TGF interveiwed by rockinvasion, (video) Options

[SecretInsomnia]

Sorry if this was posted before!

http://www.rockinvasion.de/video/gracious-few

Duration: 10:20

Quite a nice and relaxed interview. The accent of the German interviewer is quite funny tho .

Chad says they're still planning to try to get into one room with the four LIVE members. That'd be in like... 3 months?

[live2cd]

i know they did a couple weeks in europe, but they havent been on tour in the US since 12/11.. thats almost 5 months!!! when a new album has been out to promote. granted, chad had his injury, but still thats about 2 months where they could have been planning something small to get back out to promote this thing this spring. usually dates get announced 1-2 months out, as of now - nothing. just chad wanting to get LIVE back together in the same room.

This post has been edited by live2cd: Apr 28 2011, 10:40 am

[tiger]

I wouldn't expect these guys to approach TGF they way some college aged budding rock star would. They should be riding the gravy train at this point. Personally, I think you have one person to blame for that. Candlebox had their own issues but have managed to stay together and respect their bread and butter. It sure seems like C,C,P have tried to do that but one person is unraveling that. It must kill them to see him out there doing what he is doing with Live's legacy. It certainly appears that he has no intent to rejoin with them. He could be honoring Live by focusing on his solo act as a side deal, or mistress like Kevin likes to describe TGF. He doesn't even acknowledge his former bandmates and appears pretty intent on moving forward without them. This hiatus truly could have been some time for each to scratch an itch, and it appears C,C,P would like to think of it as such. I don't think so with Ed though. I think he's wanted this for a while and I don't see that changing. Hopefully he'll come around. A healthy and functioning Live is better for everyone, including TGF and Ed Solo.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

I wouldn't expect these guys to approach TGF they way some college aged budding rock star would. They should be riding the gravy train at this point.

But, that is how they approached TGF at least partially. No one does begging for Facebook fans and Twitter followers better than rock bands who want to be somebody. TGF made that an essential part of their promotion. They, however, couldn't take the grassroots approach on the road and it cost them.

They could have "ridden the gravy train" if they had made the Live and Candlebox connection a bigger part of their promotion. Removing that basically made them a band of "college aged budding rock stars" (whatever that means).

TGF is not Live or Candlebox, TGF is a mid-level band that needed every promotional gear turning and every cost cutting measure to make touring work. They made obvious adjustments to what they were doing throughout, but those adjustments could have been made beforehand with some honest looks in the mirror.

I think they knew it would be hard to start over from square 1, but I don't think they knew just how hard it would be. You can even see that reading CT's tour diaries.

[tiger]

But, that is how they approached TGF at least partially. No one does begging for Facebook fans and Twitter followers better than rock bands who want to be somebody. TGF made that an essential part of their promotion. They, however, couldn't take the grassroots approach on the road and it cost them.

They could have "ridden the gravy train" if they had made the Live and Candlebox connection a bigger part of their promotion. Removing that basically made them a band of "college aged budding rock stars" (whatever that means).

TGF is not Live or Candlebox, TGF is a mid-level band that needed every promotional gear turning and every cost cutting measure to make touring work. They made obvious adjustments to what they were doing throughout, but those adjustments could have been made beforehand with some honest looks in the mirror.

I think they knew it would be hard to start over from square 1, but I don't think they knew just how hard it would be. You can even see that reading CT's tour diaries.

No doubt it was probably more difficult than they imagined. Maybe they downplayed the Live connection with all of the turmoil going on. They still leveraged their names behind the scenes to get some decent promotion. Perhaps they could have set aside all of their history and piled into a van and criss crossed the country for a year, but I think they pared down about as much as you can expect given their history. My point was, they wouldn't have had to anyway if Live hadn't gone the direction they did. That's what could have been handled better.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

No doubt it was probably more difficult than they imagined. Maybe they downplayed the Live connection with all of the turmoil going on. They still leveraged their names behind the scenes to get some decent promotion. Perhaps they could have set aside all of their history and piled into a van and criss crossed the country for a year, but I think they pared down about as much as you can expect given their history. My point was, they wouldn't have had to anyway if Live hadn't gone the direction they did. That's what could have been handled better.

I agree with your overall point. My problem is that most bands in that middle level where TGF is would KILL for the promotion that they were able to get from the Live/Candlebox connection. Itunes single of the day? NYC radio appearances? Numerous positive album reviews? Those things were unfortunately squandered by overzealous touring plans.

