Anyone Good At Tablature?

“Well I've obviously lost my mind. All of a sudden I have this distinct urge to get my bass playing back up to where it was SEVERAL years ago, and start doing some music in the Nashville area. (I am studying a lot of Les Claypool's music at the moment.)

Now back then, we listened to a song, over and over -- until we completely understood what each musician was doing. Now of course, there seems to be tablature on every song imaginable.

So I'm thinking in order to shorten the learning curve, I will not only listen to the song, I will study the tablature also. Which brings me to my question.

In general, I see the concept -- but on most of the tablatures, there are additional little markings that I don't see in any of the tablature HTML sites. Anyone really good at all this nonsense?.. hehe.. Like I said, in general -- no problem.. but they seem to evolved past what the websites are explaining.

Anyway, even if not -- wish me luck.. I've evidently lost my mind. I have this urge to go "rock out" for a while.
last edited: 11/01/04 12:31:32 PM”

“i just want to play the guitar...dont know why i never really tried...acoustic...not big on RIPPIN on electric guitars and all ...”

“Rock on, Dawgie!!

tabcrawler.com is a good site.

I know most of the symbols...
hammer on
pull off
slur
slide up
slide down


Maybe you are losin' you mind”

“lol.. just figured out some more of it.

I didn't see the LEGEND down at the bottom of the page!”

“http://www.guitartabs.cc/home.php is probably the best and has the most songs of any other site.

Glad to see you decided to jam again T Dawgy! You got ya work cut out if you plan to modle after Claypool.

About 2 weeks ago I bought another bass, A used B.C.Rich Warlock. Too good of a deal to pass up.
last edited: 11/03/04 6:38:41 AM”

“Walkindude: Thanks buddy. You are welcome to come listen. I don't think practice is closed. Give me a shout sometime.”

“Cool. I'm jamming with more people these days myself. It's an open jam sessoin pretty much so your welcome to come to Smyrna an jam with us.”

“Awesome! TTYL.. work calls.”

“towndawg-- I'll have to let Thinkbubelz know your question-- he's a bassist and has been playing since he was in grade school!”

“ROCK ON!

cool bass walkindoooood!”

“Practiced 2night. Didn't know any of the songs really, but they were a lot of what we played a couple Wednesdays ago over at McDougals. Things are feeling better, more right. It's way too strange to be doing something you just put down completely (over a softball injury) a long long time ago. I wish I had all my original technique back. I miss those days, a little. It was crazy though. Forty hours of working, another 20 for practicing, then hitting every weekend -- till I were about 25. Life changes, in a hurry.

So here I am, quickly approaching 50, and playing bass in my son's band -- basically cos they don't have no bass playa, ya know? It's going to be a sweet time I think. Hopefully special, being able to chill with my son, and not feel all that guilty about it, and even feeling like I was imposing.

It's also weird how my own son, who I basically discouraged playing music at all, and pushed him toward athletics.. actually turned out to be a really nice songwriter, and has always been a strong singer, and guitarist.

Life is good. I'm planning on enjoying it a few days -- or at least this minute. Evening all. I'm headed for bed. It's been a long day.
last edited: 11/04/04 2:51:12 AM”

“which goes to show how music and the arts can enhance one's life just as much as athletics can... :-)

Music CAN soothe the savage beast! ;-)”

“I am trying to come up with a killer bass line. Some friend of my son's is giving us 3hrs in the recording studio on Sunday.. 6pm to 9pm.. so he's got this original he wants to record.

Four chords.. F, G, Am, and C.. 4 counts each.. eighth notes.. (rock on).. but it's capo'ed to sixth fret -- so transposing. .. that's B (or C flat, if you prefer .. but key of B even with the double sharps is easier than 7 flats I think.), C sharp, D sharp minor, and F sharp..

Or another way of looking at it, harmonic progression is I II III V... which is not as strong as I II VI V .. so I was thinking of different bass lines.. and trying it out with my Mozart software here..

BOTTOM line is.. I have to be ready to record this song in about 24 hrs.. and I just don't have a killer bass line yet.

Some of you musicians, play those chords.. and pass along any tablature of what might make a good bass line?...

Thanks!!”

“^^ look up.. this post is for you.. :)”

“Laid down the tracks tonight.. ended up with a nice sound. State of the art studio too.. kinda awesome.”

“Dang, I gotta practice more!”

“lol.. I hear you on that.. I'm happy how the technique seems to be coming back pretty quick tho. Lost all those original callouses though.

