Saturday, May 31, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
B.B.King
Life in the Fast Lane
OASIS vs BLUR / THE STREAMERS
Gig: Got there at 4:00 pm - Stage Mgr asked, "Where is the rest of your band!!!!" Fleet Week - can't move in NYC streets. Singer + African Drum (Jimbe) + Mesa Boogie amp (for lead guitarist) is taking a cab to gig. Other singer is way away - 32nd and 6th Ave, and has to cut through solid steel and flesh to get to 42nd and 7th/8th. Sound check is a non-issue after 6:00pm. Oh well.
We get there and set up in darkness. People are already there having dinner. In the dressing room I use my electric (as acoustic) so people can go over what they really needed to know three days before. Food = bucket with 50 beers on ice. I'm sober. What a bitch. (sorry). There's a cold burger on the side - that's for me. My fault - it was served piping hot. Just had to spend too much time helping get band members into the club and all gear setup on stage. Duty. I grab a cold sprite and imagine how delicious it is vs. vodka. I win.
On stage - I'm out of tune!!! Have to tune the guitar while playing the songs. Can't stop now. Each chord has 4 to 6 "voicings" on the guitar. I use them anyway. No fear here. Interesting sounds. Crowd loves it. 1st chord of the chorus of a song I wrote is transposed to a different key. Very rock / blues. I play what I know. Realize sound people have mikes on the amp. What I hear is not what the audience might hear. Not to worry about that. They will get it right. Hit a few chords. A blues solo. Damn!!!! Sounds good. Crunch / rock / blues. Rock and roll!!!! Sounding "on!!" Yeah!!!!!! The moment is energy and passion and muted strings and hits of wood on skins and thunder of bass and soaring searing notes from guitars and vocals cutting through to make it all come together.
Braydon Checker on Bass sounds fantastic!!! Sean Yox on lead vocals / guitar is tremendous and right on!!! A true rocker doing an amazing performance!! Rob Visciano on vocals (HinduTimes) and African Jimbe - keeps drums sounding great and true. Kent Carter plays drums. Myself - electric rhythm / double stop lead - "Tele" guitar. Guest Artist Layne - sings "Drugs Don't Work" and "Come On!!" Great stage presence and voice. A great young rocker in the making. Watch this artist!!!!
Time to rock out. Hit the Rolling Stones / Mississippi doublestop style of blues - where you play 2 strings as one. Do blues scales (it's a blues club though we are doing English rock). The crowd goes wild on Champagne Supernova. We all know the parts - as on the record. Sounds like we're playing in a huge rock area!! People rush the stage. Its' bedlam. 20 people dancing all over. Hands above their heads. Beautiful girls everywhere. Security rushes the stage. This is great!!!
A true rock event. 16 songs!!! We never stop playing. People are having fun!!! This is really hard work. I love it. Drummer needs to play harder. And he does. Guitarist hits a switch on his guitar and cuts sound. I walk over and re-hit the right switch. Power is on. Crowd cheers!!! I hit a switch and they love it!!! So much for my playing!!! Just kidding. We start to jam and get in the groove. Sounds so alive!!! Crowd and band are one. Glad to be there!!! Too soon it's over.
Just another night in NYC. Outside the streets are moving with people. Time to get real again. When I get back to my studio - my guitar is in perfect tune.
Life in the Fast Lane
OASIS vs BLUR / THE STREAMERS
Gig: Got there at 4:00 pm - Stage Mgr asked, "Where is the rest of your band!!!!" Fleet Week - can't move in NYC streets. Singer + African Drum (Jimbe) + Mesa Boogie amp (for lead guitarist) is taking a cab to gig. Other singer is way away - 32nd and 6th Ave, and has to cut through solid steel and flesh to get to 42nd and 7th/8th. Sound check is a non-issue after 6:00pm. Oh well.
We get there and set up in darkness. People are already there having dinner. In the dressing room I use my electric (as acoustic) so people can go over what they really needed to know three days before. Food = bucket with 50 beers on ice. I'm sober. What a bitch. (sorry). There's a cold burger on the side - that's for me. My fault - it was served piping hot. Just had to spend too much time helping get band members into the club and all gear setup on stage. Duty. I grab a cold sprite and imagine how delicious it is vs. vodka. I win.
On stage - I'm out of tune!!! Have to tune the guitar while playing the songs. Can't stop now. Each chord has 4 to 6 "voicings" on the guitar. I use them anyway. No fear here. Interesting sounds. Crowd loves it. 1st chord of the chorus of a song I wrote is transposed to a different key. Very rock / blues. I play what I know. Realize sound people have mikes on the amp. What I hear is not what the audience might hear. Not to worry about that. They will get it right. Hit a few chords. A blues solo. Damn!!!! Sounds good. Crunch / rock / blues. Rock and roll!!!! Sounding "on!!" Yeah!!!!!! The moment is energy and passion and muted strings and hits of wood on skins and thunder of bass and soaring searing notes from guitars and vocals cutting through to make it all come together.
