The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Where and when did you have your greatest on-stage moment?

Probably about six years ago.

We'd signed a management deal and the guy was in the process of putting some things together with members of the Wompanoag tribe, one of the oldest Native American groups in the United States that, at the time, was going for national recognition.

One of the things they had to do in order to formally make an appeal to Congress for recognition was perform some number of public events.

One of these events was a show that we were playing. While we were in the back waiting to be announced to go on one of the elders came back in full garb and greeted us.

He thanked us all for our efforts and asked as to stand in a small circle around him. He asked us to bow our heads for a Womponoag blessing.

It was a very surreal experience to stand there and hear him chanting and know what it all represented; one of the highest honors that could be bestowed upon a non-member of the tribe.

I can't say I felt anything or experienced anything, but it was the notion of appreciation for my effort that someone felt compelled to thank me for in the most honest way possible.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

****, I'm a bit late on this one!

Brief (or detailed, if you want) history of listening habits, band activity, and amp/guitar tastes?

I grew up listening to alot of punk and Blues as the result of my brothers influence.

Some time in Junior High I picked up "Master Of Puppets" and that solidified my interest in heavy music.

I survived high school listening to SRV, Steve Vai, The Black Crowes, Eric Johnson, Roy Buchanan, John Mayall with Eric Clapton and Jeff Beck.

After that I kind of explored deeper into heavier music with Megadeth, Voivod and Testament.

Somewhere along the way I got turned onto Industrial with nine inch nails, ministry, kmfdm, skinny puppy, machines of loving grace, frontline assembly, chemlab and prick. I also delved into Goth with The Sisters Of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Bauhaus, Switchblade Symphony, Black Tape For A Blue Girl, Lycia and The Cruxshadows.

In around 2000 or so I had my interest re-sparked into Traditional and Modern Blues with Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl, Johnny Winter, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Popa Chubby, Tommy Castro, Albert King and Albert Collins.

Gear's hard to chronicle; so much of it has come and go over the years. I will admit that I typically had lower-end stuff; I made do with what I had and had a tendedncy to hang onto things that I never really clicked with because I'd been told that it was the sort of thing I should hold onto.

One of the real reasons I went back to college was so I could afford good gear!

My first major axe was a first year Squier Telecaster. It's still with me and it's a total tone monster. During my last month at college I took my student loan refund and bought my dream axe, an Eric Clapton Strat. I have great affection for both instruments for sentimental reasons.

A few years back I took the vintage plunge and bought a 73' Les Paul Deluxe and a 73' Strat, both on the same weekend.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Skarey,

What are your two most embarrasing moments of all time? Feel free to tell us about your third most embarrassing moment.
​

The only one I can think of was going to audition for a band playing bass that turned out to be four 16-year old Mexican kids playing Metallica-cloned songs in one of their mothers spare rooms.

Do you feel more comfortable behind a four string or a six string? Does it depend on what type of gig you're playing?

I think with four strings I have a tendency to not overthink things....as I'm known to do on guitar.

What is your favourite main course meal?

Depends on the day and my mood....Sushi, Bison, kielbasa....

What is your favourite flavour of ice cream?

Vanilla with Peanut Butter chunks...

What is your favourite type of cake?

Chocolate.

Have you ever surprised yourself by delving into an interest you wouldn't expect of yourself?

...you mean like fishing?

When are you most relaxed?

​

When I can get away fishing for awhile....

 

[theodie]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

...probably newking70 the first month he was on here.

Just goes to show how times change...I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.

Can you explain where and why you got this respect for Newking? I dont get it.

Did he call you back the following day or something? LOL!

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Hows about some pics of the tatoos?

 

[Jake]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

You're forced into only drinking one kind of beer for the rest of your life. What is it?

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Probably about six years ago.

We'd signed a management deal and the guy was in the process of putting some things together with members of the Wompanoag tribe, one of the oldest Native American groups in the United States that, at the time, was going for national recognition.

One of the things they had to do in order to formally make an appeal to Congress for recognition was perform some number of public events.

One of these events was a show that we were playing. While we were in the back waiting to be announced to go on one of the elders came back in full garb and greeted us.

He thanked us all for our efforts and asked as to stand in a small circle around him. He asked us to bow our heads for a Womponoag blessing.

It was a very surreal experience to stand there and hear him chanting and know what it all represented; one of the highest honors that could be bestowed upon a non-member of the tribe.

I can't say I felt anything or experienced anything, but it was the notion of appreciation for my effort that someone felt compelled to thank me for in the most honest way possible.

Very cool indeed. You seem to be very aware of your life experiences and how they affect you. What's your most profound life experience?

 

[thucydides]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

To some degree band stuff is something I can build upon whereas playing guitar and getting better to me is just generally a mindless pursuit at times. I've done the discipline thing and seen how far I can push myself. The appeal just isn't there for me in that capacity.

