tribute

TheBMC · Post by **TheBMC** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

CHICKSINGA wrote:I cant wait to hear you guys!!

PS- Thank you (and everyone else pitching in) for helping out saturday!

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

Hearing a lot of echoes of the "Musical Groundhog Day" thread.

I've always felt that the idea that there is a conspiracy to blacklist great talents, for the crime of having too much talent, is a function of ego, and nothing more.
Give people a reason to show up, and they will show up.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

songsmith wrote:Hearing a lot of echoes of the "Musical Groundhog Day" thread.

I've always felt that the idea that there is a conspiracy to blacklist great talents, for the crime of having too much talent, is a function of ego, and nothing more.
Give people a reason to show up, and they will show up.

And you are the ones making this post be about that, not anyone else.
No conspiracies EVER suspected. Its a OUT and OUT fact that some bands get more gigs due to badmouthing bullshit and Preferential treatment. There is no hidden agenda. You are just trying to add smoke & mirrors yourself.

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

I think it is very American to give bands, or anyone else, preferential treatment.

* opens a can of worms labeled "may contain politics" *

A free market means that those who do the most "people pleasing" or offer the best advantages to customers/clients will get the most work.

Marxism, on the other hand, would prescribe equal treatment of all, regardless of whatever criteria those making the decisions use.

Anyone who has even casually observed this business should realize that you have to have fans. Not just people who come to the show or buy the record, but venue owners, promoters, engineers, stage crew, drivers, even people who only know you from an on-line forum, have to like you if you are going to be successful. Maybe that all boils down to a popularity contest, but if you're going to be in the game, them's the rules.

bassist_25 · Post by **bassist_25** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

CHICKSINGA wrote:Ha! Paullie is that for the thread or my reply to witchhunt?

I usually pull out the official seal whenever a thread has become a huge dramafest that has gotten to the point of actually being entertaining to an observer.

Honestly, Trace, I think you're just tilting at windmills with this one. While the Railroaders Museum does book some tribute acts, I don't see it as a pathological blight on the local music scene. I only know of a very handful of clubs that occasionally have the Ozzy or AC/DC tribute, but for the most part, the scene belongs to the original and "traditional" cover bands. Sure, there's a good ol' boys club in Central PA - it permeates everything from the music scene to local business to politics - but I don't see much value in raising a stink about it unless there's a plan to eradicate it. The fact that less artistically sophisticated entertainment reigns neither offends nor surprises me, specifically because of two things I realized years ago: A). Contrary to normative popular belief, the world is NOT a meritocracy (largely because of said politics), and related to that, B). Things that succeed in the market do so because of socially constructed percieved value rather than any intrinsic value within the products or services themselves. If the contrary were true, most computers would ship with Firewire rather than USB ports, and we would have been throwing out our Betamaxes rather than our VHSs when we switched to DVD.

My band has gotten a couple breaks throughout our tenure, but for the most part, anything we got came through going at it hard every time we're on stage and treating the people around us with respect. I have the photos, war stories, and dings and scratches all over my basses to prove it. And when we got those breaks, we were still expected to deliver. It wasn't a free pass. There were times I felt snubbed or that someone less deserving was getting a break, but I quickly learned that dwelling on that wasn't productive at all.

Is music business or art? I always saw that as false dichtonomy. I never understand why it couldn't be both. Truth of the matter is, I find a lot of musicians way too pretentious for my tastes. Don't wax pseudo-intellectual bullshit about the philosophy of music with me. Play some kick ass music.

Just my .02.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

Honestly I'm tired of saying the same thing over.
If there's an old boy network I don't really think about it.
I've been one of the boys In music & my Job I guess that never enters my mind. I sing like a guy & a girl. I'm kinda genderless cept for the boobs, : )
I believe what I believe. If I'm full if shit so be it.
I'm pretty sure I'm not. Too much evident.
I don't have an uber fan out there doin press & postin my pix every chance they get. Guess I just haven't worked as hard as you professionals.
Right.

