Musicians check in here. If you play, tell us about it!

[sessiondrummer]

Wow, wouldn't have thought to see a post like this on ECF, but I like it !!!!!

Having the luxury of growing up in the 70s where there were many talented bands out there, and a neighbor who was a drummer, and a diehard Neil Peart fan, I was bitten by the drumming bug. Problem was, he was right handed (most drummers are, it's a conspiracy), and I was left handed. Starting out playing, and playing RUSH no less, on a right handed kit was, difficult to say the least. Good thing was I learned how to play both right and left handed kits. Joined countless bands, including rock, jazz, prog. jazz, fusion, pop, etc., etc. Never had time to tour (work work work), but played out regularly, did plenty of recording, and had some lucky breaks getting into high end studios at reduced rates. Have multiple kits, and waaaay too many cymbals. I continue to play, not actively in a band, but it is always good to keep the skills up.

I look back at many of the bands from that era, and compare to most new bands, and it is a night and day difference. Back then a label taking focus group polling and manufacturing a band was unheard of. Sure, sure, we went a little crazy with the glam hair rock bands, but even then, there was a surprising amount of talent behind them. I think one of the craziest examples of this, is Kip Winger from (you guessed it), Winger. Fun drum tabs on the songs but nothing to write home about, but if you google him now, and listen to some of his solo work, or his classical arrangements, it would make you want to take back all the bad things you said about him.

Serve the song or nothing else matters. Oh, and vape vape vape during breaks.

 

[DaveP]

Bassnut, did I miss this when you posted it or did you hold back on us? Good web site and some history I hadn't heard.

Pat O'Brien & the Priests of Love

 

[DaveP]

Wow, wouldn't have thought to see a post like this on ECF, but I like it !!!!!

Having the luxury of growing up in the 70s where there were many talented bands out there, and a neighbor who was a drummer, and a diehard Neil Peart fan, I was bitten by the drumming bug. Problem was, he was right handed (most drummers are, it's a conspiracy), and I was left handed. Starting out playing, and playing RUSH no less, on a right handed kit was, difficult to say the least. Good thing was I learned how to play both right and left handed kits. Joined countless bands, including rock, jazz, prog. jazz, fusion, pop, etc., etc. Never had time to tour (work work work), but played out regularly, did plenty of recording, and had some lucky breaks getting into high end studios at reduced rates. Have multiple kits, and waaaay too many cymbals. I continue to play, not actively in a band, but it is always good to keep the skills up.

I look back at many of the bands from that era, and compare to most new bands, and it is a night and day difference. Back then a label taking focus group polling and manufacturing a band was unheard of. Sure, sure, we went a little crazy with the glam hair rock bands, but even then, there was a surprising amount of talent behind them. I think one of the craziest examples of this, is Kip Winger from (you guessed it), Winger. Fun drum tabs on the songs but nothing to write home about, but if you google him now, and listen to some of his solo work, or his classical arrangements, it would make you want to take back all the bad things you said about him.

Serve the song or nothing else matters. Oh, and vape vape vape during breaks.

We can use another drummer, sessiondrummer! Welcome to the thread. Musicians, being as they are pop in and pop out, but there are a few of us who keep it going. Some have been around and others are weekend warriors. We all share one thing, vaping ... oh, and love of music and playing it for other people to enjoy!

 

[bassnut]

Videos and/or photos or it ain't so, sessiondrummer!

Welcome to the musician's thread that Dave started many moons back.
It's good to see new faces.
I graduated HS in '72 so I guess I "grew up" in the 60's so my musical sensibilities and foundations are firmly rooted there.
Even though I worked a lot in the 70's, I hated that decade - The Disco Era - polyester suits with ultra wide shirt lapels, men with hair perms and gold neck chains (still popular), Saturday Night Fever - it was all so un-groovy for me at the time. I was glad to see the 80s.

I will say that in the 70's rock and Fusion took on an amazing technical refinement built on the foundations of the 60s.
That stuff holds up very well today, I think. I have to admit that I even like AWB etc more now than I did then.
Return to Forever and Weather Report still knock my socks off. Jaco's bass playing on Joni Mitchell's album "Hejira" changed my life....again, after Stanley Clarke.

