what was your first band or two like?
what was your first band or two like?
I thought this might be an interesting topic, even though not really Ric-related.
My first band was approximately 1966, I was 13 and played guitar because I couldn't afford a bass. The band didn't have a name and only played one time that I can remember (in my Jr. high school auditorium) We were a three piece band with two guitars and a drummer (no bass, was ahead of it's time, haha!)
We had one amp, the other guitarist had a Silvertone guitar with an amp in the case (I think it was a Danelectro as it played pretty nice, much better than mine) I had an Audition guitar. He ended up playing bass on the guitar as I was a better guitarist than he was. No vocals. Our highlight was "The House of the Rising Sun" We also played a lot of Ventures, Chantays, etc. Surf music.
My second also had no name, probably 1966-67. We had two amps, two Silvertone twin Twelves, and ran two guitars (a Diamond and a White Fender Mustang), bass, I had a Howard (I think, there was no name on it) and two mic's through this fabulous sounding set up. I think eventually we got a Bogen PA. We did stuff like of course the Beatles ("I need You" comes to mind) Wilson Picket (Midnight Hour, more Young Rascals style though) actually a lot of Young Rascals. The Remains, etc. We did a little country music also. We played the local high school and town hall. I think we usually made about 15 bucks a piece. (not much has changed huh?) the mic's we used are the kind of mic's you see retro bands using now, like school auditorium mic's, I forget the model, I think they were Shures.
I still see these two latter guitar players and they both still play.
My first band was approximately 1966, I was 13 and played guitar because I couldn't afford a bass. The band didn't have a name and only played one time that I can remember (in my Jr. high school auditorium) We were a three piece band with two guitars and a drummer (no bass, was ahead of it's time, haha!)
We had one amp, the other guitarist had a Silvertone guitar with an amp in the case (I think it was a Danelectro as it played pretty nice, much better than mine) I had an Audition guitar. He ended up playing bass on the guitar as I was a better guitarist than he was. No vocals. Our highlight was "The House of the Rising Sun" We also played a lot of Ventures, Chantays, etc. Surf music.
My second also had no name, probably 1966-67. We had two amps, two Silvertone twin Twelves, and ran two guitars (a Diamond and a White Fender Mustang), bass, I had a Howard (I think, there was no name on it) and two mic's through this fabulous sounding set up. I think eventually we got a Bogen PA. We did stuff like of course the Beatles ("I need You" comes to mind) Wilson Picket (Midnight Hour, more Young Rascals style though) actually a lot of Young Rascals. The Remains, etc. We did a little country music also. We played the local high school and town hall. I think we usually made about 15 bucks a piece. (not much has changed huh?) the mic's we used are the kind of mic's you see retro bands using now, like school auditorium mic's, I forget the model, I think they were Shures.
I still see these two latter guitar players and they both still play.
Never actually been in a "Rock" band. During high school I played with the Grandfather Mountain Highlanders and the Atlanta Pipe Band (Scottish bagpipes) competitively as well as solo gigs and competition.
In college I played in the school's Early Music Ensemble - 16th century court music on recorders, violas, percussion, etc. That was a total blast. I'm convinced that medieval troubadours would play Rick 12's if they converted to guitar.
During my senior year a couple of the guys got together to do a short-lived "folk" group. I played guitar and viola-da-gamba (plucked it like an electric bass - hee hee). Also a really fun time.
I've only gotten seriously into rock/pop music (from a playing perspective) within the past three years or so . . . I teach for a living and don;t have much time to devote to a real band, although it would be cool to find a partner to do coffeehouse gigs and the like.
In college I played in the school's Early Music Ensemble - 16th century court music on recorders, violas, percussion, etc. That was a total blast. I'm convinced that medieval troubadours would play Rick 12's if they converted to guitar.
During my senior year a couple of the guys got together to do a short-lived "folk" group. I played guitar and viola-da-gamba (plucked it like an electric bass - hee hee). Also a really fun time.