;)

Had a blood blister bout two weeks ago -- but ya, it is all coming back. Luvin it!”

“Tune it or die!!”

“heh.. did I mention I love those lil tuner thingies? Sooooo much easier!”

“Oh yeah!!!

There are times when I just can't hear it.
The tuners are great.”

“yup.. must be for me also.. cos I was a lil sharp on one.. and flat on my low E.”

“I hate people who have perfect pitch!”

“I had a good friend in HS, who has perfect pitch. Excellent keyboard player, but it actually PAINED him sometimes -- because of his body's lack of tolerance to flat/sharpness.”

“Thinkbubelz got an Ovation guitar recently-- he loves the in-body tuner! :-)”

“"Hey TownDawg get outta my way,
'cause this cat is on the prowl!"
--stolen from Brian Setzer Orch. and modified for my own amusement :)

I'm not sure how you go from Les Claypool to a four-chord progression of straight eighth notes. Since you were asking for a "killer" bass line it sounds like you wanted to do more than just "peddle" on the roots. :)

Anyway, everyone has their own style. Don't be afraid to experiment and come up with something all your own (like you did). As long as your contribution to the song fits and you end up with "a nice sound", all is well, and you're making music.

I once had a difficult time gelling with punk group. Actually, it was the first (and only) time we played and all the instrumentalists were just floored when the soft-spoken vocalist stepped up to the mike and just angrily shouted the lyrics. He didn't fit us, but it was his gig, so I guess we didn't fit him. :)

Back to your gig ... every song is NOT a bass solo (as much as we bass players would like them to be). :) Bass Player and Bass Guitar both stess how a lot of bass players "overplay" a song; just 'cause we can, doesn't mean a slow ballad has to have blazing fast Eddie Van Halen-style hammer-on, pull-off triplets. Then again, every fast song shouldn't have a Michael Anthony (Van Halen's bass player)-style eighth-note peddling on the root, unless you're Michael Anthony and you can't play anything else while singing backup vocals. :)

The songwriter(s) will let you know if you're too far off base for their taste. Sometimes listening to their influences will help steer you the right way. And if that's Les Claypool, well, then I can see why they were having a hard time finding a bass player. :)

I played an open mic night at this one place a couple of times. The first time I just accompanied someone I'd never played with before; it was okay. The second time I accompanied someone else and it was a little rough around the edges. Then I played an extended bass solo I wrote and this one guy kept yelling for me to play Les. I'd never heard of Les before. So I went home and got the Cheese cd, and bought a Bass Player magazine that interviewd him. Between the two, it didn't take me too long to realize that I wasn't going to be able to play Les with my Ric, and I wasn't going to fork over $2k or more for another bass just so I could play Les, so ... I don't play Les. :) (I've never been much of a thumb-slapper, anyway.) I'll stick to my style, influenced by Geddy Lee (Rush), Chris Squire (Yes), John Paul Jones (Zepp), Stanley Clark (Return to Forever), and a bunch of other stuff that I've listened to over the years.

So, hey, it's great that you're getting back into playing! Keep on with what you're doing; it sounds like it's working. And don't be afraid to be yourself! (And it doesn't hurt to have more amplification than the lead guitar player.) :)

Peace,
Thinkbubelz

P.S. Oh, the tab stuff. Yeah, the notation is all whack; if it's not explained in the legend at the bottom, I usually don't have a clue what it's supposed to mean. They had to invent all that in order to tab the great Jaco P., among others.

P.P.S. If you have any leads on where I can get a good video of Stu Hamm doing the Peanuts song, let me know. Listening and reading the tab just ain't enough for me.”

“The Ovation is a 1778 LX. Great sounding acoustic/electric for the price. Yeah, there are better out there, but I won't buy them until after I hit the lotto. :) Has a switch to select "Eric Clapton" or "Melissa Ethridge" pre-amp. Surprisingly doesn't sound too bad coming out of my bass amp (Hartke 500 head and two Hartke 4x10 aluminum-cone cabs). (I'll get a Marshall stack after the lotto hits, too.) :) And yes, it has a built-in tuner.”

“Awesome.. just now saw your response. Your comments are right on. I came up with a really nice bass line, only to discover that when I heard it tracked along the vocals, that it was way outta character for the song. It's funny, cos your comments were the same that I made to Jeff (the slide guitar player) -- "I'm just going to underplay this. I really like the sound of this bass line against the chord changes, but it's just overkill for this song."