Kband guy, I have one question. Do you play your 11,000 songs from memory or do read the sheet music onstage?

Jasaoke · Post by **Jasaoke** » Wednesday Jul 04, 2012

(technically that's two questions - I'm surprised we haven't heard from Captain Grammar on this thread)

Thanks for your interest in kBand!! I don't want to hijack the thread, but I was asked a direct questions so I'll answer it. Since you asked, I'll assume that you forgot how we do what we do. You joined us onstage at Burgi's 9/9/11:

http://kband.org/gig/57/performances

(stayed all night, too)

Firstly, it's not 11,000 (yet

) it's 1100. But the direct answer to your question is: neither. We have developed and built our own teleprompter system to display the lyrics for our guest singers, who get their own monitor. Three other monitors onstage display an expanded set of information for the musicians; essentially a chord chart which may also contain comments for the tempo and feel of a song, and occasionally give us a heads-up for things like keychanges. So it's not sheet music or traditional music notation - more like cliffs notes.

Each song is broken down into pages, so that the lyrical information can be more easily digested and followed along by our guests. Our bass player has a set of pedals that control 'page-up' and 'page-down', so the music stays in charge of the computer, not the other way around. Each song must be arranged and entered into the database by the members of the group. The database contains songs in several states of completion and status: audience requests, drafts (incomplete arrangements), songs awaiting rehearsal and band approval (we make sure we can play each and every one) until they are finally 'published', that is, made available for anyone to sing.

We also travel with a wireless router, so people can peruse the songlist, or sign up to sing from their smartphones. There's also the option to follow along with the singer prompter. We are also currently developing our own phone app. (Just tryin' to stay up with the times)

fieryfrets · Post by **fieryfrets** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

Jasaoke wrote:Thank you Hawk. You are a great ambassador for local musicians.

I am not.

I see a lot of kBashing going here. (Unless you're putting down the OTHER karaoke band in the area - which you're not. { yeah, no originality there}).

I don't expect anyone to like it. However, I would caution against calling into question or disrespecting the musicianship, talent, or skill of a group that is both willing and able to perform any one of 1129 songs anytime, anywhere. That number will go up tomorrow.

This business is about making people happy. Music is just the channel through which we choose to do that. Tribute bands, as well as "original " bands, and cover bands, all do that. If any one of us were truly just in it for the art, we wouldn't bother getting up on stage.

Well..Im calling "into question you guys musicianship talent and skill. There ya go. You guys basically download 1000 songs onto your ipads or teleprompters or whatever right? And the teleprompters have the lyrics and chords right? Please correct me if im wrong here. IM JUST STATING MY OPINION- You guys do your thing more power to ya rock on..but if I had to pretand i was liking the Debbie Gibson or Lady Gaga song I was playing while some drunk was singing karaoke i'd blow my brains all over the stage. You guys dont really KNOW 1000 songs ,youre reading the chords and following along on teleprompters , so its not quite the same as a band "learning" songs as opposed to "downloading" them. unless you practice like 24/7 to really "know" these songs tight?? Maybe thats the case i guess when you have so much time off from gigs? Anyway to reitterate JUST MY PERSONAL OPINION HERE rock on let us know when you know like a million songs that would be just so bad ass!

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

CHICKSINGA wrote: Are you a musician, in a band, even stepped outside of the confines of the area?

You sound like a typical jealous person of no experience at all.

First of all, I apologize to the readers for all of this bickering.
So chicksinger, you want to know my musical background. My resume is certainly nothing spectacular. I play bass. Been playing since the early 80's. I've played in 7 bands in my life. Two of which were flops. One of those cause we had a "chicksinga". She had a great voice but I feel most people don't want to sit through a bunch of Sheryl Crow, Meredith Baxter, Avril Lavigne, etc. One band was fairly successful. Two of my bands were, in my opinion, very successful. In fact, my last band, Wired, packed the house every time we played. But, alas, I guess I am not a real musician cause I never stepped out of the area. Never wanted to. Never had to. I made $100 - $200 a week which payed for my habits with some left over.
And one more thing. If I were jealous of anyone, which I'm not, it sure as fuck wouldn't be you!

