Post by Chelsea Skye on Aug 23, 2023 23:43:12 GMT
Don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’ve been busy with my band for a good chunk of the month and will be until the first week of September, doing what exactly? Touring Europe!
So far we’ve hit Sweden, Norway, Germany (twice) and France with tonight’s show in Bristol being the first of the extended UK leg that would take us through a good chunk of the remaining dates before we finally wrapped up in Denmark! And so far, the only hiccups have been me getting the French opening band Dragged To Hell mixed up with a similarly named English band called Crawling Through Hell and an awkward conversation with Bristol’s police force.
Pro tip: when talking about a song called “A Knife To The King’s Throat”, make sure that there aren’t any English policemen about to enter earshot of your conversation!
”Man, that British crowd has been intense tonight!” I exclaimed happily to the other band members whilst I got my second guitar ready, the other members nodded enthusiastically except Taylor who seemed lost in her own world. ”We are definitely coming back to the UK down the line!”
“I’m sure you will, but I won’t be there.” Taylor commented off handedly and we all turned to the band’s second guitarist and the woman who had taught me how to play in the first place. “I know the timing is awkward, but I’ll be leaving Krawling Khaos once the tour is over.”
We all did double takes when we heard that, Taylor had been a key member of the band since day one, she wrote all the riffs for our debut album Kingdom of the Scourged, she helped me grow as a guitarist to the point where I took over riff writing duties even though I was the rhythm guitarist, finally Julian spoke up. “You couldn’t have waited until after the show? We’re literally minutes away from going back on stage for the last three songs!” Julian pointed out with a frustrated look on his face and he was right, the encore set was the only set left to do tonight. “Can you at least tell us why?”
“I suppose I owe you that much, I want to start my own band, write my own songs, all that stuff, and focus on my career as a guitar teacher, I feel I can’t do that as a part of an international touring act which is what Krawling Khaos has become.” Taylor responded but I wasn’t convinced, online classes became a thing for such events and, well, they became a necessity during the pandemic. But that goes without saying. “I’ve taught Chelsea everything I can teach her, what’s more for me to do here?”
”I don’t know, play the riffs you wrote live? I know you only wrote the riffs for the debut album but those are still your songs.” I pointed out and Taylor shook her head, it seemed like her mind was made up. ”What about McKenzie? Does she know?” I asked referring to Taylor’s younger sister who worked as a vocal coach and had taught me how to growl and sing properly in preparation for my side project’s debut album Ruins of a Fallen World.
As for my question? Taylor shook her head. “You guys are the first ones to know.” Taylor responded before she stood up and motioned towards the stage. “I’ll play with you guys for the rest of the tour but after that? You’ll have to start auditioning for a new guitarist.”
Saying that the rest of the night, between the encore set and the trip to our next stop on the tour Manchester, was awkward as all hell was putting it mildly, especially given what we’d learn in Manchester.
*the next day in Manchester*
Awkwardness aside, today was going smoothly, we were at Rebellion already for once reason, there was six bands playing tonight (and every other night) and we had to do the soundcheck early to make sure the show went smoothly.
I was watching the local comedy Death Metal Band Cannibal’s Happy Meal (yes, really) go through their soundcheck when Julian called me over to the backstage area, when I got there I saw the rest of the band waiting for me sans Taylor who, as it turned out, lied to us, she had been working on a new band for months, even during the recording of our latest album Castle of the Graveless Bride, and that and her behaviour off late, was making us question if we should fire her outright.
“Chelsea? We have a major problem.” Trent informed me and I braced myself for, well, anything at this point. “Taylor just quit the band.”
”WAIT, WHAT?!” I asked as I did a double take and the bandmates nodded. ”We’re in the middle of soundcheck, what is she playing at?!”
”It’s my fault, I got into a major argument with her, apparently she’s been angry with me for “stealing” you from her, and yes, those are her words, not mine.” Sarah informed me and my frown deepened, you didn’t need to be a gay or bi person to know what that kind of language meant. ”And before you ask, she’s already gone, she’s probably at the airport as we speak and she took her gear with her.”[/front]
”Son of a bitch!” I exclaimed angrily as I ran a hand down my face. ”I’m not playing mine and Taylor’s parts, we need a fill in for tonight’s show and the rest of the shows on the tour, I hate having to scramble like this but she’s left me with no choice.” I added as I stormed off ack towards the stage, Cannibal’s Happy Meal had finished their soundcheck in that time and Harry (the vocalist) had seen my angry demeaner.
“Hey Chels, is something wrong?” He asked as he walked up to me and the rest of the band put their stuff away, ready to open the night, then I told him what had happened and his jaw dropped. “You’re kidding?! What the hell brought that on.”
”She got into an argument with Sarah, that’s all you need to know.” I responded with an annoyed huff as I leaned against a nearby table with my arms crossed, for a small venue Rebellion was a pretty decent size, but the rest of the band overheard our conversation and looked up. ”Your band has two guitarists, I’m sure you understand the difficulty of having to play a song with two guitar parts when you’re a guitarist down? Well, I can’t do that, I need to find a fill in fast.”
“I’ll do it.” I looked up and saw Cannibal’s Happy Meal’s sole female member Kirsty walking up to me, she was a sick guitarist to be fair so if anyone was up for the challenge, it was her. “Give me a few hours and I’ll have your setlist for tonight memorized.”
”Our soundcheck is last and starts at four, you have until then to get this memorized.” I responded simply as I handed her a copy of the setlist and she got right to work on it.
Kirsty would prove to be more than up to the challenge tonight but she couldn’t make the remaining dates, we needed a fill in for the rest of the tour! Luckily the show in Colchester was on Friday so I had a day to get something sorted.
