We've got our first gig! All musicians are invited to join in at The Dragon MINI event the first week of May, 2006. (See other threads, if you don't know about The Dragon.)

So, we've had the idea of calling our group "I Suck At Guitar But People Like Me Anyway Band" and that name certainly says it all... Do we stick with that, or is there a different (shorter) name we should use?

Next, are we going accoustic, or are we going to power up at the Fontana Village? We may need to talk to the Fontana managers, usually there are some volume restrictions... Such as a 10PM keep-it-to-a-whisper rule.

Then, do we want to organize a play list? This might be too organized for us, just jamming to whatever someone comes uo with- is a lot of fun, but having a least an idea of what we might play would provide comfort to those of us who really do suck.

We certainly want to include all musicians, not just guitar players.

So, who's in, and what do ya think?

 

Can I play cowbell??? I can kinda keep time sortof.

 

I'll bring my "AX"

 

First of all I think this is a great idea. I have no musical talent therefore I can not help you in your quest. However I will sit around and drink some beer while you play.

 

What's wrong with calling it The Off-Topic Band?

 

We need more cowbell!... You know this, UK, so sure you can play cowbell.

 

THE OFF-TOPIC BAND
(We really suck, but people like us anyway!)

I think we've got a t-shirt in the making!

 

THE OFF-TOPIC BAND
(We really suck, but people like us anyway!)
(No politics allowed, or you get band.)

 

I love it! The Off Topic Band!

(or around here, the Off Topic )

I have a couple small amps I could bring if'n y'all like, but I am hesitant to bring my ax, since my chops are just about nonexistent these days. I even have some power inverters and battery packs that can be used if the band gets chased out of populated areas. You can still be 'plugged in'.

Looks like I gotta bring my recording gear again!

 

So when did this go from a jam to a gig (not that I'm capable of jamming, either). You seem to be implying that we would be playing for other people - that there would be witnesses to this debacle other than those taking part in it. I don't know about that, at least for me. A, I suck. This has been well established in the guitar addicts thread. B, I'm going backpacking for four days in the Smokies before hitting the dragon, so there's no way I'm bringing my good acoustic and leaving it in my car - rather, I'll have my trusty old Alvarez which sounds like a bunch of elastic bands wrapped around a warped cereal box. I'm not sure it's fit for anyone's ears other than my own and those of other sucky guitar players. C, I have played with other people for a total of maybe an hour, in my seven whole years of attempting to learn guitar. As a result, I am pretty darn incapable of keeping time with anybody other than my inner rock god.

If you want someone to strum and whistle the intro to GNR's "Patience," though, I'm your guy.

 

Aw come on chrisnl!... We're just havin' fun claiming we're putting on a real performance! We'll just have a loose jam or "music circle" where we'll drink beer, make a little noise, at or with each other, 'round the fire... As long as the OT Lounge exists, there's no sense in us hiding our fun somewhere else.

Put me down for Lime And Coconut (A7-D7, repeat throughout)
"Called the doctor, woke him up and said,
Doctor! Ain't there nothin' I can take.
I said, Doctor! To relieve this bellyache..."

 

OK, cool. In that case, let's put Zep's "Rain Song" and Heart's "Crazy on You" on the set list.

 

Is it OK if I tape my chord chart to the back of my guitar? I can do G,C and D but not together.

I also think I found some chords that haven't been invented yet.

 

YES! This is a great idea for the band tee shirt! I'll get with COOPERation and we'll throw a design together. Let's support a charity with sales...what do you all think of sending proceeds to Habitat for Humanity for the Katrina survivors?

BTW, we can either jam around the OT Lounge Cabin's firepit (bring some folding camp chairs), or if you want it to be BIG, there's a large fire ring near the General Store (which also has a nice parking lot), where there was a pre-Midnight on the Dragon bonfire in May.

If the OTB wants the larger bonfire "venue," , I'm sure the Fontana management will be happy to oblige. :smile:

 

Sure UK. I know people that to the same and they actually play in public. Also, everything is a chord of some kind. If it is a sound it is a diminished flat seven etc. something or other.

I'm fine with Off Topic Band but kind of like The Suck Band for its minor league sleazy sound.

Finding songs we all like to do is probably impossible given the range of music. I'll mention a couple in no particular order with, of course, editorial comment.

