Change Lobsters, and keep dancing

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 4 Mar 2007 8:48 am

Well as of wednesday last I am no longer playing with the band
that I came down here to work with. Not actually too clear on the reasons.
Wasn't much of a birthday present either...

But they may likely include:
1) I am over qualified for the job, ie too many influnces.
2) Not getting paid enough to NOT have a musical personality...
3) Too old to rockn'roll, too young to die
they don't think i would deal with sleeping under longtail boats
while playing the outback ya da ya da ya da.
(well DO I prefer better accomidations...)

But it now frees me to take several other freelance gigs I was not doing,
and work on MY originals and writing new ones with
a very good british singer guitarist I have been sitting in with.

And when i sit in with him it is on Pedal Steel, not bass.
I will add mandolin and tele for some supper gigs and others too.
So MUCH more steel time and my other two instruments also.

Plus some jazz gigs on bass at hotels, weddings etc.
And I am holding another bass players gig for a month
or 2,
a couple a nights a week, while he heads back to Canada,
in a little shophouse club band. So I will keep my voice in shape too.

Ah well, a year and 3/4 is about par for the course in many band situations.
But long enough to get established in the area.
They apparently still want me to engineer an album later on...

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 4 Mar 2007 9:22 am

Well DLD, everything, everybody, and especially a group of musicians, has a shelf life.

Actually I think some of the best ones have the shortest, and vice versa.

You know that though.

Good luck my friend.

Off to a memorial service for my friend.

EJL

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 4 Mar 2007 4:26 pm

Many jazz bands get together for one night and never gain.
C'est la vie

Still have the studio going up.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 5 Mar 2007 2:05 am

Many "maturing" musicians have turned to body piercings, tattoos and a spiky, multi-colored new 'do to reassert their relevance and youth-market appeal - how do you look in spandex these days?

Dave Horch · Post by **Dave Horch** » 5 Mar 2007 2:32 am

David Mason wrote:Many "maturing" musicians have turned to body piercings, tattoos and a spiky, multi-colored new 'do to reassert their relevance and youth-market appeal - how do you look in spandex these days?

Boy, ain't that the truth! I just have to laugh at those dudes. I saw one guy in an airport last week with a santa claus beard dyed pink! I thought, "welcome to the star wars bar". -D

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 6 Mar 2007 4:40 am

I once had a boss that said "If I'm going to get fired, it's going to be for doing my job rather than not doing it."

It's the Peter Principle, except you've risen to the band's level of incompetence. Had it become your level of incompetence, you'd still be "Not getting paid enough to NOT have a musical personality... " Doesn't sound like you.

Good luck.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 10 Mar 2007 1:54 am

Charlie, it's the vision thing.
I guess I can just see farther.

Just was down in Pataya, and the best band in town was
waiting for me to get there and sit in with
Suzi Quatro's (Leather Tuscadero) ex-husband,
and Snowman a Muddy Waters alumni.

And my buddy made us too late to get me on stage.
Well Snowman got me on stage for a minute or so,
but just for a hello to the audience,
and plug for my live concert mixing at Phuket.
But I have a standing invite to come sit in any time,
And they are keeping an eye out for a gig I might fit well.
These guys do Chicago style blues and RnB REAL fine,
with Mary this Filipino screamer she does Janis and Tina
and sounds like herself... Little lady with a BIG voice
and a total energy performance.

Also some of my music productions are being played on Pataya radio now!!

So my stock is rising,
even if my crew thought I was too much for their vision.
I guess I am the horse of a different color.

Tonight I take the Bud and play with the Big Budha Blues Band.
It's not just blues of course.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 11 Mar 2007 3:13 am

Actually it sounds like you're having a lot of fun.
The Big Budha Blues Band sounds like a hoot.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 11 Mar 2007 3:53 am

Yeah Big Budha went well.

1 good american guitarist who liked interplaying with me
and wasn't worried I was stepping on his shoes.

1 anglo acoustic ryhthm guitar lead singer

1 Canadian bassplayer I will be subbing for.
Unless I get a big bucks hotel gig also etc.

I american harmonica player who sings lead

Mostly classics and one or two originals.
I stayed in that organ or horn section mode,
and a few country style things. I'll be back next saturday also.

I guess the best part is we outdrew my old band, bassless,
down the street; minus me. Our house was full, no seats.

..
Gee, bass does have some value..
like getting the punters moving.

But you can't be angry with a cat... for being a cat.
Now I get more steel time.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 13 Mar 2007 12:17 am

More good news.

I just got a regular jazz gig after playing 1 tune.
We played a few more, but I had the gig after 'Summer time'.
Never even got warmed up...

Either electric and/or upright bass.
A duo guitar/piano and bass or me on guitar
when he is on piano.
At hotels on the island, and assorted clubs.

And also in different places some country
and swing on steel too. Can't complain.
It's good to be the ONLY steel player around it seems!

None of the nights conflicts with Big Budha band either.

So I guess it's not gonna be bad as a freelancer.

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 13 Mar 2007 10:13 am

One thing I learned as I got older - don't let your ego get involved with getting accepted or rejected by different groups. That kind of drama and self-flagellation is not good for your health. If they reject you, be thankful for their honesty. In the long run you will be better off, because that frees you to find a group you fit in with better. Each group has to try different players and has to reject some. And you have to try different groups and get rejected by some. If it is all honest and without drama, it's better for both the business aspects, and also for the fun of playing music, which is what it's all about.

Charlie McDonald · Post by **Charlie McDonald** » 13 Mar 2007 12:22 pm

As Kinky sings, "When God Closes a Door, He Opens a Window." (That conjures quite an image, him singing that....)

Well, a good Sho-buddhist such as yourself is probably well on the way of observation, such that the universe, in its infinite improbability, seemingly arranges these choices for us. Or perhaps its the law of possibilities: when god closes a door, you see the other doors that are open. Or accident when you happen to fall through one of them.

Anyway, I'd love to be a freelancer in Thailand, and the only steel player in town to boot. Sounds like good life, Mr. David.

David L. Donald · Post by **David L. Donald** » 13 Mar 2007 8:35 pm

DD,
it was more aggravation than ego flagilation.
I replaced someone who was there for 8 years...
He split, in spite of blood ties, I can see why now.

Sometimes the box is delineated too small for most anyone...
It just took nearly 2 years for the box to 'shrink to not-fit'.

On the other hand I was getting over stroked by most,
if not all, of the other local players. So I have to
look at it as their loss, not mine.
Even if they don't see that fact yet...

Besides... the jazz gig pays DOUBLE...

Seems the stroking is gonna turn into booking.
* a third act just said I will be getting calls.
I am sure I will prefer playing resorts to clubs..
The girls where better bikinis!