Playlist
Up probably too early but, you know, new music Friday and all that...
Also, 25 years since THAT unforgettable, horrendous day, which, let's face it, has fucked everything up for the last quarter of a century and will continue to do so...
Some work was done...
Mr Spark put out a new thing...
I did a few judicious edits to have a version without the Scottish rapping...
And then, the day slipped away, as I'm in a band going through an existential crisis...
This on the band group chat from JB...
7:49
Morning all. My thoughts for today. We need to concentrate on the Dylan stuff. There's a lot of work needed there to get the songs tight and listenable.
This whole thing is about us getting better and not just bashing on. It'll take time.
Also it's a massive mistake to add 8 or 10 original CM songs to covers to the set. Nobody wants to hear new stuff at this kind of gig. 2 or 3 songs and no more. Less is more and it's also more pressure on us and more to practice than we all need right now.
Anyway have a great weekend 😉
To which this...
8:00
To be fair JB, no-one "wants" to hear anything from us LOL.
Maybe there's a misunderstanding.
My idea isn't to do a "Dylan" gig for people who want to hear Dylan like Dylan. It's for people who are interested in Dylan but not sacrosanct about how his songs should sound compared to the originals.
I want to do a Dylan gig (and the single artist/theme gigs) playing the songs as Capital Models, which is why the Capital Models material is in there.
I do agree 100% we need to get better though!
And...
8:06
Also, as set out in the calendar, we'd only have 3 rehearsals for each gig...
No one has actually said anything about the proposed timetable for rehearsals and gigs I've suggested (and it is just a suggestion) but I'm getting the feeling from what you and Keith have actually said about taking ages to learn and hone the songs (despite factoring in 90 minutes of honing time for each session) that it probably is just too much.|
While it's disappointing that this is the position, I just have to accept that you guys are not willing to work at the speed I'd rather work at...
I'm sure it'll all work out in the end...
We can just do fewer gigs and take 16 weeks instead of 8 between them perhaps?
Still looking forward to Monday cos there's nothing like actually playing!
Then, I looked for photos of murder scenes to mock up a poster for the proposed gigs...
8:31
8:32
...or something like that... maybe... or not...
More from JB...
8:34
Agreed. We need to play together and that's how arrangements and tightening up happen.
Personal practice gives familiarity but it's not the same as full band interaction.
So we need to focus on core material. I'm not in a hurry to play gigs for the sake of it.
We should be good first.
Nice poster - but I feel the Bowie and Roxy stuff needs keyboards to do it justice.
...which opened up a fresh can of worms...
8:42
Re Bowie/Roxy/Keys there is a solution - there's a £200 machine that can be used to add stuff into our overall sound (as long as Johnny W works to a click track) extra other stuff like backing vocals can be added too to give more texture but, again, it's the old hang up of "we need to sound like the originals".
The whole of my GLAM! series sounds like the originals as I basically use prerecorded backing tracks which, in the main, sound like the originals. People do seem to like them and I enjoy them but it's a wee bit pointless.
To give things a point, we need to do the songs in our own way and that might mean doing Bowie or Roxy without keys or, indeed, for anything at all, doing completely different versions which are merely built upon the DNA of the originals but sound like we wrote them - or something like that...
Which I realise takes time...
Another option I put forward a while ago now was - just don't do any gigs. Instead, concentrate on recording really good versions of our repertoire - or something like that....
I don't know...
8:52
If we're spending money on anything it should be amp Sims for you and Keith. I'm not keen on backing tracks just stating the obvious that keys would help us tackle more complex tunes.
I do like the idea of working towards recording. In a proper studio and spending money on that. 👍
So many bands that really are not that great, waste money on "going into the studio to make it sound real". It never sounds that much better...
9:16
Not sure if I'd be up to spend £2-£300 on a pedal to make me sound like I'm playing through an amp, versus a pedal that allows the overall sound of the band to be enhanced by keyboards and backing vocals without having a keyboard player or backing vocalists...
