Hope I still have some friends here.
I know what happens to bloggers who don’t post often. Most of us say we’re only doing it for ourselves, but of course what we want — what I want — is to be read, to be understood, to have a chance to explain myself, to demonstrate to the universe that I’m a good person.
But I don’t have time for that right now, so here’s the short version quick catch-up:
- The new band is now called Big Noise, and it took up most of my free time for the last two months. We’re doing a few songs that I wrote, but mostly it’s a party band, so we’re doing fun covers that you can drink to. I don’t like to sound like everybody else, so I’ve spent a lot of time finding obscure music to play, learning it, transcribing it, arranging it and teaching it to the band. This has been hard for me, but exhilarating at the same time. All the pressure of trying to showcase at The Roxy and get a record deal is off, and what’s left is pure, sweaty, rockin’ fun. Still, it’s time-consuming work, so, no time to blog. (I’m not apologizing, just sayin’.)
- Now I find out that even the cheesiest dive in town (yes, I’ve checked) wants an audition CD before they will talk to me about booking. I guess I’ve been out of circulation too long, but I thought I’d be able to go and talk myself in at some neighborhood bar, and they’d be grateful to have me. But no: now I have to book a recording studio and record a demo. Rehearsing for parties is different than getting ready to record, so now I have to start a new phase with Big Noise, wherein I try to hear if the bass and the kick are working well together, if the harmony intervals are as they should be, etc. This is because if you make a mistake at a party, someone may hear it, but no one will really care as long as there’s dancing and an adequate liquor supply. But if you release a recording with a mistake on it, people will be able to play back your bad playing or singing as many times as they want, and sooner or later any lame-o will detect the errors and from that day forward they will hear nothing else, just the mistakes. Not conducive to getting booked.
- The strutting, loudmouth egomaniac about whom I have previously written, the executive who has ruined all my fun for the past year at my day job, was fired. Actually, sources tell me he sneaked into the building on Friday morning before we opened and cleaned out his office, sneaking away again without speaking to anyone. I know he was fired, because if he had left voluntarily he’s the kind of jerk who would have called a meeting and given a speech, a speech in which he would have talked about himself for an hour or so, then told us that he loved us and he hoped that the things he’d taught us would serve us well, but he was moving on to a higher calling. In fact, he practically killed our business, decimated our staff and destroyed the morale of everyone who didn’t resign. He wore a suit like nobody’s business, but he had no idea how to run our operation, or, I suspect, any commercial venture. I guess I shouldn’t be, but I continue to get amazed that a big, fancy corporation like HugeCorp still gets taken in by con artists like this guy. I could tell he was jive as soon as I spoke to him. Why can’t they? Anyway, leading up to this blessed event, pressure at the office had been building to an exquisitely high pitch, as I and the few professionals too stupid to leave tried to hold everything together. Once again, not much time to spend with you, my precious few bloggin’ buddies, although if you would pay my rent I’d blow off the job in a minute.
I compose blog posts in my mind all day, and — also in my mind — I email all of you with love and good cheer at least once a week. I hope you’re getting it all. More soon.
We get it. Rave on.
Hey, I click over here all the time. Just to check in. So, you won’t lose me as a reader. Good for you and all this music you are creating and performing! That’s great. Kind of stinks, though that you have to spend money and make a CD for the bar owners/managers to hear first. Besides having to spend the money, it’ll be fun to do, though.
I’m glad The strutting, loudmouth egomaniac is out of your life.
Rock on, Larry!
As the great Gershwin song goes, Things are looking up/ I’ve been looking the landscape over/And it’s covered with four-leaf clover….
Keep rockin’ Jones. We feel the love.
Ron – You got it right: I’m raving.
Blue Girl – Don’t you worry ’bout me: I’m not much of a guitarist or singer but I’m very good at organizing musical groups and producing records. I’m sure this demo will pay for itself in, oh, ten years or so…
kStyle – “… No more will I be the mourner, for I’ve certainly turned the corner …”
So, those voices in my head are just the mental e-mails you’re sending my way? What a relief!
Glad the creepy guy’s gone, hope things look up at work.
Oh, and the news of the band is REALLY cool, I meant to say. I have a 2-second attention span today.
A rocker who likes the standards. You’re a Renaissance man.
Nice update.
Send your demo CD to me. I’ll get you booked at a classy place … or maybe not so classy, … but a PLACE, yes, definitely a PLACE.
Gnightgirl – Ding dong, the witch is dead!
kStyle – Just a little hip-hop challenged.
Theresa – I’ll let you know when we’re ready to tour.
I am SO glad to hear that the guy got fired.
The stuff about the music is wonderful, too, but the guy getting fired … well, that suggests that there can be isolated moments of justice and satisfaction and glorious revenge every few years. And that melody is sweet indeed.
Ding! Dong!
teh Suit is gone
teh wicked suit
of HugeCorp is gone
Ding! Dong!
teh terrible suit is gone!
w00t! lol!
Congrats on Big Noise, Larry! I love the way you’ve described the process necessary to get gigs now-a-days, even though that process could kill any motivation to actually gig.
Is a crazy, messed up, capitalist world, but at least it sometimes really does have the advertised effect of separating the wheat from the chaff. Since even the least accomplished people are so much more than inanimate food-stock (for the most part, eh ;-} ) it also prevents a lot of very creative folks for mounting the stages we get to see, but I don’t see you having THAT difficulty at all. You got the Cool AND the Composure man!
Plus, to be even more honest, I’m kinda glad you don’t post all the time. I’ve enough trouble keeping up and often feel bad when I visit what a consider a Friend‘s blog after being away a while.
You rock L-dawg. Have fun in the studio and good luck giggin!
Dude- fear not.
I have recordings of every possible type through which you may pore and select any time. I’ve got more demos of more bands than you can imagine. Write and let me know what you need to sound like. I’ve got a three-songer for you and you can totally say it’s Big Noise.
It’s like term papers online but free. YOu want to be a Beaver Brown bar kind of thing? Dude I’ve got Mustang Sally in EVERY KEY. Midnight Hour, Browneyed Girl, anything. Anything.
C.B – The guy is already a distant memory.
Bains – Thanks, man. I am The Wheat!
Lightfoot – This is a fuckin’ great idea! I was just going to burn a couple of early Stones 45’s onto CD and try to pass ’em off, but this is so much better. Can you do me something like The Standels meet Marvin Gaye, and they all go over to David Crosby’s house for some sweet, sweet harmony and a little target practice?