Braydon Checker on Bass sounds fantastic!!! Sean Yox on lead vocals / guitar is tremendous and right on!!! A true rocker doing an amazing performance!! Rob Visciano on vocals (HinduTimes) and African Jimbe - keeps drums sounding great and true. Kent Carter plays drums. Myself - electric rhythm / double stop lead - "Tele" guitar. Guest Artist Layne - sings "Drugs Don't Work" and "Come On!!" Great stage presence and voice. A great young rocker in the making. Watch this artist!!!!
Time to rock out. Hit the Rolling Stones / Mississippi doublestop style of blues - where you play 2 strings as one. Do blues scales (it's a blues club though we are doing English rock). The crowd goes wild on Champagne Supernova. We all know the parts - as on the record. Sounds like we're playing in a huge rock area!! People rush the stage. Its' bedlam. 20 people dancing all over. Hands above their heads. Beautiful girls everywhere. Security rushes the stage. This is great!!!
A true rock event. 16 songs!!! We never stop playing. People are having fun!!! This is really hard work. I love it. Drummer needs to play harder. And he does. Guitarist hits a switch on his guitar and cuts sound. I walk over and re-hit the right switch. Power is on. Crowd cheers!!! I hit a switch and they love it!!! So much for my playing!!! Just kidding. We start to jam and get in the groove. Sounds so alive!!! Crowd and band are one. Glad to be there!!! Too soon it's over.
Just another night in NYC. Outside the streets are moving with people. Time to get real again. When I get back to my studio - my guitar is in perfect tune.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
SEAN YOX / STREAMERS Live at B.B.KING - 5/21/2008
Upcoming gig of Sean Yox / The Streamers Live at B.B.King on May 21, 2008. Band will be doing tribute songs to OASIS plus a few originals (Sunshine Baby). Punk version of the Beatles song "Help!" - Rock / blues sound will add interesting depth to these songs.
Will fill in with details on the players as I get all last names. So far: Sean Yox - Lead vocals / guitar; Braydon - Bass; Kent Carter - Drums; Brewer Shettles - electric "Tele" guitar / Jess - Keys. A great line up that definitely will rock the house!!!
Bass player was asked (on an earlier occasion when this band played B.B.King on 9/3/2007), "How does it feel to play at B.B.King?" His immediate response, "B.B.King? Hell Yeah!!!"
Special thanks to Rob Visciano for making his rehearsal studio available in Far Rockaway - the place "Punk" was born.
Be part of making history. Have a great time!!! Miss this opportunity at your own peril.
Will fill in with details on the players as I get all last names. So far: Sean Yox - Lead vocals / guitar; Braydon - Bass; Kent Carter - Drums; Brewer Shettles - electric "Tele" guitar / Jess - Keys. A great line up that definitely will rock the house!!!
Bass player was asked (on an earlier occasion when this band played B.B.King on 9/3/2007), "How does it feel to play at B.B.King?" His immediate response, "B.B.King? Hell Yeah!!!"
Special thanks to Rob Visciano for making his rehearsal studio available in Far Rockaway - the place "Punk" was born.
Be part of making history. Have a great time!!! Miss this opportunity at your own peril.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Getting Ready
Liquid Fusion (R) just renewed its committment, as a Grammy Award Member media company, to enter Artists / CDs / Songs into the upcoming 51st Grammy Awards, next Feb 2009.
Getting gear ready!!! Just bought a Dolby 363 SR / Type "A" Noise Reduction unit. Made in the early 90's, this is amazing gear. Need to be a rocket scientist to align the Dolby with the Revox PR99 analog reel-to-reel. Add in digital Audition software and you have an amazing tool to work with.
Posting three samples (MP3) - All recorded direct to analog tape using a (Studer Family) Revox PR99 at 15 IPS:
1. Acoustic Guitar - Only (Dolby BYPASS)
2. Acoustic Guitar - Dolby 363 SR Noise Reduction
3. Acoustic Guitar - Dolby 363 Type "A" Noise Reduction
Note: guitar is a Gibson J50 (1965).
Analog Tape saturation is what this sound is all about. Add in the pro Dolby 363 noise reduction from cat 300 modules and you have music as it was made in the 70's / 80's for albums and films. Way to go!!
Getting gear ready!!! Just bought a Dolby 363 SR / Type "A" Noise Reduction unit. Made in the early 90's, this is amazing gear. Need to be a rocket scientist to align the Dolby with the Revox PR99 analog reel-to-reel. Add in digital Audition software and you have an amazing tool to work with.
Posting three samples (MP3) - All recorded direct to analog tape using a (Studer Family) Revox PR99 at 15 IPS:
1. Acoustic Guitar - Only (Dolby BYPASS)
2. Acoustic Guitar - Dolby 363 SR Noise Reduction
3. Acoustic Guitar - Dolby 363 Type "A" Noise Reduction
Note: guitar is a Gibson J50 (1965).
Analog Tape saturation is what this sound is all about. Add in the pro Dolby 363 noise reduction from cat 300 modules and you have music as it was made in the 70's / 80's for albums and films. Way to go!!
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