The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

[sosomething]

Bungalow Bill asked me to be the next Well host and I was only too happy to comply. I think this is one of the coolest things I've seen on any forum in a long time.

It was supposed to start on Sunday, but since I'm very rarely on the web over the weekends, I asked if I could start today instead.

So here it is - a fresh week, a fresh Well episode - ask away.

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

I've been waiting for your Well.

Bee's first...

What is your most embarrasing moment?​

And:

Are you an avid woodshedder? (I ask because you have awesome chops)

When are you most comfortable?

Do you ever go through phases of being unexcited about all music?

Are you vain?

Have you ever gotten into a physical fight?

How do you feel about dieting?

What intimidates you?​

 

[Aceman]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Do you like cornflakes?

 

[Tor]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Name one single band or artist you think is obligatory listening for us kids.

And, ditto for the old ones. (30+ )

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Great questions so far!

I've been waiting for your Well.

Bee's first...

What is your most embarrasing moment?​

Oh man, I've had a lot of embarrassing moments. It's very hard to single one out as the worst. Later in my life, I've learned to kind of let embarrassment go and not worry about it too much. These days if I do something dumb in public, I give myself a moment throw up my hands and go "Woops! Sorry folks!" and then get on to the business of fixing whatever I broke, so to speak.

I'd say... probably gym class throughout school. I could do all the track and field stuff, weights, dumb school games like dodge ball, etc. as well as the next guy, but the organized team sports were another story. Baseball and basketball specifically were two sports that I dreaded having to play in gym class, because I sucked tremendously at both and still do. It's a combination of a lack of motivation and a lack of initial aptitude / practice at them that made it a pretty painful experience for me and my team any time I had to participate.

I do not like to do things I am not good at doing. I do not make a habit of doing things I am not good at doing.

And:

Are you an avid woodshedder? (I ask because you have awesome chops)

(Thanks!) Not even remotely.

I practice by writing music that is too difficult for me to play, and then I have to work on it until I can play it. Any skill I have on guitar is 100% applied knowledge - I have never been able to sit and practice scales or modes or whatever. I lack the attention span for focused, repetitive exercise and have to keep pushing creatively to maintain the motivation to play.

When are you most comfortable?

In a rowdy crowd of people, as long there are some people there that already know me. If my band is playing a show at a local bar with another band we know, I'm really comfortable in that situation. I'm expected to be social, and I enjoy working within that expectation.

I'm also really comfortable when I'm just sitting at home on the couch with my girlfriend and my dog, watching a movie or something, but that's a different kind of comfort. Nothing is expected of me and I can kind of indulge my lazier impulses.

Do you ever go through phases of being unexcited about all music?

Yes. Usually these phases coincide with a sort of creative drought where I don't feel like I can come up with anything good, which makes me feel that I can't play very well, which results in frustration with music in general. Luckily these phases do not last forever.

Are you vain?

Absolutely.

Have you ever gotten into a physical fight?

Not since... crap, a long time. My first ever fight happened when I was five - I kicked the neighborhood bully's ass. He ran home crying and never messed with anyone again. That felt great. He probably resorted to torturing small animals, but we never knew about that.

My next fight was in 5th grade, and that got broken up by a teacher before a clear winner was announced.

My last real fight was in 6th grade, when a kid took my hat off my head and threw it at me when I started to chase him - hitting me right under the eye with the bill. I was so pissed that I took him down on the spot and blasted him in the face - bloodying his nose. The crime didn't fit the punishment and I felt so bad about it afterwards that it still bothers me that I acted that way. I haven't had an incident escalate to a physical fight since that day.

How do you feel about dieting?

I don't spend a lot of time thinking about things like dieting. At 6'0", 160 lbs it's not really a concern at this stage in my life.

What intimidates you?

Those 12-year-olds shredding Paganini at 230 bpm at Guitar Center. Other than that, not much. I lack the good sense to be intimidated in a lot of situations where I probably should be. ​

This became a long post. I'll reply to the other questions below.

 

[Gr8Scott]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Ever have one of those moments when you say or do the perfect thing for a given situation that you look back on your actions with pride? Tell us about that moment.

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Do you like cornflakes?

No, but I do like Kellogg's Frosted Flakes.

They're GRRrrrrrrrrrREAT!

Name one single band or artist you think is obligatory listening for us kids.

And, ditto for the old ones. (30+ )

For the kids:

Whatever genre or genres of music you currently listen to and identify with - go back to the one or two bands who started it all, and then find out and listen to who THEIR influences were.

