What do you do when you ain't got your piano player and you need to fill a 32-bar solo?
You scat.
That's what I did, Last Night at Band Camp...
15 April 2010
01 April 2010
Nursery Rhyme ROCK
I sent this email to my band mates yesterday...
Sooo....
Does the idea of a song based on the words and melody of a nursery rhyme make you nervous? Maybe even, downright freak you out?
If not, I've been overdosing on this full moon of late and Sunday afternoon a weird notion came to me. I heard TEN LITTLE INDIANS in a song. A different song. A Mitty's song. One where Sam the Sham meets swamp. Tom Waits does Nursery Room Nightmares.
Still with me?
Here's the lyrics and chords (I'm thinking A but I put them in Roman Numerals so we can change if necessary):
TEN LITTLE INDISCREET LOVERS
(I) One little, Two little, Three little indiscreets
(V) Four little, Five little, Six little indiscreets
(I) Seven little, Eight little, Nine little indiscreets
(V) Ten little indiscreet (I) lovers
(I) One found out that life gets lonely
(V) Two forgot their one and only
(I) Three must flee from matrimony
(NC) Four don't care what people say.
CHORUS
(I) Five contrived when they quit trying
(V) Six save time and spent more lying
(I) Seven don't see no sense in crying
(NC) Eight won't wait for sunny day
CHORUS
(IV) Nine is fine with doing time
(I) Mine all mine right down the line
(IV) But time and time and time again
(V) Nine ends up with Number Ten!
CHORUS
(I) Ten little (V) indiscreet (I) lovers
(I) Ten little (V) indiscreet (I)
I didn't lose them. No doubt, there was some caution.
It was only the three of us as Jim was out sick. Once we determined the actual key (not A but F#), Paul aptly set a cajun beat going. That was abandoned for a more straight-ahead rock count. The middle-eight got repeated after a space for an instrumental break—and we had it!
A twisted little hillbilly-rock take on a classic nursery rhyme. Maybe you'll get to hear it soon.
Sooo....
Does the idea of a song based on the words and melody of a nursery rhyme make you nervous? Maybe even, downright freak you out?
If not, I've been overdosing on this full moon of late and Sunday afternoon a weird notion came to me. I heard TEN LITTLE INDIANS in a song. A different song. A Mitty's song. One where Sam the Sham meets swamp. Tom Waits does Nursery Room Nightmares.
Still with me?
Here's the lyrics and chords (I'm thinking A but I put them in Roman Numerals so we can change if necessary):
TEN LITTLE INDISCREET LOVERS
(I) One little, Two little, Three little indiscreets
(V) Four little, Five little, Six little indiscreets
(I) Seven little, Eight little, Nine little indiscreets
(V) Ten little indiscreet (I) lovers
(I) One found out that life gets lonely
(V) Two forgot their one and only
(I) Three must flee from matrimony
(NC) Four don't care what people say.
CHORUS
(I) Five contrived when they quit trying
(V) Six save time and spent more lying
(I) Seven don't see no sense in crying
(NC) Eight won't wait for sunny day
CHORUS
(IV) Nine is fine with doing time
(I) Mine all mine right down the line
(IV) But time and time and time again
(V) Nine ends up with Number Ten!
CHORUS
(I) Ten little (V) indiscreet (I) lovers
(I) Ten little (V) indiscreet (I)
I didn't lose them. No doubt, there was some caution.
It was only the three of us as Jim was out sick. Once we determined the actual key (not A but F#), Paul aptly set a cajun beat going. That was abandoned for a more straight-ahead rock count. The middle-eight got repeated after a space for an instrumental break—and we had it!
A twisted little hillbilly-rock take on a classic nursery rhyme. Maybe you'll get to hear it soon.
23 March 2010
It's GOOD to be back!
Last night's FIRE DRILL* had two fairly "new" songs by Sonia and Paul—"Jolie" and "Don't Think Twice," respectively— and two songs offered up by Jim and myself that dated to 'the elements**' -era with "909" and "Struck."
Everything felt good.
The second half brought some fine-tuning to our take on the Band's waltz, "Evangeline." A re-introduction to Sonia's original, "You Do Good Blue." A new take on another elements-era cover of Cash's "Get Rhythm." A re-worked drum part—more bayou-style "train-rhythm"—to "All Over Now." Some polishing up (sans coughing fit of last week's recording) of "Wild Nights." And a great closing song choice in "Jericho."
Listening to the playback on my rainy ride home last night, I thought—it's GOOD to be back!
* FIRE DRILL is our name for the warm-up songs we start a rehearsal off with—just like a fire drill—play it like a gig, no stopping.
** the elements (intentionally lower-case) was the name of a band (1999 - 2003) where Jim, myself and Sonia first met, musically. Our set list still contains many—since re-worked—songs from that band.
Everything felt good.
