Musician’s Notebook

Okay … so I couldn’t sleep …

Listen … we’ve got a lot of industrial-strength challenges hittin’ us in the social face, thanks to those wars goin’ on overseas (Iraq? Afghanistan? What’s the difference? Same machine-gun tunes, just different political verses …), prices skyrocketing and political bickerin’ over here. We’ve turned just about everywhere for answers, but there doesn’t seem to be an end to the madness.
Maybe it’s time we took a few “hidden” lessons from the Beatles … and other groups of the Invasion.

For example: John, Paul, George and Ringo were active in search for new and innovative ways to do things. They weren’t satisfied with the “status-quo” or the traditional.
Perhaps our political leaders, worldwide, could combine heads (rather than bash them) and think of other ways of ending the troubles (we’re already doin’ that on the home front, with things like hybrid cars that don’t use as much gas).
Maybe … awww, I know it’s a dream, but … maybe, someday, they’ll think of other ways to end their squabbles rather than point the traditional guns at each other and pulling triggers. That never works in the long run …

They arrived onstage (whether for a gig or an interview) with good-natured spunk. Can you imagine what an upbeat attitude could do on Capitol Hill? Geez … we might get some positive action for the people if they had it.

Of course, before their gigs, they’d rehearse. Think what would happen if the Big Meanies got together somehow and just painted mental pictures of worst-case scenarios, thus “rehearsing” the outcomes. Nobody’d want to go to war …

Then, when they were onstage, the Fab Four would attack each song, playing like they mean it! How often do the politicos (and, here, I mean local as well as in DC!) waffle, or give a vague answer or action?

They had a strong rhythm section in John’s Rickenbacker. It gave a good, solid backing to everything. When you’ve got the people in one steady rhythm, you’re more likely to see something pass … something change …

The guys used a lot of harmony. Man, if there’s one word that’s lacking in this old world of ours, it’s that one! Yet, it lends flavor, tone and beauty to a song; why can’t we use it in our daily lives? All it takes is hearing others’ voices and incorporating them into something that’ll be suitable for everyone to hear.

A good backbeat is necessary to keep tempo. Ringo was the master of this. The backbeat of America is its working class. When you’re listening to them, you’ve got a surefire way of makin’ the right decision.

And they knew when a song was finished. They didn’t drag it onandonandon … they moved on to the next one in their set … and the next … starting, using the qualities I mentioned before, and stopping it. Can’t we do that in our sociopolitical doings?

There are many other lessons we can learn … “hidden” because we’ve been so caught up in the music and individual personalities. We’ll discuss those later.

Until next time, remember to keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side o’thangz …

Godfather of punk Iggy Pop is releasing “a quieter album” on May 18 that targets French-speakers and was inspired by novelist Michel Houellebecq’s “The Possibility of an Island”.
Titled “Preliminaires” (Preliminaries), the album’s cover is designed by comic-book author Marjane Satrapi.

“I made it really especially for France and people who speak French,” Iggy says.
The 61-year-old former Stooges frontman sings one number in French on the album — “Autumn Leaves”, the classic that was a hit for Yves Montand.

“It’s a quieter album with some jazz overtones,” he says (I mean, Iggy … not Yves) on his website. “I just got sick of listening to idiot thugs with guitars banging out crappy music.”
The idea of the album came after he was asked to write music for a film documentary ”about death, sex, and the end of the human race.” (well, we can rule out a Jonas Brothers sound …)

Iggy Pop — real name, James Newell Osterberg — was lead singer of The Stooges, a 1960s-1970s garage rock band that influenced heavy metal and punk rock and whose live acts included Pop taking drugs, self-mutilating, verbally abusing the audience and leaping off stage.

That brings to mind the incident, a few years ago, when he got “caught up in the moment” and dived offstage — allegedly into a “mosh pit” (where the kids catch ya and “float” you over their heads).

Nope.

When they saw him comin’ toward them, apparently they thought “What the hell is this old guy DOING?” .. and MOVED OUT OF THE WAY!!
Yep.  He hit the floor, ended up with broken collarbone, bruises and contusions …
Somehow, somebody’s gotta get through to Iggy that, while rock and roll is ageless … humans aren’t!

When the Beatles and other Brit groups hit America’s shores, it seemed that almost every type of music was pushed aside a bit to make way for this new European sound.

But one style refused to back off; in fact,  soul music began to grow in popularity — showing up on more airwave playlists and request lines than ever!

One of the first groups to break the racial barrier and become hitmakers in the Caucasian markets was The Supremes. (Sure, there were others, but they got the most airplay, initially).  Their lead singer, Diana Ross, fronted the talented trio (the other two being  Florence Ballard and Mary Wilson) and, eventually, had her name fronting the marquees.

Still, their highly-emotive sound, backed with a driving rhythm section, made them one of the most requested American acts on radio! Their only rivals were the great Martha and The Vandellas (Dancin’ In The Street, Jimmy Mack). Their male counterparts were part of a five-man vocal group whose members shared the lead vocals at one point or another.