I am not suggesting they criss cross the country in a van for a year. I am suggesting that they make a well planned tour route with a solid promoter, slim down the road crew, organize a street team BEFORE the tour, and do the work of a tour manager within the band so they don't have to pay someone else to do it. That's what bands at their level are doing, and all of those bands would have done almost anything for the promotion this band got just for existing.

[OutToDry]

I agree with your overall point. My problem is that most bands in that middle level where TGF is would KILL for the promotion that they were able to get from the Live/Candlebox connection. Itunes single of the day? NYC radio appearances? Numerous positive album reviews? Those things were unfortunately squandered by overzealous touring plans.

I am not suggesting they criss cross the country in a van for a year. I am suggesting that they make a well planned tour route with a solid promoter, slim down the road crew, organize a street team BEFORE the tour, and do the work of a tour manager within the band so they don't have to pay someone else to do it. That's what bands at their level are doing, and all of those bands would have done almost anything for the promotion this band got just for existing.

Um, i hear what you're saying and I know you work within a band, butthey camped and didn't stay in hotels. Not sure where you get overzealous touring plans.......they cut their guarantees so not to charge $20+ for tickets in this tough time economically. They did these things you mention, pretty much all of it.



I saw their setup and crews....they were running lean as you can pretty much get funky.



It was a group of 10-12 and that includes the band.

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Um, i hear what you're saying and I know you work within a band, butthey camped and didn't stay in hotels. Not sure where you get overzealous touring plans.......they cut their guarantees so not to charge $20+ for tickets in this tough time economically. They did these things you mention, pretty much all of it.

I saw their setup and crews....they were running lean as you can pretty much get funky.

It was a group of 10-12 and that includes the band.

I acknowledged that they got part of the way there, and I really do think they tried. Keep in mind that I love the guys and what they do just as much as you do. I'm not being critical just to be critical, I have wanted to see this band succeed from the beginning and I am just unpacking why I think it hasn't thus far. I could very well be wrong.

I don't think they had a choice on the ticket price issue. That is what they wanted to do at first, but they got in the bed with the wrong people who wanted to charge more. That was part of the problem I'm alluding to.

I disagree with 10-12 being a lean crew for the level of popularity of this band. When most of your shows are for 100 people you don't take a crew that big. Grab a van and a sound guy, maybe a crew member, and hit the road - do the rest yourself. Get a nice van and a trailer. Fuel economy sucks but it isn't as bad as a bus.

While the owner of the Visulite though the tour rider was funny, I imagine there were other bar owners who were quite put off by it's length. They were probably even more put off by how poorly the band drew in a lot of markets. That is not good, any way you slice it.

One issue with drawing a crowd, just to further explain some of the things I'm talking about, is they overextended themselves in the southeast. They could have done Charlotte and Atlanta like most artists and demanded bigger guarantees because the crowds would have been bigger. This would have freed up three dates to hit other markets they missed on the tour. Just an example of what I'm talking about here.

Again, I love the guys and what they do. I just think there were some poor decisions made on this first tour, and I doubt most of those decisions were even made directly by the guys. I don't claim to be an expert, or even someone who could manage this band successfully, but I have booked a lot of shows as an artist, manager, and a venue. The kind of venues I have booked at and for are the kind of venues TGF was playing, so I can't imagine that everything I'm saying is untrue. I just think that the things I am pointing out were things that could have been corrected BEFORE the tour by working with people who understood the band's popularity and the current touring market better.

I want TGF to be successful and I never want to see Live together again with EK. If things keep going as they are that isn't going to happen. I doubt Ed's tour has been extremely profitable, but he is still out there touring. It is just so damn frustrating.

This post has been edited by thefunkyredcaboose: Apr 28 2011, 8:36 pm

[dangum]

While the owner of the Visulite though the tour rider was funny, I imagine there were other bar owners who were quite put off by it's length.

Have you got any examples of some of the items on the rider?

[thefunkyredcaboose]

Have you got any examples of some of the items on the rider?

I wish that I did, I didn't see it. I would imagine that it is things like showers, food, and other things that you would expect to see on a typical Live or Candlebox tour. Most of the venues they were playing wouldn't have those amenities unless the band is going to absolutely pack the place. I do remember him mentioning things about the sound system and lights, but that's about all he said.

OTD, if they signed with a general manager that is great news. Did they do that to get on a bigger tour? I think they've got one more shot with this album to get it to the people. It was just hard to watch mistakes happen that could have been prevented.