"The Shakedown Newsletter" #12

      Well, well, well, WELL.... Here we go again. The "Shakedown Band" is about to rev it up and take it all on in earnest big time! As of this upcoming week’s rehearsal on July.18th 02 we will be returning to the studio with all members back in place. Changes to be made… and there will be a new person amongst us. People hold onto to your hats cause here comes… Mr. Lee Edwards!

      Lee is a well seasoned "lead singer". His band performances encompass 15 years in experience plus he’s a rhythm guitarist of about 3-years. After talking with him over the past 2 weeks both via e-mailings and especially the phone I’m am totally excited towards the possibilities of what Lee Edwards will be bringing to the table with him.

      My talks with Lee have left me confident that he has the visioning and that he has what it takes when it comes to the performance and front-man aspects that are needed to put us in front of audiences entertainingly. Hearing him talk and relate to band performances plus, his charismatic and confident speech patterns on music, audience appeal, vocals, stage presence and band matters and patterning is something I haven’t heard from an interviewee in some time. Lee also has what I call "That Purist Appeal" that I’ve always sought when seeking out an individual for a position within the band. He is a "Lead-Singer-Purist". While shifting and collating throughout the various wanna-be auditioners out there that respond to my ads… many will go on about their multi-instrumental mastership skills etc. Meanwhile, all I want to deal with is someone who ultimately and intimately knows their one instrument and can perform to the standards that they have talked about. I have every confidence that Lee is this kind of person and musician. They are few and far in-between and therefore not to be taken lightly. It therefore is my belief that Lee will prove to be a major partner with us in bringing the, "Shakedown Band" to its next plateau needed. Bring it on Lee. We’re looking forward to it.

      Now that Jimmy is returning from his hiatus from us. (Being a family man plays an all-important role…) I wanted to bring up this next issue so as to get started with it right away at our next practice this week.

      We now need to really tighten up our songs and sounds. We need to record perfectly what we are to be presenting to bar owners and whomever else we will be connecting with in the very near future. Our future…

      I hate to be in a position of having to say it. But, Its time to take off the kid gloves and get real serious about our investments of each ones time, money and especially efforts towards this project.

      There is no doubt at all in my mind that each of you (and me too) are very serious minded musicians looking towards an ultimate reward of entertaining audiences and paychecks down the road with this project. Sooo….

      Rehearsals will need to be done with a set of firmer policies and eddicate in order to progress at the needed rate and fulfillment needed to get on with our goals. I do not, will not, exclude myself from these one iota.

      Currently on the "Shakedown Band" web site is the best, "off the floor rehearsal recordings" to date of those songs posted there. "DOWNLOAD THEM". Listen to them more than you possibly think you ever should… Then continue to listen to them more still. I will be posting others yet and plus new ones of the songs. (If the recordings turn out to be better in the future rehearsals.) Which will happen, of course.

      With the recent regained hours of 7:00pm – 10:00pm. I will be there early if allowed by the studio. Setting up my tapes, recording microphones and all the recording gear, Amplifier, pedal-settings, guitar tuning, my microphone level on the P.A. music sheet stand and lights, etc, at 7:00pm – 7:30pm. Ready to play at 7:30. So then should we all.

      In regards to the P.A. system. I will set my own personal microphone to a setting for compatible vocals for my personal part in the songs as will each of us also do their own settings and microphone positioning etc. Also, with regard to each of your own levels and vocal needs. We all need to learn how and be sure we use care towards the levels that we need for our individual vocal pocket levels. I hope you understand what I’m saying by pocket verses levels. If you don’t then I will attempt to explain to you in person at rehearsal. I will also be happy to go over the settings and show you what are both expected and what setting works what and best. My pleasure...

      If you want to input an idea then, please do it. However, if you need to explain it on an involved level and that it is going to take away from the clock and our built up adrenaline, then it is much preferred that you hold that idea till either the next break period or the end of the rehearsals and we’ll all talk about it at the table outside and have a cold beer together at the same time.

