Don't contact me if you're just looking for a band that's already playing & waiting for you to jump in. I know a few places to play, but am seeking a long-term partnership for myself, not just a short-term pay-off for others...
- Some people don't seem to be in too much of a hurry to go out & play. Their attitude is, "Well, I just want to do this for fun no pressure, just have a good time & see what happens from there." Bottom line is this: Is music your main priority in life, or not? I don't expect anyone to quit their job or leave their family. But like any other fledgling enterprise, you have to sacrifice your time & effort to lead to something more productive in the long run. Are you happy with your day job? Or would you be happier doing music all day long? As for myself: I already know 100's of songs, which means that I'm ready to play NOW.
- A *big* problem I see is with people who try to do several projects at the same time. If you're already in a band or have other things going on in your life besides music, then why are you contacting me? Either music is your main priority & you want to make things happen NOW or you don't. If you're unhappy in your present band, then leave. Focus on ONE project & your chances for success will be much better. If you're juggling several auditions, then see me AFTER you're not happy with everyone else. You can hear what I can do by listening to my original songs. Please only respond if you WANT to work NOW.
- Some people say, "I only want to play big rooms, not cruddy little bars." or "I have a day job, I don't need to prostitute myself doing covers." Well good for you, but what am I supposed to do in the meantime? I enjoy playing live, I don't care where I am, just as long as there's an audience & it's worth my effort. For myself, playing covers in a bar sure beats working 9 to 5, just no rap, grunge or metal please.
- If you want to try some songs together when we meet, then you have to tell me the *specific* songs that you *know* (have memorized & are ready to perform). If you've played somewhere, then you'll have a repertoire of the songs you practice regularly, right? Having sort of heard a song before, or jamming along with the radio, isn't the same as *knowing* a song. Try to choose songs that are not too keyboard oriented or have too much studio production, that can be perform with one guitar. See my cover lists.
- Some people expect musicians to practice several months without gigging or getting paid. Saying, "We want people willing to stick it out with us." Sorry, but if it takes more that a few weeks to know 30 tunes to gig, then you lack experience as a musician. You should learn your parts at home, not at rehearsal.
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Collaborating on songwriting & arranging can be a very time consuming process. If everybody could do it then you'd be writing a great song now, instead of reading this webpage, right? So you're going to have to give me a good reason for me to stop working on my own tunes & help you with yours. I have a large repertoire of already completed original songs of my own. So if I'm able to finish a song by myself then I really don't *need* to collaborate with other songwriters. HOWEVER: *IF* there's a CD release, tour, cash incentive, or major label involved, then I'm sure I could be persuaded to change my mind...
If you want me to record your originals (CD projects only, if I just want rough demos I can stay home), then you have to have *marketable* songs. Be realistic, is your stuff good enough to get regular radio play?
- Do you have a great stage presence? Does everyone say you look like a rock star? Do you have "IT"? Or do you look as good as Britney Spears or Janet Jackson? Yeah? Well then I'm impressed, 'cause they sure do look hot... too bad those chicks can't sing, but now you know how they got thier record deals... Imagine where they'd be if they could actually sing to? Looking hot is important for a video, but it's the radio that'll sell your music long-term. If you want a career that lasts, you have to be able to sing to. So...
- Do you have a *REALLY* great voice? Can you sing better than Britney Spears or Janet Jackson? Yeah? Well that's good, 'cause those chicks really suck. Not much of a challenge there. They can't play live without all those sequences & vocal tracks for a reason. But hey Britney, baby! Don't worry, I'd be willing to baby sit you any day of the week, I'll even bring the lolly pops...
Say what you want about Christina Aguilera, Shania Twain, Ricky Martin & Pink, but they can really sing, they look good & they can put on a show. Here's some examples of *REAL* singers out there...
ANN WILSON (HEART), STEVE PERRY (JOURNEY), ROBERT PLANT (LED ZEPPELIN),
LOU GRAHM (FOREIGNER), CHRIS CORNELL (SOUNGARDEN), BONO (U2), BONJOVI, STING, AMANDA MARSHALL, MARIAH CAREY, CHAKA KAHN, LISA DALBELLO, PINK,And for the record: Do I look like a rock star? It's the singer's job to grab everyone's attention, not mine... I'm not fat, I'm not ugly & I'm not shy. I'm just a guitarist who's at ease on stage & can sound like the CD. I'll be happy being on stage every week backing you up, produce CD's & collect my songwriting royalties.
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS:
Give me your songs & I'll learn them in a few days. I just want to play as soon as we can.
I don't want to be your psychiatrist or argue about what works, just trust my experience.
I don't want to talk about it & I don't want to dream about it, I'm ready to do it NOW.
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shinecat@hotmail.com