The end for now...

Sadly, the time has come for me to write in the blog about the short but fun journey I have had being a part of The Vintage Union. It all started with the idea of writing songs and playing them friends for other friends with the possibility of making new friends along the way. That's not exactly the way it has gone, but that isn't to say that it would have under different circumstances. At the end of the day I fear that my expectations and reality may have become muddled and what we were producing wasn't as honest as I would have liked it to be. The support we recieved from a few people was suprising to me really. The fact that a song I had written could affect anyone is a personal success. And to be able to get out of my own way to play live is something that I have recieved personal growth from. More music will come. Whether it be under The Vintage Union banner or another, is to be determined - either way I have enjoyed sharing my music with all of you. We really made it further than I think we realize right now.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Random thought...

If you write in a blog that no one reads, does that make it a diary?


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The Down Time

Hey everyone!

Well for those who aren't signed up for the mass mailing list and missed the news, We regret to announce the departure of everyones favorite drummer, Mr. Nic George.

With full support from his friends, fans and us (the band) Nic has decided to pursue other personal interests. Tho everyone will miss his driving grooves with TVU we all wish him the best with his life long endeavors!

Jon and I don't have any plains on stopping. At this time we are going to be entering a quest to finda new drummer We will never be able to replace Nic's sound and style, but we will be searching for one who's beats can gel with the Union's sound!

For those who came to our last gig at Lizards, We're sorry! It wasn't the ideal gig, with the help of a friend on drums we tried to play some of our songs. Due to technical and mental issues, the gig was a flop! We also had a acoustic set who just Jon and on of his long time friends.

We are still plaining on releasing Happy High. We are currently looking for a company to Master the album. Mastering makes the album, so to make sure the album is able to compete on the market, we need the best studio for our project.

Please everyone keep spreading the word about us and remember us as we try to press on!

Noah

Even Closer!

Sometimes you have to go through the valley of despair to reach the top of that mountainous Happy High!

Shut up it's the best thing I could think of!

Ok soooo!!!!

The last post was old jon boy clamming that it was his fault that the album is not complete. Well......... Now it's mine! Sorry everyone! I just got a new job and it's been a bit crazy around here! But! I will be getting everything ready to send out to get mastered, duplicated, then a crazy go nuts party!

Sincerely

Pino Palladino

Closer

So several of you have asked members of The Vintage Union when "Happy High" will be finished and released. Unfortunately the delay is my (Jon) fault. I had the guitar tracks mostly complete when my computer decided to take a poop on me... For those of you concerned, by that I mean it quit working. So I am now almost completely done with guitar tracks for the second time. I'm excited for this to get done for you all to hear it. We have all put a lot of time and effort into this and your anticipation has already made it worth it! So I promise that we will finish this thing up as soon as possible, and we'll see you at the CD release show (still don't have a date or venue locked down for that but we are working equally as hard to figure that out)...

I Might,
Jon

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

BSULN...

I would to the Happy High!

So It's 4:30 AM and I, Noah has just finished 75% of the bass tracks on the album and I have set a new record for takes! 117 takes on the track Happy. Yes, I was about to smash my bass all over the place and "defecate" into my amp. Well It would help if I didn't decide to change the way I play it at that last second.

Anywhooo! It's looking like a album and a party sometime around May! All we have left is, finish the bass tracks, record the guitars, vocals, add whatever we want, design the album cover, kick the dog, get the album mastered and duplicated x1000 or more!

So hold on and spread the butter word!

"Take it!"

Noah

Bassist Extraordinaire

Would I or did I?

So here we are, two days into recording "Happy High." I would describe where I stand as cautiously optimistic. Optimism is an easy thing to find at this point in the project because I have yet to record anything except scratch tracks, and from what I've heard that has been recorded, it appears that we have found the right track (no pun intended).

The first day we took the time to setup everything and proceeded to take approximately - oh, the rest of the day - figuring out how to approach recording. Of course the way we were doing it to start with was not the way we ended up doing it, but you have to believe that everything happens for a reason.

Nic has all of his drum work done with the exception of any last minute touchup work which would be done after and the remaining tracks are complete. And to this point I would have to say we are off to a good start. The foundation of the album has been laid and without a solid base in that regard we would be forced to start over.

We are all very excited to let you all in on our project. Stay tuned for more information on our release date and especially our CD release show.