I've only gotten seriously into rock/pop music (from a playing perspective) within the past three years or so . . . I teach for a living and don;t have much time to devote to a real band, although it would be cool to find a partner to do coffeehouse gigs and the like.
"The only worthwhile conquests are those wrested from ignorance"
-Napoleon
-Napoleon
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My first band was in 1976, my high school senior year. We were a 3-piece and played original tunes. I had my first bass, a Kay EB-O copy played upside-down(I'm a lefty) thru a Fender Bassman. Our first gig was at our drummer's high school talent show in the gym. As we were setting up a dance troup were doing their thing to recorded music. I was on my knees behind my amp looking for a place to plug it in. I found a strip but it was full. I thought "Screw it" and pulled out one of the cords. The entire gym gasped as the dancer's music slowed to a stop. I had unplugged their turntable. I quickly plugged it back in and they kept going. I was very happy I had such a big amp as no one saw who did it. We had dry ice fog going as we played our song. Hey it was the 70s. We were beat by a bass player-less band who played "Don't Fear the Reaper".
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First band, early '70's. We were original, into emulating Yes, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson. I had my 4001JG. The guitarist was a phenom, 16 years old, playing one year, coulda beat EVH anytime. Except he played more jazz and classical riffs. So we'd do these long instrumentals with time changes, odd signatures, etc. Every gig we had people went "huh?".
We did do a cover gig once at a High School, recruited a freind of ours to sing. we were doing Bowie, Deep Purple, etc. At the begining of "Highway Star" the singer got down on his knees leaned back and started with the "ahhhhh" or whatever vocal thing it starts with. So he's leaning back all dramatic going ahhh and suddenly the screen on the mic falls off and into his mouth! So he goes "aaaahhh..kkkkhgwhkagh! Any way after a couple songs a teacher comes up and tells us to turn down, we're too loud. So after a huddle, we all turned UP, and did our next song.The same teacher comes up and tells us "that's better". That was our third song and we were ******, so we unplugged and left, leaving everyone puzzled and angry. We hated doing those songs. We were into Yes and thought Deep Purple et al were lower forms of life.
We did do a cover gig once at a High School, recruited a freind of ours to sing. we were doing Bowie, Deep Purple, etc. At the begining of "Highway Star" the singer got down on his knees leaned back and started with the "ahhhhh" or whatever vocal thing it starts with. So he's leaning back all dramatic going ahhh and suddenly the screen on the mic falls off and into his mouth! So he goes "aaaahhh..kkkkhgwhkagh! Any way after a couple songs a teacher comes up and tells us to turn down, we're too loud. So after a huddle, we all turned UP, and did our next song.The same teacher comes up and tells us "that's better". That was our third song and we were ******, so we unplugged and left, leaving everyone puzzled and angry. We hated doing those songs. We were into Yes and thought Deep Purple et al were lower forms of life.
When I'm told to turn down I do the old turn around and pretend to turn the knobs thing, haha!
I forgot my FIRST band was as a Trumpet and Tuba player in the grade school band started in 5th grade, I really dug the Tuba, I want another!
The mic screen falling into the singers mouth, that begs another thread, What was the most hilarious thing that ever happened to you in any of your bands, later though, I'll have to think of some stuff. I knew a singer who was swinging the mic around by the cord and it flew off and hit someone in the audience. (was not my band)
I forgot my FIRST band was as a Trumpet and Tuba player in the grade school band started in 5th grade, I really dug the Tuba, I want another!
The mic screen falling into the singers mouth, that begs another thread, What was the most hilarious thing that ever happened to you in any of your bands, later though, I'll have to think of some stuff. I knew a singer who was swinging the mic around by the cord and it flew off and hit someone in the audience. (was not my band)
Speaking of turning it down, the guitar player I used to jam with while in high school, say 1976 or so, would NOT get a job, so had to borrow amplifiers rather than buy them. When we practiced, however, he was forced to face the realities of his situation; I played my P Bass through my Acoustic 370 with the folded 18, he played a Strat through his Sears stereo, which in addition to having "hi-fi" speakers and an eight track player sported a guitar input jack. Kinda hard to get the sound balanced.
