Property Rights

A band isn't serious, can't be, unless it has a lockout.

A lockout is like an apartment for rehearsing -- and recording, if you're poor.

It's where you keep your favorite toys in all the world, which happen to be worth thousands of dollars.

And, if you're poor, you almost certainly have roommates. Another band whose schedule jives with yours and who you can trust to split the rent.

Talk about a leap of faith.

You hope the other band doesn't touch your shit. At the least, you expect that it won't hurt it.

TheAE used to share space at Downtown Rehearsal with a quality rock-punk band that changed its name from The Cobras, habitually littered the floor with smoked cigarette butts and once left behind an almost full bottle of Jack Daniels.

TheAE never even breathed on the band formerly known as the Cobras' stuff, except for on this occasion.

Omar emptied that bottle, y'all.

And so the next time theAE entered the room, they found a note scribbled on the white board:

"That Jack Daniels was a birthday present. The next time we come in, we expect a full bottle to replace the one you stole."

Dave erased the message and left one of his own: "The next time we come in, we expect 12 new drum sticks, 30 bottles of water, a case of beer, two new cables, one new drum seat, one new drum cymbal and five guitar strings to replace the ones you stole."

So.

A new band lives with theAE now. They've also changed their name, from Viscera.

The might-be new drummer's kit is staying over at theAE's place these days, and its driver, Garrett, has noticed that its pieces seem to have grown legs, shifting about while he's gone. The kick pedal never is exactly where he left it, nor is the cymbal stand, nor his drum sticks.

So I feel obligated to present a few words of warning to the former Viscera members: Just don't leave behind a bottle of Jack.