Love the insight as to what goes on before a show. The tour of the guitars reminds of of being at our friend Jackie's house and him handing me guitars and telling me the story of the tour he played them on and so forth. What a cool career. My new favorite channel.
Awesome Dan! Thank you, sharing the process and providing tips and lessons learned, best practices is what the channel is about. And stories. From so many years of doing this, I have some stories that should be shared. Welcome and enjoy!
Really loved your work with Porcupine Tree, John - sorry I lost track but now that I've found this channel looking forward to hearing what you've been up to!
Thanks... I am still at it, working on writing a new album right now, touring with Vertical and reaching out through TH-cam... great to reconnect... watch this space, more creativity to come!
Very cool. Subscribed. Did you play on "We Are" by chance? I play that at least once a month. Always a great jam and the peeps love it Thanks for the tour and have a great one! Best Regards and Best Wishes!
I remember running into you once at Guitar Center in Tampa. I was checking out a 100w Dual Rectifier. You pointed to a smaller 15-20w combo and said this is really all you’d ever need. I wish I would have listened! Now look at us. We don’t even need that anymore. Just a box on the floor!!
Right!?! What happened? I have a couple of 100 Watt Marshalls and a 50 and even some combos... and yet, can't tour them. SO....The box. But... the Quad Cortex does bring those tones to life with captures. I get into a show and can't even feel the difference... The Quad is amazing!
Great insights! Seeing this is a great way for non musicians to gain an understanding of how much time goes into a single show--beyond just the performance. Any chance someone could point out the brand/model of the dual guitar, rolling case we see around the 2:00 minute mark?
Yeah man... what do we really need? "Play what ya brung" is what an old teacher used to tell me.. Steven Rothery's main guitar for 30 years was a 200 dollar Squire Strat he picked up in the early 80's. I have a Harmony from the 60's and a few other really low budget things that I would never replace, ... PRS is making amazing SE model guitars, as low as 500 bucks that simply kill if you ever wanted to try one. But all in all, it's not the guitar... it's the player.. good luck!
@ Yeah my main is a Squire Strat I bought new for $280. Changed out the electronics and pickups, new tuners and a bone nut and it feels and sounds great.
Yeah man... I get it. As tough as it is, I never take for granted these shows or the opportunity to be here. Keep working at it and hopefully you will connect with some guys that want to get in a van and get out there. I didn't get to some of the biggest gigs of my life until I was in my late 30's. I just never stopped working at it... keep an eye on the channel, I will continue to share tips that could help you on your journey. Keep at it...
Now when when I see people at live gigs using actual amps still I think man they must have coin to lug around real amps. The digital age I think has gotten 99% close to the analog world. Cool video. I toured as a drummer in a few metal blade bands back in the day and I will say it's not a glamorous life. Not at that level. Was fun but I had to eventually get a normal job. I always wondered what would have been though has I kept going. Btw love McCarty. Awesome axes. Even the new se stuff is absolutely stellar.
Yeah... I know...now. That was unintended, but it goes to show how day after day we lose track of where we are, or what day it is... "Hello Cleveland" - Spinal Tap
Yeah... I know...now. That was unintended, but it goes to show how day after day we lose track of where we are, or what day it is... "Hello Cleveland" - Spinal Tap
How I used to live the days out on the road as a professional Bassist touring the planet 🌍 for 20 years. First I used to get out my bunk just after the crew got up. Give them time to do their thing. Then I’d get off the bus, get my suitcase out the side of the bus. Remember and lock it and lock the bus. ( rest of the guys are still in bed ) Then head onto the venue to find our tour manager and find my dressing room. Then have a piss or number 2. Then after a quick wash it was find catering, get breakfast then look at the stage. Terry and all the sound guys were getting the stage and lights and sound sorted. So after having a cheeky wee look. I’d find my trunk case. Get my weights out of it. Head back to my dressing room. Do some training. Then shower. Then by that time the stage was normally nearly ready. I’d get my basses out and clean them. Maybe change my strings Sometimes. Rotosound RB45 Nickel Standard flat wound 45-105 For one and Elixir Strings for the other. Again 45-105. Then just doodle for a bit. Then. Head out to whatever city we were in. Go and see a bit. Then head back for lunch. Then watch whatever nonsense on the laptop back at my dressing room. Then at 5pm its sound check time. Up till 6pm. Then dinner. Then the show is either at 7:30pm or 8pm. Them straight after the show, it’s get out of my stage clothes and go and strip down my gear. Pack my stuff away. Leave it on the stage for the crew to pack on the truck. Now head back to my dressing room for a shower. Then head to the bus with my suitcase. Eat a sandwich or a few slices of pizza that the tour manager ordered. Then head to my bunk. And repeat for the next two months. NOT what people think at all. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t always that boring. I just got fed up with getting smashed all the time after a show. So if you think my story sounded boring 🤷🏼♂️ there was a reason for that. Sometimes you have to say ok enough. My liver and sanity is gonna pack in. TRUE STORY! Billy.