Also, I'm not keen on spending money on recording in a "proper studio" to be honest.
Been there, done that...
A break for breakfast...
Also touched on matters with keyboardist Paul, out of action now for around 18 months re the band. He was fine with the keyboard chat and advised he wouldn't be miffed if we got a new person in to cover them, if that's the way we decided to go...
Then, JB again...
9:51
I understand that but there's an argument (well my point of view) that better gear and external input is perhaps what we need right now.
We're in mission creep mode, heading one way then always changing lanes.
I accidentally overlooked the "external input" part - which presumably alluded to the owner of a studio advising us on what'd be best to do...
But I took me some considerable time to formulate my reply, thus...
11:31
OK here we go...
TL:DR we're somehow no longer able to work the way we used to and I can't understand why
“Sounding a Bit Like the Songs”
I may be wrong but, for me, I'm pretty sure that, in a band situation like ours, as long as the songs sound a bit like the songs, no-one in the audience notices nth degree minutiae which might be introduced by more pedals (although I think they might appreciate it if our textures were enhanced by a machine providing keys and BVs).
Obviously, if we were recording the instruments separately, with post playing re-mixing capabilities – which we can indeed have, if we want to go down that route then, yes those nth degree minutiae wouldn't be an issue and would actually be welcome, as it would make the sound of the band, on “record”, that much more interesting.
But, it's likely we are rehearsing for a live gig and playing a live gig, in a room, with an audience who just want to hear songs that sound a bit like the songs.
So, my POV is that, at the end of the day, in a gig situation, those very slight differences to the sound of a guitar or a bass are less important than having a good, clean, controllable sound, where all the instruments are heard in balance and the overall sound can be tweaked on the fly if needs be.
Having said that, I do, of course, understand that my “not wanting to sound shit” from a “the sound of the band” POV can be complimented by an alternative view of “not wanting to sound shit” from a “what people in the band are actually playing” POV. I get it.
But, my view is, is it worth it? For an audience which, at the end of the day, doesn't care as long as the songs sound a bit like the songs?
Bottom line is...
Well, I just don't know - and this is taking up an enormous amount of my time just to try and get my ideas over to you all.
Which brings me to the mission creep...
Mission Creep
The gradual or incremental expansion of an intervention, project or mission, beyond its original scope, focus or goals, a ratchet effect spawned by initial success.
Mission creep is usually considered undesirable due to how each success breeds more ambitious interventions until a final failure happens, stopping the intervention entirely.
I had to look that up...
I have tried to introduce a set goal of specific rehearsals and gigs - and I did that based on how we used to be able to work - which was
(a) swiftly learning songs,
(b) adding them to the set and
(c) playing them
Sadly, though, it seems that, ever since the Dylan suggestion, we've gone down a rabbit hole of navel gazing LOL
Fucking Bob Dylan!
So, somehow, we now no longer seem able to work the way we used to?
And so, I must admit that my miscalculation has led me to
(a) completely overestimate the speed at which people were willing to work (while I want to bash on with it all LOL), and to, simultaneously
(b) completely underestimate what might be an acceptable level of playing (while I'm very much in the “ok that'll do given the likely audience scenario” camp)
I'm finding it difficult to understand.
From past experience, while people like to come along and hear songs that sound a bit like the songs, no-one really cares about paying that much attention to the nth degree minutiae of what we're actually doing to create the sound they're hearing?
So, for me, the question has to be why would we spend so much of the, relatively, very, very small amount of time we actually have to play together on those nth degree minutiae instead of just playing the songs?
At the end of the day, I realise I'm in a slight minority on this and will probably have to accept the majority view
But it will make for a deeply unsatisfying experience from my POV, spending so much time on songs will drag things out for months on end (given we can only play once a fortnight, if that), without the capability of doing what would be perfectly acceptable gigs (as we have done in the past with our previous modus operandi) for an audience where the songs just sound a bit like the songs...
