Rehearsal Space Revisited

[Jeid]

Clash... what you worried about... you've got a place to practise.

[clash67]

Clash... what you worried about... you've got a place to practise.

yes your right of course Jeid but i am more concerned with the fact that nothing is being done to help the music community and although I am sorted for a rehearsal space what about everyone else?
The Gaels are doing our best to try and ensure that once we have layed up our instruments for the last time there will still be a music scene in Caithness. who knows what talent is still to emerge from Caithness but with the sheer lack of interest from the council and the lack of facilities and funding we may see less and less musicians willing to take on the heavy burden that comes with playing in a serious touring band.
some years ago I went proffesional and decided to take advantage of a subsidy that was being offered by HIDB (now known as CASE)to self employed people, I was told that this was not offered to musicians as if there was some difference between being self employed as say a plummer and being self employed as a musician! The reason was that the local powers that be did not consider music as being something that could be considered as a bonified career even though the music industry in Scotland alone contibutes a huge amount of money to the economy and creates thousands of jobs.This is recognised by everywhere else in Britian except Caithness! we have to somehow change this way of thinking by local councils and fund holders.
I have spent a great deal of my life sat in offices trying to convince some old fart that music is a very important part of our community only for my words to fall on deaf ears.
When I first started the band back in "85" we had no PA no decent amplifiers no money and no transport but against all odds and through a LOT of hard work we eventualy got enough gear together to start touring on a shoe string budget, funding was not available or as usual there was funding available but was impossible to get, I aproached the council and went to CASE and tried all sorts of people to try and raise funds to update our gear which was virtualy hanging together but even though we were getting a lot of media coverage on a national level,even though we were raising lots of money for local charities and also attracting big crowds to local venues and there was a huge interest from major festivals the funding was somehow always wasted on some half baked idea like spending thousands of pounds on bringing some classical trios from god knows what country to play to the local snobs and yet the council could only afford to pay us £50 to play at there Gala Week!
To say I was dishearted would be an understatement but we carried on regardless however some would have given up in frustraition and that is what I fear will happen to musicians in the future, there will be those who will be put of by the amount of hard work involved and the lack of help available and will eventualy give up and opt for a more "serious" career.
I love music I think I have proven that by my track record spanning over two decades and but I would hate to think that up and coming musicians will have to face the same hardships that I have had to face.

[the_big_mac]

Clash,

those who give up because the council/local snobs etc, wont recognise them as serious musicians dont deserve to keep the talent they were blessed with.

Your not the only band that has started out with cheap old gear..... i'd be surprised if anyone's very first band practice didn't consist of vocals through the mic jack in their stereo!

As time goes on and the band members grow up money becomes more and more available, and if they wish they can invest in newer and better gear. I would estimate that the 3 piece I am currently playing with has gear that, at RRP, is well worth over 10 grand.

I dont play to be recognised by anyone, I dont play to make the council listen to our pleas, and I dont play to inspire the generation before me, I play because I love it. Simple as.

I agree that a common place to practise would be a good idea, however its not like its not been tried in the past. The community centre in miller academy was always available when we wanted it in the 90's. The majority of my playing youth was spent in the youth club, putting on the occasional gig for the "kids" as a thank you. And more recently my boss has been kind enough to let us use his premises (prob the best ever venue to practise in too !)

I would challenge you that anyone who loves to play will never find a problem finding a place to practice. Why should it be up to other people to nurture their talent? And as for equipment to play on, they can earn that themselves.

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Quarterpounder - I think what Clash67 is trying to say is that there is a demand and a requirement for a rehearsal suite in Caithness. How it comes to being is another matter entirely. Granted, the best (and worst) of us started out playing their guitars through boom boxes, however young, aspiring musicians deserve to develop their talent with, at least, proper operative equipment. Not all of us have rich parents or live in houses that aren't attached to the next door neighbours'. Having a regular place to practice in takes a lot of pressure off of bands; and they'll most often find they get a lot more done without this worry hanging over their heads.

Clash67 - get in touch with Mark at Shore Sounds Music. He is one of few to have opened a rehearsal room in the centre of Edinburgh and survive. Am sure he'd be willing to give you some hints and tips on how to persue your quest. I'll PM you his number.

[zebedy]

think all the bands around thurso should really get onto this music cabin thing..

i think it wud be good for local bands to have ....

[The Pepsi Challenge]

Post a thread, put up a poster, enter an ad into the paper - get yourselves into a quiet pub (St Clair?) and start talking about it. Don't let Thurso's musicians resemble an architects model.

[K dragon]

those who give up because the council/local snobs etc, wont recognise them as serious musicians dont deserve to keep the talent they were blessed with.


dude, your totally talking out your rear end.

[the_big_mac]

those who give up because the council/local snobs etc, wont recognise them as serious musicians dont deserve to keep the talent they were blessed with.


dude, your totally talking out your rear end.

So you saying that you would give up because the hierarchy of Caithness wont recognise your stuff?

