Aberdeen bands that were tipped for big things but didn't do as well as expected

[Woodsinho]

I don't know much about Aberdeen bands that have been picked out for greatness - I'm too new to the scene for that - but I do remember seeing Colon Openbracket at Download Festival in 2006 which was a couple of years before I moved up here. So they did ok. I didn't like them much but they were in one of the tents and it was too fucking hot to be out in the sun that day so I put up with it.

/Cool Story

[Shaki]

Driveblind got that major deal but didn't really break through in America which in a way surprised me because they had that American radio sound. I know that one of their members became a born again christian shortly after they arrived and scuppered things a bit.

Any band I've ever played in fall into this bracket (the colonopenbracket bracket?). I'm still tipping myself for the big time though.

[Bigsby]

The drummer out of The View was in court last week and his lawyer stated that he only takes home 300 a week after tax etc.

[Bigsby]

Driveblind got that major deal but didn't really break through in America which in a way surprised me because they had that American radio sound. I know that one of their members became a born again christian shortly after they arrived and scuppered things a bit.

Any band I've ever played in fall into this bracket (the colonopenbracket bracket?). I'm still tipping myself for the big time though.

I know they also had problems with the producer guy they picked whose name escapes me just at the moment.

[Guest Tam o' Shantie]

most of the bands mentioned here enjoyed success while the music they played was fashionable, then disappeared once it wasn't.

driveblind being the exception - actually, their name came up recently as I was on a trip away with one of the members' brothers the other day. not sure what the ultimate status of the band and members is, but his bro's still in LA now, working as a sort of freelance musician/jingle writer type.

[Guest idol_wild]

The drummer out of The View was in court last week and his lawyer stated that he only takes home 300 a week after tax etc.

More than I earn.

I'm going to start a band and write songs about wearing the same brown cords for two weeks.

[Bigsby]

I know they also had problems with the producer guy they picked whose name escapes me just at the moment.

Think it was Mike Hedges.

Mike Hedges - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Shaki]

most of the bands mentioned here enjoyed success while the music they played was fashionable, then disappeared once it wasn't.

driveblind being the exception - actually, their name came up recently as I was on a trip away with one of the members' brothers the other day. not sure what the ultimate status of the band and members is, but his bro's still in LA now, working as a sort of freelance musician/jingle writer type.

They're done as far as I know and living all over the place.

[Bigsby]

Driveblind : Press : Biography

Aberdeen in the North-East of Scotland may seem an unlikely place to begin the story of the most exciting band to break out of Los Angeles this year...but for Driveblind, fact is truly stranger than fiction..

Driveblind came from humble beginnings: a grey, run-down lane in the backstreets of Aberdeen nicknamed 'Murder Alley', thanks to a notorious history. It was here that Driveblind had found a small basement rehearsal space which they could barely afford. Despite it's less than desirable location, it was prime real estate for a band that had previously been restricted to jamming in lead singer Terry's cramped apartment. Now they had a space where they could set up the drums, guitars and organ and still have enough room for a vocal PA, a small bar and a number of ashtrays... The resulting sessions often went on all night as, under the gaze of their musical heroes (The Who, The Beatles, The Band to name a few) who adorned the rehearsal room walls, Driveblind evolved. They worked hard on pushing the songs into a new place which combined the soulful melodies and harmonies of their acoustic origins with the excited, unrestrained sound of a band that likes to play loud. The empty beer cans piled up, the ashtrays overflowed, the neighbours complained..

Initially, Driveblind emerged only occasionally from their self imposed songwriting exile to play live. However, their less is more approach on the hometown circuit created a buzz among the local scenesters and Driveblind quickly rose to become the citys biggest draw. Unfulfilled with local notoriety, Driveblind headed south and were soon packing out venues in cities such as Glasgow and London. The fall of 2002 saw a memorable performance at Glasgow's Gig on the Green with 30,000 people in attendance.

At this time, the idea of performing in the USA was unheard of for an unsigned Aberdonian band and Driveblind were determined to prove it could be done. And so it was that in March 2003, a five day, four gig whirlwind trip saw Driveblind descend upon a wintry New York City before hitting a new live peak at the Viper Room in Los Angeles. In fact, it was a live recording of that show which not only woke up the industry to Driveblind, but changed the lives of all concerned.

