Lead Left or Right?

acutejam
acutejam Posts: 1,433
edited August 2006 in Musicians and Gearheads
So I totally dig Pearl Jam, love the boots especially, greatest sound (prolly why I like "studio" Last Exit so much, recorded at a soundcheck, awesome sound!) but one thing just continues to bug me.

Mike's on the Wrong Side!

Not sure of my terms - stage left, stage right -- but in the boots he's in the left speaker and from the audience he's standing on the left-hand side of the stage, so for purposes here, let's say Stage Left.

Most of my hero's are Stage Right guys -- just attuned to Stage Right lead guitar!

Ace Frehley
Jimmy Page
Pete Townsend
Eddie Van Halen
Tony Iommi
Kirk Hammet
Slash (?)
Garcia

but then, Stage Left

McCready
Alex Lifeson (ok, Geddy is really the lead!)
Joe Perry
Maiden and Priest (but dual guitar, hard to call, right/center)
Keith Richards -- well kinda stumblin stage left?

No clue on the Beatles...

So anyways, I've naturally staked my turf as stage right, but ya know -- I'm not sure we ever really discussed it as a band, play that way in the garage, set up that way for gigs... Wierd!

Which way do you hang?
[sic] happens
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • Pearl Jam and toast
    Pearl Jam and toast Posts: 4,475
    I hang left and lead on the right just sounds weird to me for some reason.

    Like if i put my headphones on backwards when listening to a boot i'll be uncomfortable until i realize it and switch it.

    And it's 100% because of Mike and how much I listen to Pearl Jam :p

    I never knew that about Last Exit either, that's awesome!
    Come on pilgrim you know he loves you..

    http://www.wishlistfoundation.org

    Oh my, they dropped the leash.



    Morgan Freeman/Clint Eastwood 08' for President!

    "Make our day"
  • harrisonmerwin
    harrisonmerwin Posts: 766
    i like to play on that side too so when your facing your band your guitar doesnt hit a mic stand or someone out front or anything. Also its easier to communicate with yoru bass player if hes on that side of the kit too..
    2005.09.04
    2005.09.05

    "how many people did die from that?...did P.Diddy kill them?" - Eddie Vedder 2006.02.19
  • Othersider
    Othersider Posts: 19
    The last couple of gigs I played I was what you're calling Stage Left. The one before that, I was Stage Right. I don't really find myself preferring one side or the other. Of course, I'm not the most active guy on stage, either...
  • gobrowns19
    gobrowns19 Posts: 1,447
    Is that Last Exit thing true? Where did you hear that? I have a hard time believing it, like I'm basically positive it's not true...
    Happiness is only real when shared
  • PJ-Sin
    PJ-Sin Posts: 348
    I have always been on "stage left", but being the only guitar player in my band, I dont really see that it matters much.
    http://www.byproductmusic.com
    http://www.myspace.com/byproduct
  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    I like stage right. I'm pretty sure Joe Perry is stage right.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • Thumbing My Way
    Thumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    keeponrockin wrote:
    I like stage right. I'm pretty sure Joe Perry is stage right.

    Ya I think you're right.

    Did you see "The Story Of: Aerosmith" last night on MuchMoreMusic?

    It was awesome.
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    Thumbing My Way wrote:
    Ya I think you're right.

    Did you see "The Story Of: Aerosmith" last night on MuchMoreMusic?

    It was awesome.

    I missed it. They are the second best live band I've seen. They fucking brought it! I was suprised how good they were.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • Thumbing My Way
    Thumbing My Way Posts: 1,073
    keeponrockin wrote:
    I missed it. They are the second best live band I've seen. They fucking brought it! I was suprised how good they were.

    They've always been one of my favourite bands, ever since I was in like grade 1 and 2.....I remember "Big Ones" was one of the first cd's I ever had.

    For some reason I've never seen them live though, it seemed that whenever they came around I was too young, but then last time I didn't have that much $$$.

    I'm gunna try super hard to get tickets to them and Motley Crue at the ACC in October. :D
    "I Miss You Already!!!!!"

    "Sorry is the fool who trades his love for high-rise rent, Seems the more you make equals the loneliness you get"

    .NJD.
  • Dirty_Frank
    Dirty_Frank Posts: 957
    Stage left is where it's at!

    I've always been stage left, in every band I've ever gigged with.
  • PJ-Sin
    PJ-Sin Posts: 348
    Dirty_Frank wrote:
    Stage left is where it's at!

    I've always been stage left, in every band I've ever gigged with.

    word...me too
    http://www.byproductmusic.com
    http://www.myspace.com/byproduct
  • J.D.
    J.D. Posts: 73
    I was a side whore, left one night, right the next.

    Don't really have a preference, but I guess I was on the right a bit more.
  • acutejam
    acutejam Posts: 1,433
    gobrowns19 wrote:
    Is that Last Exit thing true? Where did you hear that? I have a hard time believing it, like I'm basically positive it's not true...

    Liner notes for Lost Dogs/Boots release -- longest piece is about Last Exit pretty much, sounds like the early days of Bootcamp, they wanted to record it for the hOliday release song for fan club.

    You can totally hear that "Big Hall" sound -- man I love the production of Last Exit -- I wish they'd do a whole album like that.... Well, boots minus audience...
    [sic] happens
  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    In the band I may be joining I'll probably switch to stage left, because the other guitarist already has stage right.
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • blackredyellow
    blackredyellow Posts: 5,889
    As far as the original post, your stage right and stage left are backwards. stage left is your left when you are standing on the stage looking out to the house, so stone is on stage left, and mike on stage right.
    My whole life
    was like a picture
    of a sunny day
    “We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
    ― Abraham Lincoln
  • keeponrockin
    keeponrockin Posts: 7,446
    blackredyellow wrote:
    As far as the original post, your stage right and stage left are backwards. stage left is your left when you are standing on the stage looking out to the house, so stone is on stage left, and mike on stage right.

    For this thread we're all backwards!
    Believe me, when I was growin up, I thought the worst thing you could turn out to be was normal, So I say freaks in the most complementary way. Here's a song by a fellow freak - E.V
  • acutejam
    acutejam Posts: 1,433
    blackredyellow wrote:
    As far as the original post, your stage right and stage left are backwards. stage left is your left when you are standing on the stage looking out to the house, so stone is on stage left, and mike on stage right.

    Thanks yeah, seemed to remember that from my Stagecraft days is HS. But it didn't work to say that and then talk about which ear in the headphones I was hearing Mike -- that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

    But now I'm learned up on dat!
    [sic] happens

Categories