A small thank you, and an encouragement

Snags

(Mods: if this is better moved to Off Topic or Events, that's fine; thought it should start with a wide audience)

This is nothing monumental, and indeed a lot of you will probably ready it and think "And?" or "So what?" which is fine; it's arguably a bit self-indulgent and mumsnet too, but it's not meant that way.

So, that said, FWIW I want to post a small thank you and acknowledgement to Lee and the modmin team for keeping this place open, to everyone who chips in and contributes to all the discussions, wherever they are, for keeping it alive, and to the many people who have busted their humps to pull together the larger jam days/weekends - in my case, specifically Sasquatch/Outlane and Quad. Not going to start tagging people, because I probably don't even know all who are involved behind the scenes.

Why?

For the last three weeks, Mr No Self-Confidence has trundled along to a local open mic, got up, and risked making an arse of myself in front of people I may actually see around the neighbourhood. And last night, instead of the acoustic I lugged the Les Paul down and did a three song set with some other blokes I'd only really spoken to twice, didn't muff anything up, and had a blast, as did the punters.

That happening isn't entirely down to here, but a large part of it is.


A bit of back story, to explain why that was a relatively big deal for me.

I'm no great shakes as a guitarist, or as a singer. I get by, but I'm lazy, have too much going on, don't practice, and am not driven/obsessive enough to achieve Rock God Skillz or to forge a career out of music. I'm also old/cynical enough to know that's not as romantic as all us wannabes would like to think.

Despite that, I've played in various church bands for 30+ years (initially piano, moving to guitar/bass). And I can blag enough to do that with confidence. It's fine, it serves an obvious purpose, but it's very different to doing, ahem, proper music, and performing to an audience, rather than supporting a congregation. And rocking out to people having a good time has always been what I've really wanted to do.

But I never did. Not enough confidence to audition to random strangers, and no mates with appropriate skills/interests/desires to get anything off the ground naturally. And when I was young enough to have time, not enough clue as to WTF I was doing

Knowing that this place is very mixed ability, from pros through semi-pros to excellent bedroom noodlers to average bedroom noodlers to just starting outs, signing up to go to the first jam I attended was a big deal. Three and a half hours of driving to stress about it didn't help either Discovering that regardless of how good they were, everyone there was about as emotionally dysfunctional as me was a real boost   Going to those jams, getting the encouragement and confidence not just from doing it, but also from the acceptance of everyone there (not one snobby judgemental arsehole (well, not out loud!) at any of the ones I've been to), doing the decidedly random Outlane gigs at Huddersfield … all of that fed into the mix with some other stuff that got me up, off my arse, and down the pub for that first go a few weeks ago.

Is my life changed forever? No. Am I suddenly Vai, Satriani, Hendrix, etc.? No (and I won't be - Bungle off Rainbow is closer to the mark). Have I taken another step along a road I want to walk but never quite had the impetus to do it? Yes, most definitely.

So … if you had a hand in any part of that journey (and some won't know they did - just reading contributions from people on here is part of it) then thank you (although not for the hangover).

And if you're one of those people who really wants to play with others but never do because you're bricking it in case they all point and laugh, or say you're not good enough - try to realise the only person saying that is you. Gird your loins, get down to a tFB jam, meet some people, and realise that actually, it doesn't matter, and you're not as shit as you think you are. And even if you are as shit as you think you are, that's fine too. 

If you've made it this far … well, you're clearly practicing work avoidance, so get back to it!

munckee

And you say I'm metrosexual : )

I proper love you Pete.

danishbacon

Yeah man!!!!

gary_mac

Hope to see you playing in one of the Herts pubs sometime soon

TADodger

I’m definitely practicing work avoidance, but enjoyed the post Pete!

skullfunkerry

Nice one, I really liked reading that. Definitely going to get myself along to one of the jams at some point, it's been *far* too long since I played in front of other people

LuttiS

Awesome stuff Pete! Glad it's going so well

thebreeze

Here, here.  Good to acknowledge all these things.

Snags

@munckee takes one to know one. We can hug it out next time we meet.

@gary_mac you should have been in The White Lion last night   Next week it's probably back to dodgy acoustic caterwauling; the rock evening was a special for Andy's birthday.

munckee

Snags said:

@munckee takes one to know one. We can hug it out next time we meet.

@gary_mac you should have been in The White Lion last night   Next week it's probably back to dodgy acoustic caterwauling; the rock evening was a special for Andy's birthday.

But seriously for a moment folks....

I went to water rats jam last year having never played with any other musicians or played a song the whole way through or to a backing track.  This year I'm playing lead, bass, playing some songs with my 14 year old daughter and even singing (for the first time ever)

All due to this place and in a huge part to help and encouragement (and much mocking) from Pete as well as the rest of the Hertford massive - so thanks Pete and everyone.

vasselmeyer

Great stuff, Pete. Despite some of the petty bickering that goes on here, the fellowship is what makes it unique to the Internet forums I spend time in. From encouragement for those unsure of themselves playing in public, to helping out our homeless colleagues, to the charity auction donations and even helping out a with a member's veterinary fees, this is an awesome place. This kind of story is validation for that perception.

Snags

It has left me with totally irrational amp GAS for an HRD for which I have absolutely no use, however.

ESBlonde

Snags said:

It has left me with totally irrational amp GAS for an HRD for which I have absolutely no use, however.

Rubbish, everybody needs an irrational amp. A used HRD can always resell without huge losses, so what's stopping you?

mrkb

TL:DR - we’ve helped you enjoy playing music by being crap??
Cool!

Snags

@ESBlonde I've already got a Lionheart I don't use much, a Blues Cube Artist I do, and a Laney LC30-II that I'm sort of trying to sell because it's too loud for my current needs and we don't have the space. To be fair, Mrs Snags did say "When you're in a band and gigging ..." which was positive on a huge number of levels.

@mrkb Kinda   More accurate to say that you've collectively contributed to me getting over myself and just going for it a bit more. One factor amongst many, but far from insignificant.

Alnico

Snags said:

It has left me with totally irrational amp GAS for an HRD for which I have absolutely no use, however.

 @blackjack is selling her Ltd Ed. 'Silver Bullet' HRD.

If you can, jump on it quick it's VERY nice !

I'm so pleased for you man, I think I was the first person you saw when you got out of your car after that drive and I saw how you felt but watching you have that experience and realise how cool it all was that day quite something.

It's great that those days/weekends have given you enough to step up in front of a baying crowd and for it to have gone well is the best foundation block for confidence in the future.

You'll have terrible gigs, some will go horrible wrong but if you've had such a great start and it's led to this then you're already up to a very respectable speed.

Practising more than you used to, even just 30 minutes a day (but every day) will build on that confidence and build your skills without you realising.

Awesome post.

Well done man.

Snags

@alnico Thanks man. Although I've got my fingers in my ears and a blindfold on regarding the HRD. If I knew I was getting into a gigging band, I'd be there like a shot; if I do it not knowing that, you'll be finding my dismembered body parts spread across the countryside

Alnico

It's only a matter of time.

Snags

To the first part, hopefully ...

Modellista

A great thing to read, very pleased to hear the story of your ongoing journey into rock stardom!

Can I second this is a great place to hang out, learn stuff, and forge friendships.

I don't think there can be anyone who hasn't come away from a Huddersfield weekend a better, more confident musician.  Yes, occasionally there are some fine messes made, but also some brilliant moments, which for such a spontaneous, unrehearsed event is a result.

Keep it up!

drwiddly

Good for you mate. Onwards and upwards!