The Temptations first hit the charts with the song that praised the wonders of My Girl. It’s interesting to note that, though all other original members have either moved or passed on, leader Otis Williams is still wowing audiences with a new group of Temptations — and is the most-requested of all “original” soul acts.

Of course, we wouldn’t've had the Motown/Stax stampede at all were it not for the man they called “Soul Brother #1″ – the inimitable James Brown. Though Mr. Brown had almost single-handedly invented the screaming soul sound years before, his act was new to many white audiences.
However, by the time I Got You (I Feel Good) made the charts, his name was synonymous with the genre … thus giving him a new name: The Godfather of Soul.

The only one who actually gave Mr. Brown a run for the money on the charts was the raw energy of “Wicked” Wilson Pickett. He covered the Billboard Top 10 with a number of hits (the biggest was Mustang Sally), and was, to some, more versatile than Mr. Brown:  He could rock (Land of 1,000 Dances), shoot soul (Mustang Sally), get down with funk ([I'm A] Midnight Mover), cover country (Green, Green Grass of Home) — even do a bit of operetta (Deborah, which was the “B” side to Mover).

Inspired by these successes, other solo acts hit the recording studios and venues: The comical but soulful Joe Tex (I Gotcha, Hold On [To What You Got], Skinny Legs and All), Arthur Conley (Sweet Soul Music, People Sure Act Funny [When They Get A Little Money]), and a young singer with a football-player physique who’ll forever by recognized by one name:

Otis! (Otis Redding, of course).

It also influenced white groups to try and mimic the sound (the only successful ones were The Young Rascals and Soul Survivors). There were hundreds of others who made radio airplay and greeted packed houses from Harlem’s Apollo Theater to smaller city’s radio wingdings.

But one thing that’s been asked of the Relic is, Why did they hit at the same time as the Invasion? Why not before? The answer’s simple:

The British acts had a strong connection with the R&B and Delta Blues sounds (from which soul came). Much of their material had the strong rhythm of the soul sounds. Put those two reasons together, and make ‘em mutual, and you’ll see why it became so popular with the formerly all-white radio and concert markets.

QUIZ-TIME (ANSWER)! I asked why the Brit group, The Kinks, weren’t seen in U. S. venues after 1965.
Oooookay … ready?
It’s because they were openly upset that American radio wasn’t promoting more of our stuff than they were the British acts! When they told the media about this, their American management cancelled their promotions and sent them packing back to England!

Until next time, remember: Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music – and I’ll see ya on the flip side …

Wonderin’ who the little cherub is to yer left?
It’s the youngster who just missed the “Grammys” by thaaaaaat much — though his mama was workin’ through a rap hit onstage while he was packin’ his bags to make his first appearance in life!

No, M.I.A. didn’t have her baby at the show, but she did “deliver the goods” on Wednesday! With the little guy just a few days old, she stopped by MySpace to announce her and Benjamin Bronfman’s son. (Be sure to click on the YouTube link you’ll see in a minute) Here’s what she wrote (verbatim):

SUNDAY NITE I CA M E HOME FROM THE GRAMMY’S STILL IN THE MOOD TO PARTY , I COUDA EASILY GONE OUT BUT I WENT HOME INSEAD , LUCKY I DID!! COZ MY EARLY STAGE LABOUR KICKED IN AROUND 2 AM .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vfndz8pW9WY
MY BABY WAS BORN WEDNESDAY , HE IS HEALTHY , FINE , BEAUTIFUL AND THE MOST AMZING THING EVER ON THIS PLANET, OF COURSE IM HIS MUM!!!
ME AND BABY ARE PUTTING OUR TOUR DATES FOR 2010 TOGETHER
AND MAKING MIX TAPES
AND FIGURING OUT A WAY TO BREAK OUT OF THE HOSPITAL !
HOPEFULLY THE WORLD IS BEEN TICKING ALONG AND I AINT MISSED MUCH!
C U SOON ,
AND MY BABY BOY SAYZ HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now, this is interesting (and, I’ve gotta say, refreshing!):60 per cent of 16-24 year olds would rather go without sex than music for a week, which increased to 70 per cent for 16-19 year olds.

Marrakesh Records and Human Capital surveyed 1,000 15-24 year-olds highlighting how important music is to young people.
In the past three months, 75 per cent have watched a music video online, 70 per cent bought a CD, 62 per cent played music on their phone , 52 per cent had paid for a music download and 45 per cent had played music on their games console.

Radio is still the medium-of-choice for hearing about new bands according to 67 percent of those surveyed. 63 percent said they relied on recommendations from friends and 49 preferred music channels like MTV (rather, like MTV was. Lately, it’s turned more to “reality” shows and less videos).

YouTube is obviously the most popular site for exploring new music for 38 percent of the studied age bracket while MySpace followed at 15 percent. Next was Facebook at 8 percent with NME and Last.fm rounding out the sites at just 4 percent.

