The Marching Men - First Gig

timsinister · 03 Jul 2011, 23:16

The entirety has been recorded by a very patient and enduring man, and will be worked on sometime next week.

The issues with the vocals have been...noted. Simply put, nerves and a lack of experience contributed to a strained performance.

The Marching Men hope to have this rectified by the next performance.

mh · 04 Jul 2011, 10:09

Well in fairness, it's a reasonable facsimile of the original thing in it's early days too.

moses · 04 Jul 2011, 11:12

Oh dear

Dr Poo · 04 Jul 2011, 11:42

What's with the gas mask on stage? Is that there in case somebody farts?

James Blast · 04 Jul 2011, 14:28

Well I'm keeping the faith.

timsinister · 04 Jul 2011, 14:49

Dr Poo wrote:What's with the gas mask on stage? Is that there in case somebody farts?

The band after us have some peculiar interests!

moses wrote:Oh dear

Yes, I know. We have some wrinkles to iron out.

James Blast wrote:Well I'm keeping the faith.

We'll be sure not to try your patience.

James Blast · 04 Jul 2011, 14:54

Hey! that was me being nice

timsinister · 04 Jul 2011, 15:32

So was I! I'm honestly grateful!

Maisey · 04 Jul 2011, 20:48

As I have said elsewhere, I wish I'd been there.

From the brief clips I've heard (and past experience of the operation of Tim's vocal machinery) I'd be willing to bet that he's actually got a fairly agreeable voice in there waiting to be coaxed out. Whether that ends up being a good enough approximation of the good Chairmen remains to be seen, but I think he might well have something of his own worth developing on.

unholyracket · 04 Jul 2011, 21:19

For those who couldn't make it to The Library.... Here are some pics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/56674946@N ... 977078405/

If you don't use Flickr then just wing a friend request to UnholyRacket on Facebook. They are there too.

unholyracket · 04 Jul 2011, 21:21

timsinister wrote:The entirety has been recorded by a very patient and enduring man, and will be worked on sometime next week.

The issues with the vocals have been...noted. Simply put, nerves and a lack of experience contributed to a strained performance.

The Marching Men hope to have this rectified by the next performance.

I reckon the vocal wobblings added to the overall effect. This is not uncharted territory for The Girls....

timsinister · 05 Jul 2011, 21:09

unholyracket wrote:
I reckon the vocal wobblings added to the overall effect. This is not uncharted territory for The Girls....

People are being very understanding.

Maisey wrote:but I think he might well have something of his own worth developing on.

High praise indeed! Thankyou...

timsinister · 18 Jul 2011, 22:01

For critical dissection, the videos from our first gig can be viewed in their entirety here.

I'll also take this opportunity to inform you our next gig is on August 21st, at the New Roscoe venue in Leeds. We'll be the second artist to appear, tickets are Â£5 in advance, and you also get the benefit of an all-girl Rage Against The Machine tribute.

The Marching Men have heard of appearing with bands of a similar genre.

They don't hold with it.

funandprofit · 20 Jul 2011, 01:16

Any gigs coming up the last week in october? Im in a US Sisters tribute and would love to check out a show while Im out there.

Cheers,

Michael

www.myspace.com/thereptilehaus
www.spellboundsf.com

timsinister · 20 Jul 2011, 15:03

Hi Michael - I saw that you guys 'liked' us on Facebook. Very grateful, and we returned the favour.

We haven't yet looked that far ahead, but it would be good to set something up. Where do you think you'll be in the UK at that time?

funandprofit · 21 Jul 2011, 00:20

London for a particular show at Brixton...ahem then travellingthroughout the week and back at leeds the last Saturday in october. I'll keep an ear out for shows and if you have any I'll try my best to make it if Im in teh area. Looks liek the world has two Sisters tribute bands now. The more the drearier!

Cheers

bearskin · 21 Jul 2011, 01:50

Maisey wrote: I think he might well have something of his own worth developing on.

Agree with this - based purely on your videos online I must add (I wasn't at the gig). Maybe concentrate on singing the songs in your own way, with a nod in AE's direction, rather than pure mimickry? An interesting experiment all in all. Thumbs up from NZ.

timsinister · 21 Jul 2011, 07:21

funandprofit wrote:London for a particular show at Brixton...ahem

then travellingthroughout the week and back at leeds the last Saturday in october.

If you're in Leeds, it would be churlish not to have a gig! I'm sure something could be arranged.

I'll keep an ear out for shows and if you have any I'll try my best to make it if Im in teh area. Looks liek the world has two Sisters tribute bands now. The more the drearier!

Cheers

I prefer 'rock and roll', but I take your point!

timsinister · 21 Jul 2011, 07:24

bearskin wrote:
Maisey wrote: I think he might well have something of his own worth developing on.
Agree with this - based purely on your videos online I must add (I wasn't at the gig). Maybe concentrate on singing the songs in your own way, with a nod in AE's direction, rather than pure mimickry? An interesting experiment all in all. Thumbs up from NZ.

Cheers for the comments bearskin, sounds like an honest review.

My natural tone is (obviously) pitched higher than the bedrock-low, tar-stained rumble that emits from the chest of our Paramount Leader - but I'm not confident I could maintain the reality of a 'tribute' by singing that much higher up the register.

