Musicians on Net54

[AndyG09]

Nate,

Great story about standing up for your Cubs and great voice. Great dealing with you as well! I only wish I had an ounce of musical talent.

Best,

Andy

[npa589]

These are some awesome details. Like I figured, NET54 has some musically talented individuals.

Asphalt Juke is some good stuff David, listening to it now. I've tried to write things, yet can't seem to focus enough to ever finish a song, so - well done.

Ken: I looked up Brother Wiley on YouTube and watched that awesome compilation of live video of some of your guys songs. I love the implentation of a stand-up bass.


Blair: Also, very good stuff. Listened to "Not Today" - awesome song. "Hurt Like I do" was awesome too. Are you still playing guitar anywhere?


Bill: your brother isn't Stefan, is it?

[Leon]

Nate- my wife listened to your National Anthem. She said "great voice", and that is something coming from her. Her and my daughter have really good voices. As for me, I can't sing a lick. Never could. It's funny listening to me if I try. I play the air guitar really well though!!

[npa589]

I appreciate it Leon.

Everyone can sing, just prolong one syllable when you're talking without really thinking about it...

I play a mean air drums, especially when listening to some "Chicago" (25 or 6 to 4 comes to mind).

Together, we might make a heck of an air band. We just need an air vocalist, and air bass. I've already got an air cowbellist lined up.

[Leon]

Did someone say, Cowbell?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BjsUf...eature=related

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[doug.goodman]

I've made my living as a roadie for touring bands for the last 27 years. Nate's story reminded me of this one :

I went to a D-Backs game vs SF in mid-September of 2007, with a band who were going to throw out the first pitch. When we got to the game, the band members were presented with jerseys by the team rep. The drummer threw his on a thanked the team guy. The singer was holding his like it was a dead baby. You could see the gears spinning in the team guy's head, wondering what was wrong, like maybe they spelled the name wrong. The team guy asked what was wrong and the singer pointed to the Cubs hat he was wearing and said "Cubbies, baby, if I put that thing on and the Cubs lose in the playoffs, I'll be the next Bartman and they'll string me up on Rush Street"

After the drummer threw out the first pitch (that was the plan all along), we went to our seats, which were about 4 rows behind the D-Backs dugout. While I was filling in my scorecard before the game started, a guy climbed over the row of seats in front of us and introduced himself to the singer, I wasn't really paying attention, but the conversation was something to the effect of :

Guy who climbed over seats : "I heard there was a problem with our jersey"
Singer : "Once the Cubs knock you guys out of the playoffs, maybe we can talk"
Guy : "That's not going to happen"
Singer : "We'll see about that"
etc, etc

When the guy left, the singer nudged me with his elbow, causing me to draw a line across my neat (up until that point) scorecard.

Me : "Hey, what the f..."
Singer : "How cool was that?"
Me : "What?"
Singer : "Trash talking the owner of the team in his own stadium!"
Me : "Ok, that is kind of cool, even though you messed up my scorecard"

Unfortunately for the singer, the D-Backs swept his beloved Cubbies in the playoffs, so the story doesn't really have a happy ending.

Doug


PS - I play pretty good air drums, but I'm more Clive Burr era Iron Maiden than "25 or 6 to 4" era Chicago

[Big Ben]

Nate, you have a wonderful voice. Are you pursuing a career in music?
As for me, I am a very amateur tenor saxophone player who likes classical, jazz, and alternative rock music.


Best of luck to you.

[npa589]

Doug, that's an awesome and very funny story.


Ben: I've been mulling that decision. I'm engaged, so, maybe once I'm more settled, I'll begin to pursue it a little bit.

I did send in an audition to the Cubs, but, they apparently enjoy choosing people who can't sing. I watch practically every game, and just sit there shaking my head when they get someone who can't sing. Some of them are really really bad... I think you all have probably seen the evidence of people having no idea what they're doing when they pick someone to sing the anthem. The biggest events in the world still manage to have people that can't sing at all, yet are famous. Usually hockey is the only sport that gets it right...

