Silverwing's Halloween Party at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, NV

Silverwing rocks the Red Dog

This Saturday, October 26th, Mel Warstler, Mary Warstler, Sean Rold, and Frank Lescher, otherwise known as Silverwing, will be playing a gig at the Red Dog Saloon in Virginia City, Nevada.

Virginia City, a small historic town south of Reno, is the site of the Comstock Lode where during the 1800's millions of dollars of silver was mined.  The silver millionaires from Virginia City basically built San Francisco and VC silver financed the Union during the Civil War, hence our state motto "Battle Born."  The Red Dog Saloon is a great venue with an awesome stage and sound system plus great food, but the Red Dog is not just another bar.  The Red Dog Saloon is significant due to its place in rock and roll history.

The "Red Dog Experience"

I'm sure the building is from the 1800's somewhere, but in 1965 the Red Dog Saloon played a roll in the emerging psychedelic rock scene and the beginnings of the hippie movement.  During that year a group of musicians came together and experienced total musical and artistic freedom with some psychedelic additives, if you get my drift.  Bands like Big Brother and the Holding Company, The Wildflower and The Amazing Charlatans played at the Red Dog creating the psychedelic music, hippie clothing styles and psychedelic artwork known as the "Red Dog Experience." 

These musicians and their style had a direct influence on the hippie movement which erupted during the Summer of Love in 1967 at Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco which led to major changes in social values throughout the US.  The members of The Amazing Charlatans were interviewed about the experiences in the 1996 documentary file, The Life and Times of the Red Dog Saloon. 

So when we take the stage at the Red Dog it is appropriate to have some reverence for the venue and the incredible experience of playing in the same location as Janis Joplin and walking the same floors as the first hippies at the birthplace of psychedelic rock and roll.

References:  Wikipedia and the Red Dog website http://www.reddogvc.com/history.php

About the Author:  Mary Warstler is the rhythm guitar player, back-up singer and co-songwriter for Silverwing, a rockin' country band from Northern Nevada.  Our CD "Moonshine" is available at CD Baby, Amazon and our website www.silverwingband.com  For more music news from Mary check out www.guitarchics.com  If you need content for your website, articles for your blog or extra posts on FB or Twitter contact Mary at maryband_girl@yahoo.com

Mel Warstler the newest DJ at KHWG 750AM, Fallon, NV

The Wild West Show on KHWG

Mel Warstler is the newest DJ at KHWG and if you have heard his show you already know he loves his job, if you can call that a JOB!  Lucky dog, playing music all day long and getting paid. Wow!

Not just a DJ, but a great musician as well

Mel grew up in rural Oregon on a million acre ranch where his father was the irrigation foreman. He was taught to play the guitar by his father and brother Jack. He started his first band at 14 years old, which played at school events. At 16 he was asked to join a band of semi-retired professional musicians as lead guitar player. They taught him a style of country picking which he still uses today.

Regardless of what “job” Mel held from ranch hand to cabinetmaker to stucco contractor, his life has always revolved around playing music. From playing for a few miners at the International Bar in Austin NV, which his brother Jack owned years ago to playing at the Nevada State Fair, Mel has always prided himself on learning his guitar parts note for note. When you hear him play you will not be disappointed.

Mel's in demand as a lead guitar player, but starts his own band Silverwing

While playing all over Northern Nevada and Oregon he has been the lead guitar player and singer in many bands such as Brandywine, Off the Wall, Stillwater Express, Taylor Made, Clear Blue 22 and American Steel. But his greatest accomplishment is his own band Silverwing consisting of Mel on lead guitar and vocals, his wife Mary on rhythm guitar and vocals, Sean Rold on bass and vocals and Frank Lescher on drums.

Silverwing performs in front of thousands

You may have heard Mel play somewhere and not even known it, since Silverwing has played at the Eureka Country Fair, Armed Forces Day, Night in the Country, Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Festival plus numerous farmer's markets, street fairs, bars and parties. But the real highlight for Silverwing was playing for thousands of people at the Pony Express Pavilion and the Reno Livestock Event Center for Sarah Palin in 2008 during both of her campaign stops in Northern Nevada.

 

Buy the Silverwing CD "Moonshine"

You can hear Silverwing's new CD “Moonshine” on KHWG or you can visit the website at www.silverwingband.com to find their schedule. Mel also hosts Karaoke and has DJ'd a few weddings.

