It's a gig Matt's lined-up... and he's told us absolutely nothing about it. We know where it is - and that's it! No other details.
He told us a month ago about it. I asked him to find out some more specific information about it, so we know what to anticipate, what equipment will be needed, etc etc etc.
Nada.
That's like absolutely pathetic. Hair-tearing-out kinda stuff, to my way of thinking.
He won't rehearse. Gawd alone knows what he practices, but it sure aint any of the stuff he says he is. When he finally does get around to playing with us, he still has no idea what is going on, music-wise. It's like he's been practicing the same song upside down underwater on a plastic tuba or something... just doesn't listen to what anybody else is doing. He's just not able to do anything he says he'll do. He doesn't take notes for himself. He doesn't remember arrangements, or even key signatures to songs we've played like 30 times.
Anyways... needless to say, I'm pretty sure this Saturday night will be the last band gig with the current line-up. Julian and I are both fed-up.Matt needs the break away from us, as much as we do him.
Julian and I both want to get out there and gig as musos, not just jam crap endlessly.
as it is, we've reached the heights of mediocrity! hahahahaa.
Oh, I love playing. Don't get me wrong.
I'm just very realistic in acknowledging that with this current line-up, we're going absolutely nowhere fast. I've reached a point where after over nine+ months we've been jamming together - we simply haven't got any better as a band. And that's simply unacceptable.
I know we're only doing it for fun. That's fine.
But there's a huge difference between mindless jamming, running thru the 'hits' thoughtlessly, and doing something worthwhile constructive together.
I know we're not gonna "go anywhere" or be famous. That's realistic. I'm just talking about being satisfied (and satisfying) as a performer and as a muso.
I can see that it's gonna be me who takes over the reigns of this chicken outfit. I don't want to lead, but we've been sailing rudderless since the beginning. That's been our major problem. No-ones' stepped-up to take the musical director's job. Hell - I've been doing that for years anyways in a lot of situations I've found myself in. I guess I was just waiting for someone else to do it in the Boxies.
Things are gonna change, if that's the case. It's still going to be fun and enjoyable, just with some affirmative and positive direction to aid and inspire motivation.
As it is, I've been the one who writes out all the lyrics, makes copies of arrangements (for myself, mind you! In a 'proper/normal' band, everyone has their own 'folders' with their own 'charts' and arrangements, for their own instruments. Mick and Matt get lost looking at mine, simply because they are in "Mal-speak", arranged for bass, basically! rofl), and writes out and organises set-lists. These were always mean to be my charts for me and for my arrangements for the stuff I'm supposed to be playing, with my scribble about each printed-out page. That's what everyone is supposed to do for themselves. But it ends up the other two guys end-up trying to read my 'charts' with limited success. I've been 'actively encouraging' them for six months (no exaggeration) to do their own and get their own folders and their shit together with their own arrangements, so they can doodle over with their own notes etc etc etc - to no avail.
Simply - they break cardinal rule #1 when it comes to playing in any type of band: "Do your homework"!
Dang. It's not gonna be easy, when some people seemingly don't want to do anything!
In all seriousness, I'd chuck it all in - if it weren't for Julian, our drummer. The guy is i] an awesome "salt of the earth" kinda guy, and ii] an awesome drummer, with inventive rhythm ideas that send blissful cold shivers down my spine. And thirdly, iv] - he practices AND creates his own 'charts', thankfully.
I'm hanging in there, simply for him.
I feel the most disappointed because I feel I've let him down in someway. Right or wrong, that's just the way I feel about it all.
After this weekends' gig, I'm going to - forcibly, if needs be - get everyone together, sit us down (sans-instruments), and lay it all out there. Let everyone listen to everyone else, reaffirm what and why we want to do what we want to do - and create some realistic goals and achievable plans together.
Mick wants to play bass more. Good! Listening to all those seemingly-endless hours of rehearsal tapes, those times when we really feel as though we're "getting our $#it together" is when I'm on rhythm guitar. Not that I'm trying to make myself out as something I'm not... it's just that... we need to really start playing to our strengths. I love playing bass (and am really good with it, no, really! lol). But Mick needs to play less guitar and more bass. Simple as that. He's a good bassplayer too - when he wants to be, that is.
(Geebus... I sound like such an arrogant @$$hat! rofl. I just mean... everybody tells me I'm a good, consistent, steady, melodic, inventive and solid bassplayer.)
All of this stuff is like "Band 101" stuff to me. It's like obvious common-sense to my way of thinking, when it comes to playing with any group of like-minded musos. Perhaps it's me who's totally off-track?
Rant ends.
Peas be with ewe
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good luck with matt.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a wonderful gig on Saturday. Despite Matt.
Wheow!!!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHope it all worked out...such a curmerdogen