By the way, I really dislike when the anthem is sung with an incredible amount of melismas. IMO, it should be sung with respect, in a traditional, straight-forward manner - so that the point of the song is not trivialized. Very rarely does someone depart from that and still keep it special. There are very few Marvin Gayes. His was awesome. The focus should be on the country, on the flag, not on the person singing the song. When it is ""popularized"", that focus becomes misplaced and distracts from the purpose of the song. I grew up singing stuff like Boyz II Men, and teach at an inner-cities school where I thoroughly enjoy teaching and singing songs that require popular, melismatic singing - i just don't think the national anthem is the place to do it.

Anyways - I'll get off my soap box. Oh, and Leon, I was hoping someone would pick that up! "Before we're done here, you'll all be wearing gold-plated diapers!"

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by npa589

By the way, I really dislike when the anthem is sung with an incredible amount of melismas. IMO, it should be sung with respect, in a traditional, straight-forward manner - so that the point of the song is not trivialized. The focus should be on the country, on the flag, not on the person singing the song. When it is ""popularized"", that focus becomes misplaced and distracts from the purpose of the song. I grew up singing stuff like Boyz II Men, and teach at an inner-cities school where I thoroughly enjoy teaching and singing songs that require popular, melismatic singing.

Nothing bothers me more than the Anthem being sung diva style...
I much prefer it Enrico Palazzo style.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyCc1DzRAgQ

[HOF Yankees]

Been a Professional Elvis Tribute Artist for 4 years now, I competed in the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest this past summer in June, also went to Las Vegas last summer and played there for 3 weeks and been traveling all over the US and playing at different venues. I do all eras of Elvis and every song. I enjoy it, have lots of fun and realizing a dream I thought would never happen. If anything I am on tour almost everyday now, or busy with rehearsals.

[novakjr]

Originally Posted by HOF Yankees

Been a Professional Elvis Tribute Artist for 4 years now, I competed in the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest this past summer in June, also went to Las Vegas last summer and played there for 3 weeks and been traveling all over the US and playing at different venues. I do all eras of Elvis and every song. I enjoy it, have lots of fun and realizing a dream I thought would never happen. If anything I am on tour almost everyday now, or busy with rehearsals.

That's awesome. I'm not picking on you, but I just love the way you worded that. This is an honest question though...Amongst "Professional Elvis Tribute Artists", is it considered insulting when people say Elvis Impersonator?

[npa589]

Awesome stuff man. I love when I hear that people are realizing a dream. That "Wait, you mean I can get paid to do this?" realization is always incredible.

Originally Posted by HOF Yankees

Been a Professional Elvis Tribute Artist for 4 years now, I competed in the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest this past summer in June, also went to Las Vegas last summer and played there for 3 weeks and been traveling all over the US and playing at different venues. I do all eras of Elvis and every song. I enjoy it, have lots of fun and realizing a dream I thought would never happen. If anything I am on tour almost everyday now, or busy with rehearsals.

[uffda51]

Nice going, Nate.

I've shared about this before in some of the "What Do You Do" threads. I'm the black sheep in a family of scientists and preachers. I'm a composer, orchestrator, and conductor in Hollywood who has worked with everyone from Angela Lansbury to Metallica. I also write chamber music, choral music, etc. although my original inspiration was jazz. I played sax, clarinet and flute in a previous century.

For way more than you want to know there is info here:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003618/

(along with a lame picture).

[Bosox Blair]

Originally Posted by npa589

Blair: Also, very good stuff. Listened to "Not Today" - awesome song. "Hurt Like I do" was awesome too. Are you still playing guitar anywhere?

Thanks, Nate! Not officially in a band these days, but still playing a lot of acoustic guitar. I'm trying to form a little acoustic ensemble now to play smaller cafe-type gigs.

Your anthem video was great! I played it and my girlfriend asked why you were so good...must be the talent .

Cheers,
Blair