Gig/weekend report w/usual goofy-*ss pix

[Brian Krashpad]

So Friday Crash Pad played a benefit called SantaJam. A 3-night concert series @ 2 different venues collecting toys for kids in hospital over Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwaanza/Etc. We closed. Kid rhythm guitarist was going through some sort of domestic drama and showed up like 20 minutes before we went on. Then he broke TWO strings on his SG simultaneously and had to finish with one of my Teles. Loud as feck. Drummer had some monitor issues. Switched verses around a few times. Despite some adversity a pretty rocking show. They also held some raffles and gave that money to the bands, which was a surprise to me. Since our share split perfectly 3 ways I gave all the money to my mates, who hadn't had a paying gig in a year. Pics to follow.

Sunday morning played 2 songs in church. Due to a special Christmas presentation later in the day (evicting us from our usual spot in the choir loft in back), the band was up front in front of everyone. First song was a rocker and we really went for it. Actually got some good feedback after service, though I suspect there may be some negative fallout later as well. Here's a shot our bandleader took of my guitars up against the communion rail:



All day Sunday afternoon and evening Crashers were in the studio doing guitar/bass overdubs, and lead vocals on the six remaining songs for our 10-song release. All that's left is backing vox on those 6, then mixdown on 9, then off to mastering. Actually the one that's been final mixed may've already been sent off to mastering separately. You can hear that here:

http://soundcloud.com/brian-krashpad...12-04-11-final

Here's some shots of Friday's show, more in subsequent posts:









As always, all questions answered, and your comments, whether on my poseritude or otherwise, eagerly solicited.

[Commodore 64***]

Is that a Dano Hodad?

[Brian Krashpad]

Is that a Dano Hodad?

Yessir it is!

Later in the evening both Mitch and I perfected the "being taken up into a UFO via tractor beam" levitation:





This was tiring and required not standing up for a spell:

[Katastrophe]

Lookin' good, Brian!

Y'all caught some serious air, there! I give it a 9.5.

[Brian Krashpad]

Lookin' good, Brian!

Y'all caught some serious air, there! I give it a 9.5.

Haha, thanks Kat.


At any rate it ended up requiring a lie down at the end bit.

[Tig***]

Raaaaawk!
That looks like a fun gig, Brian.

[Ch0jin]

So Awesome! Looks like heaps of fun

I've begun to love seeing your gig report threads and wondering what guitars are going to turn up this time

[Brian Krashpad]

So Awesome! Looks like heaps of fun

I've begun to love seeing your gig report threads and wondering what guitars are going to turn up this time

Thanks, very oddly we have another show @ the same venue in 48 hours, so I won't spoil it by saying which one I'll play.

Somewhat hilariously, right before we went on my drummer comes up in a panic and goes "Where's your Les Paul!?!"

I was like "Uhh, she's at Casa Krashpad resting comfortably in her case, why? I've got THREE guitars here."

He: "Well Tim (our "record label" "A&R guy" filming with his fancy-schmancy camera, from whence these vidcaps came) says that thick Les Paul sound is your signature..."

Inside, I was kinda cracking up at the concept that a guy who has made a point of never playing the same guitar at a gig twice in a row for the last decade should suddenly have one guitar be his "signature," but in fairness to Tim I had used the LP almost exclusively on the record we're in the midst of, simply for convenience's sake. So instead of saying how ridiculous that was I bit my tongue and said "Don't worry, everything sounds the same through the Sovtek." Which of course was a blatant lie, but I knew I was talking to a drummer who probably didn't even know what a "Sovtek" was, and that it would be relayed to a person who very definitely didn't know what a Sovtek was. And the germ of truth to the assertion is that I do always sound the same whatever I play, just due to my own idiosyncrasies.

Well worth it to have Tim footing the bill for the new record. I shudder to think what he's already spent, and we're not even to final mix, plus then there's mastering, and he's talking about doing at least one (and probably several) video(s)! Crazy, man, crazy.

[sunvalleylaw]

Brian, looks just great! You are my lawyer hero. Well, you and Atticus Finch.

