THE BEAT COMBO MANIFESTO

wouldn’t be necessary if Locustville had a REAL ROCK ‘N’ ROLL scene.

  1. MISSION: TO LIBERATE & HARMONIZE AUDIENCE & PERFORMERS.

  2. PURO ROCK ‘N’ ROLL: (“ROCK ‘N’ ROLL IS WHAT I SAY IT IS”)

    • R&B, COUNTRY, GIRL GROOPS, DOO-WOP, PUNK ROCK, PROTO-PUNK/GARAGE, BRITISH INVASION, MOTOWN, NEW WAVE, SURF GUITAR, DANCE CRAZES, SLOW DANCES, BUBBLEGUM POP, SINGALONGS, DEATH ROCK/CAR CRASH, FREAK BEAT, PSYCHEDELIC

    • CAMP & KITCH: SCI-FI/FANTASY/HORROR

    • SURREALISMO

    • RANCHERAS, IRISH SONGS, AND FLAMENCO

    • NO: ART ROCK, HEAVY METAL, RIFF ROCK, PROG, JAMMING, DRONES, EXTENDED INTROS OR SOLOS, SLOW SONGS (EXCEPT WALTZ/SLOW DANCES)

  3. SHORT SONGS ONLY: (1:00 - 3:30), ALL SONGS ARE SINGLES, “NEW STANDARDS”, SINGALONGS, DANCEABLE, “CLEVER” OR FUNNY RHYMES ARE MANDATORY, EMPHASIS ON VOCAL AND BEAT, RIFFS ARE OK, BUT NO SONGS WITH “ESSENTIAL” RIFFS, THE SONGS FALL OUT OF YOU. IT ALL LOOKS EASY.

  4. “ACTUAL SOUND”: LEAD & HARMONY VOCALS, ELECTRIC GUITAR, DRUMS, BASS, SYNTH/ORGAN, SHAKERS & OTHER PERCUSSION, HANDCLAPS, OCCASIONAL BRASS AND/OR STRINGS. CONNECTION WITH AUDIENCE VIA LYRIC, MELODY, & RHYTHM. NO EGOTISTICAL DISPLAYS/INSTRUMENTAL WANKERY, i.e. EXTENDED SOLOS *BUT* HOT LICKS ARE MANDATORY.

  5. OBSOLETE TECH: EMPHASIS IS ON SONGS AND PERFORMANCE RATHER THAN GEAR. DEEMPHASIZE/DE-FETISHIZE. OLDER STUFF PREFERRED, BUT NOT NECESSARILY EXPENSIVE VINTAGE INSTRUMENTS. MAXIMUM 1 EFFECT PER INSTRUMENT, ANALOG EFFECTS ONLY, NO PEDALBOARDS, SMALL 4 PIECE DRUMKIT, ONE SMALL (i.e. EASILY TRANSPORTABLE) TUBE AMP PER PLAYER. ANALOG RECORDING ONLY. ALL SONGS ARE WELL-REHEARSED ENOUGH TO RECORD THEM LIVE. CAPTURE THE “ACTUAL SOUND” OF THE GROOP ON TAPE.

  6. VISUAL: PERFORMERS TO LOOK LIKE PERFORMERS: PRETTY, STYLISH, COOL, HOT, WEIRD, GENDERFLUID, ETC.

  7. SMALL-SCALE WORKS

  8. TURN EVERY DISADVANTAGE INTO AN ADVANTAGE: Lack of resources used as an excuse to make alternative solutions, lack of training, inexpensive gear, overcoming all technical considerations, etc. And yet:

  9. EXCELLENCE IN EXECUTION: High standards of quality for everything means no “that’s good enough.” This doesn’t mean mistakes are forbidden, e.g. we insist upon live recording only with no overdubs, which means the songs must be rehearsed well enough to play them with energy and passion, and the best takes will be chosen, even if there are little errors in the playing. The groop decides which take is the most powerful and downplays individual egotism for the good of the song.