The Mr. Jimmy Story – Gig Gab Podcast 204

Dave’s at SXSW 2019, and he has seen more than a few things worthy of a Gig Gab discussion. First he and Paul talk through the overall vibe of SXSW, and then it’s time to get into some specifics!

Amanda Palmer, Redd Volkaert, and Nashville all make cameos, but the big dissection this week stems from Mr. Jimmy, a Japanese guitarist, method actor, and historian who has dedicated his life’s work to embodying the spirit of Jimmy Page and Led Zeppelin.

How far is too far? How much devotion is too much? And where can you make your career with all of that?

Paul and Dave tackle these interesting questions… what do you think? feedback@giggabpodcast.com is the place to send your thoughts!

Chapters/Timestamps:

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 204 – Friday, March 15, 2019
  • 00:01:30 SXSW
  • 00:03:10 Early morning gigs
  • 00:05:58 Austin, Live Music Capital of the World
  • 00:06:15 SXSW, as a conference
  • 00:10:50 Redd Volkaert and Bill Kirchen
  • 00:17:28 Amanda Palmer and Austin/SXSW Music Fans
  • 00:18:43 SPONSOR: ExpressVPN – ExpressVPN.com/GIGGAB gets you 3 months free with your 1-year subscription
  • 00:21:01 The Mr. Jimmy Story
  • 00:47:54 Super Diamond’s Experience
  • 00:49:43 Gig Gab 204 Outtro

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Fist Bump To The Rescue – Gig Gab Podcast 203

What do you do when you’re approached by someone at a gig who wants more than just a friendly hello? How about dealing with a booking agent who makes promises they won’t keep? Do you sell merchandise (versus just having merchandise you can’t sell)? And… what do you do to keep yourself inspired as a player?

Listen as Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton, your two favorite weekend warriors, talk through all of this and more.

Chapters/Timestamps:

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 203 – Monday, March 4, 2019
  • 00:00:56 Mad Haus Stories
  • 00:01:41 Fist Bump to The Rescue!
  • 00:08:45 The Stage Adds 10-Degrees of Desirability
  • 00:13:25 Managing the Booking Deals You Cut
  • 00:17:00 The art of negotiating
  • 00:23:40 The Consistently Incorrect Strike Zone of Booking Agents
  • 00:28:04 Merchandise
  • 00:38:47 Finding that relaxation when playing
  • 00:42:56 Realizing you can do more
  • 00:47:29 Beware the Lowest Common Denominator
  • 00:54:15 GG 203

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Music Mechanics – Gig Gab Podcast 202

Music is about emotion, and passion, and expression, and so many other intangible things. But how do you get there? What are the mechanics that it takes to make this happen? This is where Paul and Dave’s inspiration comes from for today’s episode.

How do you deal with playing with musicians for the first time? How do you deal with playing withOUT musicians for the first time? Are you playing music or making music?

And where the heck are you supposed to put that danged iPad?

These are the important questions, folks, and your two favorite weekend warriors endeavor to answer them for you!

Chapters/Timestamps

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 202 – Monday, February 25, 2019
  • 00:00:55 Happy Four Years! And thanks!
  • 00:04:00 No Matter What, Own the Gig, Don’t Just Survive It
  • 00:11:50 The Superstition Detour
  • 00:14:54 The value of stripping things apart
  • 00:16:24 How good is your band?
  • 00:23:10 The Mechanics of a Pick-Up Band
  • 00:30:03 Making Music vs. Playing Music
  • 00:40:20 Neal Schon’s Time Machine Tour
  • 00:42:19 Bill-iPad on Stage?
  • 00:49:38 A Time and a Place for the iPad
  • 00:55:14 Smart Phone Etiquette
  • 01:00:00 Go with the flow, or Choose your best path?
  • 01:02:00 GG 202 Outtro

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Propofol Airlines & The Spank Box – Gig Gab Podcast 201

Sometimes the topics just flow. Of course, you folks do help with that… and today it’s all over the place. Paul and Dave take you on a journey that starts with revamping the airline industry, touches on the beauty of Alex Chilton’s blue-eyed-soul-inspired power pop, mentions Rick Nielsen more than once, and digs into the money conversation.

