409InYourCoffeemaker

So, i'm 17, huge fan of Punk of all sorts, with Green Day on top.. NOFX, Bad Religion, Operation Ivy, Goldfinger, The Cure and so many more following close behind

I taught myself guitar and am pretty decent, i can't full on riff but i hardly need to anyway with the music i like.. I also sing, pretty well, and i played lead guitar in an on and off band..

I have wanted to start a three piece punk band for a while, and considering Green Day were like 15/16 when they started so i feel like i'm running out of time... I have written tons of songs, but have scrapped most of them for more 1039 Smoothed Out Slappy Hours/Kerplunk sounding songs, but i'm hitting serious writers block, which brings me to the problem:

I don't have any band members, so I can't even start a band yet, and i have no one to bounce song ideas and sounds off... I think it is best to start a band with friends, people you already have chemistry with, but i have no friends that share the same sort of music preference as me and i don't know how to meet other people who are interested, as i'm slightly socially awkward (except around close friends) and i don't like the idea of meeting up with strangers...

I know i could work through the stress of playing a live show until i start to love it, but as i said, no one to play with

There IS a friend who keeps asking me to play songs with him in a pub, but i wouldn't want to start a band with him as he isn't quite.. punk, and doesn't quite share the exact same music preference, plus ive known him my entire life pretty much and as i grow up ive realised how much he annoys me now and then, and i couldn't stand to spend many years down the line in a band with him...

What do you guys suggest i do... i'm getting pretty desperate..

Urban Hat€monger ?

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khfreek

I'd say play some songs in a pub with that dude. It's not like you're signing a marriage license, you can quit playing with him anytime you like, and you'll get some experience on stage even if it isn't your first choice of music. Meanwhile, about getting some band members... have you been to any of your local punk venues? Surely they're crawling with punks wanting to start a band.

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last.fm

409InYourCoffeemaker

The other problem i forgot to mention was i don't want to tell him i'm starting a three piece band because he'll want to get in on it as a second guitarist..

If Liverpool (UK) had any punk venues and the city wasn't full of Scene kids then i would check there, possibly..

@Urban Hat€monger ?

¬_¬

I hardly feel the need to prove myself..

khfreek

Well you kinda mentioned that, but it's not really a problem. If he finds out about you trying to make a band (which should be up to you) you just make it clear it's to be a punk band. It's not that big of a deal.

I figure http://www.absolutepunk.net/ would be a good place to find people from liverpool that are into your sort of punk. I notice you've only had two posts though, I hope that you'll stick around longer than just this thread!

Don't mind Urban, he was just making a punk joke

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last.fm

Urban Hat€monger ?

5 easy steps

1. Buy plain white T shirt

2. Buy Black marker pen

3. Write on T shirt 'PUNK GUITARIST LOOKING FOR BAND'

4. Go to gigs with shirt on

5. Mingle with punters

If you don't have the balls to do something like that and stand out then you don't belong on a stage.

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Ibanez_demon

That pplain whit t shirt idea is fri ken golden. But I would def play with that guy in the pub, experience will build you into a musician.

Freebase Dali

1. Stop giving a sh*t.
2. Whatever you do, play it loud, play it hard and play it fast.
3. If you're putting a lot of thought into how chords work with one another and how the lyrics work musically, you're doing it wrong.
4. If you're thinking about the end result, you're doing it wrong.
5. If you sound like Green Day, you're doing it wrong.
6. If you're worried about doing it wrong, you're doing it wrong.

If you and people you know have this approach, you'll find bandmates worth playing with.

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P A N

i hate to bring this up, but punk is a weird word. for me to properly express myself on the topic, i'd just like to say that punk - to me - is about doing whatever the f*ck you want. beethoven, tesla, einstein, hendrix... all people who did what they were driven to do regardless of other peoples' opinions on the matter. so as far as "sounding punk", i think you need to determine if mixing the aesthetic of the scene with what punk is actually about is something you're willing to do. the aesthetic is going to tell you how to talk, how to dress, how to play, what to drink, and and give you heaps and heaps of RULES about sh*t you're NOT allowed to do.

so i say, go play at the pub. at least two things are going to happen. you're going to get some experience, and within a musical genre that brings you out of your comfort zone (getting out of your comfort zone is healthy and promotes personal growth) and you're also going to meet people... like the sound guy. go meet the sound guy. those guys not only love talking about they do, but they usually have connections in local music communities.

i wish you luck. not restraint.

409InYourCoffeemaker

All you guys are f*cking awesome...

Believe me, i'm not sticking any rules on myself, i'm not fashion punk, and I am doing what i want.. i'm getting a kick out of playing a sound of punk that hasn't been around for a while, and the white t-shirt idea is actually a kick ass idea, i'm not scared of looking like a tw*t in front of people, it's just the social interaction i don't like, which is why i play High Anxiety by Suicide Machines everytime i get worked up..

I play fast, I play loud, I play messy, and I want friends that share the same mindset, but unfortunately they are very rare.. but I will take all your suggestions into mind and will keep looking, i may even find them when i go to university next year

And of course i'm gonna stick around the forums