It was certainly unexpected! Then it got stuck in my head for about a week…argh!
Coming across this a bit late.
Drummer/vox (well, more like screamer/yeller/growler) from '90 to '13.
Retired at 49 - started getting a bit “hmmmmmm” playing gigs where everyone’s half, sometimes a third, my age.
Started in punk/hc vien, then subsequent bands got heavier, so from about the mid-90s onwards, veered more into grindcore and metallic deathgrind.
Put out cds, tapes, vinyl
chronolgically:
O.T.T.G (Our Testicles Touch the Ground)
M.P.A. (Mexican Power Authority)
Exploding Nimoy
Soy
Peruke
Repulverizer
Beatles cover band originally called Brian, Doug and Justin Do the Beatles, and then The Beasides.
There was definitely a thread where @musicat described his transcription work, and people asked numerous questions about it. I think it was in some thread that someone else started. I remember him describing racing some work over to an office or studio in record time. I’m on my cell phone or I’d do a better search.
If you find that post (by me), let me know! I’ve posted several of that type over the last 26 years on SDMB, but never an AMA thread. It may be time for me to start one, before I won’t be able to. I’ll put it on my Real Soon Now calendar.
If @spoons or anyone else is still updating our band thread, please add me to the keyboards list (piano, electric piano, organs (various); woodwinds (flute); and percussion (bell lyre, bells, cymbals). Don’t forget the Music Preparation Dept. – someone has to compose, arrange, and write the parts out (now done mostly by computer, but back then, it was all hand work). You can put me down in the MP Dept., which is mostly where I spent 15 years doing in Hollywood (1970’s).
Does playing “Hang On, Sloopy” for 30 continuous strip show minutes count as some kind of special skill?
I don’t have a trap set or any other drums, but I’ll rap out a rhythm on anything that will resonate. I’ve been addicted to percussion since I was probably five years old, but could never afford decent instruments. Now that I can afford it, I live in an apartment. Sigh. One of those things that was never meant to be.
I should mention that years ago I switched from variety electric and acoustic guitars to just concentrate on Spanish i.e. classical nylon guitar. I soul-bonded with it.
Since the late ‘80s, and up until about a year and a half ago, I had an Electronic One-man Band act; I play guitar and sing and have sequenced instrumental accompaniment — doing Beatles, John Denver, Jim Stafford, ELO, ‘60s and ‘70s tunes with an occasional early ‘80s song. I always wanted to sing in front of an orchestra, so I went and synthesized one.
Guitarist and singer, about 50 years now. Played in cover bands (classic rock), weekend gigs at bars, street fairs, etc., for years. Resumed playing with a bunch of other old heads maybe 12 years ago, with the very occasional gig (2 or 3 a year), which is just the frequency we preferred.
Just last night got together with my bass player and a bunch of guys I hadn’t jammed with before. Made some noise for 3 or 4 hours. It’s still so much fun.
That’s the gold standard. If you can play that song for such a long time and keep the audience in the mood, you can play anything.
Hey – the audience was already in the mood – in Vietnam, US troops, far from home, desperate for female companionship. Anything will do.
The reason we played Hang On, Sloopy for so long was because the stripper, who talked to the band (just a combo in this case) before the show, and to answer our question, “What songs would you like us to play?”, said:
“Do you know ‘Hang On, Sloopy’?”
“Sure, no problem. What else?”
“Nothing. Just keep playing it.”
Now I’m picturing that scene from “Apocalypse Now”. Was is really like that?
There was a reason all of us got combat pay. It wasn’t a Sunday visit to Baskin-Robbins. Anyone sent to Vietnam back then was operating under a reduced life expectancy. The Bob Hope show’s visit was a highlight of our tour.