I play as a pro to, all those amps and cabs..... tired off em. A guitar that suits every moment you are making music and such a power box makes it all so easy! 🎯
03:38 So I see some wear marks in the usual places, above and below the strings, but I see another one above the trem through the clear coat. I'm new to watching you play- So later at 07:11 your wrist is laying right there. Is that it? Ive never seen that kind of wear before. I looked at all my guitars and i dont have that. But now Im gonna start looking at other players guitars. Sorry for splitting hairs.
Yeah man, wear and tear all over that guitar. I had come across a guitar in the early 90's that did not have a clear coat, just a satin finish sort of, I loved the feel of that guitar so I asked them to put the satin finish on this guitar and it wears at the spots that gets the most use. The spot by the bridge is where my wrist anchors all night, so... that is why you see a wear spot there. Thank you!
Yeah... I know...now. That was unintended, but it goes to show how day after day we lose track of where we are, or what day it is... "Hello Cleveland" - Spinal Tap
Props for setting up your own gig
Love the rig, brother!
Always a joy to see you kill it on the stage!
Thank you... I am still getting out there!
Thanks for sharing with us, Wes 🖤 always good content!!
Thank you Fab!!!!
Thanks for sharing BTS footage, John! It's fun to see the process involved. Cheers from TX! ⭐🎸
Happy you enjoyed it!!! Thank you!
Looks like this could become a Very educational documentary for the aspiring musician. Thanks for a glimpse into your world.
Nice job Wes! It’s cool to see a real life guy on the road, the real thing. Look forward to more stuff like this. Rock on! Ed Hauser
Love the insight as to what goes on before a show. The tour of the guitars reminds of of being at our friend Jackie's house and him handing me guitars and telling me the story of the tour he played them on and so forth. What a cool career. My new favorite channel.
Awesome Dan! Thank you, sharing the process and providing tips and lessons learned, best practices is what the channel is about. And stories. From so many years of doing this, I have some stories that should be shared. Welcome and enjoy!
Great stuff, Wes! Really enjoy the channel.
The best of energies to you!
🙏🏻🎶
Thank you!!!
Great behind the scenes look thanks for sharing John..
Thanks Marc! More to come!
Thanks for the inside look. Keep up your routine, you look fit and worthy of the stage.
Really loved your work with Porcupine Tree, John - sorry I lost track but now that I've found this channel looking forward to hearing what you've been up to!
Thanks... I am still at it, working on writing a new album right now, touring with Vertical and reaching out through TH-cam... great to reconnect... watch this space, more creativity to come!
Very cool. Subscribed. Did you play on "We Are" by chance? I play that at least once a month. Always a great jam and the peeps love it Thanks for the tour and have a great one! Best Regards and Best Wishes!
Awesome video, John! Thanks
Thank you!
I remember running into you once at Guitar Center in Tampa. I was checking out a 100w Dual Rectifier. You pointed to a smaller 15-20w combo and said this is really all you’d ever need. I wish I would have listened! Now look at us. We don’t even need that anymore. Just a box on the floor!!
Right!?! What happened? I have a couple of 100 Watt Marshalls and a 50 and even some combos... and yet, can't tour them. SO....The box. But... the Quad Cortex does bring those tones to life with captures. I get into a show and can't even feel the difference... The Quad is amazing!
Ah my fave VH track in soundcheck. Great bts thanks.
Soundcheck with that one every show!!!
Awesome !!!!!! Love these vids !!!
Thanks for the insights John I definitely recognize those guitars from the P.T. days 👏👍👍
Yeah man... they were there and are still with me. Amazing guitars, Tone beasts and workhorses!
Great video! Thanks for sharing! Would love to hear some more details on your performance patches on the quad! Keep rockin’
Thanks for including a snippet of the gig at the end. Real road worn guitars seem to sound better with age.
Great content! Adding in the word THICK just because…
Rock Wes!!!! 👍
Dude, I just played there a week ago with Broadway’s Rock Of Ages Band. Awesome local crew and beautiful venue!
Love it! What a great venue and hopefully we will cross paths somewhere out there, would love to catch that show!
Great insights! Seeing this is a great way for non musicians to gain an understanding of how much time goes into a single show--beyond just the performance.
Any chance someone could point out the brand/model of the dual guitar, rolling case we see around the 2:00 minute mark?
I like my cheap budget guitars with upgrades but would love to be able to afford a really nice one someday. PRS always looks so nice.
Yeah man... what do we really need? "Play what ya brung" is what an old teacher used to tell me.. Steven Rothery's main guitar for 30 years was a 200 dollar Squire Strat he picked up in the early 80's. I have a Harmony from the 60's and a few other really low budget things that I would never replace, ... PRS is making amazing SE model guitars, as low as 500 bucks that simply kill if you ever wanted to try one. But all in all, it's not the guitar... it's the player.. good luck!