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I started by playing trumpet in the 5th grade band...that quickly lost my interest. A few years later one of my friends who lived down the street got his 2nd guitar & let me take his old one home & all I would do on it is plug it into the stereo & pluck the first two strings (while tuning it down). I really liked that sound so I begged my parents for a bass.
For my 15th birthday I got the requisite Crate 20w amp & a Mako P-bass copy (ever heard of a Mako? Yeah, didn't think so)that was SO bad the bridge would actually bend the strings at a hard right angle so I broke 'em a lot.
The string breakage wasn't surprising as the first band I was in was a speed/metal/punk/thrash band. Hey, it was 1985 - NOBODY had even heard of Metallica then & we were doing covers off of their 1st album.
Our first gig was actually a friends valentines day/birthday party a some sleazy hotel's "ballroom". For this event we interspersed Sabbath/Zep/Priest/Metallica covers with our own horribly bad originals. Songs with titles like Silent Scream, Oblivion & the clincher - Schizophrenic Lunatic.
That was a lovely little ditty.
To top it all off, the drummer was our singer...
I actually have a videotape of that (no sound thank god) & you can see the folks in the "crowd" actually recoil in fear & stand against the opposite wall praying for it all to end.
Jeez, just thinking about that this early in the morning makes me wanna start drinking already!
For my 15th birthday I got the requisite Crate 20w amp & a Mako P-bass copy (ever heard of a Mako? Yeah, didn't think so)that was SO bad the bridge would actually bend the strings at a hard right angle so I broke 'em a lot.
The string breakage wasn't surprising as the first band I was in was a speed/metal/punk/thrash band. Hey, it was 1985 - NOBODY had even heard of Metallica then & we were doing covers off of their 1st album.
Our first gig was actually a friends valentines day/birthday party a some sleazy hotel's "ballroom". For this event we interspersed Sabbath/Zep/Priest/Metallica covers with our own horribly bad originals. Songs with titles like Silent Scream, Oblivion & the clincher - Schizophrenic Lunatic.
That was a lovely little ditty.
To top it all off, the drummer was our singer...
I actually have a videotape of that (no sound thank god) & you can see the folks in the "crowd" actually recoil in fear & stand against the opposite wall praying for it all to end.
Jeez, just thinking about that this early in the morning makes me wanna start drinking already!
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Chris, I'm lauging so hard, I'm crying!!! My first band wasn't too bad. I played my old JG 4001 which I had a badass bridge put on (a la Geddy). Just guitar, bass, and drums. We played stuff that wasn't too popular, thank god. Mid 80's were rough musically. We did Rush, U-2, Smithereens, The Call, Hoodoo Gurus, Julian Cope, and some originals. If it were up to me, we would have played just Rush, Yes, ELP, King Crimson, etc... The guitarist and drummer were brothers...really good. I was a scrub, still am, haha. The guitarist went to Berkeley School of Music in Boston after high school and wanted me to go with him. Hell, I couldn't play well and wouldn't get accepted there. Last I heard he was a talent scout or something for Island records. I too have a video tape of that band from 1987. Pretty comical. I need to get that on disc somehow to preserve it for my son. He's 4 and LOVES bass!!!! And will grow up loving RIC's too!!
Without getting into my very first band, here's the back sleeve of the first band I recorded with. This record actually got some airplay in nY and out of town on college radio. In fact there's a local station that still plays it.
http://www.msnusers.com/Rickenpictures/fromtheolddays.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=19
Of course the bass used on it was Rickenbacker. My career basically wnet down the tubes after I sold it ;>(
Oh, as a side note. The Smithereens were our labelmates as I believe they were the only other group the label ever recorded.
http://www.msnusers.com/Rickenpictures/fromtheolddays.msnw?action=ShowPhoto&PhotoID=19
Of course the bass used on it was Rickenbacker. My career basically wnet down the tubes after I sold it ;>(
Oh, as a side note. The Smithereens were our labelmates as I believe they were the only other group the label ever recorded.