Kids today have problems comprehending context and progressive sequence. Call it a random access lifestyle - call it whatever you want - but the overwhelming trend among people born after 1989 is to think that everything started with them. Disabuse of that notion is pretty important if we expect today's youth to have any kind of social consciousness or aptitude for critical thinking.

For the incontinent:

Tommy James and the Shondells - to remind them, the next time they pine on about how good music stopped being made in 1978, that deplorably awful derivative pap has been served up as art all along, and the only difference between then and now is that then they were young and curious / aware / proactive in finding quality music, and now they're lazy and expect to be fed quality by guys in suits.

IN GENERAL.

I know first hand a number of notable exceptions to both young and old.

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Ever have one of those moments when you say or do the perfect thing for a given situation that you look back on your actions with pride? Tell us about that moment.

Hmm.

I've had a few of those, big and small, and I'll have to get back to you on this question after some thought.

 

[tubeman87]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

What was your first guitar?

Was it hot pink?

What's up with pants?

In a Jamaica stick fight who would win you or Bi Gal?

Why did the chicken cross the road?

What really got you into guitar playing/music?

That's it just off the top of my head.

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

What was your first guitar?

Was it hot pink?

What's up with pants?

In a Jamaica stick fight who would win you or Bi Gal?

Why did the chicken cross the road?

What really got you into guitar playing/music?

That's it just off the top of my head.

A Squier Strat.
No.
It's just a nice, succinct word that sometimes gets stuck in my brain.
Draw.
Pants.
Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Metallica got me into guitar. When I was 12, a buddy of mine got me into Nirvana, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, and Metallica.

 

[Rainmaker]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Cheers for the replies, good read.

Metallica with Jerry Cantrell replacing Kirk Hammett...

OR

Nirvana with Jerry Cantrell taking guitar duties from Kurt?​

 

[jeremy]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

what did the budgie do to deserve it?

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Metallica with Jerry Cantrell replacing Kirk Hammett...

OR

Nirvana with Jerry Cantrell taking guitar duties from Kurt?​

I cannot state emphatically enough: NEITHER.

JC would get very little creative input in Metallica were he to take Hammett's place, and that would be a tremendous waste of talent. Plus, Metallica's problems stem from Lars being too lazy and behind the "metal curve" for drummers these days and James' touchy-feely sobriety.

Nirvana just wouldn't work with a metal head playing guitar. Kurt's crappy playing went a long way toward giving that band the sincerity and personality that it had.

what did the budgie do to deserve it?

It kept giving me funny looks.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Do you tried 7 or 8 string guitars?
Do you plan to "jump" on a new level as a musician...Like just taking everything a step further?

 

[bungalowbill]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

What do you envision your life to be 20 years from now?



What is the minimum amount of gear you could gig with?

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Do you tried 7 or 8 string guitars?
Do you plan to "jump" on a new level as a musician...Like just taking everything a step further?

I played 7-string for several years, actually. I was inspired by Dino Cazares (sp?) from Fear Factory and Stephen Carpenter of Deftones. Ultimately I decided that the extra-wide fretboards don't suite my hands and the ultra-low tunings don't really facilitate my melodic sensibility.

As for the "jump" ...that happens every once in a while. You have peaks and plateaus as a player, where for months you feel as though you're stuck in a rut and then one day a little door opens up - all of a sudden there are a whole bunch of new things available to you.. I am always striving for those moments.

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Good questions, Bill.

What do you invision your life to be 20 years from now?

I'll be 46 years old... the year will be 2027... unless I've somehow made my fortune by playing obscure sped-up stoner metal and can take it easy, I'll probably just be working my ass off for some software development company well into my 60's because my retirement will be stolen by the government and greedy executives who see me as a "resource" instead of a "person."

Actually, I could see myself with a nice shop somewhere building and selling guitars or amps - I think I would really enjoy that.

What is the minimum amount of gear you could gig with?

A single-channel 50 watt master volume half stack, cable, and guitar with a humbucker in the bridge.

 

[daemon barbeque]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Great read sofar!

When did you realized that you're "ripe" on guitar playing?I mean ,a feeling that makes the guitar a part of you ,or life ,and harmony between you and your instrument is present ,as your control over it!

 

[sosomething]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

Great read sofar!

When did you realized that you're "ripe" on guitar playing?I mean ,a feeling that makes the guitar a part of you ,or life ,and harmony between you and your instrument is present ,as your control over it!

When do I get to feel like that ?????

 

[BTMN]

Re: The Well: Episode 4 - not about pants (maybe)

German potato salad or Mustard potato salad?

Hamburger or Beef Hot Dog at the company picnic?

Distortion or Clean?