Chronicles of Alan:- So You Want to Be a Rockstar Part 6

gavvet (78)in #rockstar • 8 years ago

Sandbox (Name came from Deon the Drummer) had performed their apprenticeship in the South and were ready to expand.

We had some Business cards printed with all our names and numbers on and the Instruments we played.

I started looking for other places to play at. There was a Keg at Rock Cottage those days, I see it is called the Hogshead now . Had a long roofed Balcony that we performed on, no actual stage, no matter, went down well anyway!

Let me say something about Grant, Great Guitar Player, who did not feel the urge to play solos all the time! Very content to pump out rhythm, play for the song, Very refreshing, no attitude! One of his sayings was, "You can't dance to a Guitar Solo".

Keg and Spitfire in Kempton Park was another place we played at regularly.

At this time there was a club behind the East Rand Mall in Boksburg called Due East one of the Best Clubs around, not interested in us, had only full time Professionals, like Mean Mr Mustard, Dr. Victor and the Rasta Rebels, Georgia, Flies (Just Ginger doing covers) etc not interested in us.

"Never heard of you".

Found another pub to play in near Boksburg Lake, Went down well, ( I had a big old Ford Ranchero we would cart the instruments in, 3 Guys fit comfortably in front)

One night as I am driving home about 2.30am, I receive an SMS (Justin and Grant are asleep) reads " Thank you so much, you really know how to show a girl a good time. Consider us to be Groupies, Lots of Love, Ruby" . I look at the screen in disbelief, I elbow Justin awake , "have you been handing out our cards?" Response Yes, Me "Where is you cell" Wife has it . Wake up Grant, Same question, same answer. Call Deon (he stays in Springs, opposite direction) " Don't worry already deleted".

Grant and Justin managed to delete this without their wives having seen this!

Met Ruby and her friends at another Gig, sweet Girls, big fans, had no idea what the wording to that message would be interpreted as, went to all our Gigs, and when we had Sandbox T-shirts done they were the first recipients!

Found another club a little way off Malibongwe Drive in Randburg where we had a regular Friday Night booking for a while, treated this as rehearsal as Deon really traveled a long way.

There was an O'Hagans Pub just 2 kms from my house that had just been taken over by new owners and wanted entertainment and a launch party. They were getting Wonderboom , a successful SA band and needed a PA to hire . I arranged a good price for them (My System) on condition we could operate as the opening act. Readily agreed we played, The Wonderboom Guys were very complimentary about us, they were very good . There was also a DJ there, no one was there for him, said " I am a true Professional " and did his set for no one!

So I now know what a True Professional is, only there for the money!

End result of this was we had a permanent residency at O'Hagans, attendance went from maybe 10 people our first night to packed out within 3 weeks, great morale booster, and happy Club Owners.

Word got out and several other nearby places asked us to come perform at their premises.

Caution to new bands, Never advertise Gigs at other venues from a stage you are on at the moment(we already knew this)

This is the height of Bad Manners (and Stupidity)

There was also a Big Club in Pretoria called Boston Tea Party, tried to get us in but no dice ( Don't know your name!)

Went to a Club in Randburg called Smugglers, they would audition New Bands on a Tuesday Night and then book you for 2 months. Said they had already auditioned and filled up the spots for the next Change of Entertainers, so not much hope there (this will all change)

Grant and Deon start to argue a lot. Deon is a good solid drummer, but when he gets excited starts putting in drum rolls all over the place and comes out of them out of time, very disconcerting and annoying.

KISS ( keep it simple stupid, is just not working here)

We have to let him go, and replace him with Leon dB. The first night Leon plays with us is at O'Hagans , I turn to the others and whisper "Let's play a 2 hour set".

Normally Bands play for 45 Minutes and have a 15 minute Break. Usually 3 sets a night. To do this you need to know about 36 to 40 songs. I made very sure that we had over 80 Songs in our repertoire and would still learn at least 2 new ones per week.

So Leon's first night out with us we keep him playing solid for 2 hours, he is exhausted, Comes up to me and says " You Bastard, I know what you're doing! Thanks, I have never had more fun playing my drums!" I did not mention that we recruited him from a Band that played originals, and had never done more than 10 songs a night!

I get us an Audition at a place called Cantina Tequila on Jan Smuts Ave, JHB. We get there (1st Floor) Lug the PA upstairs set up, play 2 sets, Indian owned, After one set the Guy's walk downstairs and find the owner is charging money at the door because he has a band playing! The Guy's all want to leave, I speak to the owner and say, "Minimum you are going to do is give my Guy's free drinks or we are out, and so it was.