Okay … that’s it for this edition, but stay tuned; there’ll be more in less than 24! Soooo …
I’ll see ya on the flip side …

Okay … we already know the effects of the Beatles’ first appearance in America, right (hey … if not, how long were you under that rock?)?
And, natch, there were thousands of stateside boys who began puttin’ together groups in hopes that, somehow, some of JPG&R’s success would rub off on them.

The first group that successfully copied the British Beat was The Beau Brummels. These guys had all the elements: harmony, strong rhythm, good backbeat, and cool stage presence. To this day, Sal Valentino — the leader of the group from the get-go — is performing with the same cool sounds he made way-back-when. It’s a real relief from the crazy, slap-together “music” found everywhere nowadays. (Waitaminnit.  The dude provides relief by singing his group’s old tunes? Does that make him a “BRUMMEL-Seltzer”?)

But the US group that made the most lasting impact was probably The Monkees (WHAT?!? Has the man lost his everlovin’ mind?? Read on, oh shocked ones …)  Okay, it’s true: the “preFab Four”  only sang on their first records, while a different group did the music. But, eventually, they got really ticked off about not being allowed to play their own instruments (remember Mike putting his fist through a wall?) and forced the producers’ hands to let ‘em do it.

And, rockers, that’s when change started to happen. Lemme give ya just a taste of the impact these four guys had:

• They introduced the Moog Synthesizer (the predecessor to today’s computerized keyboards) to rock audiences (they had the second one here in America. The first went to Buck Owens’ C&W group).
• They pretty much sacrificed their career to promote a guy who joined them on tour back in ‘67. Although he didn’t last through the entire tour due to his wild and eccentric playing (having been booed off stage by the teenyboppers who came to see the main act), Jimi Hendrix went on to superstardom in his own right.
• Another band needed a hand in financing their stage act, and the Monkees were quick to oblige. The fact that they were three guys backed with a tremendous wall of sound intrigued them. So they scraped up their nickels and dimes, and Three Dog Night became a mega-hit of the late Sixties to the mid-Seventies.
• Of course, where would the Relic be if he didn’t mention Michael Nesmith? His collaboration with Todd Rundgren (he of the Nazz) and inspiration from the videos done on the Monkees TV show gave them the germ of an idea: take the $26 million his mom left him (she created Liquid Paper), invest it in a TV production company that would specialize in rock-related videos!
  Thus, MTV was born (The Nesmith company that it grew from was Pacific Arts Video).

And there ya have two of the most influential US groups … one fab, one prefab … both instrumental (pardon the pun!) in the construction of the group-rock scene, USA-style …

QUIZTIME: Okay … here’s the Relic’s Q-without-the-A for ya: Although they sang, The Monkees didn’t perform their own music on the first two LPs they released. For 1,000 points (I don’t wanna put this thing in Jeopardy, though!), What was the name of the group that did the actual MUSIC? First one that answers right gets a mention on the blog. If no one gets it, I’ll publish the answer in about a week, right here.
So, that’s it for now. ‘Til next time, remember: Keep your eyes on the skies, your feet on the ground, your heart with the music … and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

THE FORE: Mini Compilation Album is now available!

Thousands of rockin’ fans around the world have experienced the energy and excitement of this fantastic UK band! Now, it’s your turn!

But they know, like the rest of us, that the economy’s tight, and many folks have gotta watch what’s in their purses and wallets. So they’ve come up with an awesome offering to help ya fight high prices and dig the fab sounds of the band that’s turnin’ the rock music world upside-down!

You can get eight of their most popular songs, delivered right to your computer … and for only … ONE POUND! (about $1.50 US)

YOU’LL GET:

• ‘Man of Few Words’ (2006 version)
• ‘Little Louisa’
• ‘Love For Sale’
• ‘You’ll Be Mine‘ (all from the Album ‘Black and White‘. released in 2007)
• ‘Run and Hide’
• ‘We Were Meant To Be’
• ‘Lazy Day’
• ‘No Other Love’ (all from the album ‘Run and Hide’ released in 2008).

All for just one pound!! And it’s available on download only from the INDIESTORE at
http://indiestore. 7digital. com/thefore/ indieProductDeta il.aspx?pid= -114739

HERE’S A SAMPLE, ON VIDEO!
This is The Fore, doing their hit, Man of Few Words (2006)

So don’t miss out! Ya can’t get great music like this for less! Do it NOW …
and I’ll see ya on the flip side!

It’s been called the ultimate ‘cheat-board” … a ‘proprietary audio processor’ created by Antares Audio Technologies that corrects pitch in vocal and instrumental performances and disguises inaccuracies and mistakes to produce more precisely tuned recordings. In fact, sometimes it’s used as an effect to deliberately distort the human voice!

Probably best-known for Cher’s use of it in her 1998 hit, Believe, it’s been panned by most rock artists as a “cheap way out” for performers who don’t want to take time to rehearse their vocals — or are basically “tone deaf” anyway.
At the same time, it’s been praised for its economical side — cutting down on studio time, mixing and more.