Working at KHWG is a dream job for Mel Warstler

Mel would like to thank Ronzo, Latigo, Rebecca and Alex for training him at KHWG. And he would like to thank his listeners for calling in requests and for all the compliments he has received at his new “job.”  You can hear Mel's Wild West Show Tuesday thru Friday from noon to 5pm, streaming live on your computer at http://khwgradio.com/fx/audiostream/player.php

For more info on Mel and the band visit www.silverwingband.com

Silverwing Lite (The Mel & Mary Duo)

Yes, it's a non-band weekend and Mel & I have picked up a duo gig.  Just Mel and I together with our little drum machine.  That's how it all started for me, as a duo.  Well, re-started is more like it.

When we met Mel had been playing for years with different bands all over Northern Nevada, but I hadn't picked up a guitar in years.  I had learned how to play the guitar when I was a teenager.  My brother Kenny had brought home a few guitars and books and we sat in the living room working our way through the chords and notes.  I took guitar lessons for several years also, but then I put the guitar down and didn't pick it up for years.

I discouraged myself.  When I think back now, I realize I was good.  I could read music like nobody's business.  I made it through several Mel Bay levels and could play jazz chords to my teacher's lead playing.  Then I just stopped.  I was a blue, moody teenager and I probably couldn't see what might happen down the road.  So I stopped.

Many years later I meet Mel through some friends.  He's such a nice man and we start to date.  Months went by and one day the light bulb goes on over my head and I remembered "Hey, years ago I knew how to play the guitar!"  It was long forgotten.  When I told Mel, he was less than interested.  After years of people trying to get into his bands, he just nodded politely and changed the subject.  I thought "hum" and let it go.  No big deal. 

Months go by and one day he is hanging out at my house.  I'm cooking a big pot of spaghetti, the kids are playing video games and Mel is playing his guitar at the kitchen table.  It's a good day.  Then the phone rings and it's for Mel.  People knew we were dating and starting calling my place for him.  So I hand him the phone and he hands me his guitar. 

I think to myself "what were the chords to that song?" I start to strum the few things I could remember from years ago, but it was there, hidden back in the depths of my old brain. When Mel put the phone down, he jumps up and says, "Hey, you can play the guitar!!!!"  I said "Yep, I told you that a few months ago."  He says "Yes, but I you can REALLY play."  Then out come the story about how many people kind of exaggerate their skills, so he just smiled at me when I told him that I could play.  He'd heard lots of women say they could sing and ugh, yeah, maybe not so much.  So he's jaded.

But even at that point, I wasn't interested in learning 50 to 100 songs with the band.  I still enjoyed my time at the band table.  I applauded and laughed and hauled gear and typed lots of lyrics.  I had a place and I liked it.

Now years go by and Mel is playing lead for a different band.  He is getting frustrated being a hired gun as they are called.  He's not in charge and it's beginning to get to him for several reasons.  He feeling less than appreciated and I never get to hear him sing cause they never make it to his songs.  Right, sure.  So out of frustration I say, "What are the chords to Boot Scootin Boogie?  I can play that! I'll be your band."

So that's how it started.  I have a steno notebook with chords, a Yamaha keyboard with drum patterns in it and Mel playing lead in the back corner of the Big Horn Saloon.  I forget how long ago that was, maybe 8 to 10 years ago.  The first night we played my 5 co-workers showed up and pulled up chairs right in front of us.  Up close and personal.  I am staring at my steno notebook so I don't screw up the chords, when I look up and they have their lighters up and they are swaying like a crowd at a rock concert.  It was sooooo funny!

From the back of the Big Horn, it's been a wild ride.  Once we played for thousands at a political rally during the 2008 election campaign, but we've also played to two sad lonely drunks who need a ride home.  I wouldn't trade it for anything.

So this weekend, it's back to basics.  It's back to the beginning and really I love it.  I like being with Mel. I like the challenge of trying to make two guitars sound good.  My strumming has to be full and confident behind Mel's lead playing.  I have to sing backup and attempt some harmony.  It's a challenge and it's gonna be fun.  It's Silverwing Lite!

Next gig for the GuitarChic

My fascination with female musicians is not just some weird quirk.  I am a musician and knowing how challenging it can be to play on stage makes me respect these talented women all the more.

