Thursday, February 7, 1991
I'm with
b Cole Brumle
The Collegian
Editor's Note: This
is the first in a series
exploring the behind
the-scenes structure
and events in today's
club bands.
To play in a band, to stand on
stage in front of thousands of
people, to travel the country
playing music for your fans. This
is the dream of many an aspiring
musician today. Is it yours?
Would you like to make tons of
money doing something that's
tons of fun?
Think about this a minute. I
don't want to crush someone's
dream, but it isn't all it's cut out
to be. You don't make tons of
money, you don't travel much,
and if yon are not practically a
natural in music, it's sometimes
more work than it is fun. It's not
easy to get started, and believe
me, you do have to start
somewhere. Fame and fortune
(well, fame anyway) doesn't come
overnight.
The organization of a band has
to be the most important element
Part one-
Filling up the group's roster
in getting started. It would be
very difficult to get anywhere if a
bunch of guys just went into a
bar one night and decided they
were going to play for the crowd.
This spontaneity would work if
you were, say, Van Halen, but
for a few guys who just started
playing--no way.
The first step of organization
is to decide what instruments
your band needs. There is a vast
spectrum of instruments out
there, but we'll stick with the
simple ones.
Let's say that a bunch of guys
want to start a band so they can
play in bars and make a little
extra money on the weekends.
The name of our imaginary band
will be Betty Rubble (an old
name for my current band) and
five people are going to be a part
of our imaginary band.
Okay, we have a name and we
have people. What now? What
instruments are these five people
going to play? Let's say the
names of the people in our little
group are: Jon, Axl, Scott, Jeff,
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the band
and Rob.
Well, we need a bassist, a
guitarist, a keyboard player, a
drummer, and a singer.
A bassist must be able to
keep time with the drummer. He
should have no problem staying
in the background, but be skilled
enough to work right along with
the other players in the band. He
should also know when the time
for each of these is.
If you don't have a good solid
bassist, the band may crumble
around your feet. Well, Jon gets
his wish, we'll put him on bass
and see if he can cut it.
A guitar player is sometimes
the star of the band. Although, in
my opinion, a guitar should
blend in as much as the bass
player. Remember, this isn't one
big solo. Rob seems to know his
way around a fret board, so we'll
let him have the spot.
A dnimmer is as much in the
background as the bass player, if
not more. It is a thankless job
that takes a lot of work. The
drummer has to be able to lay
down a solid rhythm and stick
with or change the beat if
necessary.
The drummer also conveys
the personality of each song the
group will do. Scott has been at
this about five years, so he will
add a great deal to this group. An
experienced drummer is hard to
find and we were lucky.
A keyboardist adds harmony
and beauty to a band. Although
some bands do not use a keyboard
player, due to the music our band
will play , he will be needed. We
all know Jeff can play keyboard,
so we pick him up as soon as
possible.
Some bands double up for a
singer. In other words, someone
will play an instrument and sing
at the same time. It is very hard
to find someone who can sing
well, but once again, we were
lucky to find Axi (Coincidence?
Maybe.) Axl is just fresh from
another band which has been
around fora while and he is eager
to get back into the limelight.
Well, we have our band
members. Now it's time to get to
work. Next week, we will dive
into equipment, because what is a
band without equipment?
The Collegian
Reader
gives critic
a bad rap
Upset by "top five"
picks
I am writing this letter in
response to Christi Luden's
(music critic for The Collegian)
quote about rap in the December
6 issue of The Collegian.
After picking M.C.
Hammer's album Please Hammer
Don't Hurt Em as the third best
album of the year she says that
"It's about time a rap artist sings
about decent topics and has some
substance (unlike 2 Live Crew)."
Well, for Christi and the rest of
the uninformed people out there,
rap has produced many songs
with substance and decent topics.
Perhaps you should listen to
Public Enemy or Boogie Down
Productions. These groups sing
about black awareness and
racism. Something that top forty
junkies would know nothing
about. Rap is the voice of a
culture and a people. Rap comes
from the street and addresses the
ghetto.
Please do not say these people
have no substance to their music
just because you can't relate to it.
Many rappers, such as KRS-One,
try to teach kids what our schools
fail to do.
As for the rest of Christi's
picks (Janet Jackson, Paula
Abdul, Heart, and Whitney
Houston), I'll quote Public
Enemy "You singers are
spineless', as you sing your
senseless songs to the mindless.
Your general subject love is
minimal, it's sex for profit." To
Christi I ask what substance do
these people have.
Nonetheless the facts remain
that most top forty singers don't
have the nerve to sing about
anything controversial and
therefore continue to fill young
minds with garbage that does
nothing to solve our society's
problems.
Wanted
delivery
persons
Part time.
Flexible hours and days
Must be at leut 18.
Must have own car
and insurance.
$3.90 per hour,
plus mileage, plus
tips.
.1990 Dominos Azza irc
Apply in person:
Behrend College
899-1999
4265 Buffalo Rd
Eastway Plaza
U I Close With...
Name: Michael D. Chiteman
Birthdate: January 27 (this century!)
Birthplace: Akron, Ohio
Current job position:
Studies.
Very first job: Selling pop at a church bingo game (good
catholic job)
Secret vice: All of them? Ferraris, Lotus Turbo Espirits,
twins...
Three things that can always be found in your
refrigerator: Empty space, Diet Coke, lettuce (the only 3
things usually in my refrigerator)
Movie you could see again any time:
Odyssey-for its sense of hope.
Book you could read again any time
Wrath" by Steinbeck-for its sense of history.
With whom would you most like
with?: Amelia Earhart
Your ultimate dream vacation: A few weeks in Tahiti with
a corporate jet at my disposal.
What actor would you have portray yourself In a
movie based on your life?: Danny DeVito or David Shields
Behrend's best kept secret: The quality of education
available here.
Accomplishment you are proudest of: Every former DUS
student on graduation day!
People nay be surprised to know that...lf I agitate and
harass you, it means I'm fond of you.
Things you could do without: Snow, bigotry, and work.
The fact also remains that most
white people fail to give any
credit to rappers besides the
commercial types of M.C.
Hammer and Vanilla Ice.
Please take off the blinders
people. This is college, a place to
open your mind. Don't put
something down that you know
Employers Rank Personal Appearance
as #1 During The Interview Process!!
ttqss,Foß
Head, Division of Undergraduate
nothing about. By the way
Christi, if you or anyone else
would like to hear some good rap
call 455-0940. As KRS-One
says, "You must learn."
Attend
Clothes by Tom Karle & Son
Page 9
2001: A Space
"The Grapes of
to have dinner
Tom Strunk
Second Semester
History
essional
'ardrobe
eminar