Huddle Band members

[whomper]

I know a decent amount of huddlers are in or have been in bands in the past. I was just curious as to the backrounds on your bands. I dont know what made me think about this.

 

I have played guitar since I was a freshman in High school. I was in my first band my Junior year in high School. We did originals and covers. We used to cover a lot of Van Halen and made a few demo tapes. I am still very good friends with the singer of that band. We had a great time playing the local clubs and at local events and that type of thing. When I was in college I got into a band that was a bit more serious. The band was called Bellhouse (We had a tape of Muddy waters and he used that term to describe how the blues should be sung) Me and the other guitar player are still pretty tight. We played good old fashioned rock n roll . Our singer was this crazy black guy. It is a hugh regret of mine that we didnt get farther than we did because I really felt like we had what it took. Typical band stuff did us in (lost a bass player and had a tough time replacing / ego crazy singer etc). We used to play all over NYC. The experience was awesome and I really loved the tunes .

 

After that I never played in an organized band again and now I am a couch player. I am not the type of player that can sit there on my own and entertain the hell out of you for a long period of time but in the scheme of that band we had nice chemistry. I loved coming up with the riffs and the other guitar player was an awesome player. He played a style that was very different from mine (open tuning / slide etc) But it worked when we played together. I have a demo on tape. If I could figure out a way to get a tape downloaded to a comp I would post our stuff. Or I should say if Atomic can figure it out when I ask him

 

What about the other huddle band members . Past and present. Whats your story ?

Edited August 30, 2008 by whomper

[Dirty Sanchez]

Does Guitar Hero count?

[Ramhock]

Not me, just played the trumpet & baritone horn for 11 years but my brother-in-laws are the twins in:

 

Madina Lake

 

They have opened for Linkin Park.

Edited August 30, 2008 by Ramhock

[tazinib1]

I played drums in high school then when I joined the Navy, our ship put together a rather humerus attempt at a band called "Steel Beach Picnic". It was entertaining while on West Pac but thats about it. I've since put up my drum sticks.

[AtomicCEO]

In high school, I was in a "band" if you could call it that. I was the guitar and bass player, and I had a 4-track and a bunch of other instruments and gear. One friend was a drummer. Then we had 5-6 more friends who just came in and made up songs or hopped on an instrument that they didn't know how to play. It was fun and it sounded terrible.

 

I also sat in with just about any band that needed a singer, guitarist, or bassist. I played a show as bassist for a punk band... I played guitar for a band that did live hip hop... I sang for another band and did terrible songs.

 

In college I was in a few bands. One was an acoustic duo that played happy hours and coffee houses. We did a lot of covers and funny originals. I was the singer, and occassionally played guitar or bongos poorly. It was really about having a lot of fun with a small audience, and it was mostly a comedy show. The guy I did that with just played for a Phillies game at Citizen Bank Park with his new band.

 

I was the singer in another band that played all covers. Mostly Pearl Jam, STP, Zeppelin, Live, RHCP, Hendrix... and we sounded good. We played keg parties and shows on campus. Our thing was that we changed our name every time we played. Frottage Cheese, Naked Ham Safari, Naked Hamster Party, Vision 94, Cream of Mushroom... it was fun. We would get majorly hammered. The guys from that band are all still playing music too. They sound pretty darn good.

 

Sometimes I miss that I'm not playing anymore. I can't imagine how I would fit it into my day though.

[Puddy]

I played the drum machine.

[darin3]

Began writing song lyrics in college. My best friend and his brother were (are) terrific musicians; one mainly a drummer, but also sang and played guitar, and the other sang and played guitar and bass. They would screw around in their garage from time to time with a buddy who played bass. We had some "instrumental" jams that we recorded just for kicks.

 

Would come home from college (on weekends and then my first summer home from college) with a bunch of lyrics. Ended up putting my lyrics to the music. I would play keyboards, percussion and would sing backup vocals.

 

We played a few gigs with the "full" band, but the trio of my buddy, his brother, and the bass player, played a bunch of gigs together, as I was 2.5 hours away at college when things got going real good.

 

My buddy is a doctor, going through some advanced training in Boston. His bro is an accomplished architect, and the bass player got into film-making, I believe. So it's not like we were a bunch of slackers... unfortunately that caused us to put the band well after other things in our lives, and eventually the band dis-"band"-ed.

 

Was super fun while it lasted, and we're looking to digitally store our remaining work.

 

We played 80-90% original music, but also covered The Doors, Pearl Jam, etc. Kind of had a Gin Blossoms sound, but had a few real unique songs, including one that had a punk sound.

 

Once we get our music digital, I'll probably make it available online so everyone can laugh at it.

[Skilly]

I played the sax in our high school jazz band and also for one year in college. I was thinking about this the other day....how I missed that feeling of creating something really special. When you are playing, and everyone is together and in the same groove, there is no better feeling.

