Every Once In A While.......You get lucky.....
Sept 19, 2017 15:06:00 GMT -6
jsteiger, cowboycoalminer, and 20 more like this
Post by drbill on Sept 19, 2017 15:06:00 GMT -6
Every once in a while….you get lucky….
I figured I’d share a recent lucky moment of mine with guys of like mind who might appreciate the feeling…..
For me, “lucky” often shows up as an unexpected blessing that refocuses what I do, and gives me a new perspective - and this time was no exception.
For me, last Saturday was one of those moments. That afternoon, I got a last minute invitation to head over the mountain to a biker rally in a little podunk town near Sedona AZ where an iconic band that I’d never seen live before was playing. Weird location, and short notice, but I wasn’t going to miss this one. I grabbed a buddy, and headed out.
I knew the hits and was familiar with their music, but there was still an aura of mystery that left me somewhat unsure as to what I’d actually see/hear. Somewhere in the back of my subconscious, I was hoping and praying that it wouldn’t be one of those cheesy reunion-ish “gotta make some money for retirement” shows where the band could care less and they just phone it in.
Upon getting close to town, the bikers were out in full force. Harley’s and Indians everywhere - so many bikes and so loud that I was wondering if we could even hear the band over the throaty roar of a thousand + Harley’s. Luckily, there was a good sound system, and in good taste, the boys shut it all down for a couple of hours of high end entertainment.
From note one, it quickly became evident that this was going to be an amazing evening. Great harmonies, incredibly ballsy guitar riffing, and a rock solid old school rhythm section - from the very first note to the last. A far cry and the furthest thing from “retirement money”, this was obviously a band on a mission that played with a passion and intensity - something I rarely get to experience anymore.
I was blown away. It was as good as I could have hoped for. Better actually. BOC delivered. In spades. What a night!
- no click tracks
- no theatrics
- no dancers (except in the audience)
- no backup tracks
- no makeup or gimicy fakeness
- no meat dresses
Just hard rockin’ music delivered passionately and skillfully, with an obvious love for the music. Delivered in a way that it was intended to be listened to. Whoever said “rock is dead” has never been to a Blue Oyster Cult show….
And here’s the lucky part for me - over the next few days, as I reflected on the great time, it became obvious that this was one of those refocusing moments for me. The evening made me FEEL the way I felt when I first wanted to be in a band so many years ago - and that felt awesome! Sometimes I get so focused on the BUSINESS side of making music and the GEAR side of my studio that the passion of the music itself seems to slip just barely out of my grasp….
It’s been on my horizon for awhile now, but thanks to Don’s invitation, that immediate and tangible feeling of what great music played by a great band can do for the soul became crystal clear as I’ve spent the last few days contemplating various aspects of the evening.
The gift of music is powerful. It changes lives, melts hardened hearts, brings passion back to life. And that’s what I’m in this for.
All in. Thanks Don, for helping bring that into sharper focus for me.
But…. enough of my silly introspective ramblings!!! A report like this would be almost criminal if I did not mention the fact that aside from being a consummate gentleman and a gracious host, Don is an amazing freak-of-nature guitarist who can hold down a half dozen + 5 minute guitar solos over the course of a show - and still leave you wanting more. Absolutely on par with the best of the best IMO. Don, I honestly don’t know what to say….
…..other than thanks for the invite, thanks for the music, but mostly, thanks for the spiritual / musical jolt to the system that allowed me to step back and gain a little needed perspective on a few things that had been just out of grasp as I was focusing so heavily on business and sometimes gear rather than the intrinsic nature of music itself.
I think it’s important for all of us doing this “thing” to remember that it’s not the mic, the EQ, what sample library or plugin you use or whether or not you have a console. It’s not whether or not you dither, or if you record at 192k or use a summing mixer. It’s about the raw passion and emotion that connects our souls to vibrating air molecules when someone sings, plays a string, hits a drumhead with a stick, or blows air thru some tubing - and does it with skill and passion and a lifetime of dedication.
SATURDAY WAS A TOTAL BLAST!! THANKS DON!! Look forward to seeing you guys again soon.
PS - oh, and yeah, there were a several people running around with cowbells. Cracked me up! LOL
Some pics :
Don Riffing
Don Tearing it up for the crowd
Drum Perspective
Don Singing
A little bass wildness
The band was always in the pocket
Don & the doc
The Guitar tech gets to play COWBELL!