It’s true, your two favorite weekend warriors celebrate their fourth anniversary of GigGab by having a verbal jam session, and you get to be a fly on the wall. Press play and enjoy, then let us know what you think at feedback@giggabpodcast.com!

Chapters/Timestamps:

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 201 – Monday, February 18, 2019
  • 00:00:50 Feb 19, 2015 first GigGab release, happy four years!
  • 00:02:16 From the 2018 Gift List: Outlaw Nomad Pedal Board
  • 00:06:15 Come Fly Propofol Airlines
  • 00:09:52 New PitchSlap Cajon for Dave
  • 00:11:40 The First Blue-Eyed Soul Performer, Alex Chilton
  • 00:19:35 Four gigs in a weekend!
  • 00:22:00 Scenes matter!
  • 00:27:29 Brushes with Greatness
  • 00:31:02 Rick Nielsen
  • 00:34:45 Power Pop requires attention to nuance
  • 00:38:26 Kevin-Money Questions
    • Clearly defined (social) contract
  • 01:03:04 Gig Gab 201 Outtro

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When You’ve Got it Right, Trust Yourself – Gig Gab Podcast 200

Some of the greatest art comes from an artist who trusts themselves, regardless of what others are saying, and just puts it out there. This, of course, can happen in many different forms. In music, it can be the guy who came up with an infectious piano groove to change a hit song to his liking, a songwriter who hones his tunes to perfection, a songwriter who took what she liked to hear and morphed it into her own, or in a live setting the band that trusts themselves enough to use one mic for their entire setup.

Whatever it is, confidence stems from delivering what you know is right, and your two favorite weekend warriors talk through a few examples of this they’ve come across as of late. Listen as Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton share their thoughts on all this and more. Press play… and enjoy. And remember… (say it together, now) always be performing!

Chapters/Timestamps

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The Who Are You? Episode – Gig Gab Podcast 199

How many ways do you communicate your identity or that of your band? Is it in your performance? Is it in your merchandise? Is it in your stage banter? Is it on your kick drum head? Is it in your name?

The answer is yes! And, of course, Paul and Dave have some things to add to this conversation. Even better, you folks have a bunch to add to this, too, and your two favorite weekend warriors are happy to share the feedback you’ve sent in and let it guide the conversation. You rock!

Keep it coming, folks. And press play and enjoy!

Chapters/Timestamps:

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Always Be Performing…With Semaphore – Gig Gab Podcast 198

This week, your two favorite working musicians dig into the now-overflowing mailbag and share your thoughts and questions with the audience. Hear Kevin’s thoughts about having your own, band-specific, portable monitor rack, DK’s thoughts about the Soundcraft Ui24R, and Martin’s question about mixing politics and music.

Paul and Dave talk through all of these with you, of course, and then share some of their own thoughts as well. Have you had band photos taken recently? What image do you think they convey? What image do they actually convey? Be honest… you know everyone else will!

Listen for more. Press play and enjoy. And remember… A.B.P.!

Chapters/Timestamps:

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Dan Meblin from Pop Fiction – Gig Gab 197

Dan Meblin, leader of San Francisco Bay Area band “Pop Fiction” joins Paul and Dave this week to talk through running a successful cover/party/function band. Dan and his bandmates created Pop Fiction after playing together in a band catering to a similar market, and Dan’s history includes both playing in original bands and working in the Silicon Valley technology world.

Dan talks us through creating and marketing Pop Fiction, of course, but also some of the particulars. An on-the-fly segment, “Dan’s Tips for How to Treat a Venue Well” includes a great detour into setting up your own in-ears rack so that you can have perfect stage sound everywhere with very little adjustments needed at each venue.

Dan’s got a lot to share, and share he does. You’re gonna love this one. Press play, listen, and enjoy. Thanks, Dan!

