Being a Pro

So, I'm never going to be a professional full-time musician. First off, I don't think I have the talent...and second, I know that I don't have the drive to self-promote and the tolerance for uncertainty that such a life would entail. Still, I plan to play music as long as I'm physically able and to do it with as many folks as I can. And for those reasons, it is worth listening to advice on how to be professional.

Last week at a rehearsal the lead singer called me "an academic." It was a compliment. All he really meant was that I took notes on songs. I don't really get how it is that people learn new songs without doing this...whether they be cover tunes or originals. For me, having a recording and writing notes is the only way to figure things out and to be able to remember what's going on for the next time. I don't know how people get by without doing this. Obviously they do...but I don't know how.

So I guess I'm glad to read the following nice blog post by a professional drummer.

Filling In Survival Guide
Last weekend I had the great opportunity to work with CCM Artist Big Daddy Weave on a tour date out in Missouri as a fill in for their drummer Jeff Jones. It was an incredible experience for me, and one where I was able to really hone in my skills doing sub-work. I decided after the experience to write a little map about how to fill in for other drummers and how to really nail it.

1) Preparation.

This is really the most important part of the process. You can never be too prepared for a gig. In this case their drummer sent me side view videos of him playing the tunes, and I also got a copy of the audio from the live show from top to bottom. I spent a good bit of time going through each song. I cannot over emphasize the need to listen to the tunes by themselves without charting first. This helps give me an idea of the feel that they are going for, and gives me a great idea about what kind of chops I’ll need to accomplish it. It also puts me in the right mindset style-wise so that I’m doing my best to duplicate the feel of the person that I’m subbing for. Remember, the goal here is not really to just play like crazy, the goal is to make it seem like you’ve played the songs 100 times and like their drummer isn’t away. You can’t do that without listening to the tunes intently.

2) Charting.

Once I’ve listened to the songs, it’s time to start making charts. I always start by finding the general tempo of the tune and writing that on the top of the chart. I also typically will write a style or song association. If it’s very Dave Matthews sounding, I’ll write DMB, or John Mayer or whatever so when I look at the chart I know how fast it is and what tune it reminded me of. That way I can associate quickly on stage if I forget what a song sounds like.

From there I’ll go ahead and listen 1 time through just getting the proper bars and the song form. I write everything in the Nashville number system, but I use all 1′s since I don’t need the changes. So a verse for me that’s 8 bars looks like this ( 1 1 1 1 : 1 1 1 1 :) I use the numbers to show a measure and the “:” is used to tell me a phrase has ended. So that would be an 8 bar verse with two phrases. It can get really complicated when you have odd meters and such, but I have a system for everything these days. Once I have the tune mapped out I’ll take another listen all the way through and I’ll write in the necessary grooves, variations, stops, band hits, etc. Anything that will help remind me of what the song is supposed to sound like. I’ll also write snare drum choices if I’m going to be changing them out in the show.

Charting is the most important part for me. I just played a 14 song show by reading through charts, there was no possible way for me to memorize 14 songs in one week, especially in the middle of doing studio work, so you live, eat, and breathe by the charts you write. So this process is very tedious, but necessary and eventually it even becomes fun. You can create your own language basically.

3) Gig Day.

Finally, you’ve listened, charted, prepared as much as possible. Now it’s time to do the show. The biggest thing for me, especially when we don’t have any rehearsals, is making sure that the tempo is at least close and the feel is right-on. This is much easier if you’re using a click track, but if you aren’t, the best thing is to try to get your own click into your mix so that you can at least start close to the correct tempo. All songs tend to move when you aren’t on the click which is why I am a huge advocate for the click track, but in many cases artists don’t use them, so you have to be prepared for that and be ready for whatever comes your way.

Once you’re on stage reading down your charts, it’s important to stay focused on the form of the songs. Keep your ears open, if you are hearing something different from your charts feel-wise, make adjustments. Your charts are there to guide you but sometimes artists make changes on the fly, you have to be listening as much as reading. If you know what the verse sounds like, and they want to repeat it, just be prepared mentally to keep following along. If you get lost in the chart keep your eyes and ears on the band leader, they will surely give you cues as to what’s coming next. I always try to make sure to make a point of looking out of the charts in the middle of the tune. If the second verse, pre-chorus and chorus are mirrors of the first, I’ll make a mental note, and use that time to interact with the other players. Then I get back into the chart before the bridge so I know what I’m doing. Don’t be so into the chart that you’re not with the artist on stage, but don’t allow yourself to get lost in the moment and forget about the huge stop on the first beat of the bridge :).

Hope this helps some of you guys. I’ve filled in and read charts on the stage for at least 15 different artists in the last few years, this has always worked for me as a survival guide. Peace!