I am part of Silverwing, a rockin' country band based in the Reno, Nevada area.  We play classic and current country music with a few good rock songs thrown in to keep it surprising.  I have played for a few lonely drunks in a tiny bar to thousands of people at a political rally.  It's always fun, even at closing time and the place is emptying out, I still love and appreciate that I get to play music for a living.  It is a blessing in my life.

So where is my next gig?  The Whiskey Tavern in Carson City, NV.  It should be a great time.  Looks like they have a good crowd with lots of Facebook followers.  They approached us in Virginia City on the Fourth of July and immediately wanted to hire us.  Very cool, that's a nice compliment.

So Saturday is gig day.  We start playing at 9pm, but we live an hour away, so we actually have to start our "job" earlier in the afternoon, when we load the gear into the pick-up truck.  Gotta bring it all, don't want to be an hour away from home and forget one chord, ugh.  So it's personal gear, like guitars, stands, microphones, amplifiers and tuners plus PA gear like mixer board, power conditioners, more chords and lots of speakers. 

I don't sit by watching my husband loading gear, frightened to break a nail, I jump into the back of the pickup and organize all the stuff.  It's like the old video game Tetrus, putting all these amps, boxes, speakers and guitars into a nice little package in the bed of the pickup. 

We gotta get there early enough to set up and sound check, so when we turn it on, it sounds good right off the bat.  Each room is different.  What worked great at the last gig, could be a real disaster at the next gig.  We go from outdoor gigs, to small rooms, to large rooms and everything needs to be adjusted for the unique situation.  Plus, you don't want to be rushed and chaotic.  So after the sound check we need time to relax and kick back just a bit.

You'd think I would be nervous, but it rarely crosses my mind.  I was so shy growing up, that even I am amazed by how cool, calm and collected I am when I'm getting up on stage in front of people and singing.  Recently we played a wedding.  The first song was the couple's first dance and the first note of that song, was me singing with no music behind me, HUH? What!  I admit I was shaking, but, I did great. Yeah!

So, that's why I am a great fan of female musicians.  I am just a part of a band.  I can't imagine how it would feel to step up and be the focal point, to keep a crowd entertained for an evening.  Wow, these women are my idols.

Please stop by my website www.guitarchics.com and learn a few interesting facts about my favorite female musicians.  The site will be growing each week, so come back often.  Also, check out our band at www.silverwingband.com, that's me right in the middle.  Our CD "Moonshine" is available at our gigs, our website, CDbaby and Amazon.com.

GuitarChics is Alive and Well

My website, www.guitarchics.com, is finally active on the Internet.  It's has been a personal challenge for me, but it is working and I will be adding to it weekly for the rest of my days.

My hope with GuitarChics is to introduce people to the stories of women who have made a living in the music industry.  Whether they are headlining in a stadium, playing in a coffee shop or teaching young children how to play, I want to share their stories.  The stories that encourage and inspire young women to pursue their hopes and dreams.  I want guitarchics to be a Power of Positive Thinking with musicians as our role models.

It's dear to my heart because I play rhythm guitar in Silverwing, a rockin country band from Northern Nevada.  I have played to thousands in a convention center and to a few in an empty bar at closing time, but regardless, it's always showtime.  It's my "job" to do my best, to reach down and give you my heart even if it's time to turn off the neon lights and head home and I love my "job."

So stop by www.guitarchics.com and read up the bios that I have completed so far.  Check back each week to see what else I have added.  If you have an idea of a great female musician that should be added to the site, send me an email at maryband_girl@yahoo.com with "Guitarchics" in the title.  I'll do my best to get that person included.

Get Silverwing's first CD of original music at www.silverwingband.com.  It's fun and I'm very proud of it, since I wrote a lot of the lyrics, played guitar and my husband wrote the music and played a bunch of instruments.

Silverwing's Mini-Vacation

Silverwing Band takes a mini-vacation

Well, January has been a slow month for Silverwing.  I think we played just about every weekend from July all the way to New Year's Eve.  But January only has one gig in it.  I'm going through withdrawals.  What will I do with all that time on my hands?

So during our mini-unexpected-vacation there are a few things the band is going to do:

Market our new CD "Moonshine"
The CD was printed at Disc Makers and it available at CD Baby, Amazon, our website and a few other outlets, but if no one knows about it, we won't have any sales.  So we did a great radio interview at the local country radio station, KHWG 750AM, Fallon, Nevada.  Ronzo, the morning DJ, invited us into the studio and between playing some of the songs, he asked each of us a few questions.  I won't deny it was nerve-wracking, but it's all part of the joy of getting to play music for a living.