      Currently on the "Shakedown Band" web site is the best, "off the floor rehearsal recordings" to date of those songs posted there. "DOWNLOAD THEM". Listen to them more than you possibly think you ever should… Then continue to listen to them more still. I will be posting others yet and plus new ones of the songs. (If the recordings turn out to be better in the future rehearsals.) Which will happen, of course.

      All the above is in the best interests of this project and towards each other as a team of individuals that is pretty much a pro-ready band now. It’s now come time to push ourselves forward and pick up the pace towards our common goals.

      If you should feel that all that is being said here is too strongly addressed… I apologize. I’m not about bastardizing my friends. It’s never personal with me. It’s just band business that needs to go to the point. There’s too little time to do it any other way. I’m not trying to strong-arm anyone at anytime. I think that we all have agreed that this is to be a serious commitment to a serious project by us all. I think that we all agreed to take this project and embrace it personally. This is not my project alone only. I do it because I have a passion for its music and a vision of its future and its grandeur. I’m driven. I started this whole thing off by having the idea of finally doing all those songs that had been in me for so many long years. Around Aug/01 I grabbed Brandon (who is one of my best friends and drummer companions, both of many years) and he agreed to get on board with it. For my drummer needs I could then walk away and not worry if all is covered. (He and I have worked for years together at various meaningless projects). Then we had a few people come and go until Stevie-Keys showed up in Oct/01. (He and I had played in a band that had eventually broken apart). Then he too became a part of us and embraced the project. (Now Brandon and I had a friend that sang harmonies well, plays the keys great, can switch to a bass on an emergency call and has a ton of experience for stage). Very talented…

      We shortly after that named ourselves The Shakedown Band" around the end of Dec/01. Then a handful more of bass-players came and went…?

      Then comes along Mr.James Bruce. May/02 Whoops! ShaaaZAM! Again I could start seeing myself walking away and feeling all is covered there very nicely for the projects bassist needs. (That guy is a human-mutant on that bass). He says he doesn’t sing… I’d like to judge that for myself someday. Hehee!

      Now we come to Lee Edwards. July/02 whom I believe at this point to be one of those special people that comes along on, "ohhh such rare occasions"…

      Suddenly, this is not my project anymore. It was wrong to think it ever was. How did I or would I have imagined that you would all be just as much a big, committed part of this as me. Yet, those songs... I wrote them. Both in my head and on paper. Yes, I brought them to the table. No, those songs are not mine alone, because we made them together and wrote them to be what they are now. If you guys hadn’t been able to contribute to each song the way you guys did. Then the songs wouldn’t even be around nor as good as they are. The songs I wrote had become our songs. (Period)

      What I am to this project is this… a "Quarterback". I don’t own the project. I’m nobody’s boss. I’m not in charge of you nor responsible for you. When I say, "Quarterback" I simply mean that I insert my vision and hopefully a leadership role that all can relate to and tolerate. I coordinate a whole lot of stuff in every available hour in each and every week of mine in order to maximize our only 3 hours per week together in which to execute the repertoire that we have, to perfect it to be what is being envisioned, to add to it, to get everyone pumped up and kicked in the butt when needed, (including myself). Then finally at the rehearsal nights end, hopefully we have moved our progress along yet another step forward. I actually know what I want and I see it coming up to where we are so much, much more and closer to that magical tightness that good bands do develop eventually and I can almost taste it.

      This is where we are going to start getting busy guys. I think that we all have agreed that I would quarterback this project and that it is our project together and that you were ready to move forward. Well guess what…

      There’s still another fork in the road…

      Meanwhile guys… "The Shakedown Band" will be rehearsing at, "THE ART ZONE STUDIO" on Broadview Ave. @ Danforth Ave. in Toronto on THURSDAY evenings from 7:00pm–10:00pm for the next upcoming weeks.

      Ok you’s Guys... that’s a wrap.

      Yours truly,

      Madcowjack

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