The second half brought some fine-tuning to our take on the Band's waltz, "Evangeline." A re-introduction to Sonia's original, "You Do Good Blue." A new take on another elements-era cover of Cash's "Get Rhythm." A re-worked drum part—more bayou-style "train-rhythm"—to "All Over Now." Some polishing up (sans coughing fit of last week's recording) of "Wild Nights." And a great closing song choice in "Jericho."
Listening to the playback on my rainy ride home last night, I thought—it's GOOD to be back!
* FIRE DRILL is our name for the warm-up songs we start a rehearsal off with—just like a fire drill—play it like a gig, no stopping.
** the elements (intentionally lower-case) was the name of a band (1999 - 2003) where Jim, myself and Sonia first met, musically. Our set list still contains many—since re-worked—songs from that band.
02 March 2010
"It's been a long time..."
I just about ready to open this post with the lament of sore fingers and over-used vocal chords, when I realized it was exactly how I opened my last post, here.
Over a month ago.
February was a complete wash for the Walter Mittys. Two snowstorms and schedule snafus made for no rehearsals after our last gig at the end of January.
It's these kind of rehearsal nights—after a long hiatus—where you question your ability to even play an instrument or remember anything of the dozens of songs you once knew.
However, nobody went home miserable last night. There were rusty spots. There were missing lyrics. There was laughter recorded amongst the melodies and lyrics. And listening to the playback on the ride home, I could see the expressions, rolled-eyes and smiles that went with each of these "not-like-I-remember-the-song" parts.
Our focus was to just get the machine running again. And with that, we ended up picking songs that we had to cut from our last show. The recording was flawed from incorrect mic postioning—and the previously mentioned musical hiccups. But it's safe to say, the Walter Mittys are back!
Over a month ago.
February was a complete wash for the Walter Mittys. Two snowstorms and schedule snafus made for no rehearsals after our last gig at the end of January.
It's these kind of rehearsal nights—after a long hiatus—where you question your ability to even play an instrument or remember anything of the dozens of songs you once knew.
However, nobody went home miserable last night. There were rusty spots. There were missing lyrics. There was laughter recorded amongst the melodies and lyrics. And listening to the playback on the ride home, I could see the expressions, rolled-eyes and smiles that went with each of these "not-like-I-remember-the-song" parts.
Our focus was to just get the machine running again. And with that, we ended up picking songs that we had to cut from our last show. The recording was flawed from incorrect mic postioning—and the previously mentioned musical hiccups. But it's safe to say, the Walter Mittys are back!
31 January 2010
The Night Before
The callouses on my fingers have that dull throb that reminds me of the work-out they went through last night. My voice has that rasp—less from singing than from barroom-level conversations and cheers for the second band, the host band, the BUM STEERS.
The Walter Mittys are so thankful for this opportunity to be part of last night's benefit. The unexpected chance to take our show to the stage. The feeling of watching a good crowd of people enjoy themselves and support this most-worthy cause. The many faces of friends some of us haven't seen in a long time.
"Last night is a night I will remember you by...."
~slatts
JACK DAY of the Bum Steers
sent me this message regarding the success of this fund-raiser:
"K-dog - you and your band mates helped us raise over $2000 for the fire victims....can't thank you all enough for your time and talents!!! Awesome job as always!"
The Walter Mittys are so thankful for this opportunity to be part of last night's benefit. The unexpected chance to take our show to the stage. The feeling of watching a good crowd of people enjoy themselves and support this most-worthy cause. The many faces of friends some of us haven't seen in a long time.
"Last night is a night I will remember you by...."
~slatts
JACK DAY of the Bum Steers
sent me this message regarding the success of this fund-raiser:
"K-dog - you and your band mates helped us raise over $2000 for the fire victims....can't thank you all enough for your time and talents!!! Awesome job as always!"
30 January 2010
It's SHOWTIME!
In twelve hours we'll be a half-hour into our set at tonight's benefit dance for the fire victims of Northampton and Holyoke Mass.
I'll be heading south to the Florence VFW around five this evening. My fellow Walter Mittys will probably all be there around 5:30 (they all live closer).
The host band and the arrangers of this fund-raiser, the Bum Steers, will no doubt be there, coordinating the logistics of the event.
Walter Mittys drummer, Paul, and myself on bass, were once members of the Bum Steers—in fact, that's where we met. That band is full of great guys who have always made "having a good time" priority one. They're all originally from the city of Northampton, so this arson tragedy—no pun intended—"really hit home."
It's an honor to be invited to help with this cause. And, musically, I look forward to sharing the stage with these guys tonight.
My band—the Walter Mittys—are ready.
It's SHOWTIME!
Details of this event can be found here:
http://thewaltermittys.blogspot.com/2010/01/about-our-upcoming-show.html
I'll be heading south to the Florence VFW around five this evening. My fellow Walter Mittys will probably all be there around 5:30 (they all live closer).
