Got any big plans for the weekend? I need to wash the car, so I hope the weather stays nice. Not much else going on—just weekend chores.
Next week’s Lunch Reporter will be Brock. I am really looking forward to his reports. You low-enders will appreciate his knowledge.
Didn’t get to go out to dinner last night, our plans fell through, so we had a pizza delivered instead. Local chain called Pizzicato, and they specialize in “gourmet” pizzas. We had a Greek pizza, I have enough garlic on board to make a Haz-Mat team run for cover. Yummy!
Got any good pizza places in your area?
What do you like to put on it? Do you wind up ordering five different kinds to satisfy the members of your family, or do you all have the same tastes?
And most people like to wash it down with beer, but I love a cola with my pizza. Whether you like Pepsi, Coke or RC; you have to admit that cola goes really well with a lot of different kinds of food.
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Here is the final installment of “Boogie Bill’s List of Greatest Inventions and Things I Can’t Live Without”.
When I first started this, I barely had five items, and then it just kept growing. There are some pretty cool things on the list, some you might not agree with. That’s okay. Some of the things on my list are there because I have been playing a long time, and many of these things were not available when I started playing, like phosphor bronze strings, gauged picks, electronic tuners, etc. I really do appreciate these things. And the others, like the side cutters my father gave me—well, they have a special place in my heart.
I have a lot of other items that should rate at least an “Honorable Mention”, like my fold-up On-Stage music stand, or my favorite Dunlop .0225 brass fingerpicks and my Golden Gate and National thumbpicks; or the terrific Dunlop 65 Cleaning Kits with String Cleaner, Fretboard Cleaner, Fretboard Conditioner, Spray Polish, Carnauba Wax, micro-fiber polishing cloth and fret polishing cloth. Good stuff. You may not like all of my items, and use a different tuner, different strings, different picks—and that’s fine. I think it’s important to develop your own list. And when you find a gizmo that puts a smile on your face or makes your life as a musician easier, come back and tell us about it.
So, the final part of the list has some gizmos, but it has some other stuff—what I call the important stuff. I couldn’t put a list together without including these things, because when it comes right down to it—these are the heart of the matter—the things I really can’t live without. Read on, and I hope you’ll understand.
28. Drum Machine. I got a lot better when I started using a drum machine back in the 1970s. They have gotten so much more sophisticated. You can play to preset patterns, or program patterns in complete songs. The Alesis SR-16 is a good basic unit and you can find used ones for less than $100. Many of the newer machines allow you to add bass lines. Yeah, you can get by with a basic metronome, but what fun is that? The drum machine can really inspire you as a songwriter. All you need is a few bad relationships, and you can be the next Taylor Swift!!
29. Tascam CD-1 Guitar Trainer. I’ve had this for a few years and gotten a lot of use out of it. It has built in effects and a tuner, and allows you to play along with a CD and learn songs and guitar licks. The neat feature is the ability to mark off a section, slow it down, and loop it, so you can really hear that one part that’s giving you trouble, and practice it until you have it down. You can also use Jam Trax CDs. They provide you with a backing band, and you can really learn a lot by playing with these, inventing your own lead lines. Stretch yourself. The Tascam is just one of many products you can use to practice with. Boss has the new Jam Station, and it looks killer.
30. Practice Space. The one thing I really don’t have right now, and I really miss having a room of my own to practice in. I want a space with no distractions, where I can close the door and work on stuff ALONE. Family might hear you through the walls, but no comments allowed. I perform in public; but I need a space to practice and learn—and where I can scream when it gets ugly.
31. Recorder. Again, if you want to get better, you need to listen to yourself. Sure, if you can afford a dedicated fast computer and Pro Tools and racks of processing gear to record your masterpieces—go for it. What you need is simple yet accurate recorder that allows you to listen to your practice sessions, your guitar lessons and your jam sessions. You will learn so much. And it WILL be painful!
32. Gear/Equipment List. I can’t tell you how much easier it makes my life—even though it is four pages long. All 48 guitars are listed; as are all my guitar amps, my PA speakers, toolbox, pedalboard, rack amps, lighting pieces, cord bags, mic stands—EVERYTHING is on that list. Miss Leslie is my roadie, and she helps load the car. Usually the night before, we discuss the gig, and I highlight the items I need to take to the gig. Makes it really easy for her, and I think I have only forgotten something one time in last ten years. I own the PA, and the lights; so I can’t just grab an amp, guitar and stand and head for the club. I have to think about it, especially when my gig might be 90 miles away. The back page is mostly personal items—things we might need to take on an overnight trip—and there is space to write in any items not on the list that we need to take. Make a list, and check it twice—and you won’t be in a panic at your next gig.