Edited August 30, 2008 by Skilly

[piratesownninjas]

I was in two bands, the first being a metal band that had interest from a few independent labels. We sold out shows in the Denton/Dallas area and I was even able to play SXSW three years ago. He had a reputation of having rowdy crowds and everyone knew going into a show that at least one or two people were going to jail that night. We were all in our early 20's at the time and everyone developed an ego. On top of that, we all hated each other for the most part and broke out into a brawl inside our rehearsal space while rehearsing for a Showcase. Something I'll always regret.

My second band was a rock band that quickly turned into a progressive band, which I was out on. Sounding mechanical isn't rock and roll. It's music, not a math problem. That and I went from a very successful band in a market to a band that was struggling to bring out 40-60 people, which was really hard to handle.

Whenever I think about how much money I sunk into gear and such I get a little sick. Over an eight year span I bought and sold 4 German warwicks, American 2 G&L's, 2 American Fenders, An Ampeg rig, a GK Rig, a Ampeg 8x10 cab, and finally a Mesa Boogie rig...

For some reason, whenever I quit playing in bands I began to see money accruing in my savings account... Weird.

[Big John]

When I see the title, I am thinking Band of Huddlers, which looks like it needs to be ramped up soon again.

[jaxfactor]

I play with myself, does that count?

 

 

Seriously Chris, there is a girl on my mail route who actually has a CD out(have no link at present time). I ran into her manager who used to book these awesome blues bands in the club I managed before the PO. She works part time at the UPS store and doesn't have much money. She plays mainly folk music but said she always wanted an electric guitar to mess around with. I'm having thoughts of giving her the guitar you graciously sent me as I do have my Les Paul back. It would mean the world to her as it did for me when you sent it to me. Would you be offended if I did this?

[cliaz]

I play guitar, bass, and drums though my drumming is very rusty. I could prolly get back up to speed if i spent a week practicing for a couple of hours a day.

 

sophomore Year in High School -

 

Band - Childish mind - typical 1989/1990 rock with heavy influences from maiden, metallica, ozzy, suicidal tendencies, Cinderella, skid row.

 

It was a five piece, i was rhythm guitar with my Fender Stratocaster black with a white pick guard [so not a high quality guitar but i like them for the blues sound you can get from them]. I had a Pevy floor amp and [remember these, Whomp?] my distortion pedal, chorus pedal, and my flange pedal. We played originals but would cover metallica jams from ...and justice for all and master of puppets.

 

Senor year in high school -

 

My skater buddies asked me to cover for their guitar player they kicked out of the band until they could find another one to replace him. I wasn't really a fit because they were more punk-ish than i liked.

 

Band - 32 Mildreds - kind of a punk/skater/trash band.

 

I ended up playing five shows with them and really had a great time. They really had a lot of "groupies" which shocked me because metallica and metal ruled during that time and i was surprised at how many chicks dug that stuff. Same gear for the most part cept i got a few more pedals, the grunge pedal thanks to Nirvana coming on the scene.

 

Army -

 

Hooked up with some old school rockers who wanted to cover Floyd once i hit AIT. I was down with that. I had sold all of my guitar stuff before leaving for boot camp so i had to get new gear. I was asked to pick up the bass which was cool with me because i've always loved playing the bass. So i just got a nice Fender bass and half stack cab. Nothing $$. We never really played a show, it was more of a musicians getting together to play music simply to play music. People would swing in and check us out including our battalion commander. He dug it.

 

The band consisted of Myself at bass, two guitar players, a drummer and a percussionist, and two keyboard players. Let me tell you, the one singer [who played keyboards] had both Roger's and Davids voice down to a T. We spent months perfecting comfortably numb and it really sounded good. We would warm up each practice with any song off of animals.

 

Back home -

 

I was in a multitudes of heavy metal, death metals, industrial, hard core, and rock bands between 1994 and 1998. My last band I played in was the closest of what any "garage musician" would consider their "dream". It was an industrial style/ NIN band. We played our last show at the Black Cat in D.C. in front of Island Record talent agent, Sony, and D-side records. Our keyboard player was best friends with Jim and Neval Marley. They would fly into the DC area and record tracks at his home studio. They arrange for these different talent scouts who were their friends to come down and see us.

 

Obviously it didn't work out and it was a very horrible experience that night. One which i do not like to speak of but if you all who are reading this are musicians, you'll know what i'm talking about. I quit playing in bands that night and really haven't picked it back up. I still play guitar but only for myself and kids.

[Kid Cid]

I don't have much time to post as I'm at Arches National Park right now. I've got some stuff from my band years though including the photo shoot we did for our CD. Alas, our drummer had a meltdown of epic proportions the night we were being reviewed for the Hartford Advocate. The wheels came off that night and nothing else ever came of the group. I'll post some stuff when I get back.