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

Omg! Dude you are awesome!! I don't even to say a word,
You have proven everything I suspected of you by that post
Alone!! Ha ha!!! Man! I couldn't have done a better job myself.
Thank you! You prevented me from having to write or think
Another wasted second on your sorry ass.

sstuckey · Post by **sstuckey** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

witchhunt wrote:
CHICKSINGA wrote: Are you a musician, in a band, even stepped outside of the confines of the area?

You sound like a typical jealous person of no experience at all.
First of all, I apologize to the readers for all of this bickering.
So chicksinger, you want to know my musical background. My resume is certainly nothing spectacular. I play bass. Been playing since the early 80's. I've played in 7 bands in my life. Two of which were flops. One of those cause we had a "chicksinga". She had a great voice but I feel most people don't want to sit through a bunch of Sheryl Crow, Meredith Baxter, Avril Lavigne, etc. One band was fairly successful. Two of my bands were, in my opinion, very successful. In fact, my last band, Wired, packed the house every time we played. But, alas, I guess I am not a real musician cause I never stepped out of the area. Never wanted to. Never had to. I made $100 - $200 a week which payed for my habits with some left over.
And one more thing. If I were jealous of anyone, which I'm not, it sure as fuck wouldn't be you!

Again back to the pissing contest over who has done more. We're all in Altoona working day jobs. Not one of us is better than the other based on that very simple fact. You've been to L.A.? Well to quote Adam Sandler.....well whoop-a-dee-doo!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhRMeiyret0

Sorry couldn't find just the "whoop-a-dee-doo" part.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

We did go see Battery. They were good, but honestly no better than the local bands I've heard. I kept wishing they would do songs by other bands. They did do one original. Sounded like Metallica.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

Jesus!!! I am NOT making a big deal out of LA, Touring or Europe!!
Anyone with balls can do that shit. If you people would READ what's written instead of skimming and going off half cocked I would faint!!!
I talk about that no more than bands who went to blues contests in Memphis & you all aren't bitchin' about that!!!
Shit maybe Paul, Bassist_25 IS right!!

I'm done - if it makes y'all feel superior to Keep on Raggin'
GO FOR IT!!!

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

CHICKSINGA wrote:Omg! Dude you are awesome!! I don't even to say a word,
You have proven everything I suspected of you by that post
Alone!! Ha ha!!! Man! I couldn't have done a better job myself.
Thank you! You prevented me from having to write or think
Another wasted second on your sorry ass.

Although I really didn't want to, I had to look at your band's website just to try to figure out why you're so stuck on yourself. I see this portly girl in sparkly Dollar Store apparel, making cheezy singer faces like she hasn't taken a shit in a month, and I'm thinking "you gotta be kidding." THIS is the great chicksinga. The tank top and white sleeves about had me in tears.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