I figured I’d share a recent lucky moment of mine with guys of like mind who might appreciate the feeling…..
For me, “lucky” often shows up as an unexpected blessing that refocuses what I do, and gives me a new perspective - and this time was no exception.
For me, last Saturday was one of those moments. That afternoon, I got a last minute invitation to head over the mountain to a biker rally in a little podunk town near Sedona AZ where an iconic band that I’d never seen live before was playing. Weird location, and short notice, but I wasn’t going to miss this one. I grabbed a buddy, and headed out.
I knew the hits and was familiar with their music, but there was still an aura of mystery that left me somewhat unsure as to what I’d actually see/hear. Somewhere in the back of my subconscious, I was hoping and praying that it wouldn’t be one of those cheesy reunion-ish “gotta make some money for retirement” shows where the band could care less and they just phone it in.
Upon getting close to town, the bikers were out in full force. Harley’s and Indians everywhere - so many bikes and so loud that I was wondering if we could even hear the band over the throaty roar of a thousand + Harley’s. Luckily, there was a good sound system, and in good taste, the boys shut it all down for a couple of hours of high end entertainment.
From note one, it quickly became evident that this was going to be an amazing evening. Great harmonies, incredibly ballsy guitar riffing, and a rock solid old school rhythm section - from the very first note to the last. A far cry and the furthest thing from “retirement money”, this was obviously a band on a mission that played with a passion and intensity - something I rarely get to experience anymore.
I was blown away. It was as good as I could have hoped for. Better actually. BOC delivered. In spades. What a night!
- no click tracks
- no theatrics
- no dancers (except in the audience)
- no backup tracks
- no makeup or gimicy fakeness
- no meat dresses
Just hard rockin’ music delivered passionately and skillfully, with an obvious love for the music. Delivered in a way that it was intended to be listened to. Whoever said “rock is dead” has never been to a Blue Oyster Cult show….
And here’s the lucky part for me - over the next few days, as I reflected on the great time, it became obvious that this was one of those refocusing moments for me. The evening made me FEEL the way I felt when I first wanted to be in a band so many years ago - and that felt awesome! Sometimes I get so focused on the BUSINESS side of making music and the GEAR side of my studio that the passion of the music itself seems to slip just barely out of my grasp….
It’s been on my horizon for awhile now, but thanks to Don’s invitation, that immediate and tangible feeling of what great music played by a great band can do for the soul became crystal clear as I’ve spent the last few days contemplating various aspects of the evening.
The gift of music is powerful. It changes lives, melts hardened hearts, brings passion back to life. And that’s what I’m in this for.
All in. Thanks Don, for helping bring that into sharper focus for me.
But…. enough of my silly introspective ramblings!!! A report like this would be almost criminal if I did not mention the fact that aside from being a consummate gentleman and a gracious host, Don is an amazing freak-of-nature guitarist who can hold down a half dozen + 5 minute guitar solos over the course of a show - and still leave you wanting more. Absolutely on par with the best of the best IMO. Don, I honestly don’t know what to say….
…..other than thanks for the invite, thanks for the music, but mostly, thanks for the spiritual / musical jolt to the system that allowed me to step back and gain a little needed perspective on a few things that had been just out of grasp as I was focusing so heavily on business and sometimes gear rather than the intrinsic nature of music itself.
I think it’s important for all of us doing this “thing” to remember that it’s not the mic, the EQ, what sample library or plugin you use or whether or not you have a console. It’s not whether or not you dither, or if you record at 192k or use a summing mixer. It’s about the raw passion and emotion that connects our souls to vibrating air molecules when someone sings, plays a string, hits a drumhead with a stick, or blows air thru some tubing - and does it with skill and passion and a lifetime of dedication.
SATURDAY WAS A TOTAL BLAST!! THANKS DON!! Look forward to seeing you guys again soon.
PS - oh, and yeah, there were a several people running around with cowbells. Cracked me up! LOL
Some pics :
Don Riffing
Don Tearing it up for the crowd
Drum Perspective
Don Singing
A little bass wildness
The band was always in the pocket
Don & the doc
The Guitar tech gets to play COWBELL!