The Beatles, Rolling Stones The Ventures, Sha Na Na Bob Dylan & The Band Duane Eddy, Eddie Cochran Alvino Rey, Lonnie Mack Sony and Cher, Chet Atkins The Beach Boys Glenn Campbell Wes Montgomery Gabor Szabo Bola Sete, Taj Mahal Jessie Edwin Davis Harvey Mandell, Sandy Bull Frank Zappa, The Who Cream, Jeff Beck Tom Dowd, Eddie Kramer Clapton, George Benson Ten Years After, The Doors Jimi Hendrix, Traffic Led Zepplin, ELP Grateful Dead Chicago Transit Authority The Allman Bros Band Les Dudek, Terry Kath Leon Russell, Denny Diaz Crosby Stills Nash and Young John Cippolina-Quicksilver America, The Funk Bros. Sly Stone, Jr. Walker David T. Walker, Marvin Boz, Elvin, Carlos Cold Blood, Tower of Power Country Weather, Snow Bear The Doobies, Steely Dan The Eagles, Journey Toto, ZZ Top, Bobby Womack The Producers, Larry Carlton The Crusader's, The Meter's The Steve's: Winwood, Miller, Lukather, Stevens, Vai Peter Frampton, SRV Johnny A, Phil Brown John Waite, Del Amitri Linkin Park, South Park Bryan Adams, Duncan Sheik Kevin Gilbert, Giraffe, Thud Ed Supple...and anyone who does ghosting
Sounds Like
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money
trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and
pimps run free, and good men die like dogs.
There's also a negative side..."
Born late '56 in Berkeley, Ca. and raised in the SF bay area, I'm an average ordinary guy who spent over 20 super funny bazar years working 8 days a week in all kinds of bands at every conceivable place. If it was fun I was there, if it was work I did that too, not to overlook the 8 years of doin' old time C&W shit holes on the weekends until I found some decent gigs. That's where I learned to drink an party in the parking lot after the gig then go to breakfast, the only real meal of the day, an drink coffee around 3 am.
I was piss poor broke, skinny, one guitar (rebuilt daily) , barely an excuse of an amp (always for sale) and drove a broken down fucked over rebuilt dodge (FORD) piece of shit crappy car without a spare. Drivin like a mad man 100 MPH in the middle of the night to get to some all night sanctuary, or whatever I called home at the moment. Living for the moment.
Making a living playing guitar for over 30 years translates to being in a lot of cover bands. Over the years you play a bunch of cool songs. For the last 12 years of my run I was playing all of yours and our favorite covers, including all the number 1 hit songs from 1950 till now.
I have found that the only constant is change...
In my last real band, Louie Fontaine and the Rockets, the song has always been more important, we put lots of effort into getting the spirit and vibe right, in addition to the music good enough to support the actual artist who's song it was, should we cross paths we were gonna fit right in an they were going to be pleased to meet us.
None of this was about how fantastic of a musician you were, it was about being a super tight unit that delivered the arrangements with enthusiasm and a sence of humor, the way they were recorded. Sweating and moving, not missing a part...working it and putting on a show, the old fashion way, by getting down and nailin' it!
Pic below is a link!
Louie Fontaine and the Rockets.
Loo Wood, Jhan Hansen, Louie Fontaine (Blair Hill) & Mark Hoyt
Louie Fontaine and the Rockets were a classic rock an roll party/show band. I am proud to have been a member of for 8+ years. Every song on our list was a guaranteed floor packer, we rotated around 120 songs at our peak. The most popular bands we did medley's of say 20+ mins of 6 hits strategically arranged.
We worked more than full time. Like can you say a triple/triple with a 650 mi drive between venues 1 & 2. Let's start at SLT drive 90 mins to play 3 shows at J.A. Nugget, Sparks, Nv. then drive all night to show 2 at Sun Valley, Idaho apre's ski 2:30 pm the next day, then across town for Show 3 the Sun Valley Special Olympics Awards Banquet 9pm, then get to the Podunk bar in town to get a drink before they close, yes when you work like this even non drinkers, drink!.......
You got it! 7 shows at 3 different venues in 2 different states
in a 28 hr period (not to mention I started my day in Meyers, SLT Ca.)