Drummers: Phil Collins

As long as I can remember Phil Collins has been something of a punch line. I can't find a video of it, but I remember Rosie O'donnell once mistaking Sting for Phil Collins and it getting a big joke. And I remember the cheesy pop music of the 80s he produced. More lately, I've read and heard lots of people put him down as a musician and a drummer.

In one of my drumming magazines last night there was a "10 things to like about Phil Collins" article. I guess that, by the time I knew Genesis and Collin's solo career...they were cheesy pop. But long before that, Genesis was prog. And prog in my mind means complicated. And I never would have put Phil Collins and complicated in the same sentence before.

But I learn more and more every day that what I never knew about the history of pop music far out-shadows what I do know. And that's what this blog has always strived to be all about...me educating myself about shit I should have known a long time ago.

So, I had no idea Genesis started in 1967 and Collins joined in 1971...taking over lead vocals in 1976. Follow You Follow Me is the first song I am aware of by Genesis that I am familiar with...and that was 1978.

Here's the kind of weirdness they pulled:


Checking the Billboard charts, I can see now why I didn't know anything about their early days. They didn't hit it big until "Follow You Follow Me".





Drummerworld

Collins drums in odd times...Dance on a Volcano in 7/8


Fifth of Fifth


Also Cinema Show, Suppers Ready, Los Endos and Lamb Lies Down on Broadway album

Lately

I've been a little remiss in updating RM, but it isn't for lack of musical developments.

Last night was the first gathering of the Flaming Lips tribute project. We listened to about 20 potential tunes and talked staging and props and players.

Next Tuesday is the first gathering of the Blondie tribute project. I think I've got committment from 2 guitars, a bass, a singer, and me on drums. The keys are still tentative...but he seems to be leaning our way. We'll see if anyone has strong opinions about the setlist or if we just play Best of Blondie and call it a day. I've been working the tunes and am making good progress. There will be a balance to strike betwee "close enough" and "what he really played." I'm trying to lean towards the real thing...but in the end it will be doable "one way or another".

The trip to see the Pixies had its ups and downs, but mostly up.

SSW is on a bit of an unplanned brief break and TD is starting to learn "new" (to me and the bass player) tunes (and is wrapping up recording the cd that I am not featured on). CJ has a show May 20th. It is themed "filth."

Greece May 1989

Pixies, Greece, May 1989, right after Doolittle was released:


Whole concert playlist of videos (19 songs) here.

Early Pixies Show

The 8th Pixies show ever played has just been posted on the internet.

The Pixies - Live Québec 1987 by patbergeron

CJ, Mickey's, 4/16/2011

THE MARATHON!

I think it went as well as possible. The opener, The Sesters, arrived and set up on time and were done in 30 minutes. We were able to take the stage by the appointed 11:30pm hour. I was oddly nervous the moment that I hit the floor and don't think I shook it until half way through the second set. Had a beer before, two during, and one after and 2 or 3 pints of water. Having to pee didn't end up being the problem I thought it would...I think I sweated it out. Plenty of sleep the night before. A very good dinner. The crowd was a little more sparse than past Mickey's shows, but very enthusiastic. I let a girl sing Where Is My Mind for me...cause, well, there was no stopping it.

We had really weird flubs...things that have never gone wrong before. Start of I'm Amazed...Velouria...other small weird things. Sound was good. We had 60W floor monitors and I'm not convinced they helped much, but I could hear my vocals ok for most part except on Velouria...and I think something else was wrong on that song with RS so that might be why it was weird.

Quotes from audience "You ARE as cool as Kim Deal" (followed by unneccesary explanation of Dandy Warhols tune) and "You make a decent Kim Deal substitute" and "You sound exactly like Kim Deal" (bullshit, drunky...I just don't). Someone else said "I like what you are doing with the bass parts" which I assume means...again...I sound reasonably like what I'm supposed to sound like...cause I certainly didn't write those bass lines.

I feel good about the whole thing. It's good to have a good show because that last High Noon CJ gig made me want to quit this. But I think that was just a bad night...partly my fault, partly not my fault...and overall we are still really kicking ass pretty well. The next gig is a single set at Filth (that's the theme) at Inferno, my first show there ever. Can't wait.

In the meantime...I'm hitting the road on Thursday to catch the real Pixies in Detroit on Friday, Milwaukee on Saturday, and St Paul on Sunday. Same show. Three days, three cities, three days. That's the dream.