[deeaa*]

That's cool...I was always known for such severe stage antics as being glued to the mic or playing with by back to the audience :-)

Seriously, I never did learn how to show off while performing...even as a lead singer I often placed my mic to the side of the stage and just stood there off the limelight the entire gig. Yeah, often people said they wished I'd move a little during the performance, but, well, I just don't want or know how to do that; I'd just feel like I look silly. Much the same as dancing - I have had to move my feet a few times on the floor, such as my wedding, but it just seems to me like something real men don't do. Much like smiling and reacting to people ;-) no, I'm kidding...partially. I guess I'm just such a stiff. I wish I could perform like that.

[Tig***]

Scout, get back in the house!

[sunvalleylaw]

Oh, lighten up Atticus!

[Eric***]

Seriously, I never did learn how to show off while performing...even as a lead singer I often placed my mic to the side of the stage and just stood there off the limelight the entire gig. Yeah, often people said they wished I'd move a little during the performance, but, well, I just don't want or know how to do that; I'd just feel like I look silly. Much the same as dancing - I have had to move my feet a few times on the floor, such as my wedding, but it just seems to me like something real men don't do. Much like smiling and reacting to people ;-) no, I'm kidding...partially. I guess I'm just such a stiff. I wish I could perform like that.

I can understand that mentality. I generally try not to take myself too seriously, but I definitely see where you're coming from, and I agree with it to some degree.

You're kind of the anti rock star, Dee. Shying away from big hits, dismantling bands as they start to take off, hating the limelight and being the front man, etc. It's very interesting to me, because you're so good with music and so knowledgeable about so much of it. It's almost as if you really are just in it for the music, which tends to be a hollow cliche bandied about by fame-seekers everywhere. To have someone who actually means that has almost become ironic by this point.

[sumitomo]

Awesome!!! Crash,those are some great shots!! Sumi

[deeaa*]

Thanks Eric...you know I have often pondered what is it that keeps me writing and making music, although the last thing I'd want is to be well known and so on. I believe it's the immortality aspect - since I'm a total atheist, I have this urge to leave something, or, rather, as much as I can behind me, when I vanish one day. But that doesn't explain all of it. I've thought about it long and hard - am I just after all simply scared of committing myself 100% to something out of fear it might not work out after all? If I did all I could to make a hit song and give it all on stage, and it didn't work - well that would be a downer for sure, but I honestly don't know if that's a reason enough to not go for it full blast. Probably a combination of both.

Probably also my always practical and utilitarian view on things - I'm leery of going for things I don't absolutely need. Maybe partly my Lutheran upbringing, where from I've got this strong desire to always be straight and honest, and not to pursue things in excess, and reinforced with a certain affection to slight existential masochism that reassures me I do exist. I am big on believing in a kind of balance...if there is no bad things, the good becomes bad. You know? I think no matter how things are, people tend to have a need to feel bad. If you take some poor fella in 3rd world with a really really tough life...he can still be happy at times. Take some rich person with no real problems...who's to say he doesn't, at personal level, have just as dark moments, only grossly disproportionate to the issue - such as missing a deadline or breaking a nail even. When things are well, small things become huge and vice versa. That's why I strive to have a sort of balance in life - I accept the bad and more like welcome it and take it as a blessing - what doesn't kill me makes me stronger.

I should get to bed and leave the 6th beer in the fridge...LOL

[Ch0jin]

You know, for someone who has English as a second language, you write amazingly well after 5 beers. Just saying....

[deeaa*]

LOL thanks...I sometimes think I perform the best when a little tipsy...it's those rare days without any that I feel my brain just freezes up :-)

[Duffy]

Deeaa stated:

quote - am I just after all simply scared of committing myself 100% to something out of fear it might not work out after all? If I did all I could to make a hit song and give it all on stage, and it didn't work - well that would be a downer for sure, but I honestly don't know if that's a reason enough to not go for it full blast. unquote.