Not sure about "smoke & mirrors," or how any of it relates to me personally, other than I happen to be someone hearing sour grapes because someone else can't believe others don't hold their talents in as high regard.
For someone with so much experience, you don't seem to understand that you're only as good as your last gig. I've started over a zillion times, in different genres, different projects...EVERY time, I started at zero. Thin Ice did as well as a local band can do, and my next project played to empty seats. Mama Corn played to empty seats occasionally... but we haven't for awhile now. We CRUSH social media, put up flyers, pass out table-toppers, go see other bands in our scene, and onstage, we're a team. None of us want the responsibility of being the "star," so we each take a lead in almost every song, and never bill any one of us as "lead vocalist" or "lead" anything. My bandmates are really good musicians, but most of our fans, regulars and newbies, remark how much fun we have playing, not how awesome a lead break was. By and large, the audience is less concerned with virtuosity and soaring vocals than they are with the mood you leave them in. If that weren't the case, I'd have never had a career, because the songwriting is the only thing I've ever felt like I was decent at.
If you sat in with k-Band, you must have felt you could add something to what they were doing. By and large, when a bar-singer does karaoke, they do it with the mindset that they are going to blow everyone away. In that instance, you are happy to have them back you up. Once that didn't happen, they go back to being beneath your artistry. My bandmate Bruce plays in k-Band as well. If you don't think he's a good musician, or hasn't paid the dues you have, you should ask Vanna if you can buy a vowel, because you're not solving the puzzle.
As for opinions, I think that Adele is the most over-rated singer of the New Millenium. "If It Hadn't Been For Love" was mildly interesting, but the original bluegrass version by The Steeldrivers is giant strides better. Otherwise, she just sounds like a million other snotty Brit girls who smoke too much, and think we owe them something. I'm sure I'll get the "you're just jealous" treatment, but I can assure you, I don't want anything she has. I'm having way more fun than she is right now.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

Oh but PS
Meredith BAXTER was an ACTOR on HAZEL

Meredith BROOKS is the MUSICIAN who wrote, you Guessed it -

BITCH!!

mjb · Post by **mjb** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

i'm feeling a lock" commin on.. before trace gets bombarded, and things end up getting personal. which is commin, i can feel it..

witch hunt, that was a great post, sounds like you've been pretty satisfied musically and thats a good place to be.

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

songsmith wrote: I'm sure I'll get the "you're just jealous" treatment, .

Guaranteed.

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

mjb wrote:i'm feeling a lock" commin on.. before trace gets bombarded, and things end up getting personal. which is commin, i can feel it..

witch hunt, that was a great post, sounds like you've been pretty satisfied musically and thats a good place to be.

Thanks, bud. As I said, it was nothing spectacular but it was a good ride and I had a lot of fun.

songsmith · Post by **songsmith** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

I like beans. More than ever.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

witchhunt wrote:
CHICKSINGA wrote:Omg! Dude you are awesome!! I don't even to say a word,
You have proven everything I suspected of you by that post
Alone!! Ha ha!!! Man! I couldn't have done a better job myself.
Thank you! You prevented me from having to write or think
Another wasted second on your sorry ass.
Although I really didn't want to, I had to look at your band's website just to try to figure out why you're so stuck on yourself. I see this portly girl in sparkly Dollar Store apparel, making cheezy singer faces like she hasn't taken a shit in a month, and I'm thinking "you gotta be kidding." THIS is the great chicksinga. The tank top and white sleeves about had me in tears.

I'm not portly, I'm fat. I didnt used to be, but being a mom, an engineer, and a musician takes time. If making fun of me is what makes you happy have at it. That only reflects who you are as a person.

I never said I was better than any of you. I reiterated my experiences & for some reason it pissed you off.
As an Aerosmith song says, let the music do the talking.
http://www.reverbnation.com/aubreycalliope

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

What I am as a person is this...
I can be the nicest guy you'll ever meet or I can be a rotten prick. It all depends on which one you ask for.

CHICKSINGA · Post by **CHICKSINGA** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

You pretty much proved which one you are.

witchhunt · Post by **witchhunt** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

CHICKSINGA wrote:You pretty much proved which one you are.

Yep, the one you asked for.

lonewolf · Post by **lonewolf** » Thursday Jul 05, 2012

CHICKSINGA wrote:Oh but PS
Meredith BAXTER was an ACTOR on HAZEL

Incorrect. Meredith Baxter (Birney) was known for her role in Family.

Her mother, Whitney Blake (Nancy Ann Whitney) played Dorothy Baxter in Hazel

Just keeping the facts straight with some useless, irrelevant trivia. Carry on!