Did Mojo Road disband, or was
Chris_"Fatboy"_BUTTler,
&
John_"PorkBelly"_McVean.
[a Blues/Rock cover band based out of Portland Oregon].
Truth be told, I was not happy with the way things were going, and SPECIFICALLY the way I was being "Treated" as a member of the band for many months. So, that being said, the fact that I was no longer "IN" this band was NOT, in itself, a negative issue for me.
However, being that I WAS a FOUNDING MEMBER of this band, and had spent almost
"Three Years Of My Life"
supporting "The Band", including rehearsals
ALMOST EVERY WEEK,
I deserved some BASIC RESPECT, which I Never Recieved while IN this band, nor was it given to me at My Departure.
On Feb 2, 2012, the day before a scheduled practice, I recieved the following text message on my Cell Phone from Chris Butler, the Drummer of Mojo Road;
-" Chuck,
don't bother coming to band practice.
It's been great,
good luck in your future endeavors."
-Chris
That was it!
It
"All Came Down",
to a
SHORT TEXT MESSAGE!
Did Mojo Road split up? Did they replace me? Hell don't ask me! After almost three years of playing bass guitar for these ungreatful slobs, I did not have
"That Answer"!
But hey, welcome to the wonderful world of Text messaging, as utilized by a bunch of
WORTHLESS BACK STABBING CHICKENSHIT COWARDS!
To understand what a complete betrayal this course of action was, you need some background information;
Before "Mojo Road" even existed, myself and my wife Paula were, [and still are] in a band called "Aqua Vitae", and Chris Butler had joined our band as a replacement drummer.
My wife had become ill, and it soon became apparent that she would be "Sidelined" for a few months, so Chris asked me if I would play Bass for a new project that he was putting together, a Blues/Rock cover band that would EVENTUALLY be named;
"Mojo Road"
[Gee, I guess THAT would make ME a "FOUNDING MEMBER" huh?]
After a few months my wife recovers, but NOW, Chris decides that he no longer wants to be the drummer for "Aqua Vitae", so we end up having to find a replacement.
So, as more time goes by, and "Aqua Vitae" is ready to play their "Debut Show", I "Invite" my bandmates to attend.
The guys of "Mojo Road" are caught "Off Guard",
[ESPECIALLY CHRIS],
I guess he figured that just because HE quit the band that myself and Paula would have simply "Given Up",
[What an ARROGANT ASSHOLE!]
Anyway, believe it or not, these worthless cowards have to have a "Band Meeting" amongst themselves before being able to "decide" what to, "Do" NEXT!
So I'm approached by Chris,
[the following week at "Band Practice"],
and he tells me that they have decided to attend "My Aqua Vitae Show".
"Aqua Vitae" had a great show, and my Mojo Road Bandmates acknowledge as much,
[with the exception of "Chris" who chose to sulk all evening],
but you could feel the tension in the air, like I had done something wrong.
After their attendance of this show, the demeaner of the members of "Mojo Road" towards me changed from
treating me like a "Doormat", to one of
"Hostility, Bitterness and Innuendos"!
I had originally made the decision to overlook Chris's betrayal, look past the negative, and just play in both bands, figuring that the two groups could "Network" for the benefit of everyone concerned, but I was getting tired of the "Head Games", and came to the realization that I would not get a "Fair Shake", for whatever reason, in this band.
Over the past few months, I was struggling with the issue of how to exit this band without causing
"Hard Feelings"
or
"Hardships".
Dispite the internal conflicts, I had been "In" this band for 3+ Years, all the way from the beginning.
I considered offering to "Hold Off" my "Actual Departure" until a suitable replacement could be found, and just overlook the fact that this was a "Courtesy" , that
"Chris Never Extended"
to ME!
But, THANK YOU!, Chris Butler, John McVean, and Mike Ullrich, you made the situation EASIER for me. I can now walk away from "Mojo Road" not caring about hurting YOUR feelings, and knowing that leaving this band was the right thing to do, as my resolve was WELL FOUNDED! NOW that makes Just before David's addition to the band You had better hope your
UPDATE; Now that some time has passed, and the dust is beginning to settle, the FACTS become known.
The "Fix" was IN!
I, was "Removed" , and a
PERSONAL FRIEND"
of Chris's, [David Moore] IMMEDIATELY took my place.
"C-O-N-N-E-C-T-I-O-N-S"!
ANOTHER DIPSHIT WANNABE MUSICIAN, Dan Griffin, was added to the band as a "Keyboard Player", ONLY because he was a
PERSONAL FRIEND
to Chris.
"Dan", is NOW Chris Butler's LANDLORD! Take a WILD GUESS where the REHEARSALS are NOW HELD! As a "Musician", Dan is SO CLUELESS that his bandmates actually had to "Label" the notes,
DIRECTLY ONTO THE KEYS!, and he STILL manages to hit,
THE WRONG NOTES!
I am
NOT MAKING THIS SHIT UP!
And as far as David Moore, I have Guitars in my collection that are OLDER than HIM that I BOUGHT NEW!
The SAD thing is that had THE BAND been UP FRONT with ME, they would have DISCOVERED that I already wanted out of the band, and was struggling with how to make a "Graceful Exit", for the following reasons;
1. The relocation of the rehearsal site to a small, cramped, and unheated "One Car Garage" at "Dan Griffin's" place [The Landlord], over 40 Miles west of Portland,
2. The addition of an unskilled musician to the band, [Dan the Landlord],
3. The change in musical direction from "Progressive Blues/Rock",
to
"Corporate Pop Blues/Rock",
4. Increased activity of MY OWN band; "Aqua Vitae",
5. My decision to start another "Cover Band Project" with other musicians,
6. General and ongoing disrespect paid to me mostly from Chris Butler, and Mike Ullrich, including the habit of trying to blame ME for the inability of "Mojo Road" to obtain NEW gigs, or "Repeat" engagements,
SIDE NOTE; Even though "Aqua Vitae" was a relatively "New" band, having "Debuted" in August, 2011, by the end of the year, we had ALREADY played MORE shows than "Mojo Road", even though THEY had been "Attempting" to gig for
ALMOST THREE YEARS by that time. I can't CONTROL what the "Promoters" and "General Public" choose to support.
