Tuesday, April 27, 2010
The Future of Johnny Okay
Isral's post about practice space got me thinking about the direction we'd like to take for the next year or two. I know that there are those of us who desire to make Johnny Okay a living entity once again. Doing this would require some commitment and probably some changes, so I thought I'd throw out some options.
1. Keep things as they are. In this scenario, Johnny Okay retains the form it's had since 2005. David and I keep writing and we record stuff slowly from time to time, mostly for ourselves. We might play a show a year if an opportunity comes up, probably consisting entirely of old stuff.
2. Move forward with set expectations for commitment. Due to our real lives happening all around us, I understand there would be limitations to this commitment. I think we could reasonably aspire to practice at least twice a month, chip in for practice space, learn the new songs, and try to play about a show a month, maybe more during the summer. There would be expectations that each member would prepare himself between practices. David and I can't really teach the new stuff note by note. This scenario would also involve one or more new members.
3. Some compromise between the first two. Open to suggestions in this area.
4. Just die. I don't plan on this. I don't think we've said all we have to say yet.
So go ahead and give some feedback. I'm personally hoping for option two, but I understand that's asking a lot and might be asking too much from those who love the band but don't have the ability to make these commitments. If we chose option 2, we'd also have to discuss a timeline. Would we start in the fall or when David graduates perhaps? Jobs will of course continue to make things difficult, but I'd love to give it the old try.
Isral's post about practice space got me thinking about the direction we'd like to take for the next year or two. I know that there are those of us who desire to make Johnny Okay a living entity once again. Doing this would require some commitment and probably some changes, so I thought I'd throw out some options.
1. Keep things as they are. In this scenario, Johnny Okay retains the form it's had since 2005. David and I keep writing and we record stuff slowly from time to time, mostly for ourselves. We might play a show a year if an opportunity comes up, probably consisting entirely of old stuff.
2. Move forward with set expectations for commitment. Due to our real lives happening all around us, I understand there would be limitations to this commitment. I think we could reasonably aspire to practice at least twice a month, chip in for practice space, learn the new songs, and try to play about a show a month, maybe more during the summer. There would be expectations that each member would prepare himself between practices. David and I can't really teach the new stuff note by note. This scenario would also involve one or more new members.
3. Some compromise between the first two. Open to suggestions in this area.
4. Just die. I don't plan on this. I don't think we've said all we have to say yet.
So go ahead and give some feedback. I'm personally hoping for option two, but I understand that's asking a lot and might be asking too much from those who love the band but don't have the ability to make these commitments. If we chose option 2, we'd also have to discuss a timeline. Would we start in the fall or when David graduates perhaps? Jobs will of course continue to make things difficult, but I'd love to give it the old try.
Comments:
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I'm all for number two.
Number four is out of the question. Number three is weak. Number two would be frustrating for me.
I think number two is a very reasonable starting place. It doesn't demand too much commitment but opens the door to getting more serious later, if we all want to.
However, all this sort of depends where we'll all be in the fall and after then. I'm completely locked into Milwaukee for at least the next two years. But it's entirely conceivable that I might be the only one here. Maybe I'll be here and you'll all be someplace else. Or maybe nearly all of us will be here.
Obviously nobody is going to make any career/life decisions based on the future of J/OK... but if we're all (or mostly all) here, it would be kind of dumb NOT to get things started.
My point is that I think we should wait a little longer and see where we all are in the fall. If a critical mass of us are in the area, let's do number two.
If not... I guess we'd pretty much have to just keep going with number one.
Oh... and if some or most of us are here but we're not going to revive J/OK, I would be interested in getting some other project going.
Number four is out of the question. Number three is weak. Number two would be frustrating for me.
I think number two is a very reasonable starting place. It doesn't demand too much commitment but opens the door to getting more serious later, if we all want to.
However, all this sort of depends where we'll all be in the fall and after then. I'm completely locked into Milwaukee for at least the next two years. But it's entirely conceivable that I might be the only one here. Maybe I'll be here and you'll all be someplace else. Or maybe nearly all of us will be here.
Obviously nobody is going to make any career/life decisions based on the future of J/OK... but if we're all (or mostly all) here, it would be kind of dumb NOT to get things started.
My point is that I think we should wait a little longer and see where we all are in the fall. If a critical mass of us are in the area, let's do number two.
If not... I guess we'd pretty much have to just keep going with number one.
Oh... and if some or most of us are here but we're not going to revive J/OK, I would be interested in getting some other project going.
I like option 2.
Like Isral said, I think we might have to wait it out a little bit. However, If you guys wanted to, you could start practicing in the fall (or sooner) without me. If there were any shows to be played, I could drive up for them, but I probably couldn't commit to practicing that first semester. After that, I have no idea what I'll be doing or where I'm at. But there's a good possibility I'll end up in or near Milwaukee.
If anyone needs sheet music of new music, Dan and I have it. If we were serious about this, it would be cool if people could start preparing themselves even now.
Currently, we will focus on wrapping up The Lost Road. We have discussed the idea of another album after that...so I think we can plan on that much at the very least.
Anyways...assuming I end up in the Milwaukee area, I would love to continue playing/recording with Johnny Okay.
Option 4 sucks nuts.
Like Isral said, I think we might have to wait it out a little bit. However, If you guys wanted to, you could start practicing in the fall (or sooner) without me. If there were any shows to be played, I could drive up for them, but I probably couldn't commit to practicing that first semester. After that, I have no idea what I'll be doing or where I'm at. But there's a good possibility I'll end up in or near Milwaukee.
If anyone needs sheet music of new music, Dan and I have it. If we were serious about this, it would be cool if people could start preparing themselves even now.
Currently, we will focus on wrapping up The Lost Road. We have discussed the idea of another album after that...so I think we can plan on that much at the very least.
Anyways...assuming I end up in the Milwaukee area, I would love to continue playing/recording with Johnny Okay.
Option 4 sucks nuts.
If things actually pick up and get off the ground in a serious band sort of way...then I would suggest another new bassist. Not that I wouldn't really enjoy it, but with camp being 4 hrs from Milwaukee, practicing and shows would be pretty tough on a regular basis.
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