Understood. I wish I could do the Robert Fripp things for no reason at all, but it is tough...

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Public Enemy aye!

What other kinds of rap, if any, do you like?

I personally don't like much after 1995 and even that's pushing it. What about you?

Ya know, some of the newer quirky stuff I dig like Lady Sovereign. I appreciate the sense of humor and very old-school vibe more than any other aspect.

But largely the genre exists and does what it does well under my radar.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Since you've been appointed as the manager of the imaginary band that Rich_T and I are members of, and assuming that we've already written a modest live set's worth of original material, what's our first order of business?

I spent alot of time thinking about this....

The first thought is that we could spend year after year slamming it out in bad clubs and working our butts off to be recognized.

Or, we could pull off an elaborate coup and be well past where any hard work or luck would have landed us in a fairly short span of time.

The first thing is to decide what that event would be, and how we would be able to get the music to be an integral part of it.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

What or who got you started on fishing? If a who is it someone who you still think of whenever you go fishing?

When I was young I would go out fishing with my Dad fairly often during the Summer.

As I got older it wasn't something that appealed to me much, and I stopped going.

Then one day the option was for me to have to sit through some long event or go fishing with him and I opted for fishing. He taught me how to cast a fly line and in about twenty minutes I'd hauled my first Bluefish onto the boat.

I do think about him when I fish, but in a very broader sense than I thought I would. I think more of what he has tried to instill in me as a person and what he would want me to be doing and to instill upon my son. I think alot of the conservation aspects that he always impressed upon me in regards to fishing.

Are you involved with any local organizations service or political?

New England Saltwater Fly Rodders.

How do you REALLY feel about the Cabela's and Bass Pro catalogs? :lmao:

Man...the Bass Pro guys are just totally out of hand. I know they do wild business and can afford it, but it still confounds me when those beasts show up on my doorstep and I just about throw out my back getting them into the house.

I got a chance to see the new BPS in Foxboro last weekend....it was overwhelming and overstimulating and I felt like I needed at least three hours just to get an idea of what I should start looking at....

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Can you explain where and why you got this respect for Newking? I dont get it.

Did he call you back the following day or something? LOL!

I think, IIRC, I'd cited something about NPR and he referred to it in very negative terms and actually ended up on my Ignore list for awhile. I totally thought his lifespan on here was going to be relatively short.

Over time I developed a respect for him. We don't always agree, but he has made some very convincing arguments and I respect his perspective on them.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

You're forced into only drinking one kind of beer for the rest of your life. What is it?

Bass Ale is probably the one I could consume year-round without issue.

It'd be a little heavy for the really hot Summer days and a little light for the coldest Winter days, but for most of the year it'd be just fine.

 

[BigAlTheBird]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Two questions:

In much the same vain (vane?) as Jake's question, if you could only use one amp company for the rest of your life, which would it be? You can buy new and old models, money is not factored. Then again, since money is no issue then reselling it (aka Dumble or Trainwreck) is useless. I'm not ruling those out, but don't pick 'em purely for monetary reasons.

Second, what are your favorite TS9 mods? If I remember correctly, you're a fan. Just got my first one from a dude on here, and I'm looking forward to digging in. All of my favorites use(d) it, so I'm pleased.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Very cool indeed. You seem to be very aware of your life experiences and how they affect you. What's your most profound life experience?

We all have events that kick our butts and move us in one direction or another. Some of them are big things, some of them small, and some of them are very private.

Getting tossed out of college in 1993 put a solid spike in my life plans. I'd never envisioned or planned my life with that event or without the degree and it did alot to put me in Limbo for awhile. The event did much to help me evaluate my life and what I wanted to do with it. I call a span of time after that the "Shiftless Years" with some comical sense. But in great part the sheer amount of things I was able to do and accomplish is something I don't think I've been able to rival until very recently.

In 2003 I was told that a lump on one of my testicles was about 99% likely to be one of four possible types of cancer. The last single percentage that it was not cancer was so remote that the Doc told me straight-out to not dwell on that being an option and to start looking at Oncologists and taking measures for the fact that I may very likely not ever be able to Father kids by conventional means. I'd be looking at banking sperm and taking testosterone for the rest of my life. There'd also be chemo or radiation and where that would be done.

I was told this on a Tuesday, went in for surgery on Wednesday and was home on Thursday. That Friday was my birthday and the Doc called and told me that I was the luckiest guy I knew; the 1% he told me not to even think about was what I had and that I'd be fine.

For 72 hours or so it felt like I'd aged a few years. I remember laying on the couch when I got home watching TV and family coming by to visit and thinking that it wasn't that I didn't want to see them, it was that I didn't want to have to be myself for awhile and to not have to think about it.

I called my wife as soon as I'd found out and we both cried on the cell phone. I think she had the dubious distinction of having this happen in Target and I can only wonder what those around her thought was going on.

