BAND PRACTICE (&C.)...

Band practice went good; the ones we do best are, not surprisingly, “Dead Things in the Shower, “Un-Easy Street,” “Tillamook Railroad Blues” and the Southern Pigfish classic, “For Their Own Ends.” They’re all different, but they all default into a “groove” that’s just plain comfortable. “She Ain’t Starvin’ Herself” was good, too—I think because I’ve played it regularly at that so-called “country jam” in Wheeler (where they do not play country music, and if I have to perform anything, I’ll do a blues).

The song on the album setlist that needs the most work is “The Dog’s Song”—and it’s me that needs the work. I tend to start out singing it in too high a register, and then I can’t hit the high notes later on. I need to practice starting out singing low (though the low notes are hard to hit, too). I’ve got about five days to work on it. Got to be perfect when we go into the studio.

The rest of the songs, I think, are okay. Our renditions were definitely acceptable—but I think everybody went away with ideas how to make their parts better. I have no doubt they’ll be perfect when we do them in the studio.

Basic tracks for the “Sleeping Piggy” soundtrack—a “by Southern Pigfish” song, “Till the Pigs Come Home”—are done. Used the Strat for rhythm guitar (lead and bass runs, roo), since the song is supposed to be rock ‘n’ roll, but it still came out sounding country. It is at least a foot-tapper. (And only a minute and a half long. One verse, one chorus, one lead break, and a tag line. I think this means I can do commercials.)

Now to add more instruments. I want at least bass and (if I can get it) Larry’s saxophone. And Polly’s vocals. (I’d like to have drums, too, since Chewy-the-Wookie will be playing drums in the play, but recording drums is significantly beyond my capabilities at present.) Rehearsal with the puppeteers is Thursday after school, and I want the soundtrack ready to go so the puppets can practice rockin’ out to it with their instruments. (Still need to make the instruments, too. Luke needs a bass, and Hansolo an electric guitar. I have a toy horn for Yoda, but I’d really like to find a toy sax. I can order them from China, but I apparently have to order a minimum of 3,000. I do not need that many—at least, not right now.)

And while I’m at it, I need to finish the “50 Ways to Cure the Depression” music video. I have, I believe, all the photos; I need to finish the soundtrack, adding bass, Bob’s saw, and my banjo. Need it finished in case I run out of time (like, if one of the horde of people I’ve applied for jobs with wants to hire or interview me).

Got a lot of advice on the Website. I think I need to have a few more pieces ready before I can start building: I need photos of the band, recordings of the band, and a video of the band in concert. The last two of those don’t exist yet, but we may be close—we “do studio” end of this week, and there is video of the Feb. 5 Failed Economy Show that I just haven’t seen yet. I have just a handful of photos, but will take more when we’re recording.

On the other hand, I do have all those pieces with respect to me, collected over several years, and I understand I can set up a sort of “sub-Website” for my stuff in the process. Maybe that’s a good place to experiment, since I really do not know what I’m doing. (And I am Da Writer, after all. One of the 2011 Goals—it was also one of the 2010 Goals—was to figure out how to make money off this stuff.)

Oh, and one plus (and maybe lesson for others): One reason the Failed Economy Show (or pieces thereof) will be able to be aired on TV is the songs are original. If they were covers, it wouldn’t be possible because of copyright hassles. So there are advantages—exposure advantages—to not doing famous people’s stuff.

Joe