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Topic: Air Steel"? |
Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 6:42 pm |
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A guy I did some recording with a few years ago called to ask if I'd appear at a large arena-type gig with him this weekend. The catch is that I wouldn't actually "play" anything. I would just "appear" with him! And play air-steel guitar to the parts I recorded a few years ago (plus some newer ones he cut in Nashville). I dunno.... On the one hand, a gig is a gig and it would be fun to see the arena from the stage end of things (there will be thousands in the audience). On the other hand, I'm not really into faking my way through a performance (I do enough of that at home  )
What would y'all do?
Signed,
Stymied in Philadelphia
p.s. I already did tell him that there was no freakin' way I was gonna show up for a rehearsal for cryin' out loud! |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 6:50 pm
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| I don't think I could do it.Just seems stupid.Maybe if I really needed the money.Why can't you take a real steel and pretend to play??? Or did I misunderstand? |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 6:54 pm
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Sorry, I misled you. Yes, I would indeed bring a real steel, and pretend to play. You're right, it isn't really "air guitar".
But it isn't really playing either! |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:10 pm
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Wow, Jim. You've really progressed. In just a few short years you've gone from being Mr. "Acceptable Tone" to... what... being paid to not play to an arena audience?
Kudos, my brutha. Kudos.
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:13 pm
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Yup, that jus' about sums it up. 
And if I practice really, really hard, maybe someday I can just give up the steel altogether!  |
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A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:15 pm
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| So there would be thousands of fans right? A pretty big name, is everyone in the band "lip sync" like you? two words ASHLEY SIMPSON if I was a major artist to fill up thousands of fans I wouldn't risk it you would go from hero to zero overnight, make sure the tape does't skip! |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:17 pm
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| Actually, the artist will be singing live, but to his tracks, not to a live band. The whole rest of the band would be present, and also fakin' it, jus' like me. |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:17 pm
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| Jim, I'd go ahead and do it without question or thought. Being cooperative and a good sport usually leads to more work, in my experience. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:22 pm
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| Quote: |
| Being cooperative and a good sport usually leads to more work |
Yeah, especially if I'm fakin' it to Paul Franklin tracks and they think it was me playing it. I might get a lot of gigs! And then, when I show up for them, I'll just tell them that "Oh yeah, I used to play that way, but I'm over with that phase now..." |
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A. J. Schobert
From:
Cincinnati, Ohio,
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:23 pm
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| I was talking more towards the lead vocals, but what if tracks skip it would be the major name that would suffer its tempting |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:25 pm
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Oh, it's not you on the originals? Even better......here's where the humor comes in....I'd do it just for the laugh.
Edit: So it's not you on some of the tracks........still funny. [This message was edited by Chris LeDrew on 06 June 2006 at 08:26 PM.] |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:27 pm
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Chris, I was on 3 or 4 of the originals, but not all of them. The rest of them he cut in Nashville. I don't really know who played on them. Yeah, it'd probably be a hoot.
(Groupies? Did anyone say Groupies??) |
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Chris LeDrew
From:
Canada
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:28 pm
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| Steel groupies? Now that's funny.......... |
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Rick Schmidt
From:
Prescott AZ, USA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:35 pm
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Jim...after playing professionally for almost 30 years, my most high profile gig of all last year (maybe ever for that matter) was as a "finger-syncher". You at least played on the original recording.
Scroll down to "Liver Spots in TJ" to read my sad story....
http://www.sdreader.com/published/2006-01-26/blurt.html [This message was edited by Rick Schmidt on 06 June 2006 at 08:39 PM.] |
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Tucker Jackson
From:
Portland, Oregon, USA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:35 pm
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Actually, Jim, this is a good kind of problem to have. It means you're big time.
Those of us in small-potato bar bands aren't ever faced with this dilemma (although I did fake it in a music video once, but everybody knows the score on those deals).
This one is a tough call. I'm guessing folks mostly are coming to see the singer -- who is actually going to be singing live. So maybe not that big of a deal that you're air-steelin'.
They pay you, and you have a front row seat for the show. You have a good time and sound fantastic all night long. There are worse ways to spend an evening.
The main downside as I see it: we might start calling you Milli Vanilli Cohen.
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Ron Kirby
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:36 pm
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| Jim, Just for fun !! Are you a good actor? This could lead you to the big silver screen!!! - OR- Like a rich farmer once said,,,,every field can be hoed !!! |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:38 pm
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Yeah, and every hoe can be field...  |
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Ron Kirby
From:
Nashville TN
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 7:42 pm
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| HEEEE HEEEEE !! That"s Funny!!! |
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Bobby Boggs
From:
Upstate SC.
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 8:00 pm
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| Do it.Just pretend you're with a big time artist on an awards show.Piece ah cake... |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 8:00 pm
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| Quote: |
| HEEEE HEEEEE !! That"s Funny!!! |
Sure it's funny; it's the best line I've had all year. Even HowardR is jealous that he didn't write that line. Thanks for the setup, dood.[This message was edited by Jim Cohen on 07 June 2006 at 05:58 AM.] |
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Jim Palenscar
From:
Oceanside, Calif, USA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 8:05 pm
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| do it |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 8:08 pm
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| OK, but I'm not bringing a tuner! |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 6 Jun 2006 9:41 pm
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Do it, Jim - it's tough enough to get any kind of gig these days. At least there's precious little chance of screwing up....
RR |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 7 Jun 2006 12:04 am
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You might want to put in some serious mirror time, working up some appropriate "guitar faces." Suggestions:
"Sad & Lonely"
"Sultry"
"Rockin'" |
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Rick Garrett
From:
Tyler, Texas
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Posted 7 Jun 2006 1:23 am
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I think you should go for it Jim. Just think, a gig that you can totally relaxed for and not one worry about a breaking string or sour note. Plus you might get some more work from it. Have fun man.
Rick |
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