This Or That? (Part 2)

[Charger]

No ballads! Next!


He's bit upset by that and as a counter offer he wants to add a jam section to one of the songs with a long guitar solo.

Agree with that and take a step back to the 70s or no, Jams have no place in live music anymore?

[Zzzptm]

We'll jam, but it's gotta be a fast-paced guitar duel, those are hella fun!


A billionaire asks if we'd like to play at his party on a private island somewhere in the Caribbean where he promises plenty of drink, drugs, and eager young fans of our genre.


Board his private jet for the gig or decline the engagement?

[Charger]

Sure why not! Gig is a gig!


After so many years of heavy touring taking it's toll few members would want to take a year off from touring.

Agree to do so or say we'll carry on without you then?

[Zzzptm]

If we don't take a break, the break takes us. Let's have a bit of a rest.


Some reporters are asking questions about that trip we took to that island and the direction does not seem at all savoury.

Tell all or deny everything?

[Charger]

Tell all there is to tell...why not.


During the break year the record company says we need to put out an album to fill the contract.

Yet another Best of collection or a live album from one of the earlier tours?

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

Or a dance remix... I'll get my coat!

A live album, but we're only away for a year why insist on a new album now! Probably source it from the bootlegs we have and give them a sound upgrade.


During the break, the main song writer wants to go to retreat in Nepal or Cambodia to "find himself".

Do you all go with him    or    Slap that nonsense out of him!

[Zzzptm]

Those interested should join in, but it's by no means a mandatory team meeting. The break is to cut loose and to recharge our energies!


And then... that song writer gets busted at Kathmandu International for drug smuggling. Hard drugs. Like, we thought he was having a problem, but we chalked that up to tour stress...


Tell him he's welcome to rejoin us after he's done with his legal issues and has gone through rehab OR say a final goodbye OR he's still 100% in the band, we take him as he is?

[Charger]

If he goes through the rehab and no fuzz he is more than welcome back..especially since we're having an off year anyways so he's got plenty of time to get his stuff together.


During the break time we get an offer from a new record label. It's smaller but promises to put us on top of the list and give us all of their attention.

Accept or kindly decline?

[Zzzptm]

Need to see the fine print about recording arrangements and if we have to rent our gear or not... I say better the devil we know. Kindly decline.


And now we're getting sued by the estate of an obscure musician because that song writer going through rehab lifted lyrics and riffs from about a dozen of his songs?


It's only rock and roll OR dude, you're fired for plagiarism.

[KiloDeltaCharlie]

No one ever steels riffs from other song writers... oh, sorry Mr Page I didn't see you standing there!

Yes it's only Rock n Roll!


The guy suing us has said he'll accept a small %age of the amount he's suing us for if we drop the songs.


Accept without admitting liability    or    Decline and continue with court proceedings because you believe you're innocent.

[Zzzptm]

We're corporate - accept without admission, the sociopathic way to solve problems! (and we KNOW we're not innocent!)


But now it gets worse... that song writer had a manager back in the day that he signed a horrific contract with. That manager has come forward with a legal team and says he owns rights to anything the songwriter wrote for us. While we can keep some of the proceeds of the plagiarized material (he didn't write it, after all), there's the other original compositions that are now subject to a cease and desist order until the case moves through the court system, which could take years.

Is it now time to make a new band or are we going to find a way through this all, together?

[Charger]

I think it's time to call it a day then. The wheels of power crushed the little guys of the band.

Start a solo project or try to put a new band together with maybe one or two guys from the old band?

[Zzzptm]

How about those of us who care get back to our roots and look up some of the guys we used to hang with back in the city when we was young and discover what might have been.



Do our old stuff in the main concert or only for encores?

[Vyn]

Encores only. We're moving on, not jumping into the nostalgia act scene just yet.

Only two of the band stuck together, the rest went off to explore new options. One guy is singing and playing bass (not really a lead singer, but gotta do what ya gotta do), the other is wheedling a lead guitar role - but he's really a rhythm player.

Having fun hitting the old hangouts, but need to get away from the hired hand action and get a charismatic lead singer and a wank-meister lead guitarist. As well as a drummer. Look for a female lead singer and the implications that brings to our output, or a stay traditional and find someone a-la Rod Stewart?

[Zzzptm]

Let's go with traditional.



Gravelly, bluesy singer or clear-throated pop songbird?