First rehearsal with my new band...80's covers

[SouthernShred]

Well, last night was the first rehearsal of my new 80's band...we're aiming at weddings, private parties, corporate events, etc...I really like the guys in the band...we all go back a ways but have never played together...anyway, it was neat...first time playing the AxeFX in a band setting and it sat really well in the mix...gave me some great tones and I was able to fake a lot of the etheral/ambient keyboard sounds of some of the songs...

We nailed about 6 out of the 10 songs we had planned to work on...we took away the ones we didn't nail along with 6 or 7 new ones and rehearse again next week...We'll probably be gig ready in 2-3 months...we could probably gig in a month, but we're going to get really tight and get our showmanship down first...definitely a different level of planning and prep than my more recent bands...definitely going for polish and professionalism. The two main vocalists are great...really great...It's a big relief for me as now I only have to contribute backup vocals on occasion and focus on nailing the lead guitar parts and faking the keyboard parts. I'm stoked...it's really a neat experience...I've spent a lot of time over the past 5 or 6 years in bands that have taken themselves way too seriously...artistic integrity and all that...I've fallen into that trap myself...truth is, I just want to have fun and be out there playing...all of the songs we've done so far have put me in a good mood because they remind me of my childhood in the 80's...being carefree, being a kid, etc...

Last night's rehearsal included these planned songs:

Who Can It Be- Men At Work

Everybody Wants to Rule the World- Tears For Fears

Head Over Heels- Tears For Fears

Down Under- Men At Work

Danger Zone- Kenny Loggins

Heartbreaker- Pat Benetar

Don't You Forget About Me- Simple Minds

Just Like Heaven- The Cure

Devil Inside- INXS

Just What I Needed- The Cars

with spontanious jams on:

Hot For Teacher - Van Halen

Lay It Down - Ratt

Limelight - Rush

Spirit of Radio - Rush

Still of The Night - Whitesnake

Unchained - Van Halen

[jerseydrew]

That sounds great! As one of my childhood idols (Joe Strummer) used to say, "don't forget to live".

Life's too short.

[serial]

Bee-zaarly enough, I got together last night with my new band-also doing primarily 80s covers. We did a bunch of those as well (the Cure, Tears for Fears, the Cars, Van Halen).

We are blessed with a good key/synth guy, so I'm finally in a band where a ton of stuff I've never thought about playing is possible. It's kind of liberating in a way. We actually jammed around on "Subdivisions"!

Sounds like a lot of fun-go with it!

[DavidE]

Just copy Paults' song list. ;-)

[SouthernShred]

Just copy Paults' song list. ;-)

I'd love to

Bee-zaarly enough, I got together last night with my new band-also doing primarily 80s covers. We did a bunch of those as well (the Cure, Tears for Fears, the Cars, Van Halen).

We are blessed with a good key/synth guy, so I'm finally in a band where a ton of stuff I've never thought about playing is possible. It's kind of liberating in a way. We actually jammed around on "Subdivisions"!

Sounds like a lot of fun-go with it!

man, I want us to add a keys/synth guy...I hate faking stuff, but I'm still having fun!