Conference napalm::heavy_metal

    At Berklee, there were both worlds.  There were always your peers who
    would check out your recitals, etc. and offer constructive comments,
    like "I didn't like your 3rd solo...it lacked a solid motif" 
    Generally, there were a lot of comments about perception and opinion,
    based on how to better ones self (like the above comment).  Sometimes,
    though, there would be the "that cat sux, he can't play" kind of
    comments, but that was generally reserved to hard core jazzers ranking
    on the rockers, or the 'tude filled metalheads ranking on one another.

re: prc

>    but if someone wants to sling mud, I always have the appropriate
>    power tools to assist me in slinging it back where it came from.

Why bother? If someone slags you, you should just ignore it and laugh!
Trying to "get back" at them is not only immature, it perpetuates the cycle.

alan

    I've seen (and been on) both sides of it and it sure seems like there
    are a lot more people out there that would rather slam you then build
    you up.  Musicians are a real critical bunch.  There are some that will
    try and help ya out, but not as often as those that would rather
    compare you to themselves or someone they like better.
    
    I think it comes from the fact that playing music is an emotional thing
    and attracts emotional people, who react to things they hear in that
    way.
    
    For myself, I try and help promote my friend's bands whenever I can.  I
    think that's important. 
    
    re: .1 
    
>    It should be intra-cooperation as well as inter-cooperation.  You can't 
>    put a price tag on respect.  Ever since I've become a musician, I've 
>    always been impressed with the spirit of cooperation that I've seen.  At 
>    least in GUITAR, it's like a brotherhood (of TONE!).  We learn from each 
>    other, help each other, give constructive advice as opposed to tearing each
>    other down. 
 
    I'd agree that the Digital musician gang seems more this way then some
    other environments.  We generally do pretty good by each other.
    
    ...and sometimes we screw up too.  
       
>    I don't know how it is in the local night club circuit, but the local
>    Christian rock scene here is excellent (as it should be).  It also
>    probably rivals the night club circuit in some of the country's smaller
>    cities.
 
    Don't know much about anyone else, but around here both of those scenes
    don't seem too developed.  The club scene has a handful of VERY picky
    places that make it hard for anyone new to get into, and the Christian
    "scene" seems reserved to churches.
    
    Greg

    
     Well, not having played for several years I'm going to add my .02
    worth on this subject anyway. I went through that kind of attitude back
    in my younger days with peers and rival bands that played the same
    area. I think for the most part it does have alot to do with maturity,
    although I have run into real attitude problems with individuals that
    think they are the hottest thing around. My experience, the most
    devoted and best players are always willing to help out another
    musician or band if he can. These people I have also found to be the
    most sincere about music.
     To the non-musicians that go around saying "This band really sux", the
    only thing I have to say is this. Unless you have been there playing a
    club circuit, you have no idea how hard it is to satisfy a live crowd.
    With everyone in the club having their own likes and dislikes, it is
    near impossible to strike a balance and satisfy the crowd and the club
    owner who only cares how good business is, and how many people are
    there, and how many drinks are being sold.
     I respect all of you out there who play and try so hard to make a
    connection everynight you play a gig. Some are nightmares, some are
    total flops, sometimes the people you play with are having a night that
    is so bad its hard to believe it could sound that bad. But I'll tell
    you one thing, when it clicks and the crowd is with you, and the band
    comes together like you strive so hard to accomplish. That is the time
    when being a musician all pays off. That is what its all about. Thats
    what makes the hundreds of hours of practice all worth it. Some will
    not understand this feeling because it has to be experienced. I think
    alot of you already know what I'm trying to say.
                                                       mike

I'm not a musician but I watch them on TV.

I think that it is important to give support to your friends.  I am somewhat new 
to this conference, but I try to see whoever I can.  I am by no means a critic,
but I can tell you if I like something.  Sometimes my reluctance to comment on
something is due to my inability to come up with something better than "it roolz"
or "it sux".  If that's all I can say - why bother?

I may not like your band, but I will never rank on your effort to get better and
play places.  That to me is totally unfair since I'm not a muscian, but also it
just isn't the right thing to do.

I hope I don't sound too self-righteous...

Tim

    >I see more of it than I do cooperation. The ONLY band that has been
    >cool to us is Genocide and we help them out in return. 
    
    What about Saguinary (Sp??)  I thought you were good friends with them?
    They're on the Apr 11th show, right??
    

RE: Alan> Why bother? If someone slags you, you should just ignore it and 
RE: Alan> laugh!  Trying to "get back" at them is not only immature, it 
RE: Alan> perpetuates the cycle.

OR "getting back" at them by stealing all their gigs.

I have to go on record here too.  Greg mentioned that it's hard to get a start
here in The Springs.  Truer words could not be spoken !!  And, I'd say 
that HardBall owes gratitude to the guys in Storm (with two fellow DECcie 
members), who put in good words for us at local clubs - this is the kind of 
cooperation I'm talkin' about.  Now this is really handy because suddenly, we 
are sharing information, insite on what tunes work well at local clubs and 
stuff...  It's like a miniture musicians union - It's GREAT, especially because
there is DEFINATELY a inter-club Union in this town ! Ergo, you blow it at one 
club, and your doomed...Conversely, if you do well at one place, you'll get 
called by other club owners who'd heard about it.

There are a lot of other bands around town too that never have anything good
to say about other bands here, and because of that, probably will stay in the 
garage. 

I think musicians are a sharing bunch, until someone sh*ts on them - then
the sharing stops.

jc

    Aye,this inter-band rivalry is a bore. Wot`s more,unless you`re lucky,
    there tends to be a weak link in every band with some idjit ego maniac
    who dictates,slags off,and thinks he`s god.
    
    Which probably explains why no one wants me in their band.ho!ho!
    

Yep - in a nutshell, I feel that the energy some bands put into slagging off
other bands could be well spent (for the good of everyone) by being put into
some team work.  We all be in the same business, be it thrash, covers, poseur,
glam, whatever.

jc

jc> 	I feel that the energy some bands put into slagging off other bands 
	could be well spent by being put into some team work.  

	I feel the same statement could be applied to even helping to
	limit some of the b.s. that occurs in my little cubicle area of 
	the world but that's not worth going into here.

    ...is the name of this note and oxymoron or what?.................k

>    ...is the name of this note and oxymoron or what?.................k
                                 ^^^
    
    WENDYOspell strikes again!