I’ve seen some great bands who had some really catchy songs that somehow just sounded a little flat. The biggest culprit for this is poor gear. While playing a ton of shows with what I would consider my bands ” sister band” (A band you travel and share shows with). Night after night I would cringe at the bass players plunky out of tune guitar. They had great songs but it sounded floppy and out of tune because of one instrument in the band. It’s not always the bass either. I’ve seen bands where everyone has nice  gear except one guitar player who’s playing through some cheap solid state combo amp or stack that sounds thin and wimpy, or his guitar is out of intonation and wont stay tuned. Or a drummer who’s cymbals are shredded or who is in serious need of new heads on his drums. Doesnt matter who’s to blame, it just needs to stop. The worst is band members who don’t even have tuners.If you consider yourself professional enough to get paid to play music, you should have pro gear to match. If doing shots after the show and smoking pot with your buddies is your priority …great! We need listeners too. But if you wanna take your band seriously put down the bowl, save some money and go get a nice tube amp, a nice Sure SM58 for your vocals, some new heads or cymbals on your kit, or whatever your neglecting to make your rig professional.

A truly sad day for guitarists everywhere. Legendary amp master Jim Marshall has died. Since the sixties Marshall has been the most recognized name in guitar amps all over the world.  Used by names like Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin, the legendary Jimi Hendrix, Slash of Guns n Roses, Angus Young of AC/DC, and many many more. When you think of the most iconic gear in rock …Marshall, Fender and Gibson are the top names that come to mind. No amp has ever been stacked higher or wider. No amp has ever graced more rock records. No amp has been more imitated, copy catted, renowned, appreciated, abused, traveled, customized, modified, collected, worshipped, sought after, or dreamed about. The absolute pinnacle of all things rock. Today we celebrate the life of Jim Marshall inventor of these amazing boxes of rock transcendence. These contraptions of tonal perfection. WE SALUTE YOU!!!!!

1. Stevie Ray Vaughn: Little Wing – Jimi Hendrix wrote this tune, SRV did an instrumental cover one of his albums. This song reminds me of late nights in my dads recording studio drinking cheap wine and listening to great music. This song takes me away to another world when i hear it. It may be my favorite guitar song of all time and its the song i want to play at my funeral. Guitarist everywhere will forever quest for this guitar tone.

2.Led Zeppelin: Going to California -This song really defines a time in music when love, creativity and tenderness had a place, nothing like the mindless garbage we are force-fed today. Simple guitar lines, smooth vocals, great lyrics. Simply amazing. Theres a magic that comes over me when i hear this song and i feel instantly soothed.

3. Strung Out: Letter Home – A touching introspection from a soldier at wars point of view. This song has amazing lyrics, great music and an overall great sound. It always makes me appreciate the sacrifice that our armed forces make daily and it reminds me how important telling people how you feel about them is.

4.Ray LaMontange: Jolene – Any one who’s ever lost anyone knows just how this song feels. This guys voice is a real pleasure, and the organic sparse arrangement  is refreshing.  Awesome lyrics!!!

Ok if you don’t know these songs check em out and leave your comments here.

Curb your ego!!!   Ego is the worst thing you can bring to your band.  Confidence, self-assurance, even a lil touch of cockiness have always been a characteristic of the rock musician,but being humble has its place. Ego is the ugly version of these things.

Ego infects every aspect of a band: Songwriting is a draining process when one members ego gets in the way of allowing a song to evolve and grow. When a member holds on too tightly to his or her idea because their ego tells them their idea is better than others, the song suffers and has a lack of creative input from other members. This tells the other members you’re not a team player, your self-righteous and narcissistic. When your band mates don’t like a part you write, or they have another idea, let it flow…try it every way that may be presented ,then put it to a vote. Majority rules. If one member feels like they are above being at every band rehearsal because “they don’t need to practice” the rest of the band suffers. When the singer is an ego maniac and feels like he/she alone has creative direction with the entire band and all  creative processes, the band can feel misguided and unappreciated. In some cases the band may feel misrepresented which can be a recipe for disaster, especially if the singer is rude or in appropriate at times.

The live show ego: I’ve seen it a thousand times….One guy in the band has his guitar up so loud he’s drowning out the rest of the band. Whats worse is he’s drunk and on an ego trip cause his slutty girlfriend and her gang of whorish groupies are feeding his pee brain these delusions of grandeur.  This guy usually owns sub par gear which adds to the screeching ear raping happening to his dwindling fans. The sound man at whatever club your playing at isn’t gonna want to see your face again and nor will the audience. Ego drives the super long extended solo jam that sounded great in your head, but cleared half the people in the bar cause they didn’t really care if you know every scale and mode know to man or how fast you can play all of them without stopping.

YOUR NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE A-HOLE!!!! Check the ego at the door, be a team player and don’t hold on too tight!!… E.lectroshock

I was sitting eating my lunch and minding mine only to hear the absolutely uproar from some co-workers over the trade. I say good riddance!

