Musicians on Political Forum?

Been playing guitar since I was 14. I am 47 now. I don't practice very often these days. I just piddle around with it whenever I get a hankerin.

I have played in southern rock, jazz, blues, and metal bands as well as studied classical for a year in college at Augusta State in GA. I consider myself below average these days, but in the past I was above average.

 

My main/go to guitar; my 2005 Gibson VOS 1957 Re Issue R7 Gold Top/Dark Back.

 

My 1996 Custom Shop is a guitar with the build quality of Willis Jeep and can take whatever you throw at it, but looks all pretty and shiny; like a delicate sports car or F1/Formula 1 racing car, almost - but it's anything but . . .

(amp on 1 watt mode).
My 2005 R7 is a guitar with the build quality of a locomotive/train, and'd plow through/destroy whatever you threw at it . . .
My R7's headstock reminds me of an American locomotive/steam train just by looking at it because of how it's built and what it does. - and it looks beautiful like, a locomotive at a ceremony; powerful and dressed to impress. Like it's wearing a tux'...
It looks like James Bond maybe, or even a Bond Girl because it's sexy, and has that belly as I call it that I like, like the belly of a Bond Girl in a two piece swim suit, and my 1996 Custom Shop has the same 'belly', like a hot girl in a two piece swim suit.

 

Thornton Heath is so sweet
Taste of the Caribbean on my street
To stop the drama of a U K grief
I'm back home in Thornton Heath

 

I am not a card carrying Musician because I believe that Union's just a scheme for an insurance policy which is no use to my guitars due to limits of value and, that's why I'm not a member of the MU (Musician's Union) in the UK, I am however, a card carrying song writer, have been that since early 2012 and my rights/claim in my country to my intellectual property lasts for 50 years after I die. I have an internationally generated IPI/CAE number and a PRS (Performing Rights Society) number and it works internationally and in conjunction with ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) and BMI (Broadcast Music Inc) in the US, what I do/have done usually falls under ASCAP.

If I generate a hard copy, if anybody generates a hard copy, or a digital copy, and releases it, then we talk about mechanical rights, which means, who ever's on the track gets a slice in a good deal unless a session musician.
but so far, I'm with the royalties side of things and the intellectual property registry.

Joining this also gave me access to a world of music, and I can cover whatever obscure song and know who ever wrote it's going to get their dues - because I am a card carry song writer.

 

In my youth I played rock drums in bands. Now as an old man I play a little jazz piano for personal entertainment..

 

I'm not a musician* but I play guitar, violin, percussion and share some of the vocal duties in a five-piece band which plays mostly covers and which plays a ridiculously wide range of genres in a single 2-hour gig.

We rehearse every week, and go to the pub afterwards, and aim to get around a dozen paying gigs a year. I've also just started earning a few quid playing as a duo with Mrs Don (who is the main vocalist and keyboard player for the band).

* - I think there is a big difference between musicians and people who just own and play musical instruments. I am absolutely in the latter category, a distinction which is firmly reinforced every time I see an actual musician perform.

 

Learned this song this week.

 

It's pretty cool picture of a black hole isn't it?

 

Been playing drums since the third grade. Everything I play has at least one foot in the blues.

 

Did any of you see my thread: Original corona virus humor? It includes 64 little songs to known tunes ready to be recorded.

 

Me and my guitar.

 

Played keyboards in a rock band as a kid. Loved the Doors. I was amazed the day I was able to play the Ray Manzarek solo in Light My Fire more or less note for note. Went to Berklee School of music for one year. Didn't play for about 30 years. Started playing classical guitar. Injured my left arm in an accident and could no longer play guitar Started back to keyboard playing jazz jams about 2-3 times a month with local musicians. Twice a year I would jam with out of town people. Sucked at first but then got half decent. The thing I like about jazz on piano is working out different chord voicings and splitting a chord across octaves. The jams ended with Covid. Haven't touched keyboards in over a year. Now I listen to mostly jazz. Pharoah Sanders, Alice Coltrane, Wayne Shorter, John Coltrane, Bill Evans, and Miles Davis, and so forth.

As a rock musician I had a Vox Organ. Not sure what ever happened to it. Sometimes I think about getting another one. Not sure what for. Now I play a cheap Yamaha keyboard or whatever. If I had it to do over again I would learn bass. There is always a demand for a good bass player.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vox_Continental

 

I just completed an album of country love songs. Would anyone want to record or perform some of them?

 

Boy, 12 years ago.

Well, let's see if I can revive this.

I've been playing guitar for 50 years (I'm 62 now). Done a lot despite relatively humble talent. Carnegie Hall, the Birchmere, etc. Great times despite myself.

Currently contemplating old age but hoping to finally branch out and be me after a lifetime of backing others. Formed a weird little band titled Pieces of Malarkey. A take on my love of old Pogo comic strips and my son's love of (at one time anyways) the movie "Small Soldiers".

Currently working (well, sort of) on a jazz/rock instrumental "band" involving me and a Trio+ pedal. Hoping to be able to take it out on the road down to the walking mall in town to jam with myself for no real reason at all. Might actually shoot for some kind of backing music gig in a hotel bar or winery. Just shooting for a kind of different vibe maybe once a month to offset the typical '70s singer/songwhiner type thing that's so popular these days.

Heros include Larry Carlton and George Benson among several others.

Anyways, here's roughly what I mean. Let me know if y'all feel like chatting.

About anything really. Thanks in advance.

 

I learned guitar chords from a Mel Bay guitar book when I was 16. Just played guitar chords once in a while over the years. A professional guitar/bass player showed me some basic riffs on electric bass and I was hooked on bass. Been playing with local groups for over 40 years. Country, rock, blues, folk, whatever. With the invention of the internet, I've really learned a lot. There are so many good teachers and excellent free lessons.