The Hairbrush Chronicles – Part 3 Getting A Chance With A Band

Alisha gets her first chance to sing at practice with the live rock band, Bonne Nuit.

Alisha Sabin - Singer
Alisha Sabin - Young Rocker

   You know those times of your life where you feel complacent and bored? You don’t know why you keep going through the robotic motions of life each day. Maybe you do know why but you aren’t sure how you manage to keep doing it day after day. It can become quickly depressing and you start to lose motivation for other things that are important to you. Exercise, eating healthy and productivity become a thing of the past as you wallow in your oh so boring lifestyle. You need something to keep you going, a productive and healthy change.

   My change came via Facebook message and I couldn’t believe it when I read it. All of these years of singing in the hairbrush and I had been asked to sing a song at the next gig for the cover band Bonne Nuit. Excited and nervous would describe it best. It was Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now. I immediately downloaded it on iTunes and practiced my heart out. I practiced so much that my family can barely stand to hear it at all now. But there was one thing I couldn’t prepare myself for and had no idea how it would dramatically change my performing life forever: Singing live!

   I showed up for my first band practice pretty unsure of what to do. I think that may have been the first thing I said to the band, “I’ve never sung like this before, so I really have no idea what I am doing.” They were extremely patient and gracious to me. Nice as can be; and from the tone of the room I could tell they were all saying to me, “It’s easy…you just sing into the mic.”

   So I did.  Continue reading “The Hairbrush Chronicles – Part 3 Getting A Chance With A Band”

The Hairbrush Chronicles – Part 2 Lighting The Fire

In part 2, Alisha Sabin continues her story of wanting to sing in a live band and chasing her dream.

Alisha Sabin Live Singer 12th Grade
Alisha Sabin - Singer

   “Really?  You are going to make all of our customers listen to your band’s EP?”  That is the nice version on what I said to Quinn Allman.  We worked at a miniature golf course in our hometown of Pleasant Grove, Utah.  Quinn and I went to high school together and graduated from the same class.  I don’t remember much about him other than the fact that he skated around and didn’t talk to very many people.  Seemed like an outsider.  Now he is the guitarist of The Used.  During the time we worked together he and his live band were just getting started.  Their non-produced music sounded awful to me and I wondered how it would ever become popular.  It just goes to show what a live performance can do. The story as far as I know goes like this…John Feldmann of Goldfinger saw them perform, loved them and produced their first album.  From what I can recall the music he played at work sounded nothing like what they play now.  I like what they play now.  Continue reading “The Hairbrush Chronicles – Part 2 Lighting The Fire”

The Hairbrush Chronicles – Part 1 The Dream Of Playing In A Live Band

Alisha Sabin talks about the childhood dream of being a singer in a live band.

Alisha Sabin Live Singer 12th Grade
Alisha Sabin - Aspiring Rock Singer

   It was just me and my hairbrush, well, and my two sisters.  There I was standing on the bed, hairbrush in hand ready to sing-off to know which sister was the best.  We would compete regularly and usually we would sing the latest Disney movie hit.  This time it was “Part of Your World” from The Little Mermaid.  I always knew I was the best but my older sister was, of course, always right and claimed she won each and every time.  I didn’t let that stop me.  I knew that if I kept up my singing into the hairbrush that I would eventually get my chance to sing on a live stage.   The hairbrush singing continued through my teens, young adulthood and even today.  As a matter of fact, I’ll sing into anything that can give me the feeling of actually singing into a microphone.  A toothpaste tube, cell phone or curling irons work too, you know, before they are plugged in and hot.   Continue reading “The Hairbrush Chronicles – Part 1 The Dream Of Playing In A Live Band”

Introducing Alisha Sabin

Alisha Sabin will be writing articles as an author on Live Musician Central.

Alisha Sabin Performing Live
Alisha Sabin

   Hi all of you live musician’s out there on the world wide web. I’m very excited today to introduce a new author on Live Musician Central. Alisha Sabin will be writing a series of articles chronicling her experience playing in a live band. Alisha has been singing in her very first live rock band and it just happens to be my band Bonne Nuit. So be sure to watch Live Musician Central to read about Alisha’s fascinating journey taking her from singing into her hairbrush in front of her bedroom mirror to taking the stage for a live performance with a real rock band.

Foo Fighters Concert Review Salt Lake City – October 11, 2011

Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters rocked the Maverick Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 11, 2011.