@ Yeah my main is a Squire Strat I bought new for $280. Changed out the electronics and pickups, new tuners and a bone nut and it feels and sounds great.
damn first time hearing of john and damn he can play a killer solo..
I know it's not a glamorous lifestyle. As an amateur musician, I would love to go on tour at least once in my life.
Yeah man... I get it. As tough as it is, I never take for granted these shows or the opportunity to be here. Keep working at it and hopefully you will connect with some guys that want to get in a van and get out there. I didn't get to some of the biggest gigs of my life until I was in my late 30's. I just never stopped working at it... keep an eye on the channel, I will continue to share tips that could help you on your journey. Keep at it...
@@TheJourneymanGuitarist thank you for saying that.
Now when when I see people at live gigs using actual amps still I think man they must have coin to lug around real amps. The digital age I think has gotten 99% close to the analog world. Cool video. I toured as a drummer in a few metal blade bands back in the day and I will say it's not a glamorous life. Not at that level. Was fun but I had to eventually get a normal job. I always wondered what would have been though has I kept going. Btw love McCarty. Awesome axes. Even the new se stuff is absolutely stellar.
Very insightful stuff!!! You were in Frederick Md, not Fredericksburg😊, that is in Virginia. The Weinberg Center looks like a great venue.
"Hello Cleveland!!!" Yeah...it gets like that... Sometimes my wife uses "Find My" and tells me where I am... Well spotted!
Frederick, Maryland
Yeah... I know...now. That was unintended, but it goes to show how day after day we lose track of where we are, or what day it is... "Hello Cleveland" - Spinal Tap
Yeah... I know...now. That was unintended, but it goes to show how day after day we lose track of where we are, or what day it is... "Hello Cleveland" - Spinal Tap
How I used to live the days out on the road as a professional Bassist touring the planet 🌍 for 20 years. First I used to get out my bunk just after the crew got up. Give them time to do their thing.
Then I’d get off the bus, get my suitcase out the side of the bus. Remember and lock it and lock the bus. ( rest of the guys are still in bed ) Then head onto the venue to find our tour manager and find my dressing room. Then have a piss or number 2. Then after a quick wash it was find catering, get breakfast then look at the stage. Terry and all the sound guys were getting the stage and lights and sound sorted. So after having a cheeky wee look. I’d find my trunk case. Get my weights out of it. Head back to my dressing room. Do some training. Then shower. Then by that time the stage was normally nearly ready. I’d get my basses out and clean them. Maybe change my strings Sometimes. Rotosound RB45 Nickel Standard flat wound 45-105
For one and Elixir Strings for the other. Again 45-105.
Then just doodle for a bit. Then. Head out to whatever city we were in. Go and see a bit.
Then head back for lunch.
Then watch whatever nonsense on the laptop back at my dressing room. Then at 5pm its sound check time. Up till 6pm. Then dinner. Then the show is either at 7:30pm or 8pm. Them straight after the show, it’s get out of my stage clothes and go and strip down my gear. Pack my stuff away. Leave it on the stage for the crew to pack on the truck. Now head back to my dressing room for a shower. Then head to the bus with my suitcase. Eat a sandwich or a few slices of pizza that the tour manager ordered. Then head to my bunk. And repeat for the next two months. NOT what people think at all.
Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t always that boring. I just got fed up with getting smashed all the time after a show.
So if you think my story sounded boring 🤷🏼♂️ there was a reason for that.
Sometimes you have to say ok enough. My liver and sanity is gonna pack in.
TRUE STORY!
Billy.
I play as a pro to, all those amps and cabs..... tired off em. A guitar that suits every moment you are making music and such a power box makes it all so easy! 🎯
03:38 So I see some wear marks in the usual places, above and below the strings, but I see another one above the trem through the clear coat. I'm new to watching you play- So later at 07:11 your wrist is laying right there. Is that it? Ive never seen that kind of wear before. I looked at all my guitars and i dont have that. But now Im gonna start looking at other players guitars. Sorry for splitting hairs.
Yeah man, wear and tear all over that guitar. I had come across a guitar in the early 90's that did not have a clear coat, just a satin finish sort of, I loved the feel of that guitar so I asked them to put the satin finish on this guitar and it wears at the spots that gets the most use. The spot by the bridge is where my wrist anchors all night, so... that is why you see a wear spot there. Thank you!
Love this ❤
Awe, hope to run into you guys out there somewhere... keep an eye on the VH tour dates!
Its Frederick not Fredericksburg
Yeah... I know...now. That was unintended, but it goes to show how day after day we lose track of where we are, or what day it is... "Hello Cleveland" - Spinal Tap