn't know any of his song names, and this guy is getting increasingly angry like I’m critiquing his stuff. I stop and stand back in silence. Maybe the stapled forehead guy will help me out.
For another show, I wont say the band name because its unprofessional. We are now playing our biggest venue show so far. The headliner is a celebrity band. We have the drummer Luke, who doesn't want to play bongos for an acoustic show. He does not give a fuck, he a goddamn drummer and he also doesn't have bongos. He can use soft drum sticks. We're already on bad terms with this new venue sound guy because the first band wants to swap slots so they can leave after there set. They have to go to work or something. Poor bands go to work after a show.
We are doing the show, its less good because the songs are mostly electric guitar songs we transitioned for an acoustic set. Now it worked, because I played two different guitar on the tracks. Two guitars still make the songs sound decent instead of simple. (Problem for upcoming acoustic shows)
We do a cover song, we have the audience less bored at this point with a song they know. Apparently, I was told after the show, the headliner band in the backroom was furious because our drummer had a full drum set at an all acoustic show. I feel bad, because the headliner band goes on stage with no drums. The headliner is now the wimpy last act of their show. They were still good, but they are using beats instead of a kit. I know I'm trying to get our gear out the door so the band doesn't yell at me after.
One day we're at practice, and Macon the backup guitarist is like, "My roommate who works for the CIA, is concerned about your lyrics in the songs Scanners." I'm little scared because now our crew has CIA operative friend checking in on my questionable lyrics. "I tell him its based loosely off a cool 80's movie that you probably know from the famous gif." I think this was good enough...
As the year went on, the gigs run dry and I'm supposed to spend the day with Luke the drummer making a cool 2000's skate board spoof music video. Like any band in the 2000's. Pick one. Luke can actually skateboard so its less funny to watch. I freak out and drive four hours out of state thinking something weird is going on with the band. Somebody may have mentioned I might be getting conned. (How?)
I crash my car into a (redacted) location. The police show up and asked me what I'm doing.
"I work here. You can call the owner," . This is in the expunged report, that you can't find, because I'm poor and can't have a police record to get a job. Who care's my street cred, I need money.
The police pause and some how they have the owners number. Its 6 in the morning when they call the owner. The owner answers and says I do not work for their company, nor understands that I fucked up their property. This leads to my first slam against my car. "I say, are we filming a TV show or movie. They say "no." I have to check. I don't want to ruin a scene, but I also don't want to prepare for one either. It was in the report.
So the band breaks up since Phil the bassist is leaving for a job. Also my car breaks down and I miss practice and me going to jail don't help. We will end this era with these rockers with a Phil story. Phil, the bassist. He's was kind of scary and bad-ass. We're standing watching the headliner play after we just preformed 30 minutes ago at a small show. Its the bands on stages last song of the night. Phil leans over to me and says, "I see their ending on their set with a Metallica cover."
A HAUNT WITHOUT END
Now, this period of time I am poor. Credit cards are maxed. I've sold all my gear. And when I didn't have a job, I was buying things on credit cards and selling them just so I had some kind of income. If you think I don't do anything, I'm just poor all the time.
I just like working solo at this point. I can control everything and throw money at people. I switch the band name to A Haunt Without End. Keeping keywords of the previous one for no reason. Could have spent a little more time on this name. The logo is cool though.
So, new name, second album. Lets start up the live shows again. I didn’t mind just letting a new singer guy run around stage while I did guitar if he had a better stage performance. The songs have two guitars, so now you have to have four piece band. This 2nd time I made the mistake of bass, guitar, drums, and just vocals. The songs sound simpler without the two guitars, and I didn't want a five piece because that's too many members for band practice. I did it right the first time.
We try multiple singers, can't get anyone that sounds close to the tracks. I'm like, I guess I'll start learning to sing again but this band ends while I get my vocals back. (five years later from the previous band)
I was poor, so Ramen cups again living on my own and getting fat from the carbs. This was a wake up looking at these photos. Wear a hoodie to hide that fat.
We played like three shows. Why is this time around less funny... The guys were funny. Everybody knows how to do everything by this point. We know our amp settings, we can set up practice and leave. Its very robotic at this point.
If I would have let the bassist Robert do the vocals. We could have re-recorded everything in his style and still playing shows. I can't the handle the two hour drive to practice every week and if I start singing I need a few months to get it back. Car not good enough, not enough money for gas, and I think one guy is a bad guy.
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Our drummer also has a medical problem. "We just got to slide our drummer over to the backstage real quick, till EMS comes because he's flopping on the floor. Its okay, he'll be fine when he wakes up."
I escape down to California to start fresh, maybe I could finally start that So-cal band, even though the scene phase is over. Grow that go-tee back and occasionally see a movie at old spooky historic Hollywood theater where the legends of the actors spirits hide.
ANYWAY!
Got the vocals back, new acoustic shows before re-recording everything. See other post about paranormal stuff if you like ghost stories. Lost everything, car and money. That's why its taken so long.
Going to re-record everything in my vocals, when I get money.