[Just Saying!].
7. The attempt by Chris Butler[Drummer], and Mike Ullrich[Singer] to make everyone in the band "Chip-In" to pay for
"Professional Studio Time"
to record a Demo of, [get this], COVER TUNES, even though I had ALREADY set-up, recorded, mixed down, and delivered a
"Six Song Demo"
for the band that ACCURATLY DISPLAYED the TRUE SOUND of the band.
You can listen to the demo I recorded of Mojo Road, with
MY RECORDING EQUIPMENT at NO CHARGE or other reinbursement
[and featuring myself on the Bass Guitar],
here;
[The ORIGINAL Mojo Road]
Side Note ONCE AGAIN; A
"Professional Studio"
might be able to improve the "Overall Sound" of this band to "Some" extent, but NO STUDIO can "Cover-Up"such problems as
"Poor Technique" on "Rhythm Guitar" by "John Ullrich",
or AWFUL VOCALS again by "John Ullrich" ,
or the "Cliche Drum Chops" of "Chris Butler",
nor the "Unimaginative" and "Painfully Predictable" Guitar Work of John McVean.
In Short, you CAN polish a turd to "Some" extent, but in the "End",
[no pun intended],
you will "STILL" have a TURD"!
UPDATE; The boys in Mojo Road have replaced the demos I recorded for them with their own attempt;
[Their "NEW" Demo]
[Jeez guys nice effort!]
Not only do their new demos exhibit very poor engineering technique and abiliity, but the performances themselves clearly display an obvious further deterioration in musicianship.
[and Mike, regarding your vocals, have you been gargling with battery acid or what?]
The bass lines are PAINFULLY rudimentary, and have "Poor Meter",
[Listen to the bass intro on "Young Blood" for a clear example of what I am refering to].
The "Weak Bass", causes the "Flaws" in the Drum and Guitar parts to literally "Poke Through" the mix.
The
"Poor Musicianship",
was "Always There", but I was able to
"Smooth Them Out Some"
with my Bass skills, thereby masking that "Trashy Sound" to "Some Degree".
A good Bass Guitarist can "Clean-Up" a bad band to "Some" extent, and conversly, a "Tight Band" could sound "Plausable" even with a
"Weak" Bass Guitarist,
BUT ,
really GOOD sound requires ALL of the musicians to be tight.
The "Current" Line-Up of Mojo Road does not meet ANY of the above criteria!
And while we are on the subject of "Young Blood", where do you clowns get off trying to play
MY ARRANGEMENT
of the song?
STOP STEALING!
It's a cover song for crying out loud. What's the matter, you can't come up with any ideas of your own?
Now I challenge ANYONE, after hearing the NEW demos, to go back and listen to the ORIGINAL demo recordings, and then try to dispute my observations, talk is cheep,
HEAR the TRUTH for YOURSELF!
8. The attempt by Mike and Chris to try to get EVERYONE to "Pony-Up" in order to upgrade Mike's "Cheesy" PA System,
OK,YET ANOTHER Side Note; I don't expect ANYONE to purchase MY gear for ME, and I
WILL NOT SUBSIDIZE
SOMEONE ELSES GEAR EITHER!
If you want to be a
Singer in a Rock'n'Roll Band,
then be willing to invest,
YOUR OWN MONEY!
I took "Particular Issue" with Mike's attempt, because I "Already Had" a great PA System of MY OWN, and last I checked, I was the one who bought it, and I didn't feel like buying ANOTHER PA System, for
SOMEBOBY ELSE!
In fact, Mojo Road used MY PA System at
MY LAST SHOW
with the band, the 2011 New Years Eve Show, at the Washougal Eagles Lodge.
I "Set-Up" the equipment BEFORE the show, I "Ran Sound" DURING the show, and "Tore Down" the gear AFTER the show, with NO HELP, or even a THANK YOU from the REST of the band, they all BOLTED!
In Summary; I NEVER NEEDED this band, all I ever wanted was some RECOGNITION and RESPECT.
So, that being said, it's time to give the NEW band a DOSE of
THEIR OWN MEDICINE!
Mojo Commode!
Featuring;
David [Sucks] Moore
Mike [Rogaine] Ullrich
Chris [Fatboy] BUTTler
John [Pork_Belly] McVean
Dan [Cyclops] Griffin
So there you have it, good luck pushing THIS baby carriage down the street!
UPDATE; This band is "No More". I guess when they lost their ONLY reqular gig;
The ANNUAL ["Anal"]
"82nd Avenue Of Roses"
Car Show at
The Eastport Plaza,
it was the "Last Blow".
Disbanding must have been a tough decision to make considering they had no place left to play!
When I was in the band, I remember
"These Ass Holes"
constantly dropping "Innuendos" that I was not doing "My Share" to get the band gigs, so what happened? Who are you going to blame now?
On a "Side Note" regarding the car show, Chris [FATBOY] BUTTler started entering his project car at the event
[Although now that his band has been axed from the stage it will be interesting to see if he enters his car at the NEXT Show].
Anyway, I include a photograph of Chris's car below, and what a fine representation of the band it truly is;
Those who still wish to follow the crooked path of "Mojo Road", can still do so at;
Their
or
Their
See other music projects that suck at;
[My Music Projects]