skull snaps live
dust_chopper
39 Posts
first time in 30 years... got this forwarded email:
bro - slightly underwhelming i have to report. they didn't soundcheck so the first few songs were muddy as hell and you could hardly hear the drums. sound got better and there were a few good moments including 'i'm your pimp'. lovely soul vocals. somehow tho, despite it being on their setlist, they didn't play 'it's a new day'. i honestly think they just spaced it. nydia was perplexed as were small change, robbie, and shakey. i think steinski put it best when he said "i think there'll be a lot of people disappointed by them skipping that one". weird as i heard them play it twice during rehearsal.dooley-o was ok but went on a bit long.so man you really didn't miss much.
Comments
I mean, yeah, it was sorta heresy to not play that song for your 1st show in 30 years. But they've been playing around for a while, so they had a little of the 'oldies' disease, doing some fairly obvious Wilson Pickett covers, etc. But the band was tight, which included the core members of the Pazant Brothers. The drummer was bad, as in b-a-d. Very tight. Definitely historical. The Sly cover towards the end, 'Mice-elf', they flipped the structure of the song. It was like hearing some fucked up funky cover version you find on a 45, but live.
I think they meant to do another set and then a few of the folks were beat. So that's probably why they didn't get to it.
Sascha aka Sport Casual was playing some nice shit afterwards, Funk Inc., etc.
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Also, this is the first time all of these players got together to do a show like this. It was a review; it was an experimental venture to see from the perspective of the Skull Snaps and the people at the show if they could "get the band back together." I think they did a great job at doing this. And I think these guys want to do it again, continue working hard, practicing and gigging together, etc. etc.
The band is going to be making an official statement in regards to the "It's A New Day" issue in the coming days.
I think this is a new beginning for this band and it was great to see who actually showed up for the show. The band was very touched in regards to the people who came out to the show; they were surrounded by their friends, family, and a community that really cares about their music.
You missed the real shit in the warmup... lots of Snaps and Pazant Bros-related 45s that made the band bug out.
this is all heresay though...
Stuart is the man by the way. Couldn't have pulled the show off without him in all ways.
Sport Casual was master selector that night and hit it right! I hope he can be convinced to be the Skull Snaps review DJ in the future too!
Yeah, it seemed like they really got shafted, sound-wise. They were stuck in that awkward corner stage with the drummer wayyy in the back. St*v*, you said it dude, if ever there was a time to mix the drums too loud, this was it - but it sounded like they weren't even miked. The vocal mics kept feeding back, and I think the keys cut out at one point. I was about to bumrush the sound board.
They all were excellent players, no doubt, but it seemed like they were a bit unrehearsed- but it was probably the shitty sound that was throwing them.
As I said in another thread, the scheduling at the Knit is no joke. When soundman wants to go, the show is over, ask the Dap-Kings. The drums were not mic'd correctly so on that odd stage the only place they were loud was when standing in the green room.
That said, the band's set needs tightening. Apart from the fact that many of them have gigs playing soul classics to tourists at uptown jazz clubs, this show was exactly as billed - first gig in over 30 years. Cut some legends some slack plaese.
All the same, thanks to everyone who supported. The vibe was great... none of the usual NYC bullshit, and hopefully a sign of more to come, all things permitting. The folks involved will continue to take risks and bring the real live heat.
but in a way it's kind of cool that skull snaps didn't play their "hit"...i mean, i saw ? and the Mysterians play once in the 90s and they did "96 tears" twice! and besides...we've heard that song sampled to death...do we really need to hear the break live to see the backpackers nod along? probably.
yeah I dunno, when you see a band you never ever think you'll see, well, its time to bust out the hits. Especially after 30 years. When the stooges reformed with the OG members, do you think they're not going to do 'I wanna be your dog'?! They GOTTA. ITS THE FUCKING LAW. PLAY THE DAMN HIT ALREADY!
That aside, I agree with the sound comments. It didn't sound good, especially if you were in the back. If you edged your way towards the front, then you could hear the drums live and it was a bit better.
And you can hate on soundmen who can't stay for another 5min, which is wack, but I hear the knit is not the greatest place to work for, and not my fav. venue by a long shot. But glad it happened and props to everyone involved.
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i love good soundmen...i'm a soundman myself.