Backstage With the Band

[Lee Knight]

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Potts wrote:

Guido- I probably sound argumentative but I'm not trying to be. This is just my take on it.

Talent still trumps everything else and that's exactly why bands like Mumford & Sons , Avett Brothers and singer/songwriters are some of the more popular acts right now. People can see through the bullshit and the weak attempts at trying to please them with what we think they know. A great song and a great performance go a long way.

I see so much playing acoustic gigs compared to band gigs these days. It amazes me when I I think they want to hear DMB, Coldplay and all that shit and the "kids" want me to play Beatles, Dylan and Zep. I got in my 23 year old's car the other day and she was cranking Simon and Garfunkel. lol

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Of course, I'm the first to agree with you on one level. But let me talk about my experience at the NAMM show this past weekend. If you haven't been, beside the floor of gear we all know about, after 6pm things really start cooking. There's a main stage with Tower of Power, etc. playing outside, but the REALLY interesting thing for me is walking between the cover band stages, 2 stages each between the Hyatt and the Marriott. That's 2 stages in each venue, opposite sides of the lobby for quick change over, as in immediate. Nonstop music of some top notch cover and original action. Full sound and lights provided. The best. It's NAMM.

My favorite band?

Flashback Heart Attack. The thing that nailed me about this "Premier 80's Tribute Band of the Country!" was their over the top, shticky smarmy overtly sexual in your face "crotch literally there in a girls face stage level" jerk off gestures and ridiculous posturing...

...all the while making an essentially 3 piece band smoke musically. The guitarist basically coped a tone like you might find coming off the stage of Blink 182, the bassist got a kickass The Cult rock bass sound. They didn't step on pedals to emulate some crazy modulation effect form the 80's record, the bassist didn't step on a bass synth type pedal, they just blasted these 80's hits in the style of a kick ass grass roots, loud rock and roll band.

ALL WITH A FRONT MAN WHO WILL BE A STAR.

He could sing, yes. He could. But even more interesting was his natural, rhythmic, never ending series of gestures, and over the top sexual references. Pointing at the audience, acting out a lyric. And it ALL ROCKED!!!!! Yeah, it would be so chessy if it wasn't rocking so fucking hard.

I'll take shtick any day when it can still rock me with solid, simple, grooving arrangements. The bassist rarely deviated form downstroke 8th notes, BUT HE DID IT AS WELL AS THE GUY FROM THE CULT! With a profession ear for tone.

^^^ This is showmanship^^^  And it all worked because they could play and sing very well. They NAILED the feel and viseral impact of the music they were putting out there. Bending arrangements at will to suit thier needs and arsenal of tricks. Their limitaions ironically were what made it all so freaking great. EXTREMELY WELL DONE.

Stage performance? Got some thanks.

[Potts]

Good "take" Lee!

[FitchFY]

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Lee Knight wrote:

Flashback Heart Attack. The thing that nailed me about this "Premier 80's Tribute Band of the Country!" was their over the top, shticky smarmy overtly sexual in your face "crotch literally there in a girls face stage level" jerk off gestures and ridiculous posturing...

You, my friend, may want to check out Steel Panther.

Just don't do it with kids around.

[guido61]

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Potts wrote:

Guido- I probably sound argumentative but I'm not trying to be. This is just my take on it.

Talent still trumps everything else and that's exactly why bands like Mumford & Sons , Avett Brothers and singer/songwriters are some of the more popular acts right now. People can see through the bullshit and the weak attempts at trying to please them with what we think they know. A great song and a great performance go a long way.

I see so much playing acoustic gigs compared to band gigs these days. It amazes me when I I think they want to hear DMB, Coldplay and all that shit and the "kids" want me to play Beatles, Dylan and Zep. I got in my 23 year old's car the other day and she was cranking Simon and Garfunkel. lol

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There's not much there to disagree with.   The idea isn't that stage performance should trump talent.  I think it should be a symbiotic relationship.   And what constitutes a great stage performance is going to be much different if you're an acoustic solo act as opposed to a metal band.   The point of the stage performance is to connect with the audience so as to help draw them into the music.   HOW you do it isn't nearly as important as simply DOING it.  

As far as "which songs to play"?   Really, whatever works is whatever works.  If there are some kids into Simon and Garfunkel---thats awesome.  If they're into Coldplay?  That's awesome too.  I try not to get too judgemental about audiences' musical tastes.  I'm not there to educate them, just to entertain them.

[jeff42]

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guido61 wrote:

  I try not to get too judgemental about audiences' musical tastes.  I'm not there to educate them, just to entertain them.

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So true- and I am glad that the other guys in my band feel the same way.

This was something that had to be hammered home with the last band, especially early on since we had a few guys coming out of "musical retirement" and didn't believe the "scene" has changed since the late 80s.