Ten Too Many

Over the last few days, TenTooMany has been busy recording an album. Having ten people in the band makes some things go VERY smoothly. We often break up into various task forces. We are always changing rolls, but here is an example:

1. Team Kitchen Creations: Nick and Tim
2. Team Wire and Microphone: Kevin and Colin
3. Team Science and observation: Sheila (The only one qualified to organize TTM's equipment with science powers)
4. Team Computer: Eliot, Kevin and Colin.
5. Team Fort Building and Room Acoustics: Veronica and Dave.
6. Triage: Veronica
7. Team Puzzle Finder: Grace and Mark.
8. Team Rock and Roll Flower: Kevin and Eliot.
9. Team understanding amplifiers: ... Nobody is qualified for this position so we just kind of don't touch the amps...
10. Team Ice Cream selection: (All 10 members, headed up by Nick)

Other times, having ten people in the band can be a nightmare. Just think of the food bill!

-Nick

We got this email the other day:

Come to Toronto Fuckers, Your music is the shit!!!!!!

None of us responded because we didn't even know what to say. Nice to know people are digging our music though.

One of the biggest strengths of Ten Too Many has always been our staying power. We have been a little shaky at times, but the band is coming up on it's half decade anniversary with the same people. In the early days of the band Mat left, and after the studio Tim joined, and just recently Mark went to Ottawa all summer, but other than that we've been playing and practicing as the same group regularly. We know eachother as musicians and are able to work with eachother quite well as well as keep a hefty repertoire. But perhaps more importantly we are all good friends. We see eachother at least once a week, spend keep in close touch with what is happening in each other's lives, and have a blast whenever we get together.

The 'Super-Friends Club' side of Ten Too Many is what has made the last few months hard. Tiffany has been unable to regularly attend practice and ended up missing a couple shows without notice. The eventuality of our parting ways didn't come as a surprise to her or any of us, but it was still a dark moment in our history. Fortunately there are no hard feelings. We are all very happy for Tiffany and her success in her solo career. We're thankful for her contribution to what Ten Too Many accomplished and everything she did to get the band where it is today.

This still left the nine of us with no front person and an armload of music that nobody could sing. Tim did his part, he rescued us for a few shows, picked up some of the tunes Tiffany used to sing and sang some of his own. We begrudgingly agreed to audition which became a stressful multi week process. After a series of tied votes and hours of discussion, we finally picked Grace. Not only can she sing, but she fits in. We are a strange little clan and I think there are lots of people who wouldn't be able to deal with us.

The band is looking at this as a new beginning rather than an end. Grace is amazing and full of enthusiasm which I think rubs off on all of us. We're working on a bunch of new stuff and are dropping lots of our older stuff.

Looks like Ten Too Many is going to survive another year...

Did you know that ten too many is up to no good? WELL WE ARE!

Other than eating, nerding out and playing videogames together, we have been working on a bunch of new stuff! Summer is always a fun time to be in a band.

The show was amazing! I'm so happy that we could have a full venue and sell a bunch of CDs! Nice to see all our hard work paying off. Now we need to play more shows.

TTM pulled out all the stops and did some wicked cool cupcake designs! There is a cupcake for every type of TTM fan! I hope Kev can post a pic of them on here...

Write music (Check)
Practice music (Check)
Record music (Check)
Mix/Master Music (Check)
Find Pressing Place (Check)
Name Album (Check)
Finish graphic design and layout (check)
Press Album (check)
CD release party booked (check )
Sell Tickets (in progress)
Sell CDs ( )
Send away to college radio ( )
Post music on Itunes/Internet ( )
Get famous and spend the rest of our lives strung out and sailing the world on TTM's private Yacht ()

It would seem that we're making up for a year of doing almost nothing by getting more done in two weeks than I though possible! Our CD is at Polar, the art is done, the WECC is booked and the deposit paid. We've asked Tele and The Wedgewoods to play at our CD release but haven't heard back from either of them.

The only really scary thing left is licensing for the cover of Ordinary World we recorded. We though we had properly researched what we needed, but in reality we were completely off the mark. Now we have to wait for a provisional approval before they'll even touch the CD presses. Meanwhile we've already booked the West End.

I also bit the bullet and finally started updating www.tentoomany.com. I hate doing web design. I'm not good at it, I don't know how to use Photoshop, and I'm colorblind! What I ended up doing is basing the site off Dave and Eliot's CD cover art. That pre-chose a theme, colors, font, and layout. The new site should be up by the end of the week. I still need content though! Ideas? We need funny stuff to go in each individual bio. What do people come to our site looking for?

