Been a Long Time

Wow, its been a long time. It's just been work work work, band band bands bands bands band, Chicago Musky Show.

The big Musky trade show was last weekend, all the household Musky names were there, Bucher, Saric, Maina, etc. etc. Spent a ton of money on new lures that I probably won't use.

Prior to that the Christmas holiday, where I bought Momma Musky a Harley, which got delivered yesterday.

Above I said band band bands bands bands band.....let me explain.

The band played our block party in September (I think). We had a great time (or so I thought) if you exclude an ill-advised attempt to play LOLA by the Kinks which turned into a train wreck. Actually, let me step back even further....Prior to the block party the singer quit the band over an argument with the drummer. Drummer apologized and I talked the singer into coming back. Then we played the block party and were scheduled to play the Lake Bluff rib fest. Two days prior to the fest, the drummer fires the singer because "he just can't work with him". Jesus, we are just a shitty cover band.

Singer gives the big F'U' to the drummer. We begin search for new signer (or so I thought). Rhythm guitar player gets pissed that drummer canned the singer and quits to stay with the singer. Yours truly is asked to play with the both groups. We will call Singer and Rhythm guitar player band 1 and Bass Player and Drummer as Band 2.

Lead Guitar player (me) is to much of a pussy to take sides so agrees to work with both bands. So band 1 sets up shop in Rhythm Guitar players garage. Singer agrees to cover bass duties and a drum machine is employed for practice until a drummer is found. After a couple of weeks with the drum machine, new drummer is found. Happens to be one of my neighbors. He needs practice, but has some chops. Band 1 doesn't have a PA so vocals are run through a crappy guitar amp. Song list is kept the same and two ZZ Top tunes are added (Waiting on the Bus and Jesus Left Chicago and a few others) along with Drummer getting up to speed on other songs.

OK, now for Band 2, stay focused.

Band 2 continues on at Drummers house with Bass player switching to Drums and Drummer switching to Vocals, ex-Drummer who is now the singer brings in his son (S1) on Bass and other Son (S2) on other Guitar. S2 says he will fill in until another guitar player is found but doesn't really want to play with us. S1 knows 2 songs on bass and starts learning songs. We add ex-Bass player now Drummer's wife on Vocals and ex-Drummer now Singer's Wife on Vocals also. After a couple of weeks no new guitar player is found and S2 is getting a little frustrated because he doesn't want to play with us. Ex-Bass player who is now Drummer's Wife takes over Rhythm guitar but knows one song and doesn't want to practice so she stays with Vocals. So search continues. Ex-Drummer who is now the singer finds another Drummer who is interested in joining. He is the ex-Bass player now Drummer's neighbor. So new Drummer is added and ex-bass player, now ex-Drummer becomes other Guitar player. Yes he is pretty versatile. Several weeks go by and S1 isn't finding time to practice because he is working two jobs so he bows out. ex-Bass player, ex-Drummer who is now Guitar Player brings in new Bass player.

During all this Bands are Practicing on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and I'm trying to still take lessons on Thursdays. Momma Musky is getting a bit steamed. So I quit the guitar lessons to focus on the bands.

OK, Back to band one: Band one is struggling along trying to get the drummer up to speed and add a few new tunes.

Band two cuts about 1/2 the songs the original band was playing.

I mistakenly think I can convince both bands to play the same songs so I don't have to learn a million songs per week. Yeah that is going to work. It sounded good in theory. So I'm working my nuts off on the real job and then busting my ass trying to learn all the songs for both bands. Momma Musky again is getting steamed because I'm trying to juggle both bands and I'm in the basement every evening trying to learn everything.

Holidays come and Momma Musky says, "OK time to choose." So I resign from Band One and stick it to my neighbor the Drummer who buys a bunch of gear. Oops. Sorry Steve.

So Band 2 is rolling along with our first gig in the re-tooled band on March 1st, which happens to be the day after my Companies 10-K filing with the SEC. So I won't be getting much sleep leading up to the filing.

So Current Song list is as follows:

1) You Really Got Me - Kinks
2) All Right Now - Free
3) Takin Care of Business - BTO
4) Sweet Home Alabama - Skynard
5) Bad Moon Rising - CCR
6) LaGrange - ZZ Top
7) Rocky Mountain Way - Joe Walsh
8) Livin After Midnight - Judas Priest
9) Feel Like Making Love - Bad Company
10) Dreams - Fleetwood Mac
11) Swing Town - Steve Miller
12) Wanted Dead or Alive - Bon Jovi
13) Spirit in the Sky - Kentucky Headhunters version
14) Walk On - Deep Purpler
15) In the City - The Eagles
16) Sweet Emotion - Aerosmith
17) Listen to the Music - Doobies
18) Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry
19) Walk Softly - Kentucky Headhunters (yes two KHH songs)
20) When will I be Loved - Linda Ronstadt
21) Day Tripper - Beatles
22) Matchbox - Carl Perkins

With the Following in progress:
The Boys are Back in Town - Thin Lizzy
Don't Fear the Reaper - BOC
Hair of the Dog - Nazareth
Hotel California - Eagles (not sure how we can pull this one off)
Superstition - Stevie Wonder (should be interesting)

So there is the update.