Gone for a while...

freebirdgdw

Silver Member
Hi Drummerworld!

Wow! seems like ages since I've been on here! I was absolutely addicted to this site for quite a while and was on here non stop, however I've not been on here for a long while. I've really missed the valuable information and sense of community this place has but I'm back now so hi!

Anyways there are several reasons why I've not been on here. What with coming back to uni (2nd year re-sit! I probably spent too much time on here last year!) and getting a new job (part time at Argos), but also I'm in a band!

Now let me set something straight I've been playing for 5 years-ish now and have never before played with another musician before. Ever. (I tried jamming with a guitarist friend once but different tastes in music and abilities made it not very successful). However I was sick of just playing by myself or along to songs etc and wanted to get out there. I wanted to join/start a band that plays Post-Hardcore/Metalcore music. I joined the website www.joinmyband.co.uk (a great site btw), and after a few replies I was unsure about, I got one from a bunch of guys who used to be in a band called The Vehicle Field (myspace them if you want). They were after doing something a bit heavier and more raw who asked me to join. So I did and it's been amazing!

I was unsure of my abilities at first when we started but slowly I've become more confident and happier with my playing. It's amazing how much my playing has progressed too! If I'd started plying with other musicians years ago I'd love to think at what level my playing would be at now! I know the music I play is quite heavy and aggressive but surprised at how restrained my playing is. Not that I'm underplaying, but I mean I'm playing for the music instead of hitting everything I can as fast as I can. Also I'm not playing as many fills as I thought I would but I think it shows a bit of maturity to my playing, because it really would be easy for me to do so and I don't think the other guys in the band would mind, but I don't want that to be what my playing is about! Another thing I've surprised myself with is my contribution to the writing process. We write together in a jam sort of way. I play guitar too and I think I'm contributing some fairly good ideas to songs.

So anyway we've also got another guitarist who used to be in a pop punk band called My Name Is Hero (again myspace if you want) and he's fitting in great too and is a great songwriter. (He's actually the second guitarist we tried. The first one was more worried about swinging his guitar around and using the whammy bar than anything. They've both been American though funnily enough!)

I'm really happy with my decision to join a band. I heard a quote from a famous drummer, whose name I forget, and it was along the lines of 'as soon as you can hold a beat, start a band'. I was too conscious about my playing back then to do so, but now wish I had listened to the advice. I have grown as a musician and as a drummer so much in this short amount of time it amazes me!

So my band is called 'Thrones' (www.myspace.com/thronesuk) there are no tracks up yet but we're recording in a couple of weeks which will be another first for me! (wish me luck). Thanks to the large fan base of the old band, their connections and the fact that the bassist works for a promotions company we've got quite a few gigs lined up for us too! The future seems bright and I'm loving every minute of it :)

Thanks for reading.
 
Good to see you back, Freebie :)

Yup, when you play along with records at home you can do whatever you like, but once you have the responsibility of being part of a team that's trying to create something you have to listen harder and sometimes tone down a bit. There is no practice better than actually doing it.
 
There is a really influential doom metal band from portland oregon named thrones. joe preston played bass in that band and he also played in sunno))), earth, the melvins, and high on fire.
just f.y.i. if you didn't already know.

I'm really stoked you are playing in a band, its what playing music is all about! I was lucky that I was playing in a band before I even knew how to play. It is funny how the way we think things will be in our head are so much different from the way they really are. I hope you keep posting, I like your posts.
 
Nice one FB and good to hear everything's fuzzy right now. Nothing like playing with other muso's. Your progression as a musician is way more important than your progression as a drummer. The two do go hand in hand though. Really happy for you.

Oh, BTW, your first studio session, K.I.S!!!!
 
Really, you can play for years by yourself, but it means almost nothing until you start playing w/others. That's when it really starts. Great post FB, way to go.
 
We were wondering what happened to you! Good to have you back.

I noticed the same thing that you have been experiencing. I didn't play with a band for about five years and I progressed more with that band then I had in years of playing by myself. Enjoy it!!
 
Thanks for all the replies guys. I'll try and get on more often I promise (I've got essays due in so I'm sure I'll be on here avoiding them :p). Thanks for the message as well KnockOut!

The Ddrum is holding up well but I'll delve into this a more and do a bit of review when I get some current pics of my kit up because I have changed a few things since.

But yeah being in a band is the biggest leaning curve ever. There's so much more I could talk about but I'm sure I'd end up boring you all ha!

As for the Thrones thing, we heard about that after we decided on the name. I've not really looked into it but isn't it his solo project as apposed to an actual band? We've found quite a few other bands named Thrones (including ones in the same genre of music) luckily for us they've all disbanded (maybe a warning sign? lol). If does cause any problems however, I think we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Anyways, glad to be back! I'm going to delve into the posts I've missed. I may be gone for some time :D
 
A former teacher of mine played some gig with Phish, and if my memory serves me, he told me that John Fishman played along to records in his basement for something over ten years, alone. He then joined his first band, which happened to be Phish. It seemed to work for him!
I'm happy for you. Good luck with your guitarist(s)!
 
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