The Jam Room Blog Thread.

khoomeizhi · March 07, 2016, 02:37:59 PM

how many kazoos can you play at once?

agent of change · March 07, 2016, 06:11:29 PM

666

Pissy · March 08, 2016, 05:51:10 PM

What do you guys do for rehearsal space in Asheville? Garages? Basements?

khoomeizhi · March 08, 2016, 06:34:29 PM

mostly storage spaces. one particular place is pretty open about being cool with bands. us lucky few get the climate-controlled ones. we used to have the other kind and holy fuck that sucked. currently sharing one space between two bands.

theoretically basements are cool too, but it depends on the neighbors.

Pissy · March 08, 2016, 08:08:18 PM

We did that once. It was a new addition to their facility. We were the only tenants over there.

Then it flooded. There was a water mark on the kick drum about 3" up. Power amps that were on the floor were toast. A Carvin X100 took the whip too.

agent of change · March 08, 2016, 09:00:40 PM

No disasters yet, but they do "forget" to turn on the a.c. in the summer, put toilet paper in the bathrooms at all, and they raised the rate without telling me. Fuckers. Used to be all good, no problems, and then another company took over and now there's a family living there "managing" the place, which mostly seems to mean standing around smoking, and drinking out of plastic cups.

khoomeizhi · March 08, 2016, 09:17:41 PM

yeah, new owners kinda suck. they renamed it dumber, too. fwiw, there's no bathroom at all at our end - just the portapotty by the office. we're on top of the hill, so we probably won't flood.

jibberish · March 09, 2016, 05:31:14 PM

I have to really watch my hands better. I was wrangling a big ash that finally fell over way in back and half crunched my hand between 2 of the larger pieces.
this got me thinking: fucking either hand up would take me out of my game.

also, I was sort of scoping out the back for stuff to record outdoors or w/e and the highway is just too loud. I would definitely have to go offsite to do any nice outdoor recording.
which is too bad, because the birds really are awesome sounding around here.

liquidsmoke · March 10, 2016, 04:46:32 AM

Next to being out of tune nothing fucks up my lead tone like fret buzz. Horrible. PLEK or nothing from now on. Fret jobs are expensive anyway, might as well have a German machine do it.

agent of change · March 10, 2016, 08:43:50 AM

Well, after more talking than playing at practice last night, the band is a month or two away from demise. We knew bassist was leaving for Portland at the end of the year, but now guitarist is moving in a different direction with life priorities. Have the sadz today. Been playing in bands with guitarist since 1989. Brings up all those questions: Will I be able to find the right players for the next project? Am I getting to the age where it's more toil, frustration and physical pain than it's worth?

Danny G · March 10, 2016, 10:03:29 AM

You'll be fine. Plenty of toil and frustrations available doing things that suck way more than jamming music

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black · March 10, 2016, 10:55:57 AM

In over three decades I have had three main bands. There have been occasional, short-term side projects, one-offs and guest sittings, but those three have/are my main bands. The first two last almost a decade each. The current one has been at it for 13-14 years and counting.

Like yourself, aoc, the eminent (and sudden) demise sent my head spinning. I had all the same questions as you, even when I was in my 20's and 30's. My playing style--to me at least--was intricately woven into the abilities and personalities of my band mates. I was frightened and in despair. Yet like the same way deep love and bonding can happen, so can another project. I realize one could "advertise" and sometimes that can work. I have found re-connecting with past acquaintances have proved to be a better way. For me at least. Like love, a solid band can be fleeting. I feel so fortunate that the "chemistry"--both musically and personally--with my current bandmates is so solid and aligned. This band has lasted longer than any of my marriages or relationships and believe it or not, we have never had aa band fight or disagreement. We all have been in other bands before this one and realize who rare that is and how lucky we are.

I guess my point in that uninvited biography is for you to hang in there and never give up. One is never too old or too physically compromised to throw in the towel. The frustration, doubt and negative feelings are natural, but time is still on your side. You have a gift. A talent. A passion. And that will not go unanswered by the lifeforce.

Danny G · March 10, 2016, 01:49:30 PM

Great post, Black.