I was never a glam rocker or in a "hair band" but maybe you know of this one? Warrior.
That's my drummer, Jimmy Volpe, top center:

Sorry but every time I see this video I have to laugh a little at the intro. It just wasn't my thing but Jimmy enjoyed it. Good guitar player. Good band:

 

[bassnut]

Now this is funny. Before Warrior, Jimmy (he's gonna kill me) was in this popular L.A. band called "Smile". Neither of these videos are a good "showcase" for him. He really is an excellent drummer.



I happy to say that no such videos of me from this era exist. Not that I'll admit to anyway.
I'd like to see Dave's face right now.

 

[DaveP]

Bassnut, The first video was well produced and tight ... commercial. Those guys had it going on. The second one seemed a little more impromptu ... more of a party video style. I enjoyed both and found them interesting. In the second one, I got a reminiscent sense of Styx in the beginning and a little Mick Jagger wannabe in a slow tune mode later!

It's amusing to look back at prior decades and evaluate clips of what real life used to be. It seemed so natural back then, but appears a little more staged when you revisit it.

I used to go listen to Chuck Leavell's Sea Level band in a little bar on Emery Highway back in the late 70s. Jimmy Nalls played lead guitar. Jaimoe from the Allman Brothers was drummer. He was smooth and creative back then and has become an icon for the blues today. Sea Level was one step above the other bands around town and got promoted by Carpricorn records until the ABB got reorganized after Duane and Berry died. Chuck went on to join the Rolling Stones.

Thanks for a look back in time. It got me to reminiscing.

Here's a local band who used to open for the Allman Bros. I went to school with these guys.
http://southerngaragebands.com/boogiechillun'.html

These guys were big around town. Both them and our band won Battle of the Bands competitions against each other. Our band and these guys were school friends and later we merged the remnants into a band that played on through the 80s and later.
http://southerngaragebands.com/majestics.html

These guys were a regional success and very popular for college frat parties. They had a reputation for showing up dressed in jock straps on occasion.
http://southerngaragebands.com/dougclarkhotnuts.html

This band, Hydra, achieved regional and national success and included Chuck Leavell and Randall Bramblett from time to time.
http://southerngaragebands.com/hydra.html

Randall Bramblett got his start in this one.
http://southerngaragebands.com/KingDavid.html

And of course, you don't want to miss this one. The early Allman Brothers ... Allman Joys.
http://southerngaragebands.com/AllmanJoys.html

The entire list of Southern Garage Bands is here. Lots of future artists are included among their members.
http://southerngaragebands.com/otherbands.html

 

[iamtumus]

Drummer, guitarist, pianist, bassist, mandolinist(?), steel guitarist, banjoist(?), and oboe player here.

Oboe is 1000x easier to play now that i can breathe properly!

 

[DaveP]

Drummer, guitarist, pianist, bassist, mandolinist(?), steel guitarist, banjoist(?), and oboe player here.

Oboe is 1000x easier to play now that i can breathe properly!

Welcome aboard, iamtumus. This isn't a really busy thread since musicians are not everyday people on a vaping forum, but we manage to keep it floating day by day. There's usually new posts daily and I'm surprised at the number of musicians we have actively participating here.

 

[BadHabitBand]

Long time guitar picker...25 years or so.

Current band... Bad Habit

Or if you're the facebook type... Welcome to Facebook

 

[DaveP]

Welcome to the Musician's thread, BadHabitBand. I like the Unknown Hinson avatar! He's a funny guy. I love to hear him play the old rock stuff, too.

 

[bassnut]

Wow! Unknown Hinson!
We just added both "I Cleaned Out a Room in My Trailer For You" and "Lingerie" to our repertoire.
I never even heard of him until two months ago. Now I'm a big fan.

 

[DaveP]

Unknown Hinson
Live @ Hummingbird Tap Room - Macon GA.
No sideburns?

 

[BadHabitBand]

Unknown is the man.

Here is a picture of me and my girlfriend with the Kang himself right after he signed one of my Tele's.

 

[sandybeach]

Videos and/or photos or it ain't so, sessiondrummer!

