Jimmie":3rigknbs said:
were you in competition with KISS?
Oh hell no! That was just the way things worked back then. Women were, shall we say happy to deprive you of excess bodily fluids in exchange for you entertaining them on the dance floor...or in some cases, they showed this type of gratitude/attitude during your 15 minute breaks between sets. I always tried to park near the back of the parking lot in those days for a little privacy. Most times they brought their own blow to get you in the mood, too.
Mailman1971":3rigknbs said:
That was AWESOME!!!
Great ripping lead tone as well!
What was your rig?
Signal chain: Ibanez Artist 24 fret w/Dimarzio SD's (I think), Randall RG-80 combo w/G12-80 Celestion (still got it!), Carvin 4x12 straight w/G12-65's on the top, Carvin branded Eminences on the bottom (they were dull), I just plugged straight in (the Randall was a channel switcher). One of the tricks I used to do was set my lead tone up on the bridge pickup, then put the toggle switch in the middle with the back pickup volume on 10, front pickup volume on 5-7. You still got a nice crunch tone for chords without too much volume, then just flip the switch to the bridge for a solo, which resulted in a nice 15-20% volume boost.
And since the Randall had a "clean" channel as well, you could switch between channels for a softer/cleaner volume, then kick in the OD channel and switch your pickup, too.
I didn't have true bypass pedals then, so I used them for whatever song they needed to be on, then unplugged them to go to a song that didn't require them. I just hated how pedals killed the tone and made it muddy back then. As you can tell, I was an anal tone seeker from day one.
For bigger gigs I pulled out a 2nd Randall RG-80 or my JCM 800 50w. We usually had plenty of stage volume without it being too crushing, although our drummer hit pretty hard (as you can tell). Our soundman (yes we had a soundman full time) would also learn the songs/solo parts to punch solos up if necessary.
All that contributed to working 50 weeks per year, five nights a week, 4.5 sets per night. On at 9pm, off at 1:30 or 1:45 am.
And then the selection process began for the "concubine of the evening". I could tell you guys some things that happened to me playing clubs that you'd kill for now. AIDS, and the nastier social diseases killed all that around 84 and later, though. I quit doing the cover band thing in late 83 (I did it from 74 on), and went back to college to get a degree. Fat lot of good that did, right? I'm right back working with musicians again! LOL
But after all those years, living out of a suitcase or driving back and forth to gigs got tiresome. My band opened for some known bands, made decent money, had a great time, but by the time I was 25 I was pretty much done. Two failed recording contracts, and I figured I was one of many good guitar players on the planet that didn't make it.
Now I go out, sit in with a jam night or open mic, wow the crowd with three songs (if I've practiced a bit to loosen up my fingers and regain my sub par chops), and leave before I embarrass myself.
The other four guys in the band were married, I was the only bachelor. Besides what I received on my own merits, women who were after the other four would often wait for me after finding out the others were married.
Enjoyed the clip too 