[the_big_mac]

Quarterpounder - I think what Clash67 is trying to say is that there is a demand and a requirement for a rehearsal suite in Caithness. How it comes to being is another matter entirely. Granted, the best (and worst) of us started out playing their guitars through boom boxes, however young, aspiring musicians deserve to develop their talent with, at least, proper operative equipment. Not all of us have rich parents or live in houses that aren't attached to the next door neighbours'. Having a regular place to practice in takes a lot of pressure off of bands; and they'll most often find they get a lot more done without this worry hanging over their heads.

Clash67 - get in touch with Mark at Shore Sounds Music. He is one of few to have opened a rehearsal room in the centre of Edinburgh and survive. Am sure he'd be willing to give you some hints and tips on how to persue your quest. I'll PM you his number.

Look, i agree that its a good idea, but im also with deemac on this one to a point. In this day and age it almost seems impossible to set such a thing up without a pile of red tape and money.

A good, maybe even great, idea is what this will stay due a number of reasons. One major one is the abuse of such a service. I once let my wee brothers band use my kit when his band were starting out. That resulted in £££ of damage to my kit an cymbals. Not purley down to my brother, but the abuse trust that i had lent that group. They were young unsupervised teenagers. Is it any different to the majority these days?

[Cazaa]

Wasn't there a concert at Thurso High School a few weeks ago? How many bands played there from the are despite "the fact that nothing is being done to help the music community"?

Did the organisers pay the school for the hire of instruments, Mixing Desk, Lights, Lighting desk, hall, rehearsal time, overtime?

the_big_mac once let his/her wee brothers band use kit - can you imagine, then, the state the school's equipment must be in?

Did all of these other bands already mentioned have to rely on help from outside their band. Get it together and get practicing.

Incidently, I hear that there was an excellent concert by the THS pupils AGAIN last night. Did anybody from this 'group' go to it? I hear it had a larger audience than Thurso Live Music Association gigs.

[K dragon]

"So you saying that you would give up because the hierarchy of Caithness wont recognise your stuff?"


dude, thurso nor caithness havent recognised me in 6 years,

i have released two albums the third coming out next year, an nobody knows who i am or that i even do music in my little old music room.


to be honest i have had more enthusiasim from people in london thank i have up here.

i do music and films and im releasing THREE film projects next year for charity, probably soundtracked by myself, and i offered for people up here to

A: get involved in some form with the projects
B: actors who are willing to have a laugh i couldnt care if they have no experience
C: asked local muscians young and old if they were interested

not one person has bothered.

and i still havent stopped.

the "hierarchy" can lick the nether regions of bodily salt for all i care.

(that comment was barring killarifts, doc rock, and astronot)

but still isnt quite the enthusiaism i was looking for.

not slowing down and nor stopping

[clash67]

Quarterpounder - I think what Clash67 is trying to say is that there is a demand and a requirement for a rehearsal suite in Caithness. How it comes to being is another matter entirely. Granted, the best (and worst) of us started out playing their guitars through boom boxes, however young, aspiring musicians deserve to develop their talent with, at least, proper operative equipment. Not all of us have rich parents or live in houses that aren't attached to the next door neighbours'. Having a regular place to practice in takes a lot of pressure off of bands; and they'll most often find they get a lot more done without this worry hanging over their heads.

Clash67 - get in touch with Mark at Shore Sounds Music. He is one of few to have opened a rehearsal room in the centre of Edinburgh and survive. Am sure he'd be willing to give you some hints and tips on how to persue your quest. I'll PM you his number.

Thank You for the number Pepsi Challenge and yes that is exactly what I'm saying, I am not suggesting Big Mac, that we are the only musicians to start of with shoddy gear, like pepsi challenge said there is enough pressures on musicians in Caithness especialy without worrying about rehearsal space, such facilities should be provided by the council because communities like ours rely heavily on tourism and where there is tourists you will find that there is a demand for live entertainment which helps them spend their money and in turn helps our local economy..basics really, and I totally agree with what pepsi said too, we don't all have rich parents or spacious detached houses, as for playing for the love of music ,well we all do it for that really but the more you love playing music then the better you want to be and getting good at music means not having to worry about things like rehearsal space or as I said earlier transporting gear setting up gear then having to take all the gear down and transport it again is too much work too keep it as a comfortable expierience but I have covered all that already. How can a group ever progress if the whole afair is a long tedious and tiring effort evey time you want to rehearse, fine if you are a pub band that only gets together now and again but if an act is to progress to go onto the bigger stage and a more proffesional circuit then decent facilities need to be in place not just for music but all the arts.
Just take a look at Orkney, The Picaqou Centre (spelling ?) a huge facility that caters to all the arts and having such a place means that big shows can also be put on attracting Caithness people over to the Islands, what do we get a not even a shed to rehearse in! caithness councillors can't see that Orkney is miles ahead of us and they nurture their home grown talent.