33. A Band. Look, the bottom line is that if you really want to get good, you need to play with other people. So get out, form a band. Go to jam sessions. Go to open mics and meet musicians that you can jam with—start a guitar circle at your local coffee shop. Go to seminars and clinics. Post an ad for jam buddies at the local music store. Learn the etiquette of playing with other musicians—and go make some REAL music. Go on tour. Get groupies. Get rich. Retire. Piece of cake. Money for nothin’.
34. A Good Roadie. Okay, you’ve got a band; three or four or five guys. You’re having fun; you’re getting good. It’s the Sixth man that can really make it work. In my old four-piece band, Tracy was one of my best friends and I asked him to take on the role. One of the things I asked from him was honesty. When we sucked, I needed him to tell me that. And when we were good, I needed to hear that too. Tracy loves the same kind of music that I do, and we would listen to a record, and I would say, “I want my guitar to sound like that. I want the vocals to sound like this.” I taught him how to run the PA mixer, and had complete trust in him. I gave him the authority to start nagging us to get back up on stage at eleven minutes into our break, so we’d be back promptly at 15 minutes. (Club owners really appreciated our short breaks.) He helped keep the volume wars in check, and let us know when we had no energy. He was strong enough to handle the PA gear, and I taught him how to set it up. I was able to download and delegate a lot of responsibilities to Tracy—and that allowed me to do what I do best—hit the stage and play my ass off. Mentally, it was a great relief; and he handled a lot of the physical stuff that would have totally worn me out before the show even started. I made him wear a back brace belt; I didn’t want him to break himself. I set this rule: everybody helps load gear. The big speakers—don’t lift them by yourself—everybody helps. Our amp rack weighed about 300 lbs., so we NEEDED to help each other. We get the cars loaded at the end of the night, and we all leave together. Eventually, we started giving Tracy an equal share of the money. He earned it, and it was totally worth it. He was our MVP, for sure. So if you can find someone you can trust, with the skills you need—get a good roadie—and treat him well.
35. Fans. It really helps if you can get your fans to the gigs. I invite everybody—I’ve even invited the grocery checker! My pharmacist! The dentist’s office staff! Start an email list. Get your band on Facebook. Put together flyers or poster. It helps if they drink expensive drinks—the kind with little pink umbrellas, but if they don’t, that’s okay, too. Sometimes a crowd attracts a crowd, and a crowd will make the club owner happy. If they have smart phones like an Android or an iPhone, make sure they download one of the free cigarette lighter apps. When they light up their phones for “Freebird”, you will finally feel the power of being a ROCK STAR!! But, you gotta get them there first.
36. Sundries: Anybody ever had to play a gig with a headache? Yeah, me too—lots of times. I have an upper back injury, so aspirin (now Tylenol) is my drug of choice and I always make sure I keep some in my toolbox. Frankly, a hangnail or a cracked, split fingernail can be worst than a migraine to a guitar player. I can’t tell you how many sets of fingernail clippers I own—and I have them stashed in several of my gig bags, with an emery board or two. You need your heart pills; or Zantac or Tums or Preparation H, cough syrup or Hall’s or toothpicks or contact lens solution or reading glasses—plan on carrying them to the gig. Some day, I promise, you will NEED them in the worst way. You’ll remember this post, and while you’re kicking yourself in the rear, my ghost will be standing on your shoulder saying I told you so! And if you’re planning on meeting up and partying with the Kardashians, you might want to include some Altoids, and some….well, you know.
37. Taylor Gig Bag. This is a neat little ballistic nylon bag from Taylor; it’s kind of the other half of my toolbox. Mesa makes one, and I think Peavey does too; but a duffle or a briefcase might work for you. I use this for my acoustic guitar support, like when I go to an open mic night. I keep some strings in there, with a winder and a polishing rag and some Dunlop 65 Spray Polish. I have a flashlight, a couple of cords, a direct box, a Shure SM-57, picks—whatever I might need at a gig. I have a D’Addario small duffle that I use for my electric jams—it has my spare wah and I keep a 12AX7 preamp tube in a little Rubbermaid food container. Oh yeah, and a nail clipper, you betcha!