Nonetheless, I'm more than pleased to take such compliments.

Cheers!

bearskin · 22 Jul 2011, 02:12

timsinister wrote: My natural tone is (obviously) pitched higher than the bedrock-low, tar-stained rumble that emits from the chest of our Paramount Leader - but I'm not confident I could maintain the reality of a 'tribute' by singing that much higher up the register.

yup, I did think - after I'd posted - that it was probably a daft thing to say - given that your audience is probably looking for as much a Sisters-replica sound as is plausible.

Are you planning on focussing your song choices on the early-era (my personal choice) - or even just songs that the current "real band" (such as) touring model don't perform?

Has performing Sisters songs given you renewed respect for the band? I have no musical ability at all, and I think it's all well and good for us all to critique the performances of band's we see, but it must put things in a whole new light when you have to actually try and replicate that sound yourself (and have others comment likewise).

Also, one thing that crossed my mind was whether you would perform anything "in the style of"? I'm thinking about that band from back when: I think they were called No Way Sis - a tribute band of the worst actual band in history...Oasis (or were Happy Mondays the worst band ever - I get confused?), who did a song that wasn't by the band, but in the style of Oasis. Would you do a cover song - like i suggested in another part of the forum for example: Rhinestone Cowboy - a la Sisters? Just a thought.

timsinister · 22 Jul 2011, 14:57

yup, I did think - after I'd posted - that it was probably a daft thing to say - given that your audience is probably looking for as much a Sisters-replica sound as is plausible.

It isn't daft at all. I'm not so vainglorious that I can't hear my voice is significantly different to the Paramount Leader's, but as you correctly say, people want to hear as close an approximation as we can manage. And that's pretty damn close.

Are you planning on focussing your song choices on the early-era (my personal choice) - or even just songs that the current "real band" (such as) touring model don't perform?

We've considered this at length, exactly what era we like to cover. We came out of it realising that of the original three in the band, we each preferred certain periods of Sisters history. If the three of us in the band couldn't agree on an era, there's no way our fans would. So, we pick and choose from across the ages.
One thing we do focus on are the tracks that - as you ask - the Sisters might not include in the current perfomance. We always try and surprise people.

Has performing Sisters songs given you renewed respect for the band? I have no musical ability at all, and I think it's all well and good for us all to critique the performances of band's we see, but it must put things in a whole new light when you have to actually try and replicate that sound yourself (and have others comment likewise).

Undoubtedly. I would defend certain long-term fans who may have no musical ability themselves, but are intimately aware of how their songs 'should' sound - just because you can't play guitar doesn't stop you from detecting when someone drops a note, or plays half a tone lower than you're used to.
As the performers, well, I can only speak for myself. One thing I've struggled with is AE's song-writing technique. The lyrics themselves are only remotely linked to the actual melody of the song; lines will often begin off the beat, or behind or ahead of the song's focus. Trying to detect cues is near-impossible. But worth the effort.

I've noticed that the band as a whole get a certain sense of satisfaction when executing a song. It's made for some surprises, as we've come to enjoy performing songs - and thus decided to add them to our live arsenal - that the fans might be surprised to hear, as mentioned above. Closing the set on 'Alice' was and is a no-brainer, but I went from supsicion over performing an obscure B-side like 'Lights', to relishing what has returned to being a fantastically atmospheric song.

That attitude will continue to shape our live setlists.

Also, one thing that crossed my mind was whether you would perform anything "in the style of"? I'm thinking about that band from back when: I think they were called No Way Sis - a tribute band of the worst actual band in history...Oasis (or were Happy Mondays the worst band ever - I get confused?), who did a song that wasn't by the band, but in the style of Oasis. Would you do a cover song - like i suggested in another part of the forum for example: Rhinestone Cowboy - a la Sisters? Just a thought.

The whole question of 'covers within covers' has definitely come up in discussion. The girls are famous for their covers of unexpected pop classics. We aren't exactly going to break out 'Gimmee Gimmee Gimmee' at our second gig (sorry pop pickers), but at the same time there are certain Sisters versions that are A) too popular and B) too satisfying to play not to add. We'll see who comes along to the party.

If you're asking if The Marching Men would cover songs by other bands entirely, the suggestion has been floated. We're of the opinion it's too early in the band's life to start mixing up our perfomance with songs utterly removed from the Sisters camp. But we'll never say never.

Except to Bond themes.

---------------------------

Thanks for what turned out to be an enjoyable mini-interview Bearskin, hope questions were answered sufficiently!

timsinister · 22 Jul 2011, 15:00

bearskin · 22 Jul 2011, 21:38

timsinister wrote: but I went from supsicion over performing an obscure B-side like 'Lights', to relishing what has returned to being a fantastically atmospheric song.

<gasp> Is 'Lights' considered an obscure B-side? I would have thought it to be in their Top-3 greatest songs? Genuinely surprised...

timsinister · 24 Jul 2011, 18:28

Well, it's never gonna turn up in the live set, certainly.

timsinister · 07 Aug 2011, 21:35

Four thousand posts in six years? Not too shady. Thanks Barry!

Remember you can next catch The Marching Men at the New Roscoe, Leeds, on Sunday August 21st.