Okra Pickles CD Release Show

To start things off, just a few days before hand, our long time bassist Ron Meyer announced that he was quiting the band because his class schedule at Chico State (over an hours drive from Sacramento) was too heavy.

Secondly we had some doubts that we'd even be able to play this show because of the departure of our previous drummer, Mitch. There had been a couple shows that we had to cancelled at Capital Garage and at Scratch 8 (I did get replacement bands like Smarty at C-Garage, and a little temporary group I formed with myself and the rythm section from Mindphyx to play Scratch 8). But still, it really wasn't the same as a real PX show.

Not even close.

Fortunately, we had run into a great new drummer by the name of Dave Furchuia, who we'd been able to bring up to speed pretty quickly, and we we're ready for the gig.

The day before the show I'd gone by the Press Club and made sure that the booker (Jay) and Gwamba (guitarist/singer) from Okra Pickles were aware that we we're ready to play, just in case any signals had gotten crossed.

It was a good thing that I did.

Both of them had thought we had cancelled, because of our drummer search -- but we hadn't. Sure, I had cancelled at Cap Garage and Scratch 8, but I never cancelled the OP show because it had the potential to be one of our biggest shows ever. We'd spent far too much time and effort trying to get a gig with a band as locally popular as the Okra Pickles, in order to gain some exposure. They usually packed the house at the Press, and this was their CD RELEASE show, why wouldn't we want to be there if we could?

Eventually, they agreed as long as we only played for a half-hour and we start by 9pm.

So we had a deal.

But the deal started to go sideways as soon as we arrived for the show.

We we're there and ready to by 8:30, but Okra Pickles were still soundchecking.

9 O'clock came around -- and they were still soundchecking. I mean, I've worked sound at the Press club many times as backup for Jay and Gwamba (who normally handle it), but I've never seen them mic someones drum kit, or guitars. The Press is small enough that it isn't really needed, but that didn't stop Gwamba and the boys. They were micing everything and it was taking them a while to work out all the kinks. I understand though, they simply wanted to sound at their best and I can't blame them for that.

Finally at about 9:15, they finished.

So Jay comes over and says that if we want to play, we have to be ready to go an 7 minutes and done by 9:50, because two other bands - The Kernals and Subversion - were also going to play before Okra Pickles.

7 minutes? Uh ok.

Amazingly - if more than a little nervously - we did it. We had all our gear on stage, up and ready to go on time. Just imagine adding the pressure of that -- to the pressure of this being Dave's first show with us, after only two weeks of reheasal, our last show with Ron, as well as my own first show with the band as lead vocalist, keyboardist AND guitarist. (The keyboards belonged to Ron - so with him leaving, we were using this show to begin switching me to guitar, since I've always been a guitarist)

Nothing like a little pressure to give you a great adrenaline rush, eh. Whew

The set we played was short (mostly because Dave only knew a few of our songs), fast and furious. Even with all the above in mind, I dare say that it might have been the best show we'd ever done. We we're tight and focused, with only a few very minor technical glitches. Most of the main crowd hadn't arrived yet by the time we were done - but Dave had brought a lot of his friends out to see him, and more than a few of my downtown Sac pals were there.

All in all, I know we definatly kicked some major ass, and had the crowd screaming wildly more than once.

Score one for the home team, even against the odds.

Black "Hair" Rock

After the show I talked to friend of mine from the club - and she decided to try and get under my skin by saying she hadn't realized it was me playing until she turned around and that her initial reaction from just listening was that there was some "Hair Band" playing. She also said something about me sounding real "white", which I'm not -- so I had to set her straight by pointing out that the core of Rock is Blues and R&B invented by black people (my people) from the south and detroit (Motown). Blues and R&B is what the Stones, the Who, and Led Zeppelin were ALL trying to do, albiet with their own spin.

Ultimately, that is exactly what Planet X does. It has nothing to do with sounding white or black for that matter. We just ROCK, that's all. Plus there have been plently of Black Rock bands around - from Hendrix, to Sly Stone, Ike & Tine Turner, Mother's Finest, Fishbone, 24-7 Spyz, Living Colour, Body Count, King's X, Total Eclipse, Sevendust, Stuck Mojo, Cree Summer, Dionne Farris, Meshell ndegeOchello and Lenny Kravitz. There just hasn't been that many who were big at the same time. I don't think people in the industry think that the market is "ready" for too many. It would appear like a --- takeover, one or two at a time is ok, but too many would meet a lot of resistance, the same way that Rap-Rock is meeting a lot of resistance and backlash. Rap-Rock has gotten over so far, because largely anglo bands are the ones doing it (most people don't even realize that Tom Morello from Rage Against the Machine is black or that Zack is a chicano), but there were plenty of black bands doing it previously, like Proper Grounds, the Hard Corps, Civil Rite and Bozaque - who the industry never paid attention too.

At any rate, the entire discussion reminded me of my previous rant on Butt Rock, and I suspect she knew pretty well what my opinion on this matter was. As I said, this was a friend of mine, and I know she was just saying this in order to tease me -- but I doubt she realized how much it would piss me off. As a former member of the Black Rock Coalition - I do take the issue of what *IS* rock, let alone who should be playing it and what kind of "Image" is expected and acceptable, rather seriously.

Frankly, I considered her associating us with "Hair Bands" a compliment, because I really can't stand most of the sloppy, lazy, unprofessional, alta-slacker-geek-rock bands that get tons of attention these days. People think that "Hair bands" were cheesy, but if so - as I've said before - what the heck is Sugar Ray and Smashmouth?

Pure velveeta, I say.

Even the weakest hair bands - could still play their asses off. And I honestly feel that the fact that our musicianship isn't shoddy (like the band that played after us that night The Kernals), and the fact that we haven't jumped onto the rap-core-kornholio-rage-abee bandwagon (like the band that played next Subversion, although I should note that they're still a real good band) is why this comparison comes up.

Well if so, then so be it.

I suspect I made myself rather clear on the subject with her. But there might have been another reason she decided to tease me at that particular time.

As we talked some more, she mentioned that there had been a lot of tension and frustration expressed offstage by the club when we played, because - as I said earlier - they weren't expecting us, their security team hadn't even arrived yet when we started and Gwamba really didn't want to have to play at 1am, again.

Having been in exactly that position several times (not playing until 1 am), I could simpathise with him on that. It helped me understand why they we're putting so much pressure on us to hurry up and play quickly. So if the first part of this starlog made Jay look like he was being a dick -- well, he wasn't - he was just trying to keep the show moving along.

After that I talked to the head bartender Gavin, Jay and Gwamba, apologized for the mix-up and smoothed things over. It was all good.

Eventually Okra Pickles came on, and ROCKED, as usual - by that time the house was packed, as expected. Quite a few local well-knowns were there. I even got a chance to talk a bit with Bob Zoppi (from the band Zoppi), who contrary to the rumor mills of some local papers - is a pretty reasonable and friendly guy.

Just another night in the life of a Rock band - and this one happened to occur exactly on my second anniversary of being with the group.

Add your comments on this starlog entry

Next | Previous .

.