So is that 3 different states?
It does get confussing, anyway,
add a 650 mi drive in there between NV an Id...
oh yeah and find your room an throw your stuff at it, then start your 6 night a week gig the next day,
then you get a day off, maybe, oh shit I still gotta get home...
ahhhhh! You get the idea. You'll have plenty of time to sleep when your dead and gone an that's comin like a freight train in a tunnel.
PS. Don't forget to call home, while ya still have one...
Well you take it while you can get it. I was travelling about 50K miles a year. No flying. October of each year I knew my full year schedule for the next coming year. We constantly learned new material and rehearsted when ever we were on the road. Slowly we setteled into the Reno & Tahoe scene. I lived up at the Lake.
If you ever hung out on the south shore of Lake Tahoe, or made the scene in Sun Valley, Id. I might look familiar, as my main gigs were at Harvey's & Harrah's Lake Tahoe and the Sun Valley Resort from around 92' until my last real gig, NYE 2000/2001 at the Hard Rock Lake Tahoe.
After performing well over 10,000 live shows, that's 3 shows a night 6 nights a week for over 12 yrs straight, even the hartiest of players could use a break, if they hadn't already been wrecked themselves...I watched more than a few good players snap like twigs... anyway I also didn't have a string endorsment...and I was goin' through some strings...so until somthing better comes along I've been taking a well earned break from playing out in clubs.
About 8 years ago I started my semi-retirement/sabaticle at age 45. I stopped playing for a good 2+ years, I bareley touched a guitar, I just wasn't interested. I could kinda play, but not reallly. I had lost my stamina. To inspire myself I started digging deeper into learning alternate tunings and recording all the songs that got overlooked in the past, present and in my future.
I hear this is typical behavior for my age.
It took 5 years for me to start to "fuggidaboudit". It seems I had aquired an attitude, no shit eh! I did succede in forgeting how to live like the mercenary I had bacome. While shaking this off I started relearning what I wanted to play, going full circle to the beggining of why I played guitar. I had literally forgoten what turned me on. It had become all about how much money did I get and how little performance time was required on stage.
I play more the more I play, "I can't not do it".
I put my focus into making it feel and sound good to me,
and just be relaxed, yet get it right.
These days I'm a recluse home studio rat,
doin' it for the pleasure of listening to it,
the results here are completely honest. A heartfelt reflextion of my ambitions to play live music again.
For me recording has always been about the song and the finished product. Not about trying to flash my whatever. I'm utilizing my recordings to re-activate myself and some of my chops, also to demonstrate some of my capabilities as a musician.
Currently I am recording and looking for inspiration to record.
I have been consistantly open to connect with other musicians, with the idea to perform live as a band.
I have not given up my lifelong dream, I am living it.
Consider this and you might understand your own life....
People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you know which one it is, you will know what to do for that person.
When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be. Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realise is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled, their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.
Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.
Thank you for being a part of my life, whether you were a reason, a season or a lifetime.
Hey! Thank you for supporting my music. Check out my web site at www.vanessathompson.net and my music videos at www.youtube.com. My new music video to my song "Heartbreakin game" is below for you to view. If you like it, feel free to put it on your page and share it with your friends. There are also some banners on my page if you want to use them on your page. If you have Facebook, please add me. Some are putting me in their top friends. The support is really appreciated. Hope you liked the cover on Hollywood Celebrity Magazine. If you like my music, please add it to your play list for others to hear. Thank you :)
My new music video to my song "Heartbreakin game" is here, view it in HD. Go to www.youtube.com. let me know what you think. There is also a fanpop page for me that has been set up. If you get a chance, visit it at http://lnk.ms/0zvbC . You can also sign up to follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/vanessathompson :)
Hi! Thank you so much for finding me and the request. Great Blues sound and magical guitar tone, really moved me! I like it! Maybe you had already checked out my tracks,so I'd like you to leave some comments on my profile. That would be my pleasure! Thanks&God bless
Hello Mr.Wood! Thanks for the request and the add! Wow! Some great gear in your montages. Having never met, I must say, you looked kinda silly before the meds! Ha! Peace! Johnny!
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