The Ovation sounds sweet. I'm playing out of a Megabass rig with a 4x10 Peavey box, and a Palladium bass guitar.

I had a lot of other equipment years ago, but somehow (long story) I talked myself into selling all of it for heroin. (Just kidding on the heroin part! I had three basses (Rickenbacker, Gibson "Greg Lake" and a old Fender Precision (that I think we refinished at least three times over the years), and a Sunn Coliseum rig. I also sold my '65 Les Paul (cherry) that was ignorant -- but hey.. you know what they say about being young.

I'm having fun though. I just hope I can get back as good as I used to be!

"Geddy Lee (Rush), Chris Squire (Yes), John Paul Jones (Zepp), Stanley Clark (Return to Forever), and a bunch of other stuff that I've listened to over the years."

* slobberz all over himself *

You and I have the same bass idols, you forgot Jaco Pastorius though. ;)
last edited: 11/09/04 7:32:11 AM”

“Stu Hamm was new to me. I decided to take a minute and find some of his mp3's out there in WinMX land. OMG. He's incredible!

The one I downloaded today was some concert with Joe Satriani.. (Is Stu his bass playa? Or just coincidence? I've always been a fan of Satriani!)”

“I'm tired. I may call it a night. I wanted to practice, but I don't see it happening!”

“COOL!
Yall are recording some tunes. I've got two songs in the the works here are The Studio LaDude. The hard part for me is getting the drum tracks composed on the drum machine.
I put a bass line down with my Warlock bass but I think I'm going to go back and rerecord it with my Charvel. The Warlock is a great axe to jam with but the Charvel has a better sound for recording.
I can play a lot of bass runs and pull solos off of it but I prefer to stay much more basic on recordings (except for occasional fills).
Back a long time ago I used to only play with my fingers but these days I prefer to use a pick because I find I'm a more consistant player that way. How do yall play? Pick or No Pick.

Yo thinkbubelz,
I got a Hartke Bass Amp too. Them things sound Awesome! Way better than my old Ampeg. When Recording I just plug straight into my Digitech BP50. No amp needed.”

“walkindude: I have used a pick, for certain songs -- but I prefer my fingers. What nights do you practice again? I might have to make a road trip to Smyrna.”

“We jam on Tuesdays.”

“"[...] you forgot Jaco Pastorius though."

I called him "Jaco P." in my P.S. I have a tab of his version of "America the Beautiful" from Bass Player that I've never been able to get quite right. I keep telling myself it's because I'm not concentrating hard enough. :)

"[...] Joe Satriani.. (Is Stu his bass playa? [...]"

Stu toured with Satriani in the 80s. More infor at http://www.bassically.net/featured_artists/stu_hamm/

"[...] Rickenbacker, Gibson "Greg Lake" and a old Fender Precision [...]"

My turn to drool. :) The first bass I ever played was a Precision at the tender age of 11. My parents took pity upon my not-yet-full-grown hands and got me a Fender Musicman (3/4 like the Mustang). Now I've got a 4003 Ric, but I'd like to get my hands on an old 4001 or even a 4008 (8-string like the one JPJ used on his duet album with the screaming woman).

"I also sold my '65 Les Paul (cherry) that was ignorant [...]"

'Nuff said. :)”

“Pick?

I started picking with my thumb (from learning acoustic guitar first). I took lessons and switched to fingers (pointer and index). For a while I tried three fingers (adding ring), but it was never as smooth as two fingers.

Sometimes I'll pick with a thumb and two fingers, somewhat like a banjo. (I tried finger picks, by the way, and couldn't stand them!)

The first bass pick I ever used was felt. That's back when I played flat-wound strings, too, and went for a real mellow sound. Now I use a heavy, usually a triangle, with round-wounds.

I noticed lately a lot of players use pointer and ring for two-finger play. One guy told me it was to improve the eveness, since both fingers were approximately of the same size. That may be the consistency factor you're looking for, walkindude. I actually like to be able to throw in a heavy accent with my index finger from time to time, and also run a bit of compression from the Hartke.

I've also been recently introduced to the kind of double-picking made popular by John Entwistle of The Who (Geddy Lee supposedly does this, too). Evidently he'd pluck the strings with both an up and down motion with his fingers, just like a pick, for extra speed. I still don't have this down; feels really unnatural to me.

Like I said earlier, I'm pretty much a novice at thumb slapping and pull-offs. So many others are much much better than me! ( I used it once in concert during Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold"; it gave the guitar solo a different texture.)

I've given tapping a try (a la Eddie Van Halen). It's a work in progress.