To each their own approach to things, etc., but I'm thinking that in order to be a successful musical performer, such as a singer and player in a band, you have to throw all these "vanities" to the wind and just rock out to your soul's content, or heart's content in the case of the athiest I suppose; with a somewhat unrestrained abandon, not giving a shit about what others think as to if they think your performance is a success or not. Then, in retrospect, without a feeling of remorse if things didn't turn out star strikingly - revise the approach and, "get up and do it again" (JB). It is too easy to take ourselves way to seriously. After all this is just rock and roll, it's not like it is serious music - as in philharmonic.

I would agree with you that it is not reason enough to not go "full blast"; being held back by the fear of it not working, that is.

Think of that Prince video recently posted here on the Fret to the effect of, "Prince plays to a dead crowd", or something to that effect. Think about that one. Prince and his band hit it hard and rock out to "Johnny B. Good" and another hot song and the audience is disconnected off on some other wavelength other than appreciating the real good performance just presented by Prince and his band. From a Professional point of view, I doubt if Prince was phased by the lack of interest and enthusiasm demonstrated by the heavily restrained audience. I'm positive it wasn't a "downer" for Prince to deal with the aftermath of a performance that didn't really get the enthusiastic attention of the audience, much less inspire any kind of breaking loose or excitement from the audience.

Therefore, I think that a fear of not "smashing thru" with the hit is not realistic or productive, but is a futile waste of time - because you can't predict what is going to excite the audience ahead of time with any accuracy. For any number of reasons an audience might not share your enthusiasm for a particular performance or song. I don't think this shoud get you down. Many of the big time stars have probably had beer bottles thrown at them, as in the "Blues Brothers" when performing their songs that would later gain great recognition and respect, but started out being totally underappreciated.

If your heart or soul is into it, that is all that should matter. You can always try to perfect the song in ways to try to get it across to the audience in a more effective way, or move on to the next song or project, without being bummed out.

I'm sure many so called personal masterpieces have been met with critical and popular rejection. This is where people have had to pick up the pieces and move ahead, with a belief in themselves and a willingness to try new approaches.

The fact is that many, many, many super great players, singers, and bands never become stars or even get one hit song; for whatever of all sorts of reasons it may be. We have probably all seen the best muscians we have ever known go no where, for whatever unknown or known reasons; in more than a few instances.

Sometimes when I'm on stage, doing my best, I'm just glad they are not throwing beer bottles at me. And when I get off the stage I'm glad if someone compliments me. My friend's bands have played in some very red neck places, cowboy bars, etc. You never know how a hippie is going to go over in some of these places. Just like the "Blues Brothers". In so many ways that movie is a great metaphor, an archetype.

Plus, I doubt if you are really so modest or even reticent when your band is going full tilt boogie. You don't seem like the type of guy that would worry too much about the backlash. How about when they "boo'd" Stevie Ray Vaughn at his first Montreau appearance? He came back and slayed them.

[deeaa*]

I dunno - it's not that it's scary to rock out or what other people might think - it's just that it makes me personally feel stupid. I don't move an extra muscle when I'm playing in training, or move anything special etc. so I feel like I'm faking it if I were to do it on stage - and that fake aspect is what makes me feel awkward. If I never do such things naturally or alone, I don't feel secure trying to do something like that live either.

I guess, I used to mosh out some when I was in my teens, and at least when very drunk, but...I don't usually much more than maybe nod my head slightly but approvingly to other bands either, if I watch them live. No reason to cause a commotion. I never understood watching sports either and why do people have to make such a racket watching games - why can't they just sit quietly and enjoy the game :-)

True story, kinda related...once the band was auctioning for a bassist. Had some auditions. Plan was to play a Metallica song, Sanitarium or something, so the auditees would know the song. Anyway this bassist comes up...seems like a cool guy...but then when the band plays and the song starts going, he starts suddenly waving his hair and jumping in place and generally acting as if playing live...the band members just watched in astonishment and one by one quit playing because they were laughing so hard, and the bassist guy was the last to stop...he realized everyone else had quit playing and were laughing with tears in their eyes, and he just picked up his gear and left without saying a word :-)