Performers as diverse as T-Pain, Reba McIntyre, Faith Hill and Cher have used these to save re-takes and give their songs the “perfect pitch” it calls for. They don’t have to worry about missing notes or whatever, because this program can make even the worst singers sound heavenly!

Here’s what it says on the Antares Tech page:

“Auto-Tune is used daily by thousands of audio professionals around the world. Whether to save studio and editing time, ease the frustration of endless retakes, to save that otherwise once-in-a-lifetime performance, or to create striking special effects, Auto-Tune Evo is the tool of choice.”

Now, I’ve been in the business for thirty-plus years, and, quite frankly, I see this thing as a poor substitute for adequate vocal/instrumental rehearsal. If you’re good, you’re good. If not, keep on rehearsing until ya get it right! Don’t depend on a machine to correct your mistakes, because, onstage, you might not have it to rely on!

If the greats from all genres didn’t have to use it (Beatles, Stones, James Brown, Johnny Cash, etc), why do acts need it now?

Heck … all they did was rehearse until they got it right. And, if they had a vocal or instrumental “glitch” onstage, it gave the gig even more substance, because the fans knew they were seeing it all live and raw … they loved the fact that their musical heroes were human and not fed through some machine that did their work for them!

‘Course, that’s just my opinion. I’d like to get yours. Just give me a shout-out by comment or email and let me know what you think.
I’ll be happy to print your feedback here …

I’ve always been a fan of Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits’ frontman) and his music — in fact, some critics put his axe-wielding second only to Slowhand (Eric Clapton) in effectiveness.
One of my faves is their first hit, Sultans of Swing (1978). It recently came in at #22 in Classic Rock mag’s Top 100 guitar solos … but, more importantly, Mark had some great advice for new bands as he described the song:

“ ‘Sultans of Swing’ was originally written on a National Steel guitar in an open tuning, though I never performed it that way,” he said. “I thought it was dull, but as soon as I bought my first Strat in 1977, the whole thing changed, though the lyrics remained the same.

It just came alive as soon as I played it on that ’61 Strat—which remained my main guitar for many years and was basically the only thing I played on the first album—and the new chord changes just presented themselves and fell into place.

It’s really a good example of how the music you make is shaped by what you play it on, and is a lesson for young players. If you feel that you’re not getting enough out of a song, change the instrument—go from an acoustic to an electric or vice versa, or try an open tuning. Do something to shake it up!

As for the actual solo, it was just more or less what I played every night. It’s just a Fender Twin and the Strat, with its three-way selector switch jammed into a middle position. That gives the song its sound, and I think there were quite a few five-way switches installed as a result of that song.”

SO WHAT DOES IT SOUND LIKE?? HERE YA GO:

Okay … it’s 6 AM here, 11 AM there and 5:00 somewhere, so I’m gonna get outta here and catch some zzzz’s for about 300! But stay tuned … there’s more to come in 24 or less! ‘Til then …
see ya on the flip side!

HOW LEGENDS BOOST YOUR BAND

As you work toward local stardom, it’s a good idea to listen to some of the older, more established acts that have a similar sound and presence as your band.

Whether it be The Beatles, Rolling Stones — even Weezer 0r Green Day — you can get a lot of insight on what makes a rock band popular!

And, of course, these bands obviously have “staying power”. While Weezer is coming back to the charts again, Green Day never left … and do I really need to go into The Beatles?  Though John and George are gone from this world, Paul McCartney is still one of the most in-demand artists on the market!

They — as many of the legends — are going strong because (1) they have the rhythm, hooks and (with maybe Billy Joe’s band) harmony, have (2) great rapport with the audience, know (3) how to attack a song — getting the fans to perk up and listen, and (4) have supreme confidence in what they’re doing (and playing)!

They also make eye contact with the audience — even if they’ve gotta use the “trick” I toldja about before (remember?  Lookin’ between their eyebrows if they’re too skittish to make eyeball-to-eyeball contact?).
Then, they know how to move with the music … excitement shows in their on-stage demeanor.

Now, if ya look at the bands that were popular back during the days of the British Invasion and then the hard rock era (admittedly, the “disco” and “bubblegum” era didn’t provide a lot of lifers), you’ll find quite a few that are still going strong (and pulling in packed houses) even today.
It’s because they learned, from the outset, to incorporate the items I mentioned in past posts … and added their own personalities to create a very sellable, in-demand product.  And, though musical styles may change over the years, the lively rhythm-based sounds of the no-nonsense rockers will always be the most desired of these!

Here are a vid that’ll show ya what I’m talkin’ about. THE SEARCHERS was one of the prime bands of the British Invasion (in fact, this Liverpool foursome was second only to The Beatles in popularity).  But this video was taken in 2007! Looks like the fans are still diggin’ their sound:

Well, that’s all for this edition, but stay tuned, ’cause there’s more in less than 24! Soooooo …
I’ll see ya on the flip side …

Over the past weeks, we’ve talked a lot about what it takes to become a successful rock band.  What we’ve discussed are from notes I made while talking with some of the greatest names of the Sixties, along with personal and professional experience.