[clash67]

Wasn't there a concert at Thurso High School a few weeks ago? How many bands played there from the are despite "the fact that nothing is being done to help the music community"?

Did the organisers pay the school for the hire of instruments, Mixing Desk, Lights, Lighting desk, hall, rehearsal time, overtime?

the_big_mac once let his/her wee brothers band use kit - can you imagine, then, the state the school's equipment must be in?

Did all of these other bands already mentioned have to rely on help from outside their band. Get it together and get practicing.

Incidently, I hear that there was an excellent concert by the THS pupils AGAIN last night. Did anybody from this 'group' go to it? I hear it had a larger audience than Thurso Live Music Association gigs.

You just don't get it do you!..am I talking to someone who has ever played a gig outside Caithness "get practising"! I will have you know that we practise twice a week and I consider us as playing to a high standered and focusing on touring Europe, we done our share of High school gigs and we also done it without the help of anyone, but what happens when one of these young bands want to take it to the next level?..they wouldn't get away with simply pleasing a small venue full of friends and family, when competing with proffesional acts they will need outside help and as much as they can get believe me, having a rehearsal space would be the first and most basic reqiurement, maybe that is why we are stuck in the 1930's..honestly with the attatude of some people it is a wonder any musicians bother at all. if you think that a high school gig is a good illustration of how easy it should be for the rest of us then think again.

[Jeid]

I see both sides of the line. However, it's a learning curve that we all have to go through. I wouldn't appreciate what I have now if I was handed everything on a plate in the past.

It's as simple as this, if you wanna play in a band, you'll find a place to jam. I've had jams in my bedroom with four people. Ok, it wasn't ideal, but it was the first steps.

I don't think the problem actually lies with the youngsters finding space to practise... I actually think that people from their early 20's up are having the problems finding space.

That said... lots of excellent musical leaves the county every year... our young musicians. Off to the city for uni.

[Jeid]

we also done it without the help of anyone

So if you did it with no help... what's stopping anyone else doing it?

[clash67]

So if you did it with no help... what's stopping anyone else doing it?

I would rather the next generation of musicians didn't have to go through what i've been through, I don't want it handed to them on a plate either, i would like to think however that if we had a talented young musician,say the next David Gilmour or John Lennon in caithness that packed it all in because of the endless problems and obstacles in their way, do we say "oh well thats his tough luck if he really loved music he would have stuck with it" or do we stop to realise that it was our loss?
Plenty of seriously good musicians have only really began to make their mark after their departure from Caithness all I would like is for caithness to have the facilities to nurture these talented young musicians in there home county and yes, to be shown that we appreciate there talent, or we could simply let them get fed up and give in then complain about the amount of youngsters that are hanging around the street corners?

[Jeid]

Perhaps there's already someone looking into sorting something out for the youth already. In fact, I'm pretty certain something is already in the pipeline.

It's true though, if you really love music, you'll do anything to continue playing it. Why question someone's passion?

[clash67]

Perhaps there's already someone looking into sorting something out for the youth already. In fact, I'm pretty certain something is already in the pipeline.

It's true though, if you really love music, you'll do anything to continue playing it. Why question someone's passion?

If you really love music then yes you will continue to play, but if it is that much hassle why should a musician go to any bother to play in public? you can still play music only reserving it as a party piece but that is still not my point! what is it? do you not want to see Caithness keep up with the rest of the country?
Something is in the pipeline, there is a meeting in the Royal Hotel tomorrow night at seven o'clock, I have been invited to go along by Linda Hutton, the arts co-ordenator to discuss the possibility of getting the Viewfirth land to build an arts centre type building, I was all set to go and try and secure a better future for young up and coming musicians,to try and improve things so we could be sure that music from Caithness continues to adapt and improve ,however given the negitive feedback I have recieved through this thread I think that I will probably not bother and join the "I'm alright jack" crew.
I can't say that I'm totally suprised, i will just let you all get back to doing what ever it is that makes you all think that your musicians.
Caithness was once known for it's talent, I wonder what it will be known for in the future?

[Jeid]

Ahem, if you read a couple of posts up, I said "I see both sides of the line".

In reality, are you seriously willing to spend all your time making sure that this place runs smoothly, are you gonna be there to make sure the equipment is well looked after etc etc

Yeah, it's a great idea, but in reality, it's a difficult thing to setup.

Music should never feel like it's a hassle. I never think it's a hassle. I go out and set my gear up every week. It's part of being in a band. When you go to play a gig, everything isn't always laid on for you with a red carpet at the door.

I don't think Caithness is falling behind. In fact, I think that there are a lot of good bands in the area just now. Sure, we don't have the facilities that are available in the cities, but if they're failing to keep going down south, what makes you think it'll be any different up here?

Here's a question, since you've accused us all of just taking the easy option of "I'm alright Jack"... do you not think that learning the hard way has made you more determined and a better musician?

[K dragon]

clash not that my opinion matter but i just gotta say one thing....



go for it.