Beyond Failure - A collection of nostalgia from a musician in Atlanta. This is meant as a respository for my old bandmates that are looking for old pictures, music, and stuff that was left behind. Also, this could be somewhat entertaining for the casual
observer who might have been around at the time. Enjoy.
I know Andy's out there readin' this, but I'm'll say some shit anyway: FLAP kicked my ass all over and was a huge part of my WREK-related mental awakening. I saw Andy and Matt a bunch and couldn't get enough of it. I think they were my first face-to-face introduction to real communication between musicians.
Up til that point, I probably thought everybody in a band needed to just stay on the damn beat and everything would work out. Of course, when you're 19, the bands you've been in usually can't stay on the beat, so that's what you're striving for. At least I was.
FLAP didn't stay on the beat. They just listened to each other. Seems silly now, but it was hard for me to accept that before I heard/watched them play. They have that perfect balance of everything's been rehearsed ten thousand times so it's automatic and everything is stream-of-consciousness at the same time. Like some omniscient Star Trek alien overlord band. They memorized the encyclopedia. They watched the movies backwards. The radio stations are always playing on their braces, even when they hide in the old freezer behind Granny's house. They sat with sunglasses on and ran their fingernails through the grooves over and over reading records like braille. They disassembled their houses and rebuilt them inside out. They ate the tapes. All of them.
They teach by example, and I learned a lot about why I want to play music from them. I can't wait til Friday night. It's been a long time.
I got into Flap right after Pal came out. From the first time I went to see them until Andy left for Chicago, I don't think I missed a single one of their shows.
It's fitting that Burnes has commented on this entry. I remember one week in which I saw either Flap or the Gold Sparkle Band (or both of them together) five nights in a row.
I don't think I can overstate how inspirational both of those bands were to me.
I know Andy's out there readin' this, but I'm'll say some shit anyway: FLAP kicked my ass all over and was a huge part of my WREK-related mental awakening. I saw Andy and Matt a bunch and couldn't get enough of it. I think they were my first face-to-face introduction to real communication between musicians.
ReplyDeleteUp til that point, I probably thought everybody in a band needed to just stay on the damn beat and everything would work out. Of course, when you're 19, the bands you've been in usually can't stay on the beat, so that's what you're striving for. At least I was.
FLAP didn't stay on the beat. They just listened to each other. Seems silly now, but it was hard for me to accept that before I heard/watched them play. They have that perfect balance of everything's been rehearsed ten thousand times so it's automatic and everything is stream-of-consciousness at the same time. Like some omniscient Star Trek alien overlord band. They memorized the encyclopedia. They watched the movies backwards. The radio stations are always playing on their braces, even when they hide in the old freezer behind Granny's house. They sat with sunglasses on and ran their fingernails through the grooves over and over reading records like braille. They disassembled their houses and rebuilt them inside out. They ate the tapes. All of them.
They teach by example, and I learned a lot about why I want to play music from them. I can't wait til Friday night. It's been a long time.
I got into Flap right after Pal came out. From the first time I went to see them until Andy left for Chicago, I don't think I missed a single one of their shows.
ReplyDeleteIt's fitting that Burnes has commented on this entry. I remember one week in which I saw either Flap or the Gold Sparkle Band (or both of them together) five nights in a row.
I don't think I can overstate how inspirational both of those bands were to me.