Every band starts building a fan base by getting friends and family to come to shows. They tell other friends and the bands you play with have friends, and so on and so on. If you have something people like ,you will start to develop a following. This is great! However,  it has to be nurtured and it can be a delicate thing.

One thing that will make your band go nowhere is over saturating one area. For example: Youve got a descent set list together. Enough songs that you can play two entirely different sets at any time. Say 25 songs…You meet a club owner who really likes your band, or your band mate knows a guy, who knows a guy who gets you regular gigs…whatever the case may be. Now your playing there every friday night, and unless you’re a cover band who inspires drinking and partying you band may suffer from low attendance . Stop it!  Dont get stuck in the same clubs week after week. Dont play the same town week after week.

Heres why: When your always around and always playing the same old club (especially if you don’t have too many songs), your audience begins to realize if the don’t make it to your show…who cares they will be there next week too…and youll be playing the same set you played last time …this is when your draw as a band begins to dwindle. Not only is this a good way to lose your invitation to the aforementioned club, it also bores your fans and doesn’t make them want to see you.

WHAT DO YOU DO??? Simple.  Get your demo out to other places. Ask other bands to trade shows and most of all…plan only one or two shows a month in your immediate area so you give your fan base a chance to miss you. (absence makes the heart grow fonder)…or was that absinthe??? Anyway.. use some common sense about your booking and always try to expand your fan base.  Give your audience a different set next time…play their favorites but mix up some others in there too, change the arrangement of the set list, add an acoustic song….just give em something new to chew on.

E.lectroshock

A Wilhelm Scream :  Career Suicide

This is one of my favorite albums by far. One of those few and far between bands who are still willing to be dangerous in a world of self-indulgent rock star cliché crap!! Punk rock these days is looking more like MTV and HotTopic got in a head on car wreck and was glue back together with snot from the noses of its whiny lil inhabitants. There are a few bands left out there that harken back to the days when punk rock was fueled by anger, angst, anarchy, sex, drugs, and all the good shit that made it daring and bold !! A Wilhelm Scream is one of those bands. Awesome songs like “I Wipe My Ass With Showbiz” are a stiff middle finger pointed at the luke warm media whores of todays scene. This band exhibits amazing technical prowess and the ability to stray far from formulaic and predictable writing while still maintaining a great sound and flow about their songs. From the opening riff to the last symbol crash ,this album is a balls to the wall ,all out assault. The drummer is amazing ,the guitarists are super creative and the bass player can tap some rhythms that would make Eddie Van Halen crap his drawers. The singer writes great songs and wretches his guttural rants in dissonant harmonies that really carry you away.  If you like bands like Strung Out, The Refused, NOFX, Pennywise, and Guttermouth…youll love this album.

– E. Lectroshock

I’ve seen some bands that sounded really good, had nice gear, plenty of energy on stage and great songs, but something was a little off. One guy was dressed like a rocker in black with studded bracelets, one guy was a hippy with dreads and tie dye, one guy was wearing a jersey like a sports fan  and the other something different. Now don’t get me wrong, I think you should be who you are. After all music is an expression and a form of art. However, the impact of the band’s music and the message they were trying to convey was lost on this hodge podge of styles. You don’t have to wear a uniform or look just like one and other but you should have a certain flow.

When you see a band who’s tight and has a style. You would know they were a band if you saw them on stage or at your local Starbucks. You could tell they all had a specific flow about them.  You don’t have to be cliché to accomplish this either. A band should have a common goal in mind and part of that is your style.The style of songs you play, the types of messages you wish to convey, and the look of the band all go hand in hand. Even if your style is hoodies and jeans…if one guy comes in caches and a polo, its gonna be awkward to look at from a fans point of view. Dont be that person!!! Your bringing the band down!!!

So spend a little time thinking of your band’s style and dress accordingly…it makes a big difference.

– E. Lectroshock

Nothing is more boring than watching four or five guys stand still with their heads pointed at their guitar or feet while they play. People come to be entertained,to feel a part of an experience happening on stage. Music can be cathartic, energizing, inspiring and moving. People  came to see you not only play your music ,but express how you feel so they can relate and feel it through you. When you see a band like Story of the Year full of energy, jumping around the stage, bouncing in rhythm and slinging guitars through the air….All you see is a sea of people moving in unison, inspired by the energy before them and absolutely lost in a moment with the band. That’s what real art is, an escape from reality, a transcendence from the mundane routine of daily life. Give the fans what they crave and deserve..your energy. Spill your guts out or hang up your axes and go the hell home.

Obviously we are talking rock music here, but this applies to all genres. If you’re not having fun and showing your passion, believe me…no one else is feeling it either. Tori Amos toured for years with herself and her piano. But when she took the stage there was no denying her passion and energy. People got it because she was so inspired and expressive with her playing and singing. So i challenge you…open up and spill the blood, the energy, the memories, good or bad, the anger, the joy, put your fist in the air or your hand on your heart, grab your crotch like MJ, flip your hair like Beyoncé, smash your gear like The Who, and light a fire like Hendrix. We want your blood sweat and tears.!!!!!!! Bottom line, Put on a show!!

– E. Lectroshock