Newfoundfreedom

Yup. I was talking to my guitarist yesterday and he's just been "panic buying" a load of valves, just in case. I've got a few knocking around. I might put them in a safety deposit box. They might be worth a small fortune after the nuclear holocaust.

OK, I'm just reviving this thread, because I've had a couple of drinks, so please forgive me if I ramble. But I'm just re-watching a performance of my band from a few weeks ago which we recorded. At the time I thought we were rubbish and was mortified at every little mistake. But watching it back with fresh ears, having had a couple of sherberts, I think we sound great. Maybe because the drink allows me to get out of my own head and stop listening to the bass and my own mistakes, and listen to the band as a whole. I don't know, but now the mistakes sound almost imperceptible, whereas at the time they felt enormous! I don't know if I'm explaining myself very well. Please don't think I have a drinking problem or anything like that. I like the occasional social drink, but when I do drink it feels like I can be more objective of the band because It allows me to listen to the music as a whole, rather than just listening for my own part and my own cockups. It's almost like being a member of the audience. I don't usually drink before or during a gig, because it makes me really sloppy. But I wish I could find the confidence in myself and the band that I get when I listen back after having a few. Maybe there's no wonder that so many artists have a problem with drink and drugs. But that's probably a discussion for a whole other thread. I envy those of you who don't suffer from anxiety I would really love to love being on stage. I love being in a band! I love the creative process of making music and writing songs! I wish I could learn to love performing. I keep hoping it will come one day. I'm generally really confident in life and any social situation, so I don't even understand my own anxiety at performing. I'm hopeful it will come with more experience.

It means the bass is good for metal.

They're basses. It all sounds like bass innit.

Yup. Definitely seen this on here before.

That's probably the tamest song on the album. 😆

I love Bloodhound Gang's Hooray For Boobies. It's extremely purile, which would normally be a big turn off for me, but it's so well written and just so damn catchy! Also Tenacious D. I've always thought Jack Black has too good a voice to be in a comedy band. One thing I don't like about humourous bands is when they have talky bits between tracks. It soon gets really old after repeated listens.

Well that went off on a tangent 😂

I'm offended that you feel that way.

I've only quoted this post so I can like it twice 👍

Indeed. I'm a fascinating person. If humour doesn't cause offence to someone, you're probably not doing it right. Just my opinion of course. Feel free to cancel it at your convenience.

Or indeed Jimmy Carr. His latest show was hilarious, but the cancel culture brigade's reaction to it was even funnier.

I'm not in the least bit offended. Just extremely bored with people who seemingly spend their entire lives looking around for something to be offended by, so they can whine about it on the internet. If you want to be offended, put down your phone, turn off your computer, and look out of the window. Seriously! There's far more important things happening in the world.

Yeah. There's definitely some truth in that. I think maybe it's a safety in numbers thing. My last band was a six piece covers band. So much less likely to be singled out. Weirdly, I was often approached after gigs and told how great the bass sounded when I didn't think anyone would even notice me in the mix. Now we're a four piece originals band, I have much more opportunity to shine, but I feel far more exposed.

The weird thing is, is that a that a lot of people who are perfectly comfortable in social situations, are very uncomfortable when performing on stage, and vice versa. I definitely come across as loud, and even obnoxious in social situations (as some have you may have gathered from my posts on here 😂) Growing up I had more friends than I could ever count, and I can definitely hold my own against anyone, in any social situation, whatever the conversation. I'm a proper big brash northern lad. I was doorman(bouncer)for several years, and I'm built like the proverbial brick privy, so there's very little that can phase me when it comes to confontation, but put me on stage in front of a crowd of people, and I'll go to pieces every time. Conversely, my wife, (who is the singer in my band,) was an awkward child with very few friends, and will generally shrink away, or at least be extremely quiet in social environments, but she's an absolute supernova when you put her on a stage in front of a crowd. I honestly feel so proud of her, and embarrassed at my own failings at the same time. Luckily the two things balance each other out. Honestly, I can't get my head around it. Why anyone so brash would be so timid, and why anyone so timid should shine so brightly in front of a crowd. As I said earlier, this is even the case in front of a small group of friends. Luckily I'm just the bass player so, on balance I can sit back and let my amazing wife Impress the audience. Because if it was up to me. Well.......

Another thing that people don't seen to be getting, is that the anxiety is nothing to do with the fear of getting something wrong (not for me at least) I can quite easily laugh off mistakes, as others have said, nobody dies, it's just not that important. But that doesn't stop the anxiety being almost crippling. The only part of I gig I really enjoy is the very last song. It's almost a feeling of getting away with it. There's something called imposter syndrome. Where you always feel like you're winging it and getting away with it, rather than actually doing it on your own merits. For me, it's more akin to that. It's like waiting to be found out.

All perfectly true and logical. Unfortunately, when dealing with nerves and anxiety, logic plays no part. I can have the song lists, know the material inside out, get on stage, and literally can't feel my fingers, or I'm shaking so badly it's almost impossible to hold down a tight rythm. The logical part of my brain already knows that all of this is utterly ridiculous. But I'm sure everyone with any kind of phobia knows in their rational mind that it's pretty ridiculous. It doesn't stop them being terrified. Not that I'm saying I'm at the same level as someone with a phobia, only that's it's just as uncontrollable by applying logic to the situation.

Very well described. This is exactly how I am. As stated by you, and previous posters, it has absolutely nothing to do with ability or how well practiced you are. My band does our own original material. We practice every week, and we've been together for two years. I know the songs inside out and it still all goes to pot as soon as it comes to public performance. For some people, nerves and adrenalin ups their game, for others it's absolutely crippling.

Aren't they for erectile dysfunction? I think you're slapping your bass wrong. 😳

I get crippling nerves before performing, to the point where i absolutely hate gigging. I can be well practiced and play perfectly in rehearsals, but I just go to pieces in public and make loads of mistakes. I'm even the same if its just playing in front of a small group of friends.

There's one in my local town centre. It drives me insane, and I'm 46.

I'm kind of the opposite. I would never play something I didn't like or wouldn't personally listen to. Which rules out pretty much all Jazz, which I absolutely can't abide, or anything by Oasis purely because I can't stand the nasal whiney t@sspot singer. It was a bone of contention when I was in a covers band, now I'm in an originals band it's not really an issue.