Set One
TROMPE LE MONDE
THE HOLIDAY SONG
BROKEN FACE
MR. GRIEVES
CRACKITY JONES
ISLA DE ENCANTA
HEAD ON
CACTUS
NO. 13 BABY
IS SHE WEIRD
I BLEED
INTO THE WHITE
I'M AMAZED
BRICK IS RED
ED IS DEAD
LA LA LOVE YOU
DOWN TO THE WELL
RIVER EUPHRATES
PALACE OF THE BRINE
LETTER TO MEMPHIS
DEAD
MONKEY GONE TO HEAVEN
VAMOS

Set Two
DEBASER
BONE MACHINE
BREAK MY BODY
PLANET OF SOUND
ALEC EIFFEL
VELOURIA
CARIBOU
MANTA RAY
SUBBACULTCHA
DIG FOR FIRE
ALLISON
SOMETHING AGAINST YOU
THERE GOES MY GUN
HEY
GIGANTIC
THE SAD PUNK
LEVITATE ME
HERE COMES YOUR MAN
NIMROD'S SON
WAVE OF MUTILATION
GOUGE AWAY

Encore
TAME
WHERE IS MY MIND?

SSW, Mr Roberts, 4/14/2011

We were a last minute add with Pop Suicide. They wanted us to fill as much time as possible.

The show was a comedy of errors. Two mic stands broke. Kenny's bass amp wasn't working properly. Both Rick AND Jim broke strings. On more than one occasion at least one of us was in the wrong key. For a few songs I realized as we started that we hadn't played them in weeks or months. No one but a handful of our dedicated fans (read FRIENDS) attended. They still paid us the $150 guarantee ($75 per band) but warned that we needed to bring a crowd next time. Of course, with less than a week's notice about a show, that's hard to do. Especially for a Thursday show.

I had three beers...one before, one during, and one after. And I drake coffee and 32 ounces of water. Ate a huge pasta dinner. Had decent sleep. I'd say it was pretty sober drumming and not terrible. Mostly I just hadn't played some of the songs for a long time. We also debuted 3 tunes that weren't really ready for prime time but went fine. I recorded the show...not our best performance. Rough start...middle was decent...got sloppy as we hit the home stretch again.

After the show I was accosted by a persistent drunken Moroccan man. First he really wanted to know all about my drums (which are about as "not special" as a drum kit can get and still be playable in a professional situation) and then he wanted to tell me what a great player I was over and over. And then he wouldn't go away. He wanted to talk to me, but wanted me to drop everything I was doing and stare straight into his eyes...but I needed to load out. He seemed unwilling to talk while I packed up...and it created an akward situation. After load out I tried to talk to him, but it became apparent that he was quite drunk AND had some language barriers. He was very passionate about whatever it was that he was saying and really, really wanted me to respond...but he was basically mumbling jibberish. No idea what that was about. I couldn't tell if he was hitting on me...was just really into the drums...or what. I suspect he was in that "when women drum it is so cool and sexy and they are awesome" thing. The drummer that played in the opening band had way better chops than me and he didn't seem interested in that guy at all.

I always find it suspect when people are overly enthusiastic about what a great drummer I am. I think that I am a reliable drummer and do a decent job in a beginning-intermediate kind of way. I don't have tons of chops and I don't have tons of finesse. I have a limited pallette of skills. I have a good amount of experience playing in a group situation and I am good at listenting to my bandmates and reacting appropriately. I try to serve the music and not show off. I practice and I learn my parts and I show up to rehearsal and, unless you are one of those people who hate me (and there are those people in the world) I'm easy to get along with in a band. I promote my shows and even book them as needed. I buy beer for the band. I have my own equipment and transportation and rehearsal space. I pull my weight.

I am not, however, awesome. And when someone tells me I am awesome I think it says more about them than me. They either
1) are a guy that has a hang up about female rockers
2) are a woman who wishes they could be a rocker but is afraid to try
and usually are also drunk.

Setlist:
1. PART TIME PUNKS
2. HATE & WAR
3. I HATE THE RICH
4. NEW ROSE
5. THAT'S HOW I ESCAPED MY CERTAIN FATE
6. TEENAGE KICKS
7. MR. SUIT
8. HELICOPTER
9. WE ARE THE ONE
10. DON'T GIVE ME NO LIP CHILD
[we took a break here to change 2 broken strings]
11. BOSCOBEL BREAKOUT
12. I AM A CLICHE
13. DANCE (4X) TO THE RADIO
14. SUSPECT DEVICE
15. YOU DRIVE ME APE (YOU BIG GORILLA)
16. WARSAW
17. POLITICAL SONG FOR MICHAEL JACKSON TO SING
18. EVERYBODY'S HAPPY NOWADAYS
19. MANIAC
20. ONE TRACK MIND
21. TOO DRUNK TOO FUCK
22. TWO PINTS OF LAGER AND A PACKET OF CRISPS PLEASE
23. FUCKED UP AND WASTED