38. The Number ONE-A Guitar. I have written about this many times, but I think it bears repeating. For me, I play a Legacy—that’s my Number ONE guitar. I also play a 2HB guitar at my gigs, usually a Les Paul, ES-335 or clone, or one of my Ibanez Ghostriders. I could use a Legacy all-night long and get by, but it would be tough to do a four-hour gig with just a Les Paul. It’s great to have a big guitar collection, with an acoustic, a Lester, a Gretsch, a Ric, a tele, a strat. But if you are tied deeply into one style of guitar, you need a backup for that guitar. A tele or an ASAT isn’t going to cut it for me—I need a Legacy. Some guys are really picky; they might want an EXACT duplicate of their Number ONE. I’m a bit looser; for example, I don’t care if it has a maple or a rosewood board. I just want that same neck, same controls, same pickups, and the same feel. So, if you’re just as comfortable playing your Gretsch as you are your tele, and can do the same songs on them, great. If not, the second guitar in your collection needs to be a Number ONE-A. Get that one, and THEN start building your collection with the variety of tone weapons you want. Things happen: guitars get knocked off stands, pickups die, or they get stolen. They need to spend three weeks getting a re-fret—whatever. If you have a gig and your Number ONE isn’t available, you’d better have a Number ONE-A.
39. Professional Attitude. When you start making music for money, things change. I read a book one time that was based around the principle that to get what you want you have to give people what they want. I made my living solely from music income for about 12 years. You need good jobs skills to succeed. Desire, commitment, focus, work ethic—these things can take you places where talent can’t. You need people skills, sales skills, good communication skills and the ability to get along and play well with others. You’ll often be in negotiations, so be prepared to compromise. Learn what you need to give to the music buyer to make him happy. Learn to read your audiences, to assess their mood. And above all, BE PREPARED!!! And even if you know you’re just small-time, it’s okay to act like professional, even if you’re not.
40. LOVE. That’s right, all your need is LOVE! You need to give it, and man it is really great when you get it! I am so lucky to be in an open and honest, and supportive relationship. I am able to talk to her about this guitar obsession I have, and she listens. She is hugely involved in what I’m doing.
I think having a good relationship is really important, but the most important relationship might be the one you have with yourself. If your relationships aren’t working, if you’re not centered in mind, body and spirit—it is going to show in your music, in a negative way. I’ve seen guys that were unhappy, self-centered, selfish people who were not in a good place in their lives, and it really showed.
I always try to be humble, but I really do everything I can to build my confidence. I recite a series of positive affirmations before the gig, and that helps to relieve stress and keep me focused. I can remember someone asking me, after I’d been playing for a number of years, if I was any good. Well, I’d been asked that before, and did my “Aw shucks,” routine; but that day something changed. I looked that person right in the eye, and said, “Yes, I am good.” And I knew it and I believed it from that day forward. I don’t brag, and there are about 4 billion better players than me, but…I’m good.
And I am thankful for the talent that God gave me. I am so blessed. To my Mom and Dad who sacrificed so much that I could play music, I am thankful. I am thankful for the many friends who supported me all these years. And I am thankful for the many lovely women who have played a part in my life; into whose eyes I gazed into and sang love songs to. I’m even thankful for the ones that broke my heart. (You know who you are!) I probably wrote songs about them, and I am thankful I was able to express my deepest emotions through my music. My D-28 has been a part of a lot of cathartic therapy!
So find a way to get centered in your life. Find that place where you can feel inner peace and let that talent and creativity begin to flow. Let those people around you know that you love them. Take the time to have a conversation with the people who influenced you, the people who made it possible for you to play music, and say “Thank you!” Love yourself. Love that guitar. Love the tone your getting. Say the words out-loud, “I LOVE MY GUITAR!!! The more love you give, the more love you get. The more you love your guitar, the better it will sound. The more love you put into those relationships around you, the better they will be.
Yes, the lads from Liverpool got it right when they wrote and sang, “All You Need Is Love”. And I hope all of you have that song floating around in your head all weekend!!! Believe in the magic, and please pass it on and “Pay It Forward.”
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Thanks for all the kind comments. It has been fun.
I wish you all the best.
Bill
I have to admit developing a thing for your Ms. Leslie as well..... You are a lucky (and talented and bright) soul indeed.
M wife and I would always disagree on pizza, she likes veggie I like sausage, the pineapple is our middle ground.