That being said, Let’s Review Your Set:

First of all, be sure that your members are all committed to the act.  They’ve gotta know their instruments and have a strong desire to play the style of music that you (as founder/leader) have envisioned.

Next, remember the important roles of each one; the drummer should keep a good, steady backbeat and only use “fills” if the songs call for them.  The rhythm guitarist puts down a solid foundation  for the song to bring it some body.
The lead guitar colours the song and comes in with “solo” during breaks.  Obviously, the bass adds depth to the track and should be reliable.

Now, when you’re ready to show yer stuff to an audience at your first gig, you’ll want to start your song with a solid, confident “attack”.  Your goal is to shake the crowd up to where they know you mean business!
But remember that you’ve just got about thirty seconds to get the fans’ attention with that first song.
It takes confidence and a definite feel for the music and the audience!

Now … for the song itself:

If at all possible, make it no more than about three-and-a-half minutes long.  Sure, other successful bands have longer individual songs, but they’re more established, have a few albums under their belts, and have a lot of experience with audiences.  Your job at this point is to gain fans with your brand of rock, while, at the same time, remembering that fans of any active entertainment (rock, sports, etc.) wanna see that action progress within about three to four minutes.  Otherwise, they start to get bored …

Harmony can catch the attention of fans and, if done right, they’ll love it!
If any/most of the songs in your set require it, be sure to practice a lot before going into play!  Find one or more of your bandmates who can harmonize with you (usually, a “tenor” over your “lead”).  When you’re rehearsing this, record it and play it back to go over rough edges (if any).

Remember, also, that mic(rophone) technique is important.  Whether you’re using one, two or three mics, singers should have their faces just far enough from them to create an even blend of vocals, and not one louder than the other. (Generally, the “six-inch rule” applies here: The mouth should be at least that far from the mic.  From there, you can modulate [get louder of softer] a lot better.)

Finally, remember to get a solid hook (or repeated phrase, lyric or guitar lick) that can stick in the fan’s minds!  From the Beatles’ She Loves You to Metallica’s Enter Sandman, bands have used those successfully.

Okay … we’re gonna take a break here, but I’ll be back with more shortly …

See ya on the flip side!

As we talked about in earlier posts, your new band is likely to start off with cover songs — meaning, tunes that’ve been recorded by other, established, bands.

Now, you can learn any already-recorded song ya like, as long as your ensemble has a sound that’s similar to the hitmakers you choose — and you stick with the arrangement of the original song.
And there’s one thing to remember (this is important!): If you perform the song during a paid gig here in the states, be sure you’ve got permission to use it! CD sleeves or lyric sheets usually carry the name and address of the publishers.
The reason? Something called copyright infringement, which can cost ya megabux if you’re usin’ the song to sweeten a large venue set (songs you’ll play at the venue) without permission!

THE MOST POPULAR “COVERS” FOR BEGINNING BANDS

Now, this list only covers a few of them (due to allotted space here):

Louie, Louie (The Kingsmen) — This oldies classic never wears thin. Its three-chord progression — along with the “mystery” concerning its lyrics — makes it an easy song to learn … and even easier to play!

Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd) — Though this tune is dramatically out-of-date lyrically, its famous lead guitar and basic-chord pattern continues to be a top rehearsal number for many starting bands. And, like “Louie,” it doesn’t strain the vocal chords!

Basket Case (Green Day) — Now, this one’s a fabulous piece to work with because, basically, you’re concentrating on rhythm rather than lead. The key to covering this song, outside the vocals, is to have a drummer who can do some heavy fills (meaning, tearing through the snare/mount tom/bass and cymbals) at appropriate times.

Iron Man (Black Sabbath) — First, a history lesson: Remember the legend of frontman Ozzy Osbourne biting off the head of a bat? Well, the truth of the matter is that, when someone threw it onstage, he thought it was a rubber one, and, when he bit its head off, realized it was real!
After the show, he not only washed the hell out of his mouth, but immediately went to be checked for rabies!

The song has a slow, mysterious start, but comes in with some heavy chords, followed by the four-beat of the drums. The song’s gotta sound loud, have some experienced guitars behind it during the bridges (points between verses) … but will definitely get the crowd moving!

Now, there are a lot of others, but (and after working with bands for a lonnnnnng time!) I’ve found these seem to be the favorites!

What do you think? Are there others that oughtta be added to the list? Gimme a shout-out and lemme know, okay? I’ll print ‘em here in an expanded list soon!

Okay … you know there’s gonna be more in 24, so stay tuned …

Normally, we’re workin’ on getting a band together in these first posts; but, today, I’ve gotta pre-empt because, yesterday …
A DREAM BEGAN TO COME TRUE!!

Y’know, when ya think about all the bands and other acts that protested the injustices of racial hatred and generational hatred — when ya think of all the songs from back-in-the-day (and these include rock, folk, soul — even a few country tunes), you’ve gotta know we’ve reached an historic milestone in our quest for equality!