[AtomicCEO]

I don't have much time to post as I'm at Arches National Park right now. I've got some stuff from my band years though including the photo shoot we did for our CD. Alas, our drummer had a meltdown of epic proportions the night we were being reviewed for the Hartford Advocate. The wheels came off that night and nothing else ever came of the group. I'll post some stuff when I get back.

 

Were you playing at Scarlet O'Hara's?

[whomper]

I play with myself, does that count?

 

 

Seriously Chris, there is a girl on my mail route who actually has a CD out(have no link at present time). I ran into her manager who used to book these awesome blues bands in the club I managed before the PO. She works part time at the UPS store and doesn't have much money. She plays mainly folk music but said she always wanted an electric guitar to mess around with. I'm having thoughts of giving her the guitar you graciously sent me as I do have my Les Paul back. It would mean the world to her as it did for me when you sent it to me. Would you be offended if I did this?

 

 

I felt great knowing how much you liked the guitar. You will feel great doing the same thing for that woman. Go for it. I wont be offended at all and you will feel awesome .

[Jimmy Neutron]

I don't have much time to post as I'm at Arches National Park right now. I've got some stuff from my band years though including the photo shoot we did for our CD. Alas, our drummer had a meltdown of epic proportions the night we were being reviewed for the Hartford Advocate. The wheels came off that night and nothing else ever came of the group. I'll post some stuff when I get back.

 

Enjoy southern Utah - purdy, ain't it?

 

I played the drums - miss it badly sometimes.

[frenzal rhomb]

bass player in a metal band - then an all original punk band. Greatest accomplishments were opening for Ramones, Decsendents, Black Flag and Bad Brains at various times.

 

http://www.gigposters.com/band/19275_Russian_Meatsquats.html

[alchico]

I used to play the accordian at local barmitzfas

[jaxfactor]

I felt great knowing how much you liked the guitar. You will feel great doing the same thing for that woman. Go for it. I wont be offended at all and you will feel awesome .

 

TY! I'm going to do it before I leave for Vegas. I feel good already! Although the guitar will be gone, the memory of how I got it will always be with me. I still can't ever thank you enough. I'm going to the bank Wednesday to get my Vegas cash. On the way, I'll drop the guitar off to her. At least I'll get to see her face when I give it to her. Priceless!

[Kid Cid]

Were you playing at Scarlet O'Hara's?

That would be the joint.

[Kid Cid]

Enjoy southern Utah - purdy, ain't it?

 

I played the drums - miss it badly sometimes.

Not to steal this thread, but I quite honestly didn't know some of this stuff existed. Bryce and Zion and Arches you hear about. Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase - Escalante are every bit as spectacular. Hunkering down at Bryce for a couple of days before WCOFF.

 

BTW, I had an awesome surprise yesterday evening. We stayed in the town of Torrey (I'd be surprised if the population hit 4 digits) and wandered into this place called Cafe Diablo for dinner. They have 23 different tequilas on hand and it was truly fine dining. An unexpected gem in the middle of nowhere. The food is worth a road trip sometime if your so inclined. The wife and I dropped $125 but that included a hefty bar tab. I would have paid three times that much in the DC area.

[gilthorp]

If you want to call it "singing", I pretty much did that in two bands in college...

 

Roodness

 

and

 

Incredible Bulk

 

Covers....IB played at Mabel's in Champaign once. That was cool. The other was a house band that played parties, partied, and got wimmin.

[millerx]

It was always my assumption that a few of you were band geeks in high school... So, out of curiosity, what WAS it like to be on the field at half time?

[Kid Cid]

It was always my assumption that a few of you were band geeks in high school... So, out of curiosity, what WAS it like to be on the field at half time?

Pretty fraking cool when you have one of the best HS bands in the nation. People used to come to the games for the band, didn't car emuch about the football team. Not that they were bad, they won State the year after I left. No, it's just that the band was completely awesome. We had hired professional drum corps people to write everything (music, percussion, field show, flag squad, majorettes, you name it). When we went to Florida in 1980 (yes, I'm oldish) for a competition, we were 210 members strong. We took first place in every category both parade and field show, 18 first place trophies in all. I was in the percussion section at this time and it was just a blast. Oh, did I mention that there were 40,000+ people in the stadium?

 

The largest crowd I ever performed for though was halftime at Sullivan Stadium for the Patriots. There was about 67,000 people there that day.

 

So to answer your question, it was a lot better than being a football player, that much I can tell you.

[Ramhock]

It was always my assumption that a few of you were band geeks in high school... So, out of curiosity, what WAS it like to be on the field at half time?

 

I am 6' 6". In HS we wore those tall furry hats and it was the mid 70s, so I had 4 inch heels.

 

I was 9' 8" tall at halftime!

Edited September 3, 2008 by Ramhock