My new side project is turning into a big deal!!!

[jgcable]

Most of you know I am the lead guitar player for Fools Faith. We have alot of stuff out there on the web and are considered a pretty big deal. Woopeee. We do all originals, we are a progressive metal band, we won the national Airplay Direct contest in 2009 against 800 other bands nationally, we do radio interviews overseas, blogs, there are tons of reviews blah blah blah. We have an extremely tough time getting gigs unless we want to travel to Europe for 5 weeks on a mystery tour!! The band is great but its very frustrating.

Anyway, I started a side project classic/contemporary rock band locally with a bunch of all star musicians from various really popular bands back in the day. We call ourselves TCO (The Cold Ones Band) because after every jam session somebody would ask who has the cold ones. Our intent was to jam out once in a while locally for our friends and drink lots of beer. We play all our favorite songs. Everything from Zep to BTO to Alice in Chains to STP to Steve Miller to Mountain etc... all really good bar songs. So....
We did our first open mic night several months ago to see what we sounded like in front of people, the club owner booked us twice immediately. He said we were amazing. We did the first gig we booked with him, the place was packed to capacity and we even got bonus $$ over what we negotiated. We did another gig a month later at another club. Place was packed to capacity and we got another bonus and more gigs. The club owner was totally stoked and couldn't wait to book us again. We just did an open mic night at a local club last night that we have been trying to get into for over 8 months and after we did 3 songs we sat down to watch the other musicians. The booking agent for the club came up to me and said.. "are you TCO?" I said yes and she said follow me.. I need to book you guys right now!!!
She opened up the book and we picked a great date. Our Facebook page is exploding and we seem to be the talk of the town. Other bands want to partner with us or open for us and its really rolling along fast. Not bad for a bunch of 40-50 year olds still with a ton of passion to play great and play great songs.
Just wanted to brag a little because I am very proud of our little band. TCO.... c'mon get happy!

[Sharkfin]

Awesome, congrats!

[markD]

very good! the cover thing always seems to work out a bit easier than the original thing....

[Scooter]

Congrats man! Awesome! I've been trying to do this very thing around here too, but finding people who're not strung out on drugs is my problem. I'm not even interested in $$$, just playing good tunes with like minded people. Hoping patience prevails!

[Shawn Lutz]

Congratulations John. I think its cool as hell that you get the following fora cover band but also troubling that Fools Faith can't get the same following and gigs lined up. It sucks that original bands can't play originals

I liked the old days where you could play all originals and still gig regularly around town....

[jgcable]

Congratulations John. I think its cool as hell that you get the following fora cover band but also troubling that Fools Faith can't get the same following and gigs lined up. It sucks that original bands can't play originals

I liked the old days where you could play all originals and still gig regularly around town....

I hear you Shawn, its very frustrating and troubling. Fools Faith is such a great live act. We have trucks full of equipment, lots of great songs and nowhere to play them. Clubs around here refuse to host original acts unless you want to play on a Wednesday with 8 other bands for 30 minute sets. We are lucky to gig 4 times a year. One of Fools Faiths other problems is the size of the production. We are only a 4pc band but we have a ton of equipment that requires 2 large trucks and hours of set up. The PA is huge and because of all the technology we need live we can't really downsize. We can't even fit at many clubs. TCO on the other hand.. we show up in an Explorer, a Dodge mini van and my F150 pickup. Thats PA and everything. We are set up in about 90 minutes tops including unloading, sound check and are ready to rock. We could even downsize if we had to. Its so much fun it should be illegal.

[Larz]

That is cool you're getting the attention though, who knows what it can lead to.

Couple of the bands that pack the bars/pubs here are the 80s cover bands. That's what puts the casual fan butts in the bars and keeps them buying drinks and most of the crowd are 40-somethings, going out after work, singing along to Bon Jovi, Journey, Loverboy, Billy Idol, rather than looking to discover new bands playing originals.

Look at the Sin City Sinners playing that old 80s metal/rock in Vegas, obviously some of the musicians were there when it was original, but crowds dig the covers tunes that bring back the memories.

Do you feel like you're settling or something after all the time with FF? If it gets you out there more, sounds like a cool side project.

[jgcable]

That is cool you're getting the attention though, who knows what it can lead to.

Couple of the bands that pack the bars/pubs here are the 80s cover bands. That's what puts the casual fan butts in the bars and keeps them buying drinks and most of the crowd are 40-somethings, going out after work, singing along to Bon Jovi, Journey, Loverboy, Billy Idol, rather than looking to discover new bands playing originals.

Look at the Sin City Sinners playing that old 80s metal/rock in Vegas, obviously some of the musicians were there when it was original, but crowds dig the covers tunes that bring back the memories.

Do you feel like you're settling or something after all the time with FF? If it gets you out there more, sounds like a cool side project.

Yes, I am settling. I want to play live and this is my vehicle to do it. Fools Faith is too much of a roller coaster. We win a national band contest and then we get asked to do a 5 week tour in Europe for expenses. If I was 20 no problem. At 50.. no way. Bottom line is I am not going to "make it" in the music business at 50 years old. I have been trying since I was 16. I have never not been in a band for the last 34 years. I might as well start having some fun.

[RacerX]

When these bookers go gaga to book TCO, force them to book FF as openers!

I have never not been in a band for the last 34 years.

Why don't you just make this your sig line?

[markD]

When these bookers go gaga to book TCO, force them to book FF as openers!

+1 we have done that in the past with out "cover version" of autumn's pain. AP will play first, then we do the cover sets. it is a lot of fun.