A few weeks ago we put out the word around Derry that we were looking for a musician/singer to tour with us for 3 weeks in September, thinking we could induce an unemployed youngster to come. A week last Sunday I got a telephone call from a very famous musician saying he was free the whole month and could he join us. I had to explain that there would not be enough cash to pay his normal fee but as he already knew us from 25 years ago he wasn't too interested in the money angle. We will only have 2 whole days to rehearse both songs and music sets before we leave. So, my question is. How would you go about it, already having butterflies in the stomach?
Do what you can in those two days and then rehearse on stage, just like the rest of us do.
Relax. Things will be fine. It's not like you've got somebody's brain under your scalpel or something. Life gets so much easier when you stop fretting about things which have real consequences.
Hi - absolutely - just do it! Gotta be easier anyway with someone who presumably knows one end of their instrument from the other, and is an experienced performer. I'm sure it'll be great - a no-brainer! - unless you particularly wanted an unemployed youngster for ethical reasons. And if you did - why not both?
In fact there was only himself who got in contact with us. It would seem that as often happened in the old days, Derry musicians don't like travelling further than Belfast or Dublin.
The real problem is that there is not a lot of material available of him solo. We can't duplicate his work with the group as that would upset his agent and the band itself. Two days is not a long time to put a two hour programme together......
Seems to me the pressure's on him to adapt not, you guys. And he's probably equal to it, in fact it seems he's up for the challenge. Throw your favorite sets at him and let him chose. Go with what he chooses. You already know them and he must like them seeing as how he chose them. Then have a blast.
Laitch.
That's a good way of looking at it up to a certain point, because he has a tendancy to play odd versions from his own area. I suppose in the end it will be a compromise between his and ours, so all three of us will have to learn something, not a bad thing really.
Knowing who the musician is, Ian, from our conversation last week, I would say there is absolutely no doubt that he would fit in with the sets and repertoire of your group.
Apart from being an extremely nice guy, his vast experience of playing Irish music would enable him to play with any of the current top trad groups.
If any of your sets have special or unusual arrangements, then obviously you´d need to run them past him but you can be quite sure he´d pick them up straight away.
Good luck with the tour in September !
Mike
"Trebog" and we're touring 2 weeks in Slovenia with 3 nights in Germany. I don't think it would be appropriate at this stage to start naming names. Perhaps I will have some stories afterwards to relate. Word will probably get around anyway, there are at least 3 members of this site who know already. Who it is doesn't matter for the purposes of this discussion, I was looking for any help available and people have been very kind.
Speaking as someone who used to be an obsessive bootleg/live gig collector, I'd say take an 8-track along,these gigs where it's not the usual line-up can be something special, just for yourself or maybe even issueing for your fans. Even when you discard the tracks with the bloopers, you might find you have made something magical.
Good idea, although we'll probably do it with a mini disc. The car is already full of sound equipment, instruments and clothes etc. Having already played there the last three years it doesn't often pay to use the sound equipment they provide except for the festival.
A not so Hypothetical Question.
A not so Hypothetical Question.
A few weeks ago we put out the word around Derry that we were looking for a musician/singer to tour with us for 3 weeks in September, thinking we could induce an unemployed youngster to come. A week last Sunday I got a telephone call from a very famous musician saying he was free the whole month and could he join us. I had to explain that there would not be enough cash to pay his normal fee but as he already knew us from 25 years ago he wasn't too interested in the money angle. We will only have 2 whole days to rehearse both songs and music sets before we leave. So, my question is. How would you go about it, already having butterflies in the stomach?
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by Ian Stevenson
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Do what you can in those two days and then rehearse on stage, just like the rest of us do.
Relax. Things will be fine. It's not like you've got somebody's brain under your scalpel or something. Life gets so much easier when you stop fretting about things which have real consequences.
KFG
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by KFG
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Wow, Ian, congratulations! That's great!
Relax and have some fun! Best of luck with your tour!
stv
http://cdbaby.com/Culchies
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by stv culchie
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Hi - absolutely - just do it! Gotta be easier anyway with someone who presumably knows one end of their instrument from the other, and is an experienced performer. I'm sure it'll be great - a no-brainer! - unless you particularly wanted an unemployed youngster for ethical reasons. And if you did - why not both?
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by Mark Harmer
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
In fact there was only himself who got in contact with us. It would seem that as often happened in the old days, Derry musicians don't like travelling further than Belfast or Dublin.
The real problem is that there is not a lot of material available of him solo. We can't duplicate his work with the group as that would upset his agent and the band itself. Two days is not a long time to put a two hour programme together......
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by Ian Stevenson
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Ummmm, that would be *no* real consequences.
I hate when I words out of my sentences.
KFG
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by KFG
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Ian
Seems to me the pressure's on him to adapt not, you guys. And he's probably equal to it, in fact it seems he's up for the challenge. Throw your favorite sets at him and let him chose. Go with what he chooses. You already know them and he must like them seeing as how he chose them. Then have a blast.
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by joesmith
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Laitch.
That's a good way of looking at it up to a certain point, because he has a tendancy to play odd versions from his own area. I suppose in the end it will be a compromise between his and ours, so all three of us will have to learn something, not a bad thing really.
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by Ian Stevenson
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Knowing who the musician is, Ian, from our conversation last week, I would say there is absolutely no doubt that he would fit in with the sets and repertoire of your group.
Apart from being an extremely nice guy, his vast experience of playing Irish music would enable him to play with any of the current top trad groups.
If any of your sets have special or unusual arrangements, then obviously you´d need to run them past him but you can be quite sure he´d pick them up straight away.
Good luck with the tour in September !
Mike
# Posted on July 29th 2005 by murfbox
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Wow, wish we all had your probs, Ian!
Have fun, and keep us updated on your tour, please!
# Posted on July 30th 2005 by Zina Lee
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Approach it simplistically, and it will be simply terrific.
# Posted on July 30th 2005 by sts
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
A few songs and more sets for the first night, and build up the songs from there over the first week.
# Posted on July 31st 2005 by geoffwright
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Ian, would you please clue in a clueless Yank? What's the name of your band, where are you touring, and who's the famous one?
Cheers,
Michael
# Posted on August 1st 2005 by michaelr
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
"Trebog" and we're touring 2 weeks in Slovenia with 3 nights in Germany. I don't think it would be appropriate at this stage to start naming names. Perhaps I will have some stories afterwards to relate. Word will probably get around anyway, there are at least 3 members of this site who know already. Who it is doesn't matter for the purposes of this discussion, I was looking for any help available and people have been very kind.
# Posted on August 1st 2005 by Ian Stevenson
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Speaking as someone who used to be an obsessive bootleg/live gig collector, I'd say take an 8-track along,these gigs where it's not the usual line-up can be something special, just for yourself or maybe even issueing for your fans. Even when you discard the tracks with the bloopers, you might find you have made something magical.
# Posted on August 1st 2005 by Guernsey Pete
Re: A not so Hypothetical Question.
Good idea, although we'll probably do it with a mini disc. The car is already full of sound equipment, instruments and clothes etc. Having already played there the last three years it doesn't often pay to use the sound equipment they provide except for the festival.
# Posted on August 1st 2005 by Ian Stevenson