Remember, I was the one who started this post. I just wanted advice on album stuff... My question had nothing to do with "street cred" or TTM's relation to the "SCENE". The fact that these issues keep getting brought up seems strange to me. Why do you guys even care if TTM sends a representative to your shows? I don't have expectations of anybody, I just like to play and write songs because it is fun.

Darryl: I don't know who you are, but you seem pretty angry at TTM. I didn't come on here asking for your support. But thanks for telling me that you won't give it!

Ian: If you are the Same Ian who I tried to teach jazz theory to back in CJS: Don't talk to me about Musical understanding! I have no idea about what I'm getting into so I asked for help. Instead of just explaining shit to me, you say I'm hopeless and put down my efforts. I hope the irony of the situation isn't lost on you.

Dan: The way you can give advice without turning it in to some sort of insult is always appreciated. I know I've never talked to you, but I hear you are a nice guy.


As “SCENE” by Eliot: (my far removed perspective of the ska scene in Winnipeg)

I write music, lots of it. Various styles, genres, instruments I don't discriminate. In grade 10, a guy named Mat Levier asked me to play bass in a band he was putting together. I agreed, I had never been in a band and I wanted to try writing music in a popular style. I had never heard of ska before. After some rehearsals TTM was playing shows. I was happy because I could practice writing for brass! Over the next few years, TTM played many shows. Some good, some not so good. Every time TTM played out I was excited and surprised by the fact that there are people out there who like to go to shows.

I am not a “SCENE” person. I get musical enjoyment from different things than most people. It is just the way my brain works. A loud bar or club filled with people I don't know is not the ideal situation for me to enjoy and analyze music. Just like I'm sure some of you don't think sitting still for 2 hours and providing polite applause at the end of an orchestral performance is very fun.

For the most part, the “SCENE” came into existence without my realizing. By the time the “SCENE” had formed, it was clear to me that TTM was not part of it. Oh sure, we played shows with lots of other bands but there was hostility that was developing. And so began the troubles.

END

That being said, I still don't understand why other bands would even notice TTM not being at their shows! When I'm performing stage, I'm thinking... “Are we in tune? Did I just fuck up that entrance? What key is this in again? This is fun!”

I do this Ska thing for the music and the people. Not the “street cred” not the “SCENE” and definitely not for the fame and fortune. I do it because TTM are some of my closest friends and I love to perform.

It is clear that we have different reasons for being in bands and playing shows. Despite what this Darryl character would have you believe, we can be different, and still be musicians. You will NEVER hear TTM putting down another band, especially if they came to us asked for advice about something. When I come on here and have to take all this crap from people who don't even know me... It makes me wonder why scenes are so important to some people.

-Eilot

So I'll just start another post.

Other titles (mostly non serious) include:

We Put the Cock In Caucasian
Hot Rod This!
Takin' the Next Train To Blingsville
One Down, Nine To Go

If we're looking for someone to do some graphic design for the cover art I'd be more than willing to volunteer.

Also, I was thinking, it may be cool to come up with a title that highlights the surprising longevity of this band. I think "Selling Out For Free" doesn't go with the current look we've decided on for the cover and actually prompts the need for something comical and more illustrative.

- Dave -

What were all our failed album titles? We has so many of them! I'll get the list started. (Ten Too Many, just hit edit on this post and add to the list!)

What's A Ska
Men, Women, Ten Too Many
Time To Go
The Winnipeg Caucasian Ska Ensemble

<>After a year of playing shows and writing a bunch of new material, it is time to release our album! One way or another this thing is going to be pressed, and SOON! Before TTM implodes like a dying star!

Here is my little checklist!

Write music (Check)
Practice music (Check)
Record music (Check)
Mix/Master Music (Check)
Find Pressing Place (Check)
Name Album (Check)
Finish graphic design and layout (almost check)
Press Album ( )
CD release party ( )
Sell CDs ( )
Send away to college radio ( )
Post music on Itunes/Internet ( )
Get famous and spend the rest of our lives strung out and sailing the world on TTM's private Yacht

I don't know how many times I've walked out of a Ten Too Many practice shaking my head and laughing at the wacky antics that have come to define our band. I've always wished there was a way to harness that energy. Some way to give even a glimpse of what it is that's kept us together for so long.

Maybe this will be it. A blog where each band member can post whatever comes to mind. Anything from shows to new songs to who's turn it is to bring snack to practice!