2 resolutions

[Michael Martin]

Take it from me: don't drink and sing. Went out Sunday afternoon to hear an outdoor performance (my Taylor-playing partner's art-rock band, as it happens) and in the process finished off a bottle of wine with my wife. Then, a few hours later, "test drove" a new song at open mike. Although I have been practicing the hell out of it for almost 2 weeks, I completely spaced on the final verse right out there in front of God and everybody. Got through the first four verses, but I swear it had to be the lingering effects of the wine. It was a shiraz, I think.

 

Two resolutions: 1. No alcohol until AFTER singing, and 2. Write shorter songs.

[darksun]

ya, that shiraz will get you everytime, next time go for a cabernet sauvignon or a nice merlot:thu:

[JasmineTea]

Moderation.

[Roy Brooks]

You wouldn't happen to be the same Michael Martin who plays around James Island are you? I've played two or three shows with you if you are.

Another thing to do is to play more instrumentals.

[Cldplytkmn]

merlot? oh god no...

stick with the shiraz, shorten the songs.

[kwakatak]

I say go with a riesling. It's a "fun" wine.

[Michael Martin]

Originally posted by Roy Brooks You wouldn't happen to be the same Michael Martin who plays around James Island are you? I've played two or three shows with you if you are. Another thing to do is to play more instrumentals.

No, I am not that MM. We're a bit short on islands here in Iowa, I'm sorry to say. And beaches... Where is James Island?

I would play more instrumentals. but I'm not much of an instrumentalist, and in any case this is just 15 minutres at open mike in a pretty noisy cafe/bar full of (mostly) college students. The stuff that goes over best is pretty forceful and lyrically interesting, or at least dynamic and engaging. An instrumental trio plays there occasionally, and nobody pays attention to them after about two minutes, even though their stuff is cool.

And to Kwak I say: Oh, no. That would be a very bad move. Riesling goes down easier and I'd probably drink more of it!

I'll just hold off til after. Amazing how fast that post-performance beer goes down...

[darksun]

Originally posted by Cldplytkmn merlot? oh god no... stick with the shiraz, shorten the songs.

i think merlot is the one he needs, the prob was he had just enough shiraz to fu@k up the song but still sober enough to be embarrassed, the merlot will have him {censored} faced and he wont give a damn:D

[kwakatak]

LOL - yea, riesling goes down like water. OTOH merlot to me = acid reflux = vomit

[knockwood]

Did that at my first open mic. Major overdose of liquid courage (a.k.a. Guinness). Killed the stage fright, more or less... Also killed my memory for the lyrics of a hefty chunk of my own song. Total blank.

So I changed my name and now I live in New York.

[Stackabones]

Originally posted by Cldplytkmn merlot? oh god no... stick with the shiraz, shorten the songs.

 

 

+1. Life's too short to drink merlot.

[Rock Martyr]

A bottle??

[Michael Martin]

Originally posted by Rock Martyr A bottle??

 

Only half a bottle. More or less. With food. And about 5 hours before! Go figure. I'm a lightweight.

 

As for all you oeniphiles: I don't like merlot, typically. Favorite wine is hellishly dry (white) Italian stuff. My wife likes reds, so of course that's what we usually drink...it all depends on the brand and year, I guess, but if I had to rank reds:

 

1. Shiraz

2. Those combo things like menage-a-trois

3. Cabernet Sauvignon

4. Zinfandel (red, not the "white" pink koolaid)

5. The kind that the guy in "Sideways" (a vastly overrated movie, IMHO) was always wanking on about and the name of which I can't remember...oh yeah--pinot noir

6. Merlot

 

After playing, of course.

[theGOOCH]

I'm an Ohio boy, born and raised. I prefer that my food once moooed and my alcoholic beverages are made of barley, malt and hops (and sometimes wheat)

[Michael Martin]

Originally posted by theGOOCH I'm an Ohio boy, born and raised. I prefer that my food once moooed and my alcoholic beverages are made of barley, malt and hops (and sometimes wheat)

 

Well, I must add this: First time I played with my neighbor (the Taylorite), on his screened porch, we drank two black-and-tans apiece in the space of about two hours. That actually made us play better. Or so it seemed to me...

 

Of course, there was no stage to be frightful about, and no audience, and no mikes...burp...

 

My beer top-ten rankings:

1. Guinness stout (draft)

2. Guinness stout (cans/bottles)

3. Porter (no particular brand)

4. Dos Equis

5. Tecate

6. Heineken

7. Moretti

8. Corona

9. Pilsner Urquell

10. Foster's lager

 

Cheers...burp...

[theGOOCH]

Originally posted by Michael Martin Well, I must add this: First time I played with my neighbor (the Taylorite), on his screened porch, we drank two black-and-tans apiece in the space of about two hours. That actually made us play better. Or so it seemed to me... Of course, there was no stage to be frightful about, and no audience, and no mikes...burp... My beer top-ten rankings: 1. Guinness stout (draft) 2. Guinness stout (cans/bottles) 3. Porter (no particular brand) 4. Dos Equis 5. Tecate 6. Heineken 7. Moretti 8. Corona 9. Pilsner Urquell 10. Foster's lager Cheers...burp...

I try tons of different beers all the time. It's hard to say what's best, but I like:

Goose Island Oatmeal Stout
St Ambroise Oatmeal Stout(hard to get)
Gulden Draak (hard to get)
St. Augustine Triple Ale(hard to get)
Red Legg Ale (Local Cincy)
Christian Moerlein Doppelbock(local Cincy)
Hoeggarden
Sam Smith's Nut brown Ale
Newcastle
Shiner Bock

Dos Equis (especially the dark) and Tecate are good too. Also try Carta Blanca if you haven't

I like Guiness OK but I think there are better stouts (I especially like oatmeal stouts)

Drinking enough for courage and not so much you're a babbling fool can be a delicate balance.

[babablowfish]

I have had the painfully embarrassing experience of forgetting the words and/or chords several times without imbibing any alcohol at all. It just happens sometimes and the older you get the more often it will happen - just like some other stuff.