And arrange auditions for a permanent replacement for Taylor when we got back home.
So far we’ve hit Sweden, Norway, Germany (twice) and France with tonight’s show in Bristol being the first of the extended UK leg that would take us through a good chunk of the remaining dates before we finally wrapped up in Denmark! And so far, the only hiccups have been me getting the French opening band Dragged To Hell mixed up with a similarly named English band called Crawling Through Hell and an awkward conversation with Bristol’s police force.
Pro tip: when talking about a song called “A Knife To The King’s Throat”, make sure that there aren’t any English policemen about to enter earshot of your conversation!
”Man, that British crowd has been intense tonight!” I exclaimed happily to the other band members whilst I got my second guitar ready, the other members nodded enthusiastically except Taylor who seemed lost in her own world. ”We are definitely coming back to the UK down the line!”
“I’m sure you will, but I won’t be there.” Taylor commented off handedly and we all turned to the band’s second guitarist and the woman who had taught me how to play in the first place. “I know the timing is awkward, but I’ll be leaving Krawling Khaos once the tour is over.”
We all did double takes when we heard that, Taylor had been a key member of the band since day one, she wrote all the riffs for our debut album Kingdom of the Scourged, she helped me grow as a guitarist to the point where I took over riff writing duties even though I was the rhythm guitarist, finally Julian spoke up. “You couldn’t have waited until after the show? We’re literally minutes away from going back on stage for the last three songs!” Julian pointed out with a frustrated look on his face and he was right, the encore set was the only set left to do tonight. “Can you at least tell us why?”
“I suppose I owe you that much, I want to start my own band, write my own songs, all that stuff, and focus on my career as a guitar teacher, I feel I can’t do that as a part of an international touring act which is what Krawling Khaos has become.” Taylor responded but I wasn’t convinced, online classes became a thing for such events and, well, they became a necessity during the pandemic. But that goes without saying. “I’ve taught Chelsea everything I can teach her, what’s more for me to do here?”
”I don’t know, play the riffs you wrote live? I know you only wrote the riffs for the debut album but those are still your songs.” I pointed out and Taylor shook her head, it seemed like her mind was made up. ”What about McKenzie? Does she know?” I asked referring to Taylor’s younger sister who worked as a vocal coach and had taught me how to growl and sing properly in preparation for my side project’s debut album Ruins of a Fallen World.
As for my question? Taylor shook her head. “You guys are the first ones to know.” Taylor responded before she stood up and motioned towards the stage. “I’ll play with you guys for the rest of the tour but after that? You’ll have to start auditioning for a new guitarist.”
Saying that the rest of the night, between the encore set and the trip to our next stop on the tour Manchester, was awkward as all hell was putting it mildly, especially given what we’d learn in Manchester.
*the next day in Manchester*
Awkwardness aside, today was going smoothly, we were at Rebellion already for once reason, there was six bands playing tonight (and every other night) and we had to do the soundcheck early to make sure the show went smoothly.
I was watching the local comedy Death Metal Band Cannibal’s Happy Meal (yes, really) go through their soundcheck when Julian called me over to the backstage area, when I got there I saw the rest of the band waiting for me sans Taylor who, as it turned out, lied to us, she had been working on a new band for months, even during the recording of our latest album Castle of the Graveless Bride, and that and her behaviour off late, was making us question if we should fire her outright.
“Chelsea? We have a major problem.” Trent informed me and I braced myself for, well, anything at this point. “Taylor just quit the band.”
”WAIT, WHAT?!” I asked as I did a double take and the bandmates nodded. ”We’re in the middle of soundcheck, what is she playing at?!”
”It’s my fault, I got into a major argument with her, apparently she’s been angry with me for “stealing” you from her, and yes, those are her words, not mine.” Sarah informed me and my frown deepened, you didn’t need to be a gay or bi person to know what that kind of language meant. ”And before you ask, she’s already gone, she’s probably at the airport as we speak and she took her gear with her.”[/front]
”Son of a bitch!” I exclaimed angrily as I ran a hand down my face. ”I’m not playing mine and Taylor’s parts, we need a fill in for tonight’s show and the rest of the shows on the tour, I hate having to scramble like this but she’s left me with no choice.” I added as I stormed off ack towards the stage, Cannibal’s Happy Meal had finished their soundcheck in that time and Harry (the vocalist) had seen my angry demeaner.
“Hey Chels, is something wrong?” He asked as he walked up to me and the rest of the band put their stuff away, ready to open the night, then I told him what had happened and his jaw dropped. “You’re kidding?! What the hell brought that on.”
”She got into an argument with Sarah, that’s all you need to know.” I responded with an annoyed huff as I leaned against a nearby table with my arms crossed, for a small venue Rebellion was a pretty decent size, but the rest of the band overheard our conversation and looked up. ”Your band has two guitarists, I’m sure you understand the difficulty of having to play a song with two guitar parts when you’re a guitarist down? Well, I can’t do that, I need to find a fill in fast.”
“I’ll do it.” I looked up and saw Cannibal’s Happy Meal’s sole female member Kirsty walking up to me, she was a sick guitarist to be fair so if anyone was up for the challenge, it was her. “Give me a few hours and I’ll have your setlist for tonight memorized.”
”Our soundcheck is last and starts at four, you have until then to get this memorized.” I responded simply as I handed her a copy of the setlist and she got right to work on it.
Kirsty would prove to be more than up to the challenge tonight but she couldn’t make the remaining dates, we needed a fill in for the rest of the tour! Luckily the show in Colchester was on Friday so I had a day to get something sorted.
And arrange auditions for a permanent replacement for Taylor when we got back home.