Returning to the basement in Aberdeen with memories of igniting a snowy Greenwich Village and a sweaty Saturday night on the Sunset Strip, Driveblind were unaware of a growing industry buzz stateside. The 'Viper Room tape' was doing the rounds... This led to Driveblind taking a call from A&M Records president Ron Fair in May of 2003. Hearing the potential of the band, Ron acted immediately, offering a deal sight unseen! The band had a month in which to give up their day jobs, say goodbye to friends and family, and move to the US to become a full time rock and roll band. After playing an historic farewell show in their home town, the six lads left to set up camp in Hollywood.

The following year and a half saw Driveblind writing and gigging (and partying..) extensively around California. With a catalogue of over forty songs, Driveblind began work with producer Mike Hedges (The Cure, Travis, Dido, and U2.) in London. These sessions set the tone for the record and the band returned to the now familiar sunshine, bars and women of LA to complete their debut release.

When not locked away in the studio, Driveblind were busy making a dent on the US live circuit, as word of their ferocious and passionate live show spread. By the end of 2005, they had sold out several residencies at the Viper Room and numerous other LA clubs, as well as wowing a diverse range of audiences with bands such as Wolfmother, Hot Hot Heat, Matisyahu, Collective Soul, Johnny Marr and the Healers, The Bravery, The Like, Sam Roberts Band, The Thrills, The Zutons and The Charlatans. The band have also wowed US audiences coast-to-coast on tours with friends Nikka Costa and Taylor Hawkins & The Coattail Riders.

After a storming tour of the West coast with Brit rockers (and drinking buddies..) The Thieves, Driveblind are now out with Seattle favorites Candlebox on a three month sell out tour.

Driveblind's eponymously titled debut album is due to be released on Oct 24 on Geffen Records.

[Bigsby]

They're done as far as I know and living all over the place.

Dave the keyboard player works for Aberdeenshire Council and is still as nice a bloke as you will ever meet.

[Chris]

I started writing out a list of bands from the last 12-15 years that were tipped locally for bigger and better things or could have made that breakthrough. Then the list got too long and I stopped.

There's been loads of fantastic bands in Aberdeen over the years that probably should have done more but the attrition rate is so high, for whatever reason (going to uni, finishing uni, building a career outside of music, family) bands don't survive and they don't make the leap (damn there's another one!) to the bigtime we all hoped they would.

But surely it's the same everywhere, in every city?

On the flipside isn't that why we're all here? Because we know there's worthwhile music being made at a local level which will never make it to the national stage and we want to hear it.

[Shaki]

Dave the keyboard player works for Aberdeenshire Council and is still as nice a bloke as you will ever meet.

Indeed a sterling chap. Met him not so long ago but didn't recognise him at first without the hair and beard.

[Bigsby]

Indeed a sterling chap. Met him not so long ago but didn't recognise him at first without the hair and beard.

Saw him not so long ago with hair and beard, so must be a recent trim.

[keeno]

The drummer out of The View was in court last week and his lawyer stated that he only takes home 300 a week after tax etc.

I know they're not really comparable, but one of the biggest metal bands around (Arch Enemy), who easily sell 100 000-200 000 copies of albums, constantly tour and perform in front of a couple of thousand people, then do festivals etc, said they each earn something like 15 000 a year. Maybe a bit less, the figure quoted was under 20 000 eurps anyway. basically the only way they make money is selling merchandise.

I think the lesson here is have as few people in your band as possible, more money for everyone

[FatHand]

The initial question sounds like something Jo Wiley said in an advert for some new show on 6 music and I didn't like the concept as soon as I heard it "we tipped some bands for success, lets look back at some of the ones that did and the others that didn't quite make it". Now for me, the whole problem with this is the idea, other than it spewed out of the mouth of Jo Wiley, is that a level of success for one person/group is completely different than the level of success dictated by the "making it big time" or whatever context making it means in this case. I refuse to listen to that kind of chat because it's perpetuating the fantasy that the opportunities exist without extreme hardship and even then you'd be lucky to claw back on top. As Idol_Wild points out, the realities are changing while this idea of "making it" in a traditional sense seems to be perpetuated. Very few bands make it "big time", the ones that do either come out of some expensive performing arts training school or folk making huge levels of sacrifice to achieve it plus successfully navigating the sand dunes of modern music promotion.

