After spending a few weeks posting ads on Craigslist, looking at music stores, checking out online profiles, speaking with over 70 musicians, and meeting with a dozen, last Tuesday, May 22nd, 2012, it became apparent who needed to be in HAAP!
That Tuesday brought together Curtis Butler, a drummer from Greenwood, Tim Howe, a guitarist from Spartanburg, Chip McDonald former vocalist of TDB, and myself, John M. Hoyt, former bassist from TDB.
We had spoken a lot on the phone and via email, but for Tim & Curtis, this was our first meeting and jam ever. We had decided that we would go through our individual song lists and pick a few tunes that we knew in common and hit those during a “jam”. Ultimately we picked, “Brick House”, “Can’t You See”, “Breakdown”, “Brown Eyed Girl”, “Sweet Home Alabama”, “Under the Boardwalk”, and “Lights”.
Within the first few measures of the first tune, I instantly knew that Curtis was the best fit out of all the drummers I had spoken to, listened to and jammed with. He’s got a natural groove that I just love as a bass player. Lots of power on the 2 and 4, and super control. I had listened to Curtis on videos posted on the ‘net, and he was exactly what I heard on those recordings. No bait and switch there!
Tim was also a master of his craft, great with rhythm and super with the leads. Totally rock solid, and absolutely not a mimic of the original artists (anyone who knows me, also knows that while I love cover tunes, I love cover tunes done with your own flavor, not exactly as the original artist played it)…. Tim did not let me down. Of course, he’s been doing this a while with other current band, “No Sweat Band”. As in 12 years I believe.
I don’t know what it was about the day, the players, or maybe the atmosphere, but Chip sounded fantastic, in spite having performed Friday night and Saturday at the Bovinova event with me. I had thought he would be stretched, but he may have sounded better than ever. Obviously, everyone knows his range and what Chip brings to the party. He’s a seasoned vocalist who is able to hit those higher registers without ripping his insides out.
You know what fantasy football is? Where people pick the best players from every team and put them together into their fantasy team? That’s what this was! I had listened to some great musicians, but these guys were the best of the best, and I can only imagine what is going to happen. It should be magic!
What’s next? We’re rapidly assembling the songlist of tunes we already known in common, peppering it with some that we don’t all know, but know will be a big hit with the audience, and we hope to be out playing in about 30 days.
Once this songlist is established, we will add newer material to it and custom tailor it to what our friends, family, venues and fans want to hear. Your input is welcome!
I tried to contact each of the 70+ musicians who reached out to Hot As A Pepper and to thank them for their interest, and their investment of time. Those who were not selected were awesome in their own right, in fact, a couple of them were more than incredible, but Tim, Curtis, Chip and I *mesh* in a way I can’t explain. It was exactly what I was hoping to find.
Need a fun, funky and HOT band for your Upstate or Greenville party, festival or even a bar mitzvah? Let us know! We want to play it! Guess we have to include Greenwood and the surrounding area too now with Curtis in!
Fantasy Band? Yewbetcha =)