The host band and the arrangers of this fund-raiser, the Bum Steers, will no doubt be there, coordinating the logistics of the event.
Walter Mittys drummer, Paul, and myself on bass, were once members of the Bum Steers—in fact, that's where we met. That band is full of great guys who have always made "having a good time" priority one. They're all originally from the city of Northampton, so this arson tragedy—no pun intended—"really hit home."
It's an honor to be invited to help with this cause. And, musically, I look forward to sharing the stage with these guys tonight.
My band—the Walter Mittys—are ready.
It's SHOWTIME!
Details of this event can be found here:
http://thewaltermittys.blogspot.com/2010/01/about-our-upcoming-show.html
14 January 2010
Now, comes the hard work...
The paring down of the set list and the assembling of the order.
We when were in the early days of discussing this upcoming benefit show (see previous posts), Sonia threw out in one of our email volleys the need for "two hours of music." The estimate based on the average bar-gig of being a four-hour night—this one shared by two bands. I immediately replied, "Everyone pick six songs"—absolutely based on nothing, except maybe the crazy notion that 24 songs, 12 songs-a-set, sounded like a good idea.
So, for the past two weeks we've been rehearsing 24 songs. Our estimates were not that off. We ran the recording last night pretty much straight through—no pauses after songs—all our rehearsal room chatter, all the moving about to change instruments, all the unplugging and re-plugging of any amp or effect switches, etc. etc. etc. And it all came out to about an hour and 55 minutes.
What doesn't work in this equation are the following:
1. Our set time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
2. We grouped our songs to be rehearsed in order of instrument changes ie., all the songs where Jim plays accordion and Sonia plays guitar followed by all the songs Jim plays guitar and Sonia plays sax followed by all the songs Jim plays keyboard and Sonia.... and on and on. This makes for ease of switching instruments and it saves time and we will use some of these back-to-back songs in our final set list but it also limits the variety in our song choices and styles—one of what we feel is a strong suit of our band's sound.
3. There's bits of talk in between the songs on last night's recording—but mostly of the nature of "Hold on a minute, I need to tune this E string" or "Is everybody all set?" But in all, there's no where near the space allotted for the proper introduction of songs, the acknowledgment of the people involved in putting this benefit together and the announcement of things to come—in other words, all the normal "live-show" stage banter. All that is not accounted for.
So, as Sonia heads off to a much deserved vacation, Jim, myself and Paul will begin that daunting task of "coming up with a set list."
Now, this may be the point where some one out in the blogosphere might be thinking "HA! Sonia takes off and Jim, slatts and Paul fix the length of the set list problem by cutting out all her songs!" But that thinking comes from those who have not heard her sing. Chances are she'll come back to find she's singing ALL THE SONGS of our new "made-to-fit" set list!
Stay tuned...
We when were in the early days of discussing this upcoming benefit show (see previous posts), Sonia threw out in one of our email volleys the need for "two hours of music." The estimate based on the average bar-gig of being a four-hour night—this one shared by two bands. I immediately replied, "Everyone pick six songs"—absolutely based on nothing, except maybe the crazy notion that 24 songs, 12 songs-a-set, sounded like a good idea.
So, for the past two weeks we've been rehearsing 24 songs. Our estimates were not that off. We ran the recording last night pretty much straight through—no pauses after songs—all our rehearsal room chatter, all the moving about to change instruments, all the unplugging and re-plugging of any amp or effect switches, etc. etc. etc. And it all came out to about an hour and 55 minutes.
What doesn't work in this equation are the following:
1. Our set time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.
2. We grouped our songs to be rehearsed in order of instrument changes ie., all the songs where Jim plays accordion and Sonia plays guitar followed by all the songs Jim plays guitar and Sonia plays sax followed by all the songs Jim plays keyboard and Sonia.... and on and on. This makes for ease of switching instruments and it saves time and we will use some of these back-to-back songs in our final set list but it also limits the variety in our song choices and styles—one of what we feel is a strong suit of our band's sound.
3. There's bits of talk in between the songs on last night's recording—but mostly of the nature of "Hold on a minute, I need to tune this E string" or "Is everybody all set?" But in all, there's no where near the space allotted for the proper introduction of songs, the acknowledgment of the people involved in putting this benefit together and the announcement of things to come—in other words, all the normal "live-show" stage banter. All that is not accounted for.
So, as Sonia heads off to a much deserved vacation, Jim, myself and Paul will begin that daunting task of "coming up with a set list."
Now, this may be the point where some one out in the blogosphere might be thinking "HA! Sonia takes off and Jim, slatts and Paul fix the length of the set list problem by cutting out all her songs!" But that thinking comes from those who have not heard her sing. Chances are she'll come back to find she's singing ALL THE SONGS of our new "made-to-fit" set list!
Stay tuned...
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