Getting ready to play with a band again

By Ted Slowik

Hi, all! After a year of working on songs as a solo artist I'm ready to play with a band again. My good friend Ron Kostka is on board as our drummer. Other than that, there's not much definite to say. Not sure what form it'll end up taking but I'll discuss a few ideas here, and guarantee it'll be fun, otherwise I wouldn't do it.

Since Ron, Rich, Charles, George and I last performed as the Big Eddy Springs Blues Band on Sept. 16, 2011, in Madden Theatre at North Central College in Naperville, much has transpired. I've been working intensely on my performing--as a vocalist and guitarist, mostly acoustic, mostly at open mics and parties but the occasional paying gig. I've been working a lot on originals, finally learning to play and sing some good old ones, writing some new ones, and recording demos.

Now I really feel the time is right to go into the studio and record an album. A real album. Not the collections of home demos I make and give to people--nice sketches of songs but pretty crappy sound quality usually, except the ones my friend Chuck makes. I've got 12 songs in mind I think would sound good with a band.

To find out if those songs are the right choices to record I'd like to perform them a few times with the band. That would be easy to do at some open mic jams. I suppose some rehearsals would be necessary,  which we could do in my basement. I've got a PA and gear. Who knows? Eventually if the recording goes well and the lineup works out we'll book some gigs and play some choice covers in addition to the originals, and sell CDs and T-shirts and just have fun playing in a band.

It's a bit premature to talk about the lineup just yet. A good guitarist friend is coming over this week and we'll work on a couple/three original tunes before heading to the monthly jam at Chicago Street Pub in Joliet. If all goes well I'll play bass most of the time, maybe switch to guitar on a few songs--I've heard him play bass so it's a possibility.

That's about all I can say for now. Very excited about the possibilities, with many ideas for recording and performing. We'll just have to see how it all goes. What's interesting about this, I was saying to Ron, is that in other bands I was also asked to join. This time I'm the one asking others, so it's completely new and different.