From my point of view, personal attainments are the markers of my own success. I set them up and I aim for them, when I make the mark I feel that I have been a success. At the moment my focus is on writing music that I like the sound of with some friends, recording it and the idea is to release it in some format. I don't particularly care if anyone buys it other than my mum, that's my goal, never released anything before so that would be a massive achievement and it'd be a big thing to me. I think any group that hits goals they set themselves is doing well, all the bands that have been mentioned so far I'd put into the "made it" category. I think that in the current climate making it on to big things is not necessarily relevant. Oh I'd mention Little Kicks/Steven Milne and Amber Wilson on the list of making a success of it along with a whole host of others, many of whom post on here.

Possibly marginally off topic but I think it's better looking at things possitively rather than negatively. In terms of Aberdeen musicians and bands, I'm more interested in the quality of output and I'd say that there is more of it, the quality is higher and it's more diverse than ever.

[Hog]

I know they're not really comparable, but one of the biggest metal bands around (Arch Enemy), who easily sell 100 000-200 000 copies of albums, constantly tour and perform in front of a couple of thousand people, then do festivals etc, said they each earn something like 15 000 a year. Maybe a bit less, the figure quoted was under 20 000 eurps anyway. basically the only way they make money is selling merchandise.

I think the lesson here is have as few people in your band as possible, more money for everyone

Like Paradise Lost. A big successful band but the singer is a p/t farm hand. The drummer now works in Halfords. Isn't music great..?

[Lemonade]

I always thought Edgar Prais were due for big things, they toured all over and were being courted by B-Unique Records. Shame it didn't work out for them because they really were ace.

[Guest Tam o' Shantie]

which is why many/most successful artists have a nice wealthy upbringing.

[Bigsby]

Mmm, not sure I would go along with most but certainly some.

Some were really very wealth, Carly Simon is heir to the Simon and Schuster book millions and Gram Parsons had wealth parents too.

[Soda Jerk]

There's plenty of bands who have made a good name for themselves by having to tour around jobs, usually quitting jobs and getting another when they return.

[Guest idol_wild]

There's plenty of bands who have made a good name for themselves by having to tour around jobs, usually quitting jobs and getting another when they return.

Want to cite some examples?

[Stroopy121]

The Casualties? NOFX?

xx

[Guest idol_wild]

The Casualties? NOFX?

xx

Never really heard of either of them.

What jobs did they do between tours? Did they all go on tour and then instantly get a new job when they got back?

[Stroopy121]

Never really heard of either of them.

What jobs did they do between tours? Did they all go on tour and then instantly get a new job when they got back?

Well NOFX are very succesful and make comfortable livings with music (google them..) and last I knew the Casualties were in the same position. It's worth pointing out that they are both American, not in any way local, just examples that sprung to mind of bands that fit the description.

Both bands started out with day jobs in burger bars etc which they'd leave for tours, come back and get a new disposable job, save up and tour again.

I'd have done the same before but now I have a career rather than a shitty work a day job, as well as a wife, so the rules have changed for me.

xx

[Guest idol_wild]

Well NOFX are very succesful and make comfortable livings with music (google them..) and last I knew the Casualties were in the same position. It's worth pointing out that they are both American, not in any way local, just examples that sprung to mind of bands that fit the description.

Both bands started out with day jobs in burger bars etc which they'd leave for tours, come back and get a new disposable job, save up and tour again.

I'd have done the same before but now I have a career rather than a shitty work a day job, as well as a wife, so the rules have changed for me.

xx

That's better - more clarity. That's not unusual for bands when they start touring - they obviously had the diligence and collective determination as a band to keep fighting the good fight. Most bands don't, and that's evident.

In my experience, there are two achievable levels that pretty much any band in the UK can realistically achieve. Level one is the local gigging circuit, and some very small-scale, self-financed and self-booked tours. Literally anyone can do this. Literally any band can book themselves a tour if they really want to.

The next level is when the demand for the artist increases, and supply really needs to meet demand, and the band no longer need to approach promoters when booking a tour - these promoters from cities across the UK approach the artist. However, even at this level, there is so little money to be actually earned from this. Covering costs is still a problem and priority at this level.

However, the biggest problem in my opinion, is that the gap, even between these two levels of music, is fucking massive. It generally requires financial backing in order to reach the second level, and this is where most bands meet their maker. It's not a sustainable level unless the band or musician has some sort of financial backing, be it from themselves, a label, a publishing company, whatever. But bands who have literally no money cannot operate at this level. And that is the problem, in my very humble estimation.