The late Robert F. Kennedy predicted that we could have an African-American President within forty years (this, in 1968!);
Superstars like Bob Dylan, James Brown, John Lennon, Marvin Gaye and hundreds of others advocated racial equality;
Young people mounted protests around the nation, voicing against the indignities — while, at the same time, trying to gain a voice for themselves.

And, on January 20, 2009, we saw the results of that effort — and, as the old saying goes, “it’s onnnnly the beginning, folks … onnnnly the beginning!”

IT’LL MAKE YA “THINK!”

One of the greatest of all soul voices from that era also voiced her opinions in the almost-anthemic song Think!

And it was Aretha Franklin who belted out a stirring rendition of My Country, ‘Tis of Thee during President Obama’s inaugural!  It brought the crowd to tears because, as only Aretha can do, she painted a beautiful picture of America with her voice!

I mentioned “tears” — and nowhere were they flowing more than at the first Inaugural Ball, where the lovely singer Beyoncé serenaded the President and First Lady’s first dance with the song she did in Cadillac Records: the Etta James classic, At Last.
Not only were those in attendance tearing up, but she was shedding tears of happiness for the First Couple as well!

The dream has just started to come true for millions of Americans of all races, ages and economic classes. May it continue to unfold into a permanent reality!

Now, we’ll get back to the regular program in less than 24. But, for now, let’s savor the victory …

See ya on the flip side …

Now, before we move on to the next session, maybe you’d like to find out how your forefathers of rock — the ones from the legendary British Invasion — “made it”:

Y’see, it wasn’t easy to start a rock act back in the late Fifties in England. While the BBC frowned on America’s new “rock-n-roll” and promoted what they called trad music (sort of a traditional Dixieland jazz), parents had pulled out an old vaudeville style that kids could afford to play — something called skiffle.

So young people started getting acoustic guitars, washboards and tea-chest basses and, after learning some rudimentary chords, set up on street corners and wherever they could find an audience to play old standards and “covers” of some stateside favorites.
Finally, one of the bands (known first as The Drifters and then The Shadows) traded in their primitive set-up for electric guitars and drums! Other skifflers (who’d moved up to parties, dances and other small venues) began to follow suit.

But it wasn’t easy; the electric guitars were costly — and hard to handle!  Here’s what Ron Ryan — singer/songwriter (he wrote hits for the Dave Clark Five), founder of London’s Riot Squad (in which he introduced Mitch Mitchell, who later became the drummer of the Jimi Hendrix Experience, to the stage) — says:

“First gear, the Yanks were spoilt!! They could walk into any music shop and buy a Fender or a Gibson guitar right off the wall.
In the late 50s (when most of the Bands who made up the Invasion started) to the early Sixties, we could not get them here. You would not believe the crappy guitars we had to learn on!!! The strings were so far away from the fretboard our fingers used to bleed after every practice session. Also, the strings we could get were so heavy!! Where you could get 10-46 in the USA, the lightest we could get were ‘Black Diamond’ 12-52, put them on a crappy guitar and, boy, you had to work so hard to play it!!!

We developed playing styles akin to the old Black Blues Players, where they played cheap guitars and heavy strings. Also most of the ‘Invasion’ Bands were ‘Blues Bands’ before they turned to Rock. So we listened to the Blues, and (learned to) play Rock in that style. That meant with plenty of attack, and ‘get in quick and grab the crowds attention from the first few notes of a song.”

And, with upwards of 1,200 young people in bands in Liverpool alone, you can imagine the rush to find gigs before the other ones got ‘em!
Remember: they didn’t have YouTubes, iPods, cell phones, etc.  They had to do it with live auditions and a lot of footwork!  Sometimes they’d get the gig, sometimes they wouldn’t.

Soon, the bands learned the value of having managers promoting them to different potential venues.  If they went over well, then they could pick up more appearances at the clubs, or, if they were really good, they might even be chosen as a support act for visiting U. S. acts who’d already made it big in the states.

As their fan bases grew, they’d also cut demos — largely, reel-to-reel tapes of their music — and their managers would hand-deliver these to record companies, give them a big pitch, and hope for the best.  Meanwhile, they’d perform long hours at dingy bars, pubs, or clubs — sometimes, the noise made by drunken patrons would drown them out, so they had to become louder … even improvise tunes in order to be heard.

Now, I could go on and on with this, but I think you’re seein’ how easy it is today as compared to the British bands that really started it all 45 years ago.  The main thing ya need to learn from all this is: never, ever give up!  Play wherever you can, build a good fan base, get good management … and, combined with what we’ve talked about in past posts, you stand a great chance of making it on the scene.  Maybe you’ll only glean a regional following … or maybe you’ll go international … but one thing’s for sure:  You’ll definitely be on your way as an established, popular act that’ll become the favorite of many!!

C’mon … we’ve all gotten it at one time or another! And, as a new band, somebody in your lineup is gonna feel a little skittish about appearing before an audience.

