@17: I guess I haven't heard of the Cold War Kids because I'm 41 and have actual kids, and a wife, and a job, and a house, etc., and don't follow much music other than my own little scene in my little midwestern city. Just going along and having a nice, non-famous life with music as part of it. Playing music is important and I wish this Ben dude here luck.
One thing though: a Mennonite farmer's market actually sounds like a pretty cool deal to play. If you can find a way to connect the music thing with the whole local food, farm-core type of scene, you might be onto something!
@94 That's exactly what I thought. Then again I left Santa Cruz to move to London to 'make it big' in publishing. Had good times, but man that city drains your wallet instantly then spits on you for being poor.
Love it here, but miss that Pleasure Point Pizza. Also, Pearl Jam playing to 800 at the Catalyst Club in 93 was one of the best nights of my life.
Thanks for sharing. I laughed out loud several times. Sure did bring out a lot of comments - and a lot of bitch haters - who probably made the same mistakes but obviously haven't come to terms with it...
First off, the reason your band didn't make it was because your music is awful:
http://www.myspace.com/caravelband
Second -- did this kid win a "publish my story in the Stranger" auction item? This is not up to the quality of writing I expect from a Stranger feature.
Second -- did this kid win a "publish my story in the Stranger" auction item? This is not up to the quality of writing I expect from a Stranger feature.
Hahaha. You ain't seen nothin' kid. I was in a loser, bottom feeder band in '91-93, the height of the "grunge explosion", back when you were just graduating to big boy pants. Every awful combo West of the Mississippi and beyond moved to Seattle to "make it." And guess what? Like us, most all of 'em sucked. We played every, shitty, dead-end gig in town. You haven't stared into the eye of existential despair until you've played a Monday night gig at the old "Mad Dog's" in Lake City. A Tuesday night at the Colorbox offered little more solace. My favorite was a T-shirt hawked by that same club which read:
@18: MORE FLAVERSHAM!!!
@AllTheRestOfYou: Just reading your comments makes me feel sad for you. Your smug self-satisfaction about your pitiful crucifixion of this unarmed author is thoroughly Pyrrhic; it reveals only this: you are small people.
@18: MORE FLAVERSHAM!!!
@AllTheRestOfYou: Just reading your comments makes me feel sad for you. Your smug self-satisfaction about your pitiful crucifixion of this unarmed author is thoroughly Pyrrhic; it reveals only this: you are small people.
@18: MORE FLAVERSHAM!!!
@AllTheRestOfYou: Just reading your comments makes me feel sad for you. Your smug self-satisfaction about your pitiful crucifixion of this unarmed author is thoroughly Pyrrhic; it reveals only this: you are small people.
CMON people, this piece is funny. Self-deprecating, whiny, so what? It takes guts to paint yourself like a loser. Personally, I think any struggling musician can identify with his overarching sentiments and observations - it's a cold world out there, and it's tough finding your sweet spot...
Go back to California. We don't want you here. Same goes for you east coasters and midwesterners. Just go back to where the weather and food and drivers and scene and yes, even you, are so much better. We're tired of hearing you whine when you can't make it and don't fit in.
All I got out of this was that you wore long johns in Seattle.
It is never cold enough, long enough to wear long johns in Seattle, unless it's a brief cold snap and your job involves you being outside all night long.
thank you for your article. i liked it. the one thing i learned from the comments: how negative and cynical people are. why are so many of you angry at the world?
I am so far removed from the local music scene as to be positively Lawrence Welkian (or, as I prefer, Lennon Sisterian) but I just have to ask: As a genuine Cold War kid (I'm 45, and the "Iron Curtain" fell in 1989, when I was 24) how could anyone under the age of (charitably) 30 be considered a "Cold War Kid"?
Or are people at my advanced age still making music that is relevant to the youth?
Jesus what a bunch of Seattleite hipster fuckheads! This isn't an 'I anonymous', it's a reflection piece from a guy who's actually a halfway decent writer talking about what it was once like to be naive! He's not complaining! He's writing AGAINST people with a sense of entitlement! Did you not read the fucking article?
Hey, Ben Bishop, thanks for the article. From one musician to another. None of these wannabe cocksuckers have any idea what it's like to do something creative for a living. And thy especially have no idea what it's like to have to learn from it.
Ben, just know that IT NEVER ENDS. As an old (over 25) and relatively successful band member (gold albums)your story is The Story. I too have played Tuesday nights at an empty bar, gamely improvising on "Feelin' Alright?" by Traffic to get to 11:45 p.m so we can take a break from playing to the bartender. And playing in a field to people cleaning up the day after a free festival. It's Darwin, baby. No one dreams of flipping burgers at McDonalds.
Marty Jourard
people are probably being such dicks because about 90% of seattlites consider themselves "failed musicians" but aren't smart enough to get paid for writing about it. and anyway, as long as you keep playing you haven't failed. technically you're still fail*ing*. i think it's an interesting story a) because so many can relate to it (myself included. drove three hours to play the ocean shores elk club in a giant empty room with a big, high stage adjacent to a tiny, packed barroom full of alcoholics) b) the guy's at least repentant. even god can forgive sinners... and it invented herpes! we can do better. i.e. take it easy ya d-bags.
The Good News is that if you didn't make it here you were Destined to make it Nationally. That explains the derogatory comments too! The Bad News is that you and your potential Band are Unknowns...i.e. difficult and embarrasing to come out Cold to a National Audience. Also that the band up and left could mean that it's you, yourself and you that will make it and double or triple the aforesaid insecurity! I have heard of this type of Breakup where the Band that ditched out became the Successful Half, but not about to hold my breath on that one. People who make it Big tend to be Loners, I've noticed. If you try "coming out" in that context and actually Repel the Invaders, I Guarantee YOU WILL MAKE IT!!! (Good Name for a Grunge Band under Obamabama !!!)
