I wanted to devote my column this issue to a very important but non-legal topic. This article is dedicated to the musician and his best (and often forgotten) ally, the soundman. Having a soundman who is knowledgeable, informed, and experienced can very  often mean the difference between a mediocre gig and a fantastic gig. In addition, interfacing appropriately and professionally with the soundman is pivotal.

As the frontman for Goldenseal, I have had the honor to work with some of the best soundmen and play through some of the best sound systems in New Jersey. These stages include places like The Stone Pony, The Saint, The Cup in Linden, The Surf Club, The Brighton Bar, The Court Tavern, The Bitter End and Kenny’s Castaways in New York City. I have found that overall the soundmen in these clubs are very interested in providing bands and musicians with the best sound possible. I have also found that they take tremendous pride in the work they do.

Having said that, I would like to discuss some of the things that a musician can do to help these noble board jockeys do their jobs. Over the years, I have developed some techniques that I will share and hope are helpful. While some of these concepts are pretty basic, I always find that sticking to the basics never steers me wrong.

Arrive Early/Be Prepared/Communicate

I always try to arrive at a gig early and immediately touch base with either the soundman or some club personnel who can advise on where equipment can be stored or if it can go right on stage. This past summer when we opened for Better Than Ezra, the soundmen were so excellent they actually helped us with load-in and load-out. Jacko of the Brighton Bar is notorious for lending a huge helping hand to bands with their equipment and transitions. Joe Harvard of The Saint, the great soundmen at The Stone Pony, and Joe at the Cup all come to mind as people (many are fellow musicians) who really care about bands and their sound. I think it’s important to remember that essentially we are guests in someone else’s house and this house is often filled with very expensive equipment.

Giving some thought in advance to where you will be positioning your amps and drums relative to each other and what kind of sound needs you have is also helpful. Remember that the soundman doesn’t know that three of you are singers, one of whom is the drummer unless you tell him so. Oftentimes there is so much pressure to transition bands and the quicker you can communicate your needs to the soundman, the quicker
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The Skanks are an upcoming punk band from Wall Township. More specifically they are : Wills Weller aka (sexy beast of the band) on drums, Chris Tumminello on guitar, KC on bass, and Zach Lemme with the lead vocals. I had the pleasure, of sitting down with the guys at their show at Chubby's, and got the 411.

Wills, who enjoys shopping at Spellbinders Surf Shop, and openly admits to being a very good kisser, has been playing the drums since he was just four years old. Chris who is always down for a #5 at Wendy's, has also been playing guitar for about three years. Next up guitar man Zach

sporting not only his seven years' experience but his lime green thongs, which he prfers over boxers or briefs any day. And
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