Pre release version of one of my album tracks.

[ivansc]

I have been sitting on a ton of stuff for a couple of years, hoping to finish them, but our drummer died last August, so I am now trying the waters to see what you all think of this one. Almost ready for the final mix, etc.

This one includes all the other stuff I posted on the wasplollies account.

https://soundcloud.com/wasplollies

This one is just the "new" song.

https://soundcloud.com/wasplollies/m...ol-tonight-pre

[Tod]

Originally Posted by ivansc

I have been sitting on a ton of stuff for a couple of years, hoping to finish them, but our drummer died last August, so I am now trying the waters to see what you all think of this one. Almost ready for the final mix, etc.

This one includes all the other stuff I posted on the wasplollies account.

https://soundcloud.com/wasplollies

This one is just the "new" song.

https://soundcloud.com/wasplollies/m...ol-tonight-pre

Ivan, these are great, very 70s & 80s, and very well performed. Are you playing or singing on these? Everything fits the groove it was meant to be.

Great job my friend.

[ivansc]

Thanks, Tod. I am only singing lead vocal on the modern stuff. All the chameleon tracks I am on bass & the very high backing vocals.
On all the new stuff (Mamas in control, Doowat, etc.) I wrote the songs, sang them & in some played all instruments but Mamas in control is just rhythm guitar. Drums on that one track are by our dearly loved, departed drummer, Tony Hill.

[Glennbo]

Sounds great Ivan. I've always liked Latin inspired music, and you guys had the groove.

[ivansc]

Thanks! I just wish the band still had our dear Tony on drums...

[Glennbo]

Originally Posted by ivansc

Thanks! I just wish the band still had our dear Tony on drums...

I feel for you. Two out of five members from my old live band are no longer with us. I still get one of the still living guitarists over to track on projects, but no live stuff any more.

[bulevardi]

Great guitar playing here man!
Hope you'll find a replacing drummer one day. Feel sorry for you.

[ivansc]

Thanks. We already have a great replacement drummer, almost as good as Tony, but like the rest of the band, he is in huge demand by others too.

That`s the problem with having the best players in town in your band! Tony and Fabian (my bass player) approached me when I first started cancer treatment & said they had created a band & got us 2 bookings for June 2016....
Tony posted us as "The Ivan Carling experience" for the first one & I was ready to die from embarrassment, but then he came up with Skivin` Ivan & The Slackers, which I really like.

Once I get my keyboard player added to the album tracks, I will be trying to release it somewhere that we might make a few bob, but frankly I`ll be happy just to have the whole thing finished properly as a memoriam for Tony.

P.S. Kim Rew`s studio, where we recorded everything, has now been gutted of all the old 2" tape stuff & is all ITB now, plus the Hammond organ is no longer there, so who knows what we will be doing next?
Shame, as it is such a great set of rooms.

[ivansc]

Originally Posted by bulevardi

Great guitar playing here man!

That`s me and Johnny "Magic Boy" Wright, a pal from about 1991 when we returned from the USA.
Yet another highly in demand player, of course.... check him out of facebook & you will see what I mean!

I am struggling to motivate myself to do new songs for the band right now, but in the meantime "I iz a bassist" again in another band!
Making my hands sore....

[ivansc]

Gosh! I accidentally got the rock band The Lost Hours its first gig in ages for Friday 3rd June, the start of the Queen`s Platinum Jubilee weekend.

After five years of never ever rehearsing with Skivin`Ivan & the Slackers, I am now doing two rehearsals a week with the new lot!

Might have to see about recording some of it.

P.S. We also opened Tony`s memorial gig at 12.30am last Sunday. All very emotional with some great musical contributions the whole day. Still miss him so much.

[Stinger]

Don't know if I've listened to any of your stuff before, Ivan, but Mama's in Control is just great. Lead guitar & Latin beat carry the song, but the vocal is radio quality too. And sounds like your musical life is getting back in gear - no more lockdowns, please!

[ivansc]

Thanks! The only really bad part is loss of our drummer, of course, but I have to say our new drummer is excellent, even if he is NOT Tony.

As I said, we just played at Tony`s memorial festival last Sunday....WHAT a turnout & so much emotion.

He is so badly missed by both other musicians and local audience members.

[BenjyO]

Superb playing and singing. Enjoyed it a lot. Also your singing reminds me a bit of Donald Fagen.

[ivansc]

Thanks! Donald Fagen.... hmmm....

I`m a fan of his, but hopefully I am still slightly better looking, even at my age!

[BenjyO]

Originally Posted by ivansc

Thanks! Donald Fagen.... hmmm....

I`m a fan of his, but hopefully I am still slightly better looking, even at my age!

Well, his music isn't good because of the looks (regardless of where in the bad-good spectrum they might be).

[barrymk]

Shades of Santana Ivan. None of my fellow musicians have died yet, I just keep losing them....Nurse!

[ivansc]

You`re the second person out of several hundred who have heard that track that mentioned Santana... I am ashamed to admit that it`s origins come from long before Santana was even a twinkle in his mama`s eye. Started playing that kinda clave back in the 1950s.

[barrymk]

Originally Posted by ivansc

Started playing that kinda clave back in the 1950s.

Blimey even I was still in short trousers! I didn't start playing until 1961.

[ivansc]

My first paid gig was in late 1954. A Jewish wedding reception in the church hall nearby "a railway station in North London". We got five whole shillings between five of us!

[barrymk]

Mine was in '62, Barras Heath Working Men's Club in Coventry. We got two quid between four of us and a "manager". My brand new (that day) RSC Bass Major 2x12 combo blew a dry paper capacitor after 10 minutes and I had to carry on through our rythmn player's AC30. An inauspicious start to my short lived pro career as a bass player. Happy days. At least we paid our dues in those days.

[ivansc]

Wow! Cant believe well over 1,000 of you have read this thread AND a heck of a lot of you gone on to give the track a listen! Thanks.

[Jorgen]

Good one, Ivan. And those drums sound really good. Well recorded too.

[ivansc]

That`s our dear departed drummer, Tony Hill. Sorely missed these days.

I have six tracks recorded with him drumming & I am pretty much decided to create a separate "short" album dedicated to him, using them.

We had a fabulous memorial festival in Cambridge recently for him & in spite of it pissing down with rain & most of the music being played outside, it was an absolute corker. SO many bands playing...

My band - Skivin` Ivan & The Slackers - were lucky enough to be on before it rained, too!

[41TWIN]

Wow. Beautiful on all accounts. Played great. Sounds great. Sung great.

Sorry to hear about your drummer. some how each year we all just keep getting older, if were still here.

[ivansc]

Thanks, 41TWIN

We were lucky enough to find a local drummer who was a retired pro percussionist & plays very musically. Not as crisp as Tony, but his stuff fits my stuff beautifully.

Meanwhile, I finally managed to get ALL the stems that we did in Kim Rew`s studio.
I am about to start the long journey of editing everything, adding the missing keyboard parts and fix my one horribly out-of tune vocal when my lungs first went wrong!

Hope for the future, maybe...

[krahosk]

The mix and instrumentation are top notch. As for the writing, we know where your songs are going from the beginning in style and form. Clear intent. So great!

[ivansc]

(grin) wait till you hear the other ones that are not posted on there yet.

My current favourite is The Doowat Song...

Any guesses as to what it`s about?