Picture this in your mind — you haven’t picked up your instrument in days, and you know you need to practice because band rehearsal is like, tomorrow. But there’s so much that needs to get done behind the scenes: you need to put fresh material on the website; you need to change your strings; you need to reach out to club owners and get new gigs; you need to take care of stuff around the house… before you know it, it’s become pretty clear that it’s gonna be a late night if you’re going to get any practice time at all.

I can tell you from experience — you should never blow off your practice time. Here’s why:
    1. You’ll out yourself as a complete idiot in front of your band mates. You’ll end up wasting everyone’s time because you’ll have to learn your part at rehearsal (on the band’s time) instead of being prepared before you get there. I’ve been there.
    2. If you’ve ever expected anyone else to know their stuff before they show up to rehearsal, you’re now a proven hypocrite for not living up to your own rules. I’ve been that guy.
    3. It could get you fired. Look, musicians are a dime a dozen; there are plenty of other musicians who are better than you, or just different than you. You are replaceable, remember that. The band — the team — is what’s special. If you won’t pull your own weight, you might find yourself looking for a new band. I’ve been there once, and I never want to go back there.

So if you don’t have enough time to practice, make the time.

My pedal board works!!! It works!!! I have been fighting with it for 3 weeks straight and I'm a bit tired. Let's hope it doesn't relapse.

Now it's back to preparing for the private party this weekend. Should be a lot of fun...

So it's about 2 weeks before Christmas. The Santa Ana winds are blowing hard but the tree twinkles and gives off the idea it should be cold out. It isn't. The band has a private party to play in a week and we've been rehearsing like crazy in between shopping and trying to get ready for the holidays.

As most people know, money is always tight around the holidays. So what happens? My pedal board dies. It just explodes on me during rehearsal. You don't know what a pedal board is you say? Well I'll tell you what it is. It's how a guitarist or bassist gets all their different sounds and effects. Some people use minimal effects and others have huge pedal boards, even multiple ones at the same time.

Mine's not a huge board, but not small either. So I take every pedal off and reconnect every one again. It works! Back to rehearsal and it explodes again. Ugh! So it's time to go shopping on the internet. Lot's of new connectors and 6 hours later it's rebuilt. It works! Back to rehearsal and no. It's dead again. Time to take it apart again and rebuild. Another 7 hours and 3 new pedals later and I think it works. Please let it work... Rehearsal is tomorrow. I've tested, rebuilt, tested, cried, rebuilt, tested and tested some more. If this works just put a bow on the thing. Happy Christmas to me. The life of a musician I guess...

Hi! We are a new cover band in the Temecula Valley (CA). We are a bunch of seasoned musicians who just want to play, have fun and have a great time with our audience. There is no better job then playing music except when you connect with the people you are playing for. That is truly the best.

Our first real test is playing at Baily's in Old Town Temecula on 11 February 2024. Please come down and join us. We'd love to see you and meet you all.

That's it for now. My goal with this blog is to keep people informed about where and when we are playing and also what it takes to be in a band and prepare for these gigs. We really do work hard so we can play the best we can.

Thanks!!!