marthamaymoo

ANyone in Michigan close to the Ark?  I'm heading there tonight.....it's an open mike.

gonna check it out!  would be great to see a couple ampers there!

mb

The thread about "peeing standing up"  kinda got me thinking.  lol  yikes!

Males seem to get slammed alot....for not being sensitive......to the needs of females.

But.....I think they are getting a bum rap.  If we looked at the ratio between females & males here, for example, one would find us women to be outnumbered.

If you were to surf through the lyrics here......alot of the songs are love songs.  Think of the tunes you know, past & present, that pertain to love.  There's a REALLY HIGH percentage written by men.

I just got to thinking that....well....men are more sensitive than they are getting credit for.  I know they are viewed as acting manly & scratching themselves & making all kinds of questionable noises.  Just look at sit-coms....where the Dad is portrayed as an idiot.....& his wife always comes to the rescue to bail him out of some predicament he's gotten himself into.  & I know that there are "bimbos" in the media too.......& women are sometimes portrayed as being slaves to our emotions.

I'm not trying to start a "war of the sexes" here.  not at all.  I just think that alot of men are deeper & more loving than they get credit for.  it shows in their lyrics.

& even without lyrics......(tommy emmanuel's Angelina is the most loving, touching instrumental i've heard in a LONG LONG time)  Jeff Becks' "'Cause we've ended as Lovers" is lovely too.

what do you all think?  am i way off in my observations?

mb

well.....i've struggled forever to try to write lyrics.  that's why i do instrumentals.....it's easier!
so....i had got off the phone with a friend of mine, who's going through a nasty breakup & i also shop at second hand stores.  the two ideas just melded together.

& i've recently started singing...so....ya can't sing if ya don't have lyrics!

Landfill

Think I'll buy me something shiny
something silver, something old
someone else's treasure
something, someone used to hold

i'll bet it ended in the trash
part of someone else's life
a careless lover threw away
without thinking on it twice

chorus:

i thought of you a hundred times, then a hundred more
you discarded all my treasures


think i'll get me something plastic
cause i admire how it lasts
it clutters up the landfill
a throwaway outcast

indulgences of short term needs
used & then tossed out
without so much as a passing thought
or any sign of doubt

i thought of you a hundred times, then a hundred more
you discarded all my treasures
my
love was nothing more
love was nothing more

think i'll watch my favourite movie
it only comes in black & white
& if my luck is with me
i'll have company tonight

back to second chorus

end with pretty picking....a flute would be nice (denis?   )  or cello.

so there ya go.

So......i had a thing with stage fright.....but over it now. 

Played my first gig (ever) in my hometown Dec. 23/08.  I was home for the holidays & my best friend asked me to play a couple tunes in the bar she works in.  I said sure.......she just about fainted (she knows how much of a nervous nellie I am).  it went from a couple tunes into a 7-9 performance, posted on facebook & flyers all over town.

well......it turned out GREAT!  i did two 40min sets......first set solo......then my bro played the second set with me.  he's a killer lead player.....nice PRS....tons of pedals.....sweet.

I played for tips......about 75 people showed up....tiny bar....room for 60....lol.  I ended up making about $300 for a 2 hour gig.

The reason I played for tips.....is because:

A)  my first gig
B)  not a pro
C)  didn't have a CLUE what to charge
D)  no reputation/followers  (couldn't gauge what the turn out would be)

I want to keep doing this.....but.....NOT for tips.  & not for a burger & free drinks.  Not that I'm the best musician in the world or anything.......BUT.....if I play for free......doesn't it make it harder for other musicians to get payed?? 

it took me 35 years of practice.....that is worth something yes?  plus.....the bar income SKYROCKETED that night.  the owner was pretty happy......

what do you guys charge?  what's the going rate?  i'm green when it comes to this.

& I need to know 'cause a bunch of other places have asked me to play.

mb

maybe you guys can help?

i had a little problem with stage fright.....well i gave it up!  

I don't have much experience with mics & find when singing......i get a "thump"  when using words starting with the letters "P, B" etc.  you know what i mean?  a real quick breathy shot of air. 

dunno how to explain it any better.

any thoughts from you seasoned singers?

(i'm using a cardioid condenser mic, through a roland acoustic chorus pa)

thanks,

mb