Check out this site as covered in Rolling Stone recently. It's a collection of stories posted from high school one-gig wonders and deluded college acoustic trios.Having been in plenty of both, I can relate to the stories. I think my favorite part about that period of my life - also represented in some of the stories on For Those Who Tried to Rock - were the grandiose plans and goals formulated due to inexperience and complete naivete.
For example, I have an audio tape of me and Voxmoose making big plans to go on tour opening for our heroes, delighting the fans with a 30 minute prog rock opera. No sweat - ought to be easy to get an opening slot on an arena tour. You'd think it was by the enthusiasm in my voice on that tape!
I will probably send the site a story or two, and maybe a photo or video. Ah, but which band to choose? The Midnight Ramblers, my first band from 8th grade that did two gigs? Dry Heave, from freshman year, with the 18 year old bass player and 21 year old singer (we were so cool to have older guys want to jam with 14 year olds).
Or Nimoy, RDVK, The Blue Meanies (yeah, we had the name first), or maybe the first outfit I was ever in, called Snot (yes, we had the name first). Snot was me and my buddy Bill, blowing off steam after school in 4th grade where we'd switch off on guitar and drums (yeah, before the White Stripes), and holler out brilliant originals such as "Stick A Stick Up Your Butt," "Farts" and "Butthair Joe." We were fucking geniuses.
A few years later, once we actually learned how to play, we'd do covers and switch the lyrics (yes, way before Weird Al). But our lyrics were PG-13 at best and were mostly R and X. Those tapes are for my ears only until I die and my kids realize what a sick little freak I was as a teenager.
Man, I feel a Snot reunion coming on. Stick A Stick Up Your Butt.
5 comments:
The irony is that, with very few exceptions, every successful band in history starts pretty much the same way as Those Who Tried to Rock.
What seems to distinguish Those Who Tried to Rock from "making it" is a bizarre mix mix of luck, timing, and other fuzzy factors that usually occur early in the life of the band.
Case in point, just imagine the possibilities if Snot had just been in the right place a the right time. You guys were just way ahead of your time with the Scatological Rock movement :)
Isorski - this was one of the few posts that actually had me laughing out loud (hard to do when you are all alone). Remember how I suggested you and Kevin name your band The One Eyed Drizzle Sticks (forget if that was Dry Heave or Osiris)? Too much.
Seems that nowadays the way to get famous is hit it big on some reality show.
Oh my gosh...this is so classic....which one of these guys is you?
The names of your band had me rolling on the floor.
I was in a band called "Slider" because the guy who started it played slide guitar. BORING!
Dr. John - I remember that name suggestion very well, as well as where you made that suggestion (the doorway of the band room). I think I turned right around and repeated it to my mom.
I am the dapper looking gent in the Rainbow T on the far right. That was my garage that we rehearsed in, every Sunday 12 - 4 week in and week out.
And I'm the mutt with the faux-attitude wearing the Black Sabbath t-shirt. Egads.
Dr. John, you might be amused to know that The One Eyed Drizzle Sticks was eventually used as the moniker for a once-a-year New Year's band. In Bill's driveway, we performed 2-3 songs starting exactly at midnight then closed up shop. This went on for 3 or 4 years at least.
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