Learn a few new cover songs
It's a good idea to keep the set list fresh, so we each picked out a new song to add to the set list.  Since we are a rockin' country bar band, we normally play from 8pm to midnight.  Four hours can be a long time and playing the same old set in the same old order can start to make the night drag.  So bringing in something new is a good idea.  I'm not sure the dancers always appreciate the effort it takes, but we are proud of ourselves even if the dancers have to go home and learn a few new steps off of YouTube.  It's good for them!

Work up some new material for the next CD
Silverwing can't sit around and wait for "Moonshine" to become a big seller.  We need to work on the next CD while we promote this one.  At this point we have a bunch of half completed tunes, some with no lyrics, some just a hook and a lead.  It's time to decide on our favorites and focus on completing them for the next CD.  Mel is going to get a CD together of snippets of songs and have each of us decide on our own which ones have the most promise.  Hopefully we can come to a consensus on about 10 or 12 songs.  Then we need to complete them and record them.  It's intimidating to create.  In Twyla Tharp's "The Creative Habit" she discusses the white room with nothing in it and how challenging it is.  Well that is the challenge of completing songs, can I make the lyrics better?  Is this good enough? Should I toss it in the trash and go sell french fries cause I am terrible?  Oh, the mind can think some terrible stuff. 

So our mini-vacation from playing gigs is going to be very busy and I'm happy about that. Playing music is so satisfying and as a formerly shy person it has changed my life.

Check out the CD "Moonshine" by Silverwing at CD Baby. http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/silverwing You can purchase the whole CD with the nifty art work or download one song at a time.  If you know an old cowboy, he'll probably love "Wide Open Spaces"  It is a crowd pleaser.

Stop by the website and leave us a message at www.silverwingband.com.  Check out our schedule for a gig near you. 

Thanks,
Mary Warstler, rhythm guitar player and songwriter

Silverwing records new CD

Hi friends,  I have been busy playing music with my band Silverwing and of course procrastinating since I last posted, so I need to do some catching up.  Here goes....

When I last posted, I was talking about recording the drum tracks and how we used the wrong microphones for the first attempt and so we purchased the Shure PGDMK6 Drum Mic Kit which worked perfectly.  Each mic picked up only the sound of the drum that it was pointed at, so we ended up with 6 individual drum tracks.

Next we recorded the bass guitar.  Of course, our bass player listened to the scratch tracks through the headphones while he played along.  Instead of placing a microphone infront of a bass amplifier, he used a chord do go directly from the bass into the Tascam DP 24 Digital Portable Studio.  This produced a clean track without any room noise at all.

Next it was my turn to do the rhythm guitar tracks.  Even though some of the songs are pretty rockin, we used an acoustic guitar on all the tracks.  I just changed the strum pattern for each song.  For "Moonshine" and "Rodeo" I strummed in short hard strums, but for "Wide Open Spaces" I used a much more flowing light strum.  It just is dependent upon what the song requires.

On a few songs I went directly into the board from the acoustic guitar with a guitar chord, but we also used an amplifier and placed a mic infront of it, for a different sound. One of the mics we used was the Guitar Cube from MXL. It is manufactured for recording guitar amps, so it served well.

It is difficult to hear your own mistakes and even though I have played the songs many times live, I still made a few mistakes. In past recordings our engineer has had us replay the entire track again and pick through it for the best parts, but since we are using only one track per instrument, we used the "Punch In" technique to fix errors as we recorded.

So after my initial track was completed, I would go outside and get some fresh air and let the engineer and my hubby listen to the track for any errors. I didn't like to hear it. It makes me cringe to hear myself and I am so critical. If they found a mistake we just "Punched In" the correction.
So they would make a note of what measure needed a correction, and I would play along with the recording, when we got to spot that needed fixing, they hit record, let it go through the error and then turned off the recorder. TA-DA big booboo all gone, just like that.

The CD is actually already completed and up for sale all over the internet, but just for the record I am going to continue to discuss the recording process. You can find a copy of our CD "Moonshine" at CD Baby and our site www.silverwingband.com. If you are in Northern Nevada or California check our schedule and come out to one of our gigs. This New Year's Eve Silverwing is playing at Sharkey's Casino in Gardnerville, NV. I'll post some pictures at my next blog.

Check out this link: New CD "Moonshine" by Silverwing