Basically, I'm most comfortable with two-finger picking, but I'll try other techniques if I think it'll help the sound.”

“I've been looking at the tiny digital recording devices. They only record one (or maybe two) tracks simultaneously, and play back four (and maybe a 5th drum machine track). One is the Zoom PS-04. Have you guys ever tried one? Seen one? Any advice? I just want to record me doing my own stuff, and I don't care too much about quality. (Well, I want to do better than a cassette-based 4-track, at least.) The next step up are the 8-track machines, but they only record 2 tracks at once until you start paying considerably more money. So ... I'm waiting for these small ones to stop being so new and come down in price. :)”

“I bought a 4-track cassette fostex for my son.. several yrs ago.. would have gotten him a digie of course.. but the money was just not there for a christmas present of that magnitude.. so settled for the fostex.. nice tho.. amazingly for a kid like me that used to splice tape for echo loops in concerts.

I've got some pretty decent software, but nothing of any footprint evidence.. LOL.. meaning.. I really wish I had a good digie -- my friend Ernie's got one, and I got fairly good contacts still.. 4-5 of my friends have nice nice R studios.

Anyway.. coffee for me, Im not awake yet.”

“I've seen those little recording devices but haven't checked them out myself yet. You might look on Music 123, Sam Ash, Musicians Friend, ect, and see if anyone has left any feedback. I've used before to see how people rate an item and decide if it'd something I'd like.
I use "Magix" software on my PC to record with. It's not as uptown as "Cakewalk" but it gets the job done.

I'll try that two finger method. Never really gave it a thought. My index finger is gonna feel left out awhile. LOL!
I never learned to play Slap. It just ain't something I'd find useful in my style of rock. Of course Fieldy from Korn uses it sometime so WTF. Just never really got to really talk to anyone that does it on a regular basis.

Thanks thinkbubels”

“4 string
or
5 string

I'm old school myself. All mt basses have been, are, and probably will always be 4 string.
I tried a 5 string a couple of times. Just didn't feel right.”

“The other night, when we played over at McDougals.. the subject came up of someone wanting to JAM -w- the band. None of us knew the guy from Adam -- but why is it that these "hey, can I sit in and play one with the band" types always seem to have a fan/crowd following?

Hiatt (the drummer) said no, and asked me what I thought about it later. My response, "You did the right thing. If you ever open up that can of worms, you will never know who to let play, and who not."

Thought about my response again this morning. I've still convinced that if someone is going to "sit in with the band" that it oughta be the band doing the inviting, and not the other way around. However, I can also see where if insert name of big rock star here showed up one night, and wanted to play -- I'd be hard-pressed to even consider saying no.

;) LOL. So my question this morning. Hey you guys -- what's been your experience with people "sitting in with the band?"


Walkindude: 4's. I stopped playing about the time the 5/6's came out. I'd luv to have a 5 or a 6, but hey -- we can't have everything.
last edited: 11/12/04 7:07:23 AM”

“Thanks for the info on palm recorders, guys.

Walkindude: 4 or 5 strings? I've only ever owned 4 stringers, but I've toyed with the idea of a 5-string as a 2nd bass. Then I toyed with the idea of an 8-string as a 2nd bass (and then Rickenbacker stopped making them). :( I've even tried a 12-string (each string tripled), but I thought the quality of that manufacturer was not very good (can't remember who). And when I was younger, I lusted after a 6-string model that kept the string spacing the same as a 4-string (so the neck was much wider) which I found easier to play than other 6-stringers (but didn't have the $5k to buy it).

And then I thought it over and realized that the 5th string only adds 5 chromatic notes or 2.5 intervals. That's it. It doesn't matter if you add a low B (below the E) or high C (above the G). If you add both (6 strings), you get double that, but it still doesn't add up to a full octave.

So instead of getting a 2nd bass, I got an effects box. Yeah, I know, real bass players don't use effects, but honestly, I bought it for the tuner. :) [I got a Zoom BFX-708 because it cost the same as a Boss stomp-box tuner, and I got a lot more than just a tuner.] One of the effects is the octavizer: every note you play is doubled one octave lower (or higher, but I prefer lower). Effectively, it turns a 4-string into an 8-string. This really beefs up the low end when I need it.

The only disadvantage is an octavizer doesn't give you the increased intervals of a 5- or 6-stringer. For example, on 4 strings you can play the root on the E string (say G on the 3rd fret) and simultaneously play the octave+3rd on the G string (the B on the 4th fret) or the octave+4th (the C on the 5th fret). Add a C string as your 5th string, and now you can play that same G plus the 8ve+5th (D on the 2nd fret), 8ve+6th, and 8ve+flatted-7th. Even larger intervals are possible with a 6-stringer.

