Mini mojo gig/praise band interview request

[Brian Krashpad]

So today I am meeting with the nice lady priest at a chapel/student center that's across the street from the University of Florida (coincidentally about 4 or 5 blocks away from my church) about playing acoustic guitar for their Wednesday night services. She said she preferred to call it a "meeting" rather than an interview. I have no idea whether they have a batch of people they are considering or what. The assistant organist at my church sussed me to the gig.

The assistant organist had originally described them as looking for an acoustic guitarist, but later had described it as singer-guitarist. I'm not much of a singer (though it hasn't stopped me in my rock bands) and have not sung mic'd in church. I told the priest lady that, and that if they were looking for a person to be like the lead singer person who also plays guitar, they should probably find a more talented singer, and that I was more of a guitarist who could also sing along with others. From photos on the chapel's Facebook page, it looks like they have a praise band with several people mic'd for vocals, so as long as it's something like that, I would go for it. I know enough when to sing off-mic if something is not working vocally, or just lay out entirely.

Anyhow, my frankness about my abilities or lack thereof hasn't scared them away, so maybe they're desperate enough to give me a shot. I'm actually going to wear some flat-front khaki's and a button-down shirt to go meet this lady, which is a little more dressy than my usual, but hopefully will get across the right message. From the pics on the web, the services are somewhat informal, as mainly being students.

This would be a fun opportunity to play with a new group of musicians, work on my acoustic chops, and see how another denomination worships. I haven't been on anything approaching a job interview in decades literally, and I'm not really approaching this as one, but any spare mojo anyone wants to send will be appreciated.

[Eric***]

I hesitate to say 'good luck,' as I'm more interested in you getting on board if it's a mutually-beneficial situation, but...good luck. Don't forget your hat.

[Brian Krashpad]

I hesitate to say 'good luck,' as I'm more interested in you getting on board if it's a mutually-beneficial situation, but...good luck. Don't forget your hat.

Oh the mojo isn't necessarily for me to get it, more that it work to God's plan (that will happen anyway) and that I don't make a total cretin of myself.

[Eric***]

Oh the mojo isn't necessarily for me to get it, more that it work to God's plan (that will happen anyway) and that I don't make a total cretin of myself.

That's a better version of what I was trying to say. Mojo sent.

[Brian Krashpad]

That's a better version of what I was trying to say. Mojo sent.

Thanks. In some ways, though it sounds weird to say, this is like any other band sitch, in that there's no point in trying to make something work if it just ain't happening. The old blues/swing song "If It Don't Fit, Don't Force It" comes to mind. I kinda feel like there may be a bigger plan involved here, in that I wasn't looking for this and wouldn't even have known about it had the assistant organist at my church not told me about it. I just don't want to be all awkward talking with the priest lady. I'm not sure what Episcopalians call their priests. Lutherans use "Pastor" and I guess I could say "Reverend," which I think is her partial title (I think the full title is Rev. Dr.). I'm guessing she will just say to call her by her first name, but those little social things I'm not so good at.

[Retro Hound]

Sounds like you have the right perspective about it. Keep your eyes open for where God is at work.

[Brian Krashpad]

Well, I went to the "meeting."

Haha, it was an AUDITION!

So I walk in thinking I'll just be talking to the lady priest, no guitar in hand.

Fortunately, there was an acoustic guitar there, which I borrowed. We did 5 or 6 songs, all acoustically, basically the songs they were going to do for their service this evening. Fortunately, they had their very talented gal singer that I could sing along with. It was weird, I've sung in my various rock bands for years, and I sing (unmic'd) in church when I play, but in a small chapel with only 3 other people, them listening to me sing (and play), it was something beyond what I've experienced before, to say the least.

Since I've been playing in church for about 12 years now, I was familiar with most of the songs they had me do, with a couple exceptions, one of which I guess is part of the Episcopal liturgy. Everything on guitar was easy, cowboy chords basically. My singing was my singing, nothing I can do to change that (well, I could take lessons, but you know what I mean). At least my voice didn't break or anything awful like that. Fwiw I thought I sounded OK with the other singer, who has a lovely voice.

They asked me some theological questions, like whether I had a problem with women clergy (because my denomination of Lutheran does not have women clergy), which, being a feminist, of course I do not. They also asked me about taking communion, and whether I would have a problem with that, or whether my church would. I told them no, that I would not, but I would ask my pastor. Lutherans can be very rigid about that dogma crap, which frankly pisses me off. Maybe I'll ask our vicar, who has long hair and a beard and rides a Harley.

Yeah, that's the ticket!

Anyhow, they have some other people to "meet," and if they can't find a young person or someone with a good voice, maybe I have a shot, haha.

Anyhow, it's in God's hands, as they say. I hope they find somebody that meets their needs. If it were me, that'd rock.

[Brian Krashpad]

About noon today I got an e-mail from the lady priest. It said she was looking forward to meeting with me today (Thursday) and asked "Might you bring your guitar?"

Well, I guess that explains why she thought I would have a guitar yesterday, looks like she got her dates mixed up.

Sigh.

[sunvalleylaw]

That's a better version of what I was trying to say. Mojo sent.

I'll sign on to that. Mojo as defined sent your way!

And now that I see your update, good to know what was going on. But said mojo still sent.

[piebaldpython***]

Good luck to you Krash...sounds like you'll be signed on as a git player.

[Brian Krashpad]

Good luck to you Krash...sounds like you'll be signed on as a git player.