Sorry to have taken so long to say that LOL
Then...
11:35
Having said all that, it'll probably turn out fine in the end...
And, there we had to leave it for now, because...
11:48
Most likely 😉. Sorry but I'm off to Aberdeen now so there will be some very pleasant radio silence from me.
11:49
Me too - I’ve had it LOL Enjoy the granite city xx
Lunchtime and a "Scandal"...
Then, around 1pm, this from Keith, which was good to get, as Keith, generally, doesn't do long posts...
12:59
I’m not interested in being in a band just to record stuff. I want to play stuff. If that is just working on stuff with mates as a social interest most of the time then fair enough.
I would prefer to do some gigs of course, but not with backing tracks etc. Why not merely have a singer complete with just backing tracks, or a Karaoke??
I do like Dave’s concept for the structure of up and coming gigs, but maybe the Dylan theme wasn’t the best to start with. It was only suggested because I joked about buying my first Dylan album.
Yes, the 3 rehearsal per gig schedule is probably too tight for this concept. Most bands play most of the same stuff most of the time, gradually introducing new covers as they go. It’s deffo unrealistic for us to have mostly new material for gigs every 3 rehearsals.
Options?
1. Don’t have a new theme every gig.
2. Do less frequent gigs.
3. Have a shorter themed set.
4. A combination of 2 and 3.
I do think all the 3 sets should be about the same length, therefore 2 longer sets of material that is repeated each gig, and 1 shorter themed set of new material, with less new stuff to learn for each gig.
Maybe tri-monthly gigs would be more realistic, with 5 rehearsals per gig? I don’t mind doing some recording, but playing is my priority.
I agree that I could do with getting up to speed with my sounds. I’ve just borrowed Ian’s pedal board today.
In general, fewer bands have keyboard players than those that do, and just do their best with what they have. We have mostly been a 5 piece with keys so there is no reason why we couldn’t do that again.
I don’t think I am doing things much differently than I ever have with the CMs.
I did find the prep for the last gig a bit of a labour with so much material to work on. Maybe age is becoming a factor although I should have more time now??
So as said, I would prefer to be doing less Dylan for the proposed gig and would prefer to have a list of exactly which numbers we would work on this Monday, as I would prefer not to have to prep for all of it.
I quickly put together a few Dylan songs re his final request
13:09
OK then, Dylan stuff for Monday
Desolation Row (2nd Session "Quiet" Version)
If Not For You
Knockin' on Heaven's Door (version as per last session)
Mr Tambourine Man (short i.e. Byrds version)
All Along the Watchtower (per last session)
Like a Rolling Stone (try to nail this)
Hurricane (ditto)
and
The Times They Are a Changin' (which we've not played "recently" but JW was keen to do - search the Bryan Ferry version for pointers - plus ours on "Repertoire")
And, if we get the chance, a rockin' version of
Desolation Row (per our 1st recent Dylan Session)
And, as ever, do bring all your sheets just in case...
Then, once again took some considerable time to formulate a response to his points...
15:01
Have spent some more time addressing each of your points in turn, Keith
TL:DR - I agree the majority of them
I think we all want to play - I think making recordings will remain being just recording what we play - if I can sort errors in post production to make them sound better/useable re "Repertoire" on Bandcamp that'll be good too of course...
Re the machine I mentioned - I wasn't talking about "full on" backing tracks - your take re karaoke is one which comes up a lot in comments re the machine in question - but only because most people don't understand what the machine is for, as they've not looked at it.
Re Dylan being chosen as the 1st themed thing, to be fair, we should probably have gone forward with one of the others, for which we already had a strong set of songs we already knew, so, yes agreed.