So, if you're just looking to add more to your bottom, consider an octavizer. If you want the intervals or you need to extend the range of your runs without having to move up and down the neck all the time (think 2-octave scales), then maybe you really need "more than 4".”

“TownDawg: On the subject of sitting in with the band, I must confess that all the bands I've ever been in rarely made it out of the basement. I've never had anyone ask to sit in for me on stage.

On the other hand, I've sat in on more than one occaission. The first time was completely unintentional; I talked with the bass player after their first set and he asked me if I wanted to play with the band. I said yes even though I wasn't familiar with their playlist, thinking I was only going to play one song (ah, teenage naivity). :) I was up there for 3 or 4 songs! It was a private party with only a handful of people even paying attention to the band, so I think this made it a little easier to sit in.

I've sat in a few times since then, but I was the one asking to play. I used to work with the bass player from one band, so that made it easier to ask since he knew me. Also, they had other people sit in all the time. We planned ahead so I could bring my bass (a Peavey T-40 back then, the heaviest bass known to mankind), and I let him play it for a while, too.

I like to talk with other bass players so I do that a lot. I don't do it just so I can sit in with the band; I usually don't ask, and if they ask me sometimes I turn them down or take a raincheck. Like the one band I had been going to see after rehersals (and I still try to catch them whenever I can). I had my Ric in the car so I brought it in for their guy to play. (Really amazing player, too.) He asked me to sit in, but I wasn't familiar enough with their stuff (all originals) and honestly would not have done the songs justice, so I said maybe some other time. (Still need to learn their material before I cash that one in.) :)

But I never walk up to a band and start off by saying "hey, let me sit in with you guys". If I'm just looking to get up on a stage and play, I go to open mic night. I've been wanting to go to an open jam, but they're usually on the other side of town. (Part of the reason for open whatever nights is to meet other musicians, and I'm done with the long commute thing.)

Oh, and then there was the time when my band went to the bar to hang out, and the band playing that night was challenging people to a game of volleyball for drinks. We asked them if we could play a song if we won instead. Well, evidently in Canada, if you're not part of the musicians union, you're not allowed to play (at least not at that bar). Anyway, that's the story we were told. :)

So anyway, yeah, you guys did the right thing. The least this guy could have done was try to get to know you better. Maybe sit down with you in between sets and buy you a drink. And then after you at least feel comfortable with him (maybe after a few weeks) it would have been a better time for him to ask to sit in. Or if he's really in some hot-shot band he should have invited you to see his band play first, or at least offered to let you sit in on their next performance. The bottom line is, you guys don't know him at all, and he should at least understand that.”

“Sitting in or others sitting in?

I've been asked to sit in with others onstage about 4 times that I can remember. I've only done it once. It was easy. We played "Bad to the Bone" by Goerge Therogood. Kinda hard to mess that one up. We had fun.
We had one guy ask if he could sit in and we said OK. He didn't know the tune as well as he thought and kept the amp pretty low. He didn't seem to be a bad guitar player though. I think he just wanted to impress some chick in the crowd.
Oh yeah, we had a drunk go up to the mic and try to help sing backup on "Crazy Train" once. Hysterical!!!

I don't plan to ever invite myself up to play an axe I'm not used to. I prefer my own sound and guitars to something different when it comes to playing in front of an audiance.




4 Strings!
My charvel has a drop D tuning machine. I've only used it once. It's kinda handy if ya needed it but for me Standard tuning is good enough. Plus both my Charvel and the B.C. Rich have 24 frets so I got plenty of room to play. I agree with ya on not even gaining a whole octive. seems it's more of a novalty thing than practical.”

“Rick was a guitar player friend. I think we were both about 9th grade. I had played trombone starting 6th or 7th.. violin in the 3rd up in NY. (Wappenger Falls, or close to it, Stu.)

Rick says to me, "no, don't be a guitar player, there are plenty of those. Be a bass player."

I am pretty positive my response was "what's a bass guitar?"

.

Anyway, best I know, Rick (last name here) is playing in Memphis somewhere. Have not seen him in about 10 - 15 yrs. I'm pretty sure, that even though Rick went to the "other school" (I was at Whitehaven, he was at Hillcrest.) we actually met because we were 'ushering. -- (Local venue is coliseum-style place. Basketball, concerts. (We ushered the concerts. Got paid about $5 and got to see the concert free. (Could get popcorn and a coke too, as I recall.)