Dave Grohl Playing Maverick Center Salt Lake City
Dave Grohl Playing Lucite Dan Armstrong Ampeg Guitar

   I was seventeen years old when I bought my first two Foo Fighters albums. Their debut self titled album and their second, “The Colour and the Shape”. I listened to it locked in my bedroom so my parents wouldn’t hear as they thought I was headed the wrong direction by listening to what they considered to be loud and unorganized rock music. Yet it seems over the last thirteen years the Foo Fighters have been the most consistent for me, never letting me down with what they have to offer. That is why on October 11, 2011, I was not going to miss seeing them at the Maverick Center in West Valley City, Utah.   Continue reading “Foo Fighters Concert Review Salt Lake City – October 11, 2011”

Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare Album Review

The new Alice Cooper album Welcome 2 My Nightmare features his original band members and is a parallel to the 1975 classic Welcome To My Nightmare.

Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare
Alice Cooper - Welcome 2 My Nightmare

   I’ve been an Alice Cooper fan since I was five years old and my older brother played me School’s Out. I used to beg him to play that song over and over again. Alice Cooper has been a huge influence on my stage shows with my live band as well. So I’ve got all of Alice Cooper’s albums and he’s had some great ones as well as some not-so-great ones. Alice was due for a great album and I really feel like he’s delivered a great album with his new release titled Welcome 2 My Nightmare.   Continue reading “Alice Cooper – Welcome 2 My Nightmare Album Review”

Death Cab For Cutie Concert Review: Salt Lake City August 22, 2011

Death Cab For Cutie played a tight and full sounding show in Salt Lake City on August 22, 2011.

Death Cab For Cutie Live
Death Cab For Cutie at Maverick Center, August 22, 2011

   One of my favorite live bands is Death Cab For Cutie who came to play in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Maverick Center on August 22, 2011. I’m a big fan of Death Cab’s albums and Ben Gibbard’s excellent songwriting. Their albums are always a nice mix of good rock songs mixed with some mellow, dreamlike music. The albums are always very well produced so it’s very interesting to see how their songs translate live. Can Death Cab For Cutie bring it for a live show?   Continue reading “Death Cab For Cutie Concert Review: Salt Lake City August 22, 2011”

Line 6 X2 XDS95 Wireless Guitar System Review

The Line 6 X2 XSS95 has fantastic sound quality, good reliability and is very inexpensive. Here’s the review.

Line 6 X2 XDS95 Wireless Instrument System
Line 6 X2 XDS95 Wireless Guitar System

   I’ve recently been playing in a live band with my Son’s called Bonne Nuit and they were quite envious of my Shure wireless guitar system. I decided to get them their own wireless guitar systems and decided on the Line 6 X2 XDS95 Wireless Guitar System. I got two XDS95’s, one for my bass player and one for my rhythm guitar player. My choice was based mainly on the low price and the fact that this is a full digital wireless guitar system. I have been extremely pleased with this wireless guitar system in terms of reliability and especially in terms of sound quality. It’s one purchase I have never regretted. The following review was written by my son Erik Rushton.   Continue reading “Line 6 X2 XDS95 Wireless Guitar System Review”

In Memoriam – Amy Winehouse September 14, 1983 – July 24, 2011

Amy Winehouse was found dead at her London home on July 23, 2011. A tragic loss for the musician community.

Amy Winehouse Dead At 27
Amy Winehouse Dead At 27

   Amy Winehouse was found dead Saturday July 23, 2011 at her London home at the tender age of 27. It’s always a sad thing when a talented musician has their life cut tragically short. It’s a stark contrast writing this memoriam compared to a musician who had a full, rich life like Clarence Clemons.   Continue reading “In Memoriam – Amy Winehouse September 14, 1983 – July 24, 2011”

In Memoriam – Clarence Clemons January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011

Clarenece Clemons passed away at the age of 69 leaving a long musical legacy of unique and strong saxophone playing.

Clarence Clemons and Bruce Springsteen
Clarence Clemons and Bruce Springsteen Performe Live

   One of the best saxophone players in rock-n-roll passed away on June 18, 2011 from complications related to the stroke he suffered the week before. Clarence Clemons was 69 years old and spent 40 of those years playing alongside Bruce Springsteen in the E Street Band. Clarence brought the soul to the live performances and recordings of the E Street Band and he made them one of the most exciting live bands of the past four decades.   Continue reading “In Memoriam – Clarence Clemons January 11, 1942 – June 18, 2011”

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