As regards learning new songs, if we're learning, say, 10 themed songs from scratch, in the way you guys want to do them (as opposed to what I thought was a pretty successful 1st Dylan session, where we had a decent go at the whole of "Highway 61 Revisited" - indeed, I came away from that thinking it just needed a few tweaks here and there and we were ready to go LOL) then, yes, I probably agree 3 rehearsals is unrealistic/not enough
Options?
1. Don’t have a new theme every gig? - yes but the theme is the "draw" - even if we're not playing the songs exactly as the originals - and, playing them like Capital Models, as opposed to like the originals, is also the point!
2. Do less frequent gigs? - looks like this is what will be the outcome as it's all too tight a schedule for you guys
3. Have a shorter themed set? - I would like to do at least the equivalent of a 35 min LP for each gig's "theme"
4. A combination of 2 and 3? - I think 2 is probably a given - as I said, I overestimated what we might do. As for 3, it's reasonable too to cut it down from an hour to 35 mins - although we would have 5 (or 6) rehearsals to get up to speed
As for the setlists - good that you want to keep it as a 3 set thing - so, say, 3x 30-35 min sets? CMs/Theme/Encore? Sounds though like JB's against the CMs stuff - but, as I said, the reason for doing the CMs is to
(a) actually be the CMs and
(b) set the scene for how familiar song titles might turn out once we get our hands on them e.g. the rather rocky versions of many of the Highway 61 songs we did in our first Dylan session
I think I agree the 3 monthly rather than, ok perhaps over-ambitious, 2 monthly gig thing and will work on a new calendar.
It'll take us down to just 4 gigs a year, which might be more in line with how you guys want to approach new material
BUT there's nothing to stop us doing other (un-themed) gigs too if they arise - including the previously suggested open mics (I'm assuming those would merely be three songs or so?) - and we would have even more material under our belts to chose from?
Re Keys - Paul is fine with us getting a new Keyboardist if we do end up going down that route but we'll cross that bridge as they say
I'd disagree your assertion that you're doing what you've always done re CMS - I think you are doing things differently than before - I think you're now more concerned than you were before with getting into the "nitty gritty" at rehearsals instead of at home, rather than just bashing through the songs at rehearsals?
Prep for the Stewart Brewing gig was indeed long and laborious, not only because Martin had to learn all our songs (and did a sterling job on that) but also because we introduced seven new songs (which JB has yet to play) and we chose to spend so much time on the nitty gritty.
Although it may have kind of paid off from a playing point of view, from an audience reaction POV we might as well not have bothered - no-one would've noticed if we'd rehearsed less and just bashed on through at those rehearsals, using that method to familiarise ourselves with the songs, rather than picking things apart and making it harder for ourselves for zero reward
As for the age thing - well, we're all getting older and time is short - one of the reasons I'm loathe to spend ages on stuff instead of playing stuff - and you did say you were more into playing stuff!
Finally, as regards the Dylan songs - there's a wee list above for Monday - we'll see how that goes but bring all your sheets just in case!
As I said, rally appreciated your input there - it's brought quite a few things into focus!
Cheers!
This was read by all - but, as is usually the case, there was zero comeback...
Then, took some considerable time redo-ing the calendar - going for the suggested tri-monthly gigs which actually means not 5 rehearsals between gigs but 7 or 8, with 9 pre the first gig...
16:48
Capital Models Rehearsal/Gig Diary Sept 2026-December 2027
(Updated 11/9/26)
Changes made: 1st gig postponed from November to January. Only 4 gigs now to be played (Jan, Apr, Aug, Nov) instead of the previously penciled in 8.
There are 7, 8 or 9 Rehearsals scheduled pre each gig
To put this into perspective, we had 7 rehearsals with Martin pre the Stewart Brewing gig, which was a 48 song set. These gigs will most likely be 30 songs or fewer.
As agreed, all rehearsals are set for Tuesdays, 10:30 - 2:30, except the first three (dates already agreed) and the first in October (previously moved, as I'll be in Dublin on the Tuesday)
All and any are moveable to the closest Fri, Sat, Sun or Mon if anything more important comes up for any of us.
