rsm
Well-known member
I buy gear to make me think I sound better than I do. Also can't play like I did back in the day, between arthritis and a lot less practice these days.
Played in plenty of bands back in the day, first paying gig at 14 playing guitar in a 4-piece band, we did a lot of Queen because the singer could pull it off, it was amazing, he was older, maybe 19? (edit: I just remembered, the drummer sang a few songs too, mostly Journey and did a great Steve Perry. when the Queen singer left, he got married at 21, we got a lead guitarist and I played rhythm and started singing for the first time, band lasted until me, the lead guitarist and bass player graduated high school and left for college. I went out of state, and they formed a new band)
Around that time I noticed many others played lead better than me, so I started playing rhythm guitar and eventually added bass. In my late teens on up I had the right look for the times: 6'5", thin, fit, long wavy, dark red hair,..
In the mid '80s after college I had two ADA rigs, one for guitar, one for bass, I shared a few old pics of both here. Couldn't sing and play bass, but could sing playing rhythm guitar, and finding lead guitarists was easy. Unfortunately my voice didn't fit the hair / thrash / death metal of the time, but even average singers were hard to find, so that helped. My voice was like a mediocre imitation of Rob Grill (The Grass Roots) with a bit of John Kay (Steppenwolf)
Eventually ended up playing death metal, bass, (all originals, in the Atlanta area) only some backing vocals until I got married early 30s. I'm done playing live or dealing with bands, other than an occasional open mic night.
TL;DR; never made it above the regional club circuits. In retrospect I'm thankful I didn't make it, seeing how some of these musicians who filled arenas and stadiums touring the world are back to the small clubs...
Played in plenty of bands back in the day, first paying gig at 14 playing guitar in a 4-piece band, we did a lot of Queen because the singer could pull it off, it was amazing, he was older, maybe 19? (edit: I just remembered, the drummer sang a few songs too, mostly Journey and did a great Steve Perry. when the Queen singer left, he got married at 21, we got a lead guitarist and I played rhythm and started singing for the first time, band lasted until me, the lead guitarist and bass player graduated high school and left for college. I went out of state, and they formed a new band)
Around that time I noticed many others played lead better than me, so I started playing rhythm guitar and eventually added bass. In my late teens on up I had the right look for the times: 6'5", thin, fit, long wavy, dark red hair,..
In the mid '80s after college I had two ADA rigs, one for guitar, one for bass, I shared a few old pics of both here. Couldn't sing and play bass, but could sing playing rhythm guitar, and finding lead guitarists was easy. Unfortunately my voice didn't fit the hair / thrash / death metal of the time, but even average singers were hard to find, so that helped. My voice was like a mediocre imitation of Rob Grill (The Grass Roots) with a bit of John Kay (Steppenwolf)
Eventually ended up playing death metal, bass, (all originals, in the Atlanta area) only some backing vocals until I got married early 30s. I'm done playing live or dealing with bands, other than an occasional open mic night.
TL;DR; never made it above the regional club circuits. In retrospect I'm thankful I didn't make it, seeing how some of these musicians who filled arenas and stadiums touring the world are back to the small clubs...
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