So I agreed to take lessons from Rick. That's how it all started for me. Rick played guitar, Woody (some keyboard player that Rick knew, and Tim (a drummer I knew.)

I have no idea what our first band name was though. (I only remember Whetstone -- a college years band.) Lawrence, the singer.

Lawrence was a church protegy-alto/tenor kid fresh out of HS that I swear could sing anything. LOL. (and he'd tried it, even when he couldn't.)”

“I started playing to get chicks.”

“BTW --

After learning about 40 songs with the band now -- it has occurred to me that we are an alternative country band.

LOL.

I never realized it.”

“Sorry to hear about it bro.”

“Title Artist
After The Fireflies Burn Out Original
Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way Waylon Jennings
Atlantic City Bruce Springsteen
Break My Heart Original
Bruced Son (I cant read it)
Can't You See Marshall Tucker Band
Come Pick Me Up Ryan Adams
Copperhead Road Steve Earle
Cripple Creek CCR
Dead Flowers Townes Van Zandt
Decoration Day Drive-By Truckers
Don't Think Twice Bob Dylan
Folsom Prison Blues Johnny Cash
Friend Of The Devil Grateful Dead
From Hank To Hendrix Neil Young
Gave You ? On The Stuff (Can't Read it) Original
Good / Closing Time
How Does It Feel (Rolling Stone) Bob Dylan
I Ain't Ever Satisfied Steve Earle
Keep Your Hands To Yourself Georgia Satellites
Least Of All The Stars Original
Long As I Can See The Light CCR
Lullaby Original
Melissa Allman Brothers
Memphis Original
Missed Phone Calls and Early Morning Trains Original
New Year's Eve Original
Night They Drove Old Dixie Down Robbie Robertson
No Depression Uncle Tupelo
Oh My Sweet Carolina Ryan Adams
One Big Holiday My Morning Jacket
Rocking In The Free World Neil Young
See The Road Original
Sixteen Days WhiskeyTown
Straight To Hell Drivin & Cryin
Sympathy For The Devil Rolling Stones
The Last You Hear From Me Original
The Living Bubble
Thrill Is Gone BB King
Tom Ames Prayer Steve Earle
Tuesday's Gone Lynyrd Skynrd
Wagon Wheel
Yellow Ledbetter Pearl Jam”

“TownDawg -- Yeah, I'd listen to a band play that songlist. Heck, even one of the urban bars I frequent plays Johnny Cash on the jukebox, and all the regulars sing along!”

“I learned to play a little guitar (notes & open chords) when I was 9. At 10 (5th grade) I started trombone, and then a little later discovered bass guitar. (My brother had an electric guitar, which is probably one reason I chose bass.) I never made better than 2nd trombone, but in high school I switched to tuba and was section leader. For bass, I had private lessons and played in the school jazz band. I became a "professional" musician at age 11, when the jazz band received money for playing in a park. And I was the "rock star" of my elementary school, because no one there played guitar. :)

The first albums I played along with were Led Zep II and Aerosmith "Live Bootleg". One of the first bands I was in was a "party & jam" band, in that we'd get stoned and then just jam. (Not recommended for today's 11-13 y.o. kids.) Probably my favorite jam from that group was "Wild Thing". I was in one other band where I learned "Ironman" and maybe "Working Man" -- stuff like that. I had to leave when my family moved away.

In high school I was in a power trio called Cygnus. Chris could play "Erruption" perfectly, and Brian was a Neal Pert, Jr. We played a lot of Rush and Van Halen, started writing originals, added Steve (rhythm guitar & vocals), and then just when we were getting good I left town for college. (Chris is in the music biz in Nashville, but doesn't play anymore.)

After that, I've been playing with the same guitar player (a Jimmy Page, Jr.) for many years, but we're not currently doing anything. (We've had various other personnel over the years.) We've recorded 2 full length cds and an EP-length cd, all originals, and that's not even close to our full catalog.

The funny part is that my longest-running professional performing gig is as the drummer for a Chinese lion dance troupe! (The irony: I'm not Chinese, don't know martial arts, and I'm not a drummer.)

And I never picked up any chicks while playing bass, but I did meet my wife during a practice, and even then she was disappointed I wasn't a drummer. LOL!”

“**** LOL!!!

See, any woman knows she can make her man into the man of her dreams after she catches him... LOL :-)”