That Sunday I went off my pain meds so I could drive myself to a band rehearsal where the bass player just didn't show up because he wanted to go to a hockey game. If I ever see that guy again he's owed a solid punch in the nose.

About two years later my wife gave birth to our son Gibson. He is, in great part, a daily reminder that every day I have on this planet is a gift.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Understood. I wish I could do the Robert Fripp things for no reason at all, but it is tough...

When you're forced to count on others you will eventually end up disappointed in the results.

This has been the impetus for me to sing and learn more acoustic material. The band I'm in now has done much to encourage me and we start the second and third sets with me up there solo doing a few tunes.

I enjoy doing it and I can see how it's something I can do on my own and not have to count on others.

Sure, slamming through another tired version of "Brown Eyed Girl" isn't the height of integrity but it's what the crowd wants and if it's what I need to do in order to enjoy playing music and walk away with some cash in my pocket for a nights work then so be it.

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

Two questions:

In much the same vain (vane?) as Jake's question, if you could only use one amp company for the rest of your life, which would it be? You can buy new and old models, money is not factored. Then again, since money is no issue then reselling it (aka Dumble or Trainwreck) is useless. I'm not ruling those out, but don't pick 'em purely for monetary reasons.

Second, what are your favorite TS9 mods? If I remember correctly, you're a fan. Just got my first one from a dude on here, and I'm looking forward to digging in. All of my favorites use(d) it, so I'm pleased.

Much of the amp question is hard because there are so many phenomenal amps on the market and we all change our style and sound as we evolve as players.

I would love to say Dumble but the fact of the matter is that I know them ONLY from hearing phenomenal players plugged into them. Who knows how I would sound plugged into one.

If it had to be one amp brand it likely would be Marshall or Fender just because of the range of amps available.


My fave TS-9 is the TS-9DX that John Spina did for me. Counter-intuitively, it's not the smoothest TS-9 I've ever played, which happens to be the Keeley 808 one.

This past Monday night at the gig I was using the Bassman patch and for a SRV tune I looked down and instinctively stepped on the TS9DX. It amazed me how great it sounded and how it really enabled my playing. The lack of smoothness gave it a character that I like MUCH more than any others I have played.

 

[stevie_bees]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

We all have events that kick our butts and move us in one direction or another. Some of them are big things, some of them small, and some of them are very private.

Getting tossed out of college in 1993 put a solid spike in my life plans. I'd never envisioned or planned my life with that event or without the degree and it did alot to put me in Limbo for awhile. The event did much to help me evaluate my life and what I wanted to do with it. I call a span of time after that the "Shiftless Years" with some comical sense. But in great part the sheer amount of things I was able to do and accomplish is something I don't think I've been able to rival until very recently.

In 2003 I was told that a lump on one of my testicles was about 99% likely to be one of four possible types of cancer. The last single percentage that it was not cancer was so remote that the Doc told me straight-out to not dwell on that being an option and to start looking at Oncologists and taking measures for the fact that I may very likely not ever be able to Father kids by conventional means. I'd be looking at banking sperm and taking testosterone for the rest of my life. There'd also be chemo or radiation and where that would be done.

I was told this on a Tuesday, went in for surgery on Wednesday and was home on Thursday. That Friday was my birthday and the Doc called and told me that I was the luckiest guy I knew; the 1% he told me not to even think about was what I had and that I'd be fine.

For 72 hours or so it felt like I'd aged a few years. I remember laying on the couch when I got home watching TV and family coming by to visit and thinking that it wasn't that I didn't want to see them, it was that I didn't want to have to be myself for awhile and to not have to think about it.

I called my wife as soon as I'd found out and we both cried on the cell phone. I think she had the dubious distinction of having this happen in Target and I can only wonder what those around her thought was going on.

That Sunday I went off my pain meds so I could drive myself to a band rehearsal where the bass player just didn't show up because he wanted to go to a hockey game. If I ever see that guy again he's owed a solid punch in the nose.

About two years later my wife gave birth to our son Gibson. He is, in great part, a daily reminder that every day I have on this planet is a gift.

Pretty heavy stuff Skarey! I guess events like that certainly focus the mind. I'm glad things worked out for the positive, and that you have the pleasure of your son...

 

[tone4days]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

would you ever run for elected office? if so, which office? describe circumstances ..

thanks
t4d

am i on skarey's ignore list?

 

[Skarekrough]

Re: The Well XX - The Well Is Hell / I'm A Rebel So I Rebel

would you ever run for elected office? if so, which office? describe circumstances ..

thanks
t4d

Ya know....I might.

I could see myself doing something in regards to the local community and working to make it a better place.....more public service things and projects.

I guess I've never considered really doing that because of time and circumstances.

...and you're NOT on my Ignore list!