Thanks, we'll see. I won't count any chickens yet. My vocals were, I think, passable. That's as far as I'd go in that regard. The songs are easy enough that most anyone could play them, frankly. My selling points (if any) are experience, and being able to play more than guitar as needed.

However, they may want someone younger, or someone who is Episcopal (apparently, for reasons that aren't entirely clear to me, they seem to want me to take communion), and obviously if someone has a great voice, I'm toast.

It's been interesting at a minimum, haha!

[Brian Krashpad]

Well I just got a call from the priest lady today, and to the surprise of no one, I did not get the gig. It turns out they found someone who could play both guitar and piano, so I can't hang with that.

At any rate, she asked if she could keep my contact info so that if the guitarist-pianist didn't work out, or if they need a sub on any given day, they might call me. That would be fun. She was very sweet, even said that I was "soulful," which I wasn't expecting to hear, haha!

Anyhow, thanks for the mojo, I appreciate it. It was cool and a good learning experience to do this, I think.

Now, does anybody want to buy an Esteban acoustic-electric?







































I kid- I played it Sunday at my church. Still has failed to implode and/or burst into flames.

[sunvalleylaw]

Oh Krashteban, the horror! I cannot believe they went for someone else over you regardless of their musical multi-tasking skills. How can they replace your mojo and guitar face?!







I understand it is a church gig, but still.

[Eric***]

Now, does anybody want to buy an Esteban acoustic-electric?

I kid- I played it Sunday at my church. Still has failed to implode and/or burst into flames.

You know, your guitar represents exactly what I hope to be able to do in my guitar-playing lifetime: get the right guitar for a situation based on features, sound, and playability, with no eye on its legend or appearance. You needed a fairly inexpensive acoustic-electric on short notice that would hold up to normal use and that plays fairly well. That's what you got.

My goal in purchasing is to be able to detach from who plays what or how the guitar looks or how much it costs, and that goes both ways (e.g. "this guitar is so expensive it must not be worth it"). Congratulations on being tricked into succeeding at that.

[Brian Krashpad]

You know, your guitar represents exactly what I hope to be able to do in my guitar-playing lifetime: get the right guitar for a situation based on features, sound, and playability, with no eye on its legend or appearance. You needed a fairly inexpensive acoustic-electric on short notice that would hold up to normal use and that plays fairly well. That's what you got.

My goal in purchasing is to be able to detach from who plays what or how the guitar looks or how much it costs, and that goes both ways (e.g. "this guitar is so expensive it must not be worth it"). Congratulations on being tricked into succeeding at that.

Haha, thanks. Part of it is the whole punkrock/DIY aesthetic, with which I was embued with long ago. Back in the dark ages in our town, local bands didn't have places to play, so we would play at house parties, apartment complexes, rented VFW halls, etc., and would often have to cobble together gear to make passable PA's, etc. It didn't really matter whether anybody thought the gear was real schmoove or even if we were using it for it's intended purpose-- so long as we didn't blow it up. Same thing with guitars and amps.

Nowadays with CNC machines and such we really are in the golden age of cheap gear. I've got a couple Gibby Les Pauls, a Ric, some Fender USA, a Hamer USA, some Peavey USA, etc., but for specific purposes there's no reason I can't (or won't) use a hundred-dollar cheapie on a given occasion. The mandolin I use in church on many Sundays is a Washburn I bought on craigslist for $85, and the banjo I played this last Sunday is a "Pirles," an obscure Japanese brand, that my dad gave me, many years ago.

[Brian Krashpad]

Oh Krashteban, the horror! I cannot believe they went for someone else over you regardless of their musical multi-tasking skills. How can they replace your mojo and guitar face?!







I understand it is a church gig, but still.

That's OK, the lady priest said I was "soulful."

And priests know about souls!

[Eric***]

Nowadays with CNC machines and such we really are in the golden age of cheap gear. I've got a couple Gibby Les Pauls, a Ric, some Fender USA, a Hamer USA, some Peavey USA, etc., but for specific purposes there's no reason I can't (or won't) use a hundred-dollar cheapie on a given occasion.

I've gone through a tiny bit of that too, albeit not as part of a punk scene.

What you see a LOT of on every message board (thefret.net included) is people either saying how Korean guitars outplay American Gibsons, or how nothing will ever sound as good as their PRS through a Marshall stack with a tubescreamer in front of it.

I will readily admit that I usually get a bug up my rear about a particular guitar before I end up buying it, and that's my issue: I don't want to have an emotional attachment to any one piece of equipment. I think any musician should be able to let their playing do the talking. Gear is just clothing over the body. Certainly some clothes will make you look better, but someone beautiful can wear a much wider assortment of clothing and still look good.

I sometimes question whether all of the tinkering and shopping and the complexities are worth it from a musical standpoint. I occasionally feel like a Tele (read: fairly simple) through an OD pedal and straight to FOH should be good enough. The rest of it seems to be different ways to stroke our own egos.

[sumitomo]

Oh well Krash you tried and that makes you a winner!I was invited to play in a new hispanic service at a church I attend,I never did get to practice the songs and never heard them before and I told them I'll try,I used an old c-40 yamaha nylon and I just hung on a note where I did not know the changes,oh yea there were two other acoustics(steel strings)but you know what It sounded good and it felt good also,I almost tossed that old beat up boat paddle,glad I kept it.Sumi