Chapters/Timestamps:

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 197 – Monday, January 21, 2019
  • 00:00:45 The snow policy… was enacted!
  • 00:02:14 Dan Meblin from Pop Fiction
  • 00:03:06 Eric Martin Band and Dan’s history
  • 00:05:57 “You Have to Learn To Love Those Cover Songs”
  • 00:08:20 Running your own band
  • 00:10:37 How did you know what you’re doing?
  • 00:11:40 “This Band Sounds Really Good”
  • 00:13:02 Gotta play Public Shows
  • 00:13:38 Follow-ups are key
  • 00:16:12 Venue managers are also your agents
  • 00:17:50 SPONSOR: ExpressVPN – ExpressVPN.com/GIGGAB gets you 3 months free with your 1-year subscription
  • 00:20:01 Dan’s Tips for How to Treat a Venue Well
    • Don’t leave garbage with your name on it!
    • Do a Site Check (size, parking, load-in, electricity, schmoozing)
    • Know and Follow The Rules (avoid the bar!)
    • Manage Your Volume
  • 00:25:07 Make in-ears a band-wide priority
  • 00:32:51 Presentation matters: “Dressy Flashy”
    • “You Want to Look Expensive”
    • “Don’t look like a waiter”
  • 00:36:33 Expanding your business options
  • 00:41:19 Intellistage to the rescue
  • 00:44:50 Managing Rehearsals for a Working Band
  • 00:46:39 jamLink for distant rehearsals (2010!!)
  • 00:51:26 GG 197 Outtro

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Controlling Your Outward Vibe – Gig Gab Podcast 196

We often talk about stage presence, but what about off-stage presence? And how much is too much? And what happens when a fan reads more into your vibe than you intended?

How do you remain appropriately distant without appearing to be aloof?

Then it’s on to some Cool Stuff Found that Dave encountered at CES. Definitely something here you’ll want to learn about.

Finally, Paul and Dave talk through upcoming shows and how they’re approaching everything. Press play, listen, and enjoy!

Chapters/Timestamps:

  • 00:00:00 Gig Gab 196 – Wednesday, January 16, 2019
  • 00:02:45 Time is the time
  • 00:05:18 Lost some fans
  • 00:15:38 Controlling Your Outward Vibe
  • 00:21:43 New Segment: Cool Stuff Found! feedback@giggabpodcast.com
  • 00:22:46 CSF at CES-Soundcraft Ui24R Mixer – $999
  • 00:28:48 CSF at CES-Jammy Portable Guitar – $399 pre-order
  • 00:30:59 CSF at CES-Loop Earplugs – $29.95
  • 00:33:08 Foo Fighters live at CES
  • 00:38:18 Paul’s Tributes: Petty Show, Bruce/Lynda/John Show
  • 00:43:30 New Houserockers Tunes
  • 00:52:51 GG 196 Outtro
    • Next week: Dan Meblin from Pop Fiction

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Songs, Lessons, Resolutions, and Synchronicity – Gig Gab 195

It’s been 195 episodes and almost four years. Paul Kent and Dave Hamilton take you through some lessons they’ve learned this year. What lessons have you learned? Send ’em in to feedback@giggabpodcast.com.

Chapters/Timestamps:

  • 00:00:00 Songs, Lessons, Resolutions, and Synchronicity – Gig Gab 195 – Monday, December 31, 2018
  • 00:01:10 What does New Years Eve mean?
  • 00:04:41 Hedwig and Rocky!
  • 00:07:41 Lessons and Resolutions
    • It doesn’t pay to be cute
    • Read the contract
  • 00:12:46 Uphold the value of the arts
  • 00:18:33 SPONSOR: ExpressVPN – ExpressVPN.com/GIGGAB gets you 3 months free with your 1-year subscription
  • 00:21:13 Think about Sound/Tone/Volume
  • 00:26:58 Have an agreement amongst your band
  • 00:34:52 Resolutions
  • 00:43:38 GG 195

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