Shit is Starting to Happen (13 days remain Part III)

When I downloaded the files from the band's (we'll call them ABO) myspace just shy of three weeks ago, I had to let it sit for a while. Let the music stew in my head to allow my interpretation to surface and form into lyrics and melody. I walked around with the first track coursing through my brain from my ipod for a week. Nothing. Hrm. "Well..." I thought, "maybe it'll be like my very first song with that other band." That other band was the second of the three so far. We'll call them 4 guys in Whitby. When 4 guys in Whitby sent me their song, it was on a Friday night and I had to have at least SOMEthing prepared for that Sunday afternoon. It wasn't until Sunday morning that I began to jot furiously in my notebook while humming notes into the shitty microphone in my computer. It gelled pretty quickly and went over well at the audition later that day. As far as first songs go, I thought it was alright but I found the band's ability to play much more loose and not especially my style. It was evident that they only play for fun once a week. Not for me...

The point is that the first time around, the song came easy. This second attempt was proving to be much more of a bitch. The second of my two available weeks to get this new one together had come to a close and I had a basic idea but still nothing concrete. I left work early the day before yesterday to go back into my closet and not come out until I had a solid start to finish song, shitty or not. Funny because all the while, another of ABO's songs was running through my head while I was putting the finishing touches on the one they gave me. I wrote the chorus down and it drilled its way into my memory over the next day and by the time I finished work yesterday, I had a song and a half ready when I was only asked to prepare for one.

The downside for me at that time is that though I was pleased with myself for meeting the deadline, I must confess that I hated both the lyrics and the melody that I had come up with for "Hardly Wait" (first song). I completed it and was embarrassed. I expressed this at great length to Mightydoll patient as she was. She told me not to sweat it, that it probably wasn't as bad as I was making it out to be and to just ride out the audition with it. Damn. Her support continues to move me. I heeded her advice and made it to the audition with the thought that, "Well, at least I finished it and at least I got a solid chorus that I really like for the extra song." True I wasn't too confident about it but it was to late to let that show in my face or especially my voice.

ABO seems pretty serious about their project. They rehearse 4-6 times per week and have a lot of great ideas other than the ones I worked with. They rent out a large practice room from a warehouse that has been dissected to gear itself to this exact purpose. Dozens of bands are in this one building. I've never been in a place like this before. Upon walking in, its nothing but hallways and doors with numbers. Yet, like walking backstage at some arena. Tight corridors and many band's loud noise filling the space.

I found the right door and the room was empty so I had to wait a few minutes for some of the guys show up. It only took a few minutes until I was met and invited into the room. The drummer and guitarist asked a slew of questions and chatted with me as we chilled on their couch. As I answered the same questions that two other bands had asked me, "what's your musical background, can you play an instrument, who inspires you" and all that, I looked around this fabulous room. On the walls hung posters from concerts, about a half dozen guitars and a huge dry erase board with a slew of notes. Everything from press kit costs, CD pressing costs, merchandise ideas to things as simple as finding a singer and a bassist.

During this conversation, the drummer was pleased to find that I had prepared for this. As he read what I wrote, he mentioned that it drove him crazy to place ads for weeks saying, "take our songs and make them your own. Write lyrics and melody" and then people come in and say, "Yeah, I'm just gonna wing it."

So, right about the time the second guitarist finally arrived, so did the next applicant. As I greeted the second guitarist, I overheard the next applicant say to the drummer, "I forgot my lyrics that I prepared so I'm just gonna wing it."

*snicker*

Well, if nothing else, I get points over that guy. Next applicant parked his ass on the couch during my set after I told the band that he didn't have to wait in the hall.

So it began. They started with the one I had completed and I was more than surprised to learn that I was indeed on the right track! It sounded completely justified (and vastly different) from the crappy recordings I made in my closet. We ran through that number a couple times and it was decent. What really made me feel good was the second song. The chorus running through my head the last few days was a really nice fit.

I was told by the band that I have a killer voice, that they were very pleased with the preparation I had done and I will definitely be called back for a second audition after they have had time to see the other applicants.

I left that building in a daze of exhaustion and bliss.

and then went straight to the jam night at my local pub to sing my ass off all over again.

thanks for reading.
love,
HH