" It's not where you are, it's who you're with.".
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What great stories! I'm pretty much a hack but it sounds like everyone starts the same anyway.
I played tuba all through school too - and unlike popular myth the tuba's weren't outcasts - unless we wanted to be.
I got my second guitar in '76, a Gibson accoustic. I was talked out of a bass by my dad - "But what can you play on a bass? You can't carry a tune on one of those. You need something you can enjoy for years." Dad doesn't always know best. But I still have the Gibson.
My first band was with my high school friends. It was a five piece, then a six piece, then a four, then a three. We kept changing the line up as people ****** each other off or graduated.
We played a car show battle of the bands in '78 in Louisville. We had 15 minutes and worked up 3 songs for the set. We started with Tie Your Mother Down (I borrowed an old Kay bass from a family friend for that one) then Sister Golden Hair. I played the Gibson on that one and when we got to the stage I realized that I didn't have a strap for it! I always sat on a stool during rehearsals. I ran off stage and grabbed the case and propped it on its side, planted my foot on top and the guitar on my knee. I know I was fairly embarrassed though our performance was not too bad to that point. Didn't matter, all was to be forgotten with the third song. The drummer, singer and guitarist insisted we do Stairway to Heaven. The other guitarist and I argued to no avail. Yeah, great idea, we, a bunch of hack high school kids, are going to cover the days pinnacle rock anthem. My face is turning red with the memory. All the goodwill and energy we had built with the audience died in the opening chords. I still see these guys, in fact, I'm still in a band with one, and when I'm feeling kind of mean I like to remind them of that night.
It wasn't until the mid eighties that I put down a guitar pretty much for good and got a bass. It's all I play.
I played tuba all through school too - and unlike popular myth the tuba's weren't outcasts - unless we wanted to be.
I got my second guitar in '76, a Gibson accoustic. I was talked out of a bass by my dad - "But what can you play on a bass? You can't carry a tune on one of those. You need something you can enjoy for years." Dad doesn't always know best. But I still have the Gibson.
My first band was with my high school friends. It was a five piece, then a six piece, then a four, then a three. We kept changing the line up as people ****** each other off or graduated.
We played a car show battle of the bands in '78 in Louisville. We had 15 minutes and worked up 3 songs for the set. We started with Tie Your Mother Down (I borrowed an old Kay bass from a family friend for that one) then Sister Golden Hair. I played the Gibson on that one and when we got to the stage I realized that I didn't have a strap for it! I always sat on a stool during rehearsals. I ran off stage and grabbed the case and propped it on its side, planted my foot on top and the guitar on my knee. I know I was fairly embarrassed though our performance was not too bad to that point. Didn't matter, all was to be forgotten with the third song. The drummer, singer and guitarist insisted we do Stairway to Heaven. The other guitarist and I argued to no avail. Yeah, great idea, we, a bunch of hack high school kids, are going to cover the days pinnacle rock anthem. My face is turning red with the memory. All the goodwill and energy we had built with the audience died in the opening chords. I still see these guys, in fact, I'm still in a band with one, and when I'm feeling kind of mean I like to remind them of that night.
It wasn't until the mid eighties that I put down a guitar pretty much for good and got a bass. It's all I play.
Tubas were cool, I want another one. I also played trumpet in the school band for four years. I recorded my first (I use this term lightly) album when I was 18. I think the place was a two track or something like that, they usually did commercials. In 1969 when Led Zeppelin were just coming out, I played a 4th of July outside gig at my high school. We smoked something or other, (rope?) and did pretty much the whole first album (really badly, I was 16) When it came time for that high scream that starts out low and gets higher and higher (like us) in "How Many More Times" the singer almost blacked out, haha!
I forgot the name of that band.
I forgot the name of that band.