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Lumpy · March 10, 2016, 05:57:42 PM

Fired up now. Damn.

Lumpy · March 10, 2016, 05:58:51 PM

On the negative side, dude who owned Catalinbread pedals died at age 37, when his car was hit by a falling tree. RIP.

agent of change · March 10, 2016, 08:20:35 PM

Thanks Black. And SR peeps.

liquidsmoke · March 11, 2016, 01:59:02 AM

Alright, let's skip the liquidsmoke you never learn blah blah blah. Just tell me what guitars have the heaviest thickest tones for low tuned metal. If they are under a grand that's all the better. If they have necks thinner than the '50s' Gibson neck that's also better. I need the most thunderous ground shaking sound because I'm an idiot. No baritones. Go.

spookstrickland · March 11, 2016, 02:01:19 AM

Quote from: agent of change on March 10, 2016, 08:43:50 AM
Well, after more talking than playing at practice last night, the band is a month or two away from demise. We knew bassist was leaving for Portland at the end of the year, but now guitarist is moving in a different direction with life priorities. Have the sadz today. Been playing in bands with guitarist since 1989. Brings up all those questions: Will I be able to find the right players for the next project? Am I getting to the age where it's more toil, frustration and physical pain than it's worth?

This is my problem.... i get to be too good of friends with my band mates and all we do is shoot the shit and barley play.

jibberish · March 11, 2016, 03:00:56 AM

liquid, what guitars show up most in other way downtuned bands? maybe that would be a good starting point: a known performer.

also, I guess I owe everyone in the jamroom an apology for dragging horseshit in here with me in my wake.
no one minding their music business in here needs that drama crap from general. It is very disrespectful.
i'll take full responsibility for their behavior and assume it's also my responsibility not to agitate them into taking a shit in the wrong place again.

I guess since some of the children cant handle their shit, i'll just back off of general with the hopes they stay in general with the crap.
see how that works out.

seriously guys, sorry about that.

jibberish · March 11, 2016, 04:48:07 AM

"When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary [sound of needle across record horror-scratch style] ..nm....

I reach for old Santana albums. I find peace in them. wow did he crank out a ton of albums in the 70's.
also I dig his whole "latin /drum/percussion" thing a lot. so that's where i'll be hiding when I need to let it be, let it be.

liquidsmoke · March 11, 2016, 03:34:44 PM

Quote from: jibberish on March 11, 2016, 03:00:56 AM
liquid, what guitars show up most in other way downtuned bands? maybe that would be a good starting point: a known performer.

A full weight older Gibson LP is at the top of the list. Seeing studios for as low as $500. This is the duh answer.

liquidsmoke · March 12, 2016, 02:09:58 PM

Played my friend's '00 something faded LP studio last night, it's quite light, gotta be chambered. Going to look for a pre chambered studio with actual paint and the '60s/slim tapered neck.

jibberish · March 13, 2016, 03:19:27 AM

I know, of the 3 LP models, one of them weighs a ton.

Waaaay long ago before guitar center was here, I had all 3 models at sam ash and was just checking all 3 over, right next to each other. the faded/weathered wtf studio series didn't exist at that time.

one of the original models weighed far more than the other 2, either the std or ?classic I forget the other more expensive one's model name.
studio is lighter

My cortez 59 black beauty copy is actually quite light, so it is chambered, but it sounds really nice. they copied the LP exactly including gold plated hardware and all the same like grovers etc triple binding...piece of 40yr old art. check out some of those. I see them floating around occasionally. total steal for $200-$300

My 2000 wine red studio definitely is heavier than the cortez LP. it feels like a slab TBH, but I really don't know what's in there. but it isn't as heavy as the really heavy LP model

liquidsmoke · March 13, 2016, 04:22:48 AM

I did some digging and it sounds like Gibson has been doing the swiss cheese thing since the early '80s at least on some models. Part of it is supposedly due to them having a harder time getting lighter mahogany.

http://www.gibson.com/News-Lifestyle/Features/en-us/weight-relief-gibson-les-paul-guitars-0615-2012.aspx

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