Welcome to the musician's thread that Dave started many moons back.
It's good to see new faces.
I graduated HS in '72 so I guess I "grew up" in the 60's so my musical sensibilities and foundations are firmly rooted there.
Even though I worked a lot in the 70's, I hated that decade - The Disco Era - polyester suits with ultra wide shirt lapels, men with hair perms and gold neck chains (still popular), Saturday Night Fever - it was all so un-groovy for me at the time. I was glad to see the 80s.

I will say that in the 70's rock and Fusion took on an amazing technical refinement built on the foundations of the 60s.
That stuff holds up very well today, I think. I have to admit that I even like AWB etc more now than I did then.
Return to Forever and Weather Report still knock my socks off. Jaco's bass playing on Joni Mitchell's album "Hejira" changed my life....again, after Stanley Clarke.

I was never a glam rocker or in a "hair band" but maybe you know of this one? Warrior.
That's my drummer, Jimmy Volpe, top center:

Sorry but every time I see this video I have to laugh a little at the intro. It just wasn't my thing but Jimmy enjoyed it. Good guitar player. Good band:

LOVE the hair band picture!!!!!

 

[sandybeach]

Boys (and girls if there are any here), this isn't my band, but I had so much fun seeing ? and the Mysterians play 96 Tears last night at a free concert, that I had to shoot a video with my phone. Ignore the shaky camera when I shook ?'s hand

 

[DaveP]

96 Tears was on the first set list I ever played in public. At first, I had to play that little repetitive lead lick on the guitar until we found an organ player. Back then, all the keyboard guys had Farfisa organs and guitar amps. Once we had a keyboard player, we could do the song justice.

96 Tears, Louie Louie, Mellow Yellow, The Pusher, Hold on I'm Coming, some Otis Redding and Wilson Picket, James Brown. All those were staples on late 60s set lists. And then, there was always some guy in the audience yelling Wipeout! That changed to Freebird! later on.

 

[sandybeach]

Every one of those songs is my generation! There's a local band that does a lot of that soul music like Hold On I'm Coming, Mustang Sally, James Brown, just love hearing them.

Hehehe I remember being so uh...disabled(?) back in the day that the only song I could play was Gloria!

 

[DaveP]

Every one of those songs is my generation! There's a local band that does a lot of that soul music like Hold On I'm Coming, Mustang Sally, James Brown, just love hearing them.

Hehehe I remember being so uh...disabled(?) back in the day that the only song I could play was Gloria!

Everyone learns E, D, and A first or they did back then. Nowadays, I think the first thing kids want to play is "Smoke on the Water". You just do the same thing on two frets and move it up and down!

Didn't anyone try to play the theme from the Twilight Zone when they got their first guitar? I did. I had a book with a 45 record that taught me some stuff. Then, once I showed promise my parents signed me up for guitar lessons.

 

[sandybeach]

Everyone learns E, D, and A first or they did back then. Nowadays, I think the first thing kids want to play is "Smoke on the Water". You just do the same thing on two frets and move it up and down!

Didn't anyone try to play the theme from the Twilight Zone when they got their first guitar? I did. I had a book with a 45 record that taught me some stuff. Then, once I showed promise my parents signed me up for guitar lessons.

Wipeout, on my desk! My first electric guitar solo I picked off a record was You Shook Me - Led Zeppelin

 

[bassnut]

I took my first 4 guitar lessons from an old guy (he was probably 60) in a studio above the music store. He played a huge Gibson archtop orchestral acoustic.
He gave me a sheet of paper with notes on it, the song was "Rockin' Robin" and a finger chart. The next week he gave me another sheet of music for Jingle Bell Rock. I don't believe he even showed me one chord. It was horrible!
I was dieing to learn Gloria and especially House of the Rising Sun. If I could learn those chords I'd be a master player.

I finally got wind of a different teacher, Charlie Hoskins, lead guitar player in a local surf band The Surf Beats. He played a beautiful sunburst Telecaster through a blonde Bandmaster amp and it sound good! Really good!
Straight-away he taught me those three magic chords: E,A and D. Within a month I was playing House of the Rising Sun. Bar chords were tough at first I remember. He taught me the fundamentals of blues changes. After that it was jam sessions and information exchanges with any of the other kids in town who played.

Yes. The twilight zone theme. I must have learned that in the first month too but there was also a Ventures song called Out of Limits that sounded similar.