I hope you read this even though it's unregistered. I enjoyed your story, and as a freelancer myself (though not a musician) I could relate. I feel for you. I guess the other folks putting you down just enjoy being mean. It can be hard to continue, and I hope to get out of the freelance racket once my current obligations are fulfilled. Good luck.
But why would you leave Santa Cruz to try and make it in Seattle? Santa Cruz is known for its music scene; Seattle is known for its music scene circa 1993. If you were going to leave Santa Cruz to "make it", wouldn't you go to an actual *big* city like L.A., New York, or Berlin?
@117: if you think the weather's better in the midwest, you obviously have a) never been there and b) never looked at a national weather map: http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphic…
The fucking top of a fucking sports arena collapsed because of all the snow in Minneapolis, Chicago is windy and cold, and the whole damn midwest is unbearably hot and muggy during the summer.
My advice: switch to accordion or banjo (you don't even need to learn how to play them!) and more to New York, Minneapolis, or Portland. You'll be a star.
Whoa. Listened to Caravel and thought a few things:
1. Piano Lessons.
2. Find your voice. Take a moment and figure your voice out. This sounds typical and predictable.
3. Hollow sounds and mechanical intonation.
Did you play for professional people? If so, did you get notes from them? Maybe whatcha need is good feedback and coaching vs. quitting.
The hostility directed against this article confuses me - I'm guessing it comes from other failed 'artists' who found it hitting too close to home. I thought it was funny and well-written. Quite a relief after reading shit by Charles whatshisname.
I have to agree with @106, the writing was more like a fairly good high-school newspaper featurette than something I'd expect from the Stranger. If dude isn't willing to tough it out and become a better composer, then he'd damned-sure better be willing to tough it out and become a better writer! And THAT takes quite awhile!
Seriously, am I the only person on this thread that understands you are just painting a picture of what you experienced? Granted, I guess I am not the typical troll with nothing more to do than try to make myself feel better about my pathetic life by trying to use my half-baked wit criticizing someone else. It really doesn't take that much intelligence.
For me, I loved the article. I though you told the truth and and I found the journey interesting. Maybe because I like the idea of experiencing life a little by actually getting off the couch and doing something.
One thing though: a Mennonite farmer's market actually sounds like a pretty cool deal to play. If you can find a way to connect the music thing with the whole local food, farm-core type of scene, you might be onto something!
Love it here, but miss that Pleasure Point Pizza. Also, Pearl Jam playing to 800 at the Catalyst Club in 93 was one of the best nights of my life.
http://www.myspace.com/caravelband
Second -- did this kid win a "publish my story in the Stranger" auction item? This is not up to the quality of writing I expect from a Stranger feature.
http://www.myspace.com/caravelband
Second -- did this kid win a "publish my story in the Stranger" auction item? This is not up to the quality of writing I expect from a Stranger feature.
YOUR HAIR'S TOO LONG
AND SO IS YOUR SET
@AllTheRestOfYou: Just reading your comments makes me feel sad for you. Your smug self-satisfaction about your pitiful crucifixion of this unarmed author is thoroughly Pyrrhic; it reveals only this: you are small people.
@AllTheRestOfYou: Just reading your comments makes me feel sad for you. Your smug self-satisfaction about your pitiful crucifixion of this unarmed author is thoroughly Pyrrhic; it reveals only this: you are small people.
@AllTheRestOfYou: Just reading your comments makes me feel sad for you. Your smug self-satisfaction about your pitiful crucifixion of this unarmed author is thoroughly Pyrrhic; it reveals only this: you are small people.
Also you're a quitter and a bitch.
It is never cold enough, long enough to wear long johns in Seattle, unless it's a brief cold snap and your job involves you being outside all night long.
just figured I couldn't let any argument on here go without a rebuttal
Or are people at my advanced age still making music that is relevant to the youth?
Hey, Ben Bishop, thanks for the article. From one musician to another. None of these wannabe cocksuckers have any idea what it's like to do something creative for a living. And thy especially have no idea what it's like to have to learn from it.
Marty Jourard
But why would you leave Santa Cruz to try and make it in Seattle? Santa Cruz is known for its music scene; Seattle is known for its music scene circa 1993. If you were going to leave Santa Cruz to "make it", wouldn't you go to an actual *big* city like L.A., New York, or Berlin?
@117: if you think the weather's better in the midwest, you obviously have a) never been there and b) never looked at a national weather map: http://www.weather.gov/forecasts/graphic…
The fucking top of a fucking sports arena collapsed because of all the snow in Minneapolis, Chicago is windy and cold, and the whole damn midwest is unbearably hot and muggy during the summer.
My advice: switch to accordion or banjo (you don't even need to learn how to play them!) and more to New York, Minneapolis, or Portland. You'll be a star.
i think it's easier to pick things apart and whine and complain and be negative, then actually try and get something from it.
1. Piano Lessons.
2. Find your voice. Take a moment and figure your voice out. This sounds typical and predictable.
3. Hollow sounds and mechanical intonation.
Did you play for professional people? If so, did you get notes from them? Maybe whatcha need is good feedback and coaching vs. quitting.
sounds like you loved the idea of being famous. If you were in it for the sake of making music, you'd still be doing it.
For me, I loved the article. I though you told the truth and and I found the journey interesting. Maybe because I like the idea of experiencing life a little by actually getting off the couch and doing something.