Tom Waits' "Cold Water" (of Muleskin Variations). The positives are it is a very easy song to chord -- just A and E with a D thrown in on the bridge -- and if off key and sloppy it fits the raunchy mood. Also, it is great with an electric plugged into a smoky amp and Chrisnl (rock god still in closet) does it too. Negatives: most probably don't know it.

Leadbelly/Woody Guthrie (Woody just changed the words) "Goodnight Irene". Though possibly heard as some quaint Victorian courtship song, their versions are anything but. Like "This Land Is Your Land" lots of verses were sanitized out of those high school song books. It's a great drinking song too.

George Harrison's "Here Comes the Sun" like all Beatles songs are very complicated chord patterns if done authentic. But like the others, they can also be done simply. This one has just about the most beautiful lead in and chord progressions I've ever heard and dared try.

Clover Butte's "Sndwave Shuffle" is a kind of Jimmy Buffet gone ska ode to a seaman she knows. Lyrically it is a kind of sea shanty, but a wild party song so long as no children (e.g TSB) are around.

Wow, so many more but I will stop for now.

 

Electric or acoustic I don’t think will matter much seeing that 400 MINIs are going to be zooming around the place and if you set up at the MKOT Headquarters Friday night you’ll have a band across the street in the Dam Room.

Besides there may only be 5 other guests total who are not with the MOTD gang because we’re booking the place solid this next year from the looks of it.

 

ini, those are some good suggestions. Only problem with "Cold Water" is someone has to sing it! If I drink and smoke enough to sound like Tom Waits, I won't be motoring the next day.

How about "House of the Rising Sun"? The chords are super easy (Am C D F, Am C E), but even the full arpeggio treatment is pretty basic. Of course, then we have to find an Eric Burdon wannabe to belt out the vocals.
Hmm... My folding camp chair has arms... not good for guitar. Must investigate alternative seating contraptions. Been meaning to do that anyway.

 

I recommend that everyone go to Target. They usually have the armless folding canvas campchairs in handy canvas bags for about $7. I will bring my two, which are armless, for the strummers to borrow.:smile:

 

I'll sing

Lois

 

Me too! I'm already singing and playing Tom Waits' I Wish I Was In New Orleans and his Chocolate Jesus... I've just printed off Cold Water and will get his recording tonight.

Clover, love to support Habitat for Humanity.

In-eye, whatever songs you think, I'm all for 'em!

 

Ooooh ooooh ooooohhh!!! Cooper Beagle's gonna learn "Cold Water". Now I promise to try the same with Chocolate Jesus. Chris, the secret to these sort of Waits songs (as opposed to the pretty ones) is you just wail an don't worry.

I may have told this one so forgive me if so. One night I was having fun doing said vocalizations of Cold water with the Smokey getting that distorted sound on my electric. So what thought I? Sound does not penetrate the floors or walls (cement) and no one's ever in the hall (hollow core steel door). The next day I happened to be riding up in the elevator with the 68 year old beatnik writer next door and my wealthy landlord who literally own most of my downtown. The neighbor remarked something like, "Hey man, I was bring laundry up last night and heard you singing. Cool." I turned bright red and the lord of the manner started laughing At me not WITH me.

I hope everyone will note it is now a matter of public record that Lois has said she will sing.

 

I will hum softly in the background and play rhythm instruments. Haven't strummed a guitar in too many years to count. I wonder if I have room for my little starter guitar for the roadtrip....LOL!! I will be bringing my Assiniboine drum, though!

 

I'd totally love to play bass [electric], tabla, or sitar with y'all, but it's square in the middle of finals! .

 

Clover - awesome charity idea... I can see the t-shirt already... "Off Topic" in some groovy font with a stamped "Band" on it... plus of course a MINI loaded with band gear... (of course COOPERation will come up with something way cooler )


I can't sing nor can I play... can't even keep time, but I promise to come & listen... drink plenty and I'll even bring a supply of lighters for the traditional lighter-worthy songs... please just don't play the extended versions or I'll burn my fingers...

 

I'm an artist...not a graphic designer... a mixed media painter/collagist/assemblagist. I may get with COOPERation or I just may create a surprise collage image. We'll see. Yeah...I'm a third-generation charity gal!