Natch, this is something you wanna discuss with yer tribe while you’re in rehearsals: Is anybody a little worried about performing in front of a crowd?
If the answer’s “yes”, then here are some ways you can counter that and put on one dynamite show:

First, be sure you’re all ready. Lack of confidence is the #1 reason most performers get stage fright. If you know your material (songs), all your instruments are in good shape and tuned*, and your stage outfits look good, you’re gonna do fine!
(* contrary to what you’ll hear, don’t put brand-new strings on your guitars before a gig. You’ll need to break them in — give ‘em some play — so they won’t stretch onstage and sound either off-key or ring). And, if you can, bring an extra guitar or two — just in case …

Now, before ya go onstage, try to get a good look at the audience from a different angle; if you’re just playin’ for a party or some local function, ya might wanna mingle with the crowd a bit (but only if you have time before you haveta set up!). If you’re a “support” band (playing on a bill with other acts), take a look at ‘em from backstage. The reason is to familiarize yourself with the faces and attitudes in the crowd!

Once you’re onstage — and if you’re still a little n-n-nervous, just start your first number as you would in rehearsal (if you’ve got someone to introduce your act). Normally, you’ll wanna do a 4-count to get everybody started at the same time.
Now, here’s a tip to help your eye-contact with the audience: Instead of lookin’ at the faces or making direct eye-contact (if that worries ya), gaze just between their eyebrows, at the point where the forehead ends and the nose begins! That way, you won’t be skittish, and the audience will think you’re lookin’ directly at them!

After your first two or three gigs — especially if you’ve learned to (a) have a strong start to your songs, (b) perform each one with confidence and liveliness and (b) end the song just as strongly — you oughtta get the hang of it!

Now, we’ve got more to cover in the next episode — this time, dealin’ with gettin’ the gigs — so stay tuned; there’s more in 24! Until then …

see ya on the flip side!

Okay … so you’ve got your band together, you’re practicing, everything looks good …

but what’s it gonna take to get you “on the charts” with audiences? See, you can come off as “just another band” …
or you can rock their socks off so that they’ll wanna hear you again and again!

What’s it gonna take?  Here are a few pointers for ya:
First of all, you’ve gotta have a good attack. Now, what that means is that, when you start your first tune (and, by the way, the “song list” you’re gonna be doing in your first gig [venue, place you're playing] is called a set), you wanna make it strong! Within the first few seconds, the audience oughtta sit up and know you mean business!
Listen to some of the early material of The Beatles or Rolling Stones, or some of the stuff by the new UK band THE FORE. The first songs oughtta sound alive and confident!

Next up:  Your songs should have a strong rhythm. It lays down the tracks for your rock train to travel on … gives it substance! And remember not to make it louder than the rest of the instruments — in fact, it oughtta be at the same volume level as the drums, since they pretty much go hand-in-hand to handle the tempo (and, as sortuva footnote:  Try to make it sound more “acoustic” than “electric” at times).

Now … let’s look at vocals for a minute:

A lotta singers think “louder is better” — they’d rather growl or shout than sing. But is that gonna get you over with the audience (whom you’re tryin’ to get as fans)? Or are ya gonna just sound like cat #1 in the pic (does he look like he’s havin’ fun)?
Nope … Sure, if the song calls for a bit of power, do it. Just make sure it fits the song, though … and be sure your aud can understand the words! You can sing I love you, girl, but, if you’re too loud or too close to the mic(rophone), it can come out mmphdrzn rfgnzdpt. Let the volume match the song to the letter. And, whenever ya do let it rip, move away from the mic a bit to keep it from blowin’ their ears off!

Next up: harmony. Try to get it in there in either backing vocals! That adds some good flavor to the song and adds even more life to it! Besides, it spotlights the others behind the instruments and shows you’re all active and alive!
So, if the original song calls for it, go for it! Just make sure it sounds good, and not like a bunch of drunk frat boys singin’ to a record!

Now, I’m gonna take a break here (owin’ to the fact that I (ahem!) fell asleep at the keyboard last night while workin’ on this and other music business.  It’s a 10 AM-5 AM workload here at the first of the week!), but we’ll continue this later this evening.  So stay tuned!

See ya on the flip side … (now, if I can just … get this … F1 key … pried outta my forehead … )

Y’know, I’ve been in the music biz for almost half my life now, and have seen loads of acts come and go — from AC/DC to ZZ Top, Animals to Zombies, great acts and musical laxatives both.
But what makes a rock band big? I mean, what makes ‘em popular? Here are a few pointers I’ve gotten from two important sources: Observation and Interviews … both of fans and with some of the rock legends:

If you wanna start a band, be sure you’re into it all the way! If you’re not ready (note: I didn’t say just “willing”) to put 100% into it, don’t do it. Stick with your regular job.
It’s very important to get members who not only know their instruments, but are on the same page as you concerning the type of music you wanna play. Equally as important is that you all must get along well with each other.
Before your first rehearsal, be sure you know your area’s “noise laws” perfectly. Otherwise, find a place to rehearse that’ll mask most of your rehearsing.
Also, have a short list of songs you can start with. Make ‘em easy and ones that the others would know, whether it’s Sweet Home Alabama, Iron Man or the classic Johnny B. Goode.
Be sure everyone shows up at the rehearsal on time and with equipment.