Those rehearsals marked* (i.e. the 1st post each gig) may be cancelled if we've played the gig. If no gig played, the rehearsal stands
Those changes will mean that, all in all, over the next 16 months, we'll have the agreed (2 a month) 32 sessions, including those that will either be a gig or a rehearsal...
I summarised...
Dates for the Diary 2026/27
9 Rehearsals: Sep Mon 14, Sun 27, Oct Mon 12, 27, Nov 10, Nov 24, Dec 8, 22, Jan 5
Gig: Sun Jan 10
7 (or 6) Rehearsals: Jan 19*, Feb 2, 16, Mar 2, 16, 30, Apr 13
Gig: Sun April 18
8 (or 7) Rehearsals: April 27*, May 11, 25, Jun 8, 22, Jul 6, 20, Aug 3
Gig: Sun Aug 8
8 (or 7) Rehearsals: Aug 17*, 31, Sep 14, 28, Sun Oct 10, 26, Nov 9, 23
Gig: Sun Nov 28
2 (or 1) Rehearsals: Dec 7*, 21
...and then, into 2028...
Further gigs outwith this series may well arise as and when - if so, they will be fitted in around the dates above.
And then, unsurprisingly, nothing, as the others obviously have better things to do with their time than to spend almost an entire Friday thinking about the band LOL...
I think today's discussions can be summed up thus...
JB: Likes my ideas but wants us to take time to be the best we can be and to work hard on "the little things" to make us so. He's not sure about playing material no-one knows (i.e. the original Models canon)...
Keith: Likes my ideas and wants to play but, again, wants us to take our time and get better. He's perhaps less ambitious about the material we might play, gig-wise. He is, though, keen to play the old CMs stuff...
JW: Is happy to play whatever the rest of us decide we should play - as he just wants to play with the band "Happy with what you decide and what you think will work" and he's into us interpreting songs in our own way, which is good - "As my influences are from the prog/80’s genres I was never that inspired by the artists that CMs were choosing but, once we did our take on them I got into them. So bring it on. If I feel it’s really not working, hasn’t got the dynamic or I hate a specific song I’ll speak up"
Paul: Is confirmed as being out for good but continues to watch from the sidelines, as he's still in the chat. He's fine if we ever get a new keyboard player - "I see the cracks appearing. Fucking Bob Dylan indeed. Happy to stay in the chat and won't be miffed if replaced"...
DR: I, as ever, have huge stupid ideas but am loathe to put in too much work towards achieving them "hey, let's do a gig where we do a set of songs no-one will probably ever have heard, ten new songs after only three rehearsals to master them, and some rockers from our old sets we still like to play to finish up" but which I want to work on on a "bish, bash, bosh" basis and get out there and play to people - people who I know won't appreciate the work we do and therefore, we should do stuff to a certain level and say "that'll do"...
You can see the conundrums...
But I'm sure it'll all work out in the end...
Later, a discussion re tea with Anne - a Chinese Takeaway was eschewed, on "health grounds", and replaced by me getting some bread from Lidl and beans on toast based concoctions being concocted...
Also today, I determined the 60 LPs I have of the 100 which have made the final of the poll to find the best ever debut LP...
Those with dots are the only ones I'd consider for my Top 5...
Those with two dots are my Top 5...
Final positions remain undecided but here they are, chronologically by release date...
The Velvets, Crimso, Roxy, Joy Division and The Blue Nile - what a quintet...
On telly this evening, three of "Murder in a Small Town" and another two of "Colin From Accounts" - just two left until it's all over forever, there will be no further Seasons apparently - before I left Anne to it with "Masterchef" and "Corrie" and headed upstairs to listen to some of the new things that came in this morning...
And that's how your day can slip away if you're in a band going through an existential crisis...
Plus, beans...
Highlight of the Day: Discussing the band...
Today's New Music:
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