Take it,
Jon



Teamwork is valuable to us all in various places in life. Clearly that includes TVU... Example, Nic and Noah (and their infinite playlist) loading for recording.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Guess who?

Hey all!

This here is your favorite bassist from your favorite band! No it’s not Paul McCarty.

So I would like to thank Nic and Jon for inviting me back to play again! It’s been sometime since I’ve been in a band, other than being a stand in. I’m excited about playing some awesome gigs and recording the first TVU album!

I guess I’ll fill you all in on what is going on regarding the album. We are planning….. Yes…. That’s about it. Right now we are deciding where to record, how to record, what to record, and if poo poo is one word or two.

So hold on tight! If you can’t wait, head over to The Vintage Union’s Myspace Music account and listen to our live tracks from the Elbo Room in Chicago IL.

Also, come and see us live on March 19, 2010 at Taffy's in Eaton Ohio! Now I know it's a bit of a drive for you all here in Indy so if you don't want to come but you know someone that is around the Cincinnati area, send them our way!

Cheers!

Noah

This one time in Chicago...

So we went into the windy city for the first time as a band on Sunday. It was an extreme rush for us to realize that we were playing away from the comforts of home. On top of that we were and are rejoicing the return of Noah Adamson to the band. Not only a great bass player, but an awesome guy. I feel like our performance in Chicago was a little better than it seemed while on stage. Reflecting on the whole show makes me think about how far we've come as a band. The music seems to be maturing a little bit and if our show at the Elbo Room was us at now - after only a week with Noah - the places we will go when we are all a little more 'settled in' make me incredibly optimistic... Looking forward to the days ahead for sure.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Stay Awake...

So this is what its like to play the fool
This is what its like to be just like you
This is what its like to have my heart confused
This is how a heart beats when its abused

You listen to a sad song so someone feels the same way
You listen to another one to hear someone tell you it will ok someday
Its funny how you can find hope in your own pain
And now comfort won't allow familiar pain to go away
So you stay awake

So this is the silence of 3 AM
This is what its like when another day won't end
So this is what its like when the rules won't bend
Is this how it ends or it begins?

Your local music scene...

Playing in a band forces a person to evaluate the local "scene". The criteria of evaluation most likely come to be based on specific personal experiences that are created from first hand success or lack there of. Maybe it isn't so negative. Maybe someone has had some success within their "scene" and therefore consider it to be a nuturing environment for an up and coming act. Obviously there has to be a negative side of things. Like the guy that's been playing in one spot for 10 years and never seen anything from it except for the ocassional $50 from the door on a Tuesday night. Maybe within that small fortune lies the reason that covering "Sweet Home Alabama" is the pinnacle of his music career. Of course, perhaps not. Maybe he's just in love with Skynyrd... Or Alabama. I've found myself pondering how people make it work. If you've never played in a band, consider what we are talking about.

Let's start from the beginning. You stumble across the notion of picking up an instrument. For me it was hearing Clapton: Unplugged. For some it's the lustful way that an adolesent mind tends to work combined with the realization that nothing about your personality makes life worth it - but that's the same guy that's playing "Sweet Home Alabama" for ten years in a bar with the same sleezy motivations for learning his craft that he had when he was 14. That guy isn't of whom I intend to discuss. I'm referring to the guy that is moved inside by the music so much that it's almost innate to track down the elusive methods to create this spiritual energy himself - and master them. Then share that skill with anyone that is willing to listen. Not out of obligation. Not to impress anyone. Not to get credit for doing what he does. Only to have someone listen to what he has to say by listening to him say it the only way he knows how to say it; by playing music.

That passion found in music leads to picking up an instrument, which is followed by some unlimited amount of time trying to figure out how to get started. Maybe through a friend, maybe through formal lessons, it doesn't really matter, the point is (as you may know if you've ever tried to learn an instrument) this is the hardest step to get by. A lot of people stop here. They don't find what they were looking for out of their time spent with their new craft, or perhaps life just gets in the way as it tends to do. Either way, it is difficult to get beyond the early failure of not picking up a guitar and already being Hendrix, or sitting behind the drums and not already being Carter Beauford. But that is when the notion of passion either turns into full on passion or is merely remembered as a silly idea years later.

