Christhemusician

Hello, I am looking to rattle my musical bones which have been neglected ever since I got a real job about 18 months ago. Basically what I am looking for is a group of like-minded troubadours to congregate with in a practice room or studio and make some folk bleeps and beats with. I used to play in a local band called the Garcias who gigged and practised regularly in and around Aberdeen. I sang and played guitar in the band but am keen to branch out into all sorts of different fields. Electronics, synths and acoustic guitars? All players of any instrument please get in touch from didgeridoo's to kaossilators. Think Beta Band battling Radiohead to win the affections of Daft Punk's beautiful daughter Neil Young. Cheers Chris

Okay, I'm sorry. So what is speculated for Mike Chiplin's future? Does he already have a side project?

You think I care? I hate that rubbish. I just don't care. I'm bored and this is doing very little amuse me.

Emo pissh, good riddance thats what I say. Bleugh!!

Hypothetically if you were going to build a studio for your own personal use and experimentation what would your fantasy set up be? Analogue or digital? Budget or extravagant? Stationary or portable? Mics, monitors, headphones, everything you care to list.

Macca Flea Billy Cox You can't touch Sir Paul in my opinion, a lot of Beatles songs possibly sound better with one speaker simply because he had the most amazing musical ear. Trust me the man is a bass god.

Or an Organ Doner? does anyone know any piano players who dig the blues?

The crazy frog is pretty cutting edge...

Agreed, and probably the most popular too because they managed to fuse the previously unheard with the familiar and trusted.

Live music is what life was made for, performing is my maison d'tre. It's the adrenaline the sense of power over a room full of people who arwe hanging on your every move (at least thats the idea). Shit, I'm starting to sound like a religious fruit cake.

I think artistic, contemporary and experimental music will always be regarded as the elite by those who make it and it may be because of certain separatism that the people at the forefront of the scene display that leads to it not being as popular as it could, maybe should be? The Beta Band were one of my favourite bands for a long time but they were so reclusive that it seemed like they didn't want you to like them, they didnt want you to hear.

Offensive Music I agree that inoffensive music serves a purpose and i also understand that in a lot of cases it sells well. This is because there are a substantial majority of average Joes out there who don't seek danger, don't like the edge and don't want to cause a fuss by standing up and being counted. They enjoy waking up each day and doing the same things as they did the day before. This is because regular routines develop a sense of safety that chaos does not. So to hear a song that sounds like everything you have ever heard before but to have it sold to you as something new gives a certain confidence that you will never be disappointed. I enjoy many safe bands that don't use any kind of shock lyrics or bizarre and unusual musical concepts. I also (sometimes) enjoy writing music that follows a basic pop formula i.e. verse, chorus, verse, chorus, middle 8, coda (often just a chorus again); pretty much ternary structure (if memory serves). This is mainly because it receives the best response from an audience. The things I find musically stop my heart though, are the pieces of music that do shock you into thinking "How the hell did they think of that?". Things like Pink Floyd's "Dark side of the moon" which as a concept album always makes me realise that the sheer song writing stamina required to complete a mammoth task like that is be beyond me. I struggle to sit down to write a single song in an evening without having to turn on the T.V. and give my head a rest and this is exactly why I find middle music so satisfying. It is because of its simplicity and the fact it isn't a challenge that it appeals to me. I don't think you can knock it when it is done to the highest standards. Sorry about the essay by the way but this is much better than doing my job.

We now need a keyboard player, talent not strictly necessary, the ability to rock like a maniac and fall off stage is a major bonus, must have own equipment and possible death wish. You also have to be able to sing vocal harmonies or I will kill you. Hot chicks wearing very little will be given preference because I am shallow and so is the majority of the public.

Alright? I am forming a new band, The Garcias be the name. We are up beat funk punk rock and are writing at a rate of about 1 song a week. We are going to be trying a few things here and there so if you fancy coming through to aberdeen for a practice over the weekend send me a PM. Peace in the Middle East my rhythmic brother.

Less can be more. That's true and the ability to give a song something extra or take it away rests firmly on the drummers shoulders which is exactly why we are looking for someone who is confident enough to (at periods of tranquillity) almost shut up and do nothing at all. The drums are the most important part of any band and a lot of drummers these days get stuck behind egos and wankers which is what we are avoiding like the plague. Yes, there is space for virtuosity but when someone is so musically insecure (regardless of how much talent they have) they try to play amazing technical stuff all the time. This is when you are no longer playing to please anyone except yourself which is why we are striving to be showmen, entertainers and push to be selfless when jamming. Give everyone room to breathe otherwise you will be playing on your own in your bedroom for the rest of your life.

Do you have contact details of this Andrew of which you speak? I like the name VoodooChild, is he a little Mitch Mitchel in the making? The material we are putting together is quite spacious instrumentally in the sence there is only one guitar rather than the increasingly common two or even three. We are trying to convey skilled music and in Aberdeen's little venues carity is of the upmost importance to achieve this. I have seen to many band where the guitar is doing a killer lead line only to be lots amoungst a wall of mediocore sound from the rest of the band. The mark of a good musician isn't the speed you play or how loud you are but the contribution you make to the music. If a song only requires you to play 2 notes throughout the whole thing then play two notes well and make it look good. There will be other occasions where you are going to be playing at breakneck speed and people will say "Whoa! Where the hell did that come from? Awesome!" Saying that the stuff we have is generally pretty loud and often pretty damn fast too so a quality drummer will definutly not be bored if they want to hit the skins like a madman.

So thats that? you wouldn't even think about trying out for a crazy rock set influncened by every band you listed? We really kick ass and you would kick yourself for not even trying. I'm confident about that because its true.

Power Drummer Needed Now For Serious Band!! If you play like CHAD SMITH or BRAD WILK and can blast out solos on your tubs like JOHN BONHAM you need to be in THE GARCIAS . I am a locally based singer and songwriter who has been playing in a Glasgow, 5 piece DIRTY DISCO band (a genre that failed to fly) Latitude, for the past 5 years who are about to take a sabbatical. I am looking to form a 3 piece band here in Aberdeen which would allow me to have more guitar space and more writting room. I currently have to play second fiddle a lot down south as our other vocalist can't play guitar and our other guitarist can't sing so I get dumpped somewhere in the middle of frontman/lead guitar but I'd rather (and have been told to) do both myself. Bass is taken care of but finding a POWER DRUMMER is proving harder than expected. Interested or know anyone who may be? let me know a.s.a.p. as we are planning on a quick take off.