Okay … now that you’re all together, go over the first song with everything unplugged at first. That way, you’ll get a feel for how you’ll mesh: Will the rhythm be stronger than the lead? Is the tempo right? Are you all in the same key and in tune?
Once that’s all evened out, plug in and try the song a few times to see what you’ve gotta workon (yeah, add the drummer this time!). Now, it’s important to be patient during your rehearsals, ’cause, chances are, the song’s not gonna sound right until after the first four or five tries.
If you’re adding vocals and have your mic hooked up, be sure you’re not too close to it. Sure, the singer should be over the instruments, but he/she shouldn’t hog the mic. Rule of thumb: For high or loud notes, move away from the microphone by about six inches, with the mic just to the left of right of your mouth. Then, for lower or soft note, lean into the microphone … but just long enough to get the right note out!

Once you’ve gotten the song down to at least a workable style, go back and try another one, using the same techniques as ya did the first time.

Now, tonight, we’ll continue this … and get into the sound itself. Sooo …

I’ll see ya on the flip side!

HEY!! (Just wanted to see if you were payin’ attention …)

Beginning this Monday, we’re gonna be runnin’ something a new and (IhopeIhopeIhope …) exciting here on Notebook:

Naturally, we’ll be goin’ over the business end for anyone who really wants to rock (or do Country-Western, or other genres), talk A&R, labels, and stuff that you cats can use.
But we’re not gonna drag here; if ya want totally serious, there are loads of news sites that’ll sourpuss ya to death! Yep, there’s a lot to cover here, but we don’t haveta be so serious in talkin’ about it, right? I mean, the readin’ oughtta be an enjoyable experience!

First, we’re gonna take a look at what really makes a successful rock band tick! You’re gonna get the 411 from one of the fastest-growin’ and most popular bands in the UK, The Fore — and a coupla vids to boot!But you’ll also be gettin’ upclose with gigs and venues from some of your favorite artists, old (yep … quite a few still around) and new!
Natch, you’ll be readin’ my chicken-scratchin’ here, too — I’ve been in the music biz for thirty-years-and-change, and got a lotta good, up-to-the-minute stuff to share with ya!

So stay tuned on Monday evenin’ for the first episode of the NEW Musician’s Notebook! ‘Til then …
I’ll see ya on the flip side!

The vocal folds are, of course, not located in the esophagus, so drinking water might hydrate the body, hence distributed to the various organs, but simply drinking won’t lubricate them as well. In order to lubricate the vocal folds, one needs to perform steaming.

Steaming is an easy practice to carry out. Boil a kettle of water, pour some in a bowl and, after placing a towel over your head and covering the outer edges of the bowl to prevent steam dissipation, simply breathe through the mouth for five or ten minutes.

Afterwards, restraint and discipline is required. Shut up. Seriously, for thirty minutes, don’t speak, and definitely do not whisper. You’ll also need to stay inside for that thirty minutes. If it’s cold outside, wait an hour. Breathing cold air will undo all the steaming. And, before singing, warm up properly. If you spend all that time with your face in a bowl of steaming water, you don’t want to jeopardize all the benefits!

Some people recommend adding eucalyptus oil to the bowl. I suggest that if you do this at all, you only add a drop, because the fumes of the stuff can do more harm than good. If you’ve ever had a sniff of the pure oil, you’ll know what I mean. It’s rough stuff.

Do you like to take a nap in the afternoon before a performance? Most vocalists do, but what they often think is that napping resets the vocal muscles. This leads many a vocalist to avoid warming up during the day because they think it’ll be useless if they sleep.

Fortunately for singers, warming up is more about the connection between your mind and your throat - reminding your mind where certain pitches are. Only a very small fraction of it is warming up the muscles themselves. Essentially, warming up is for reminding your mind where the ‘keys’ on your voice are.

This means you can do you full warm up earlier in the day, and then recap with a ten or fifteen minute warm up after your nap. Now you can save a good hour of time before your show!

I’ve met many singers who have trouble maintaining a clear voice. A major problem is that a lot of amateur singers like to study technique and practice scales but only a few really learn to take care of their instrument. If you leave the same set of strings on a guitar for a few years (if you can manage not to snap them in that space of time), the tone is going to be lifeless. Likewise, if you don’t care for your voice, it’s going to sound bad. Really bad.

The most important thing you can do is drink water, and plenty of it. It lubricates the vocal folds and gives that clear sound. It doesn’t take much water to do this, but if you don’t drink enough your body is going to allocate all that water to other areas that need it more (you know, the digestive system and boring stuff like that). If you’re drinking enough, your vocal cords will be happy and your voice will be clear.

How do you know you’re drinking enough? Doctors like to say we need 8 glasses a day, but each body is unique in its water management. One talented vocal teacher once told me that if your pee is clear, you’ve drunk enough water to make sure your voice is clear too.

It’s crude, but it sure works.

Singing, vocals, singing tips, singers, vocalists