Now you know the basics of your instrument. You get an understanding of the basic theories and all the things that people like to clutter message boards with online in order to make sure someone that reads it is intimidated by their knowledge. You can hold your own with friends. You are confident when someone at a party asks you to pick up your instrument and play something. Now you are beginning to explore the world of making things up on your own. Or what some people like to call "writing".

When I began to write I was not really "writing". What I was really doing was "rewriting". My early songs were lesser versions of the songs my musical heroes played... Much lesser. Hopefully the songs have evolved as much I feel like they have - if they haven't, someone please let me know. Eventually though writing becomes more familiar and like a lot of things, through trial and error you begin to sort of teach yourself how to go about it.

So now you can play your beloved instrument and you can write some stuff. Music seems to be a viable option for a career. Maybe not full time right away, and mayhe not without some time put in, but you could see yourself happy sharing your music with people and being happy. At this point it begins to become obvious you can't have much success without some arrangement of other instruments, also known as a band. So you embark on your quest for a flawless assembly of equally talented and similar tasted musicians. Seems easy enough, right? How could anyone not be into what you're doing? It seems so great. Here is where the fantasy "That Thing You Do" movie ends and reality begins. No one likes what you are doing. You play the blues, they love metal. You play metal, they love country. The quest suddenly seems to have taken a turn for the worst. How can this epic assembly take place under these circumstances?

Enter last resort. Enter the idea of forgetting looking through people you know. Enter craigslist ads, endless emails, and comparing schedules. Enter countless introductions and akward jams. Hello blood pressure. Goodbye hope. Now I was fortunate enough to find a couple of guys to play with that seem to be on the same page as me - or pretty close. But in the world of local music - honestly - that is a success story.

So let's say you've found your line up. Now you are required to spend the time between work, school, girlfriend, eating, sleeping, etc. practicing your music. Keep in my mind you're new to this so your repitoire is relatively tiny. Thus your practicing is a matter of creating a goal to nail your ten songs consistently. Not everytime, remember you have a job, school, a girlfriend and all that to take care of too. To be that great you'd have to be, well, a full time musician. Am I suggesting that talent doesn't come into play? No, not it all.

See let's pretend you've roughly mastered those ten songs. What's the next step? Well it's time to try and share it with people. So go book a show. If you've ever tried to do this, you realize that in the beginning, this is no easy task. A venue wants a band to come play in order to draw a crowd. Obviously that crowd will spend some money. The venue doesn't really care much about the success of your band. Not to say they don't care at all, but let's just say you are working for the venue the night you book. Not only are you working for the venue on the night of your show, but also all the time leading up to the show. You need to practice as much as possible, yes, but you also need to promote the show you are going to play. Remeber the venue doesn't care much for your success, and they aren't going to do much to get people in the door. The success of your show as well as your reputation with the venue rely heavily on your skills as a business person and in marketing. Isn't this one of the reasons why you wanted to play music to start with? To avoid these types of professions. Either way you're in this now. You're obligated. At this point you really owe it to yourself to see what happens, don't you? And so you promote. You tell servers at restaurants, you tell strangers in line at Walmart, facebook events, myspace bullitens, anything you can think of. No one really seems that interested, but you share the information anyway. You might seem a little worried at first that no one will come, but you have your friends and family, right?

Well, here you are. At the venue the night of a show. You look around the room and see about ten people in the room total. You play your set as if there are 20,000 in the room and it feels amazing. Another act or two go on after you and as the venue closes later the bartender hands you $15. There was a $5 cover and you saw 10 people, so that's $50 right? Not after you take out $20 for the guy running sound and split the remainder with another act.

Such is the life of a local musician.

Don't take that as me complaining. I love what I do. I really honestly do. I love all the negative things, the annoying things, the awesome things, the people, it's all amazing.

Here's the point after all of that rambling. Where ever you are. Who ever you are. Whatever you are into. YOU ARE THE SCENE. Without you the scene does not exist at all. Do whatever you can to support your local music scene and the original music within it. Find a few bands that you like and support them as much as you can. I guarantee if you explore a little you can find exactly what you are looking for in your own backyard. Whether you listen to metal, blues, jazz, rock, pop, indie, christian, hip hop, it doesn't matter, it's right there. If you don't like The Vintage Union that's fine (obviously I hope you do), but if you don't please do the scene a favor and support others. It needs you as much as you should need it.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

The waiting game...

As we wait to take the stage at The Vollrath...




- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone