Expansion and the awful thought of social interaction.

For those of you that read the Red Rag Front small print you will be well aware that the band actually formed in 2004/5 (I don't remember which exactly because I was drunk for those years) when my best friend Tazz and I decided that playing punk songs on acoustic guitars could work since we both liked Against Me! and it seemed to be awesome for them. Now Tazz died a year ago and I originally started this all back up as a tribute to him, it's also been my main reason for not wanting to be any more than a solo act. Somehow in my head I have convinced myself that it's not a fitting tribute if I replace him.

A year on and, well, I'm beginning to think that my sense of loyalty is a little misdirected. Maybe instead of limiting myself and not being able to progress and better the band because I think that the ghost of Tazz may be offended for some reason (which of course he would not), I can make the leap to the next level and expand the empire, therefore making everything better. I have given some thought before to having more members in team Red Rag. I would quite like a drummer and I think an excellent starting place would be another guitarist/backing vocalist. From there the sky is really the limit but I can't see myself wanting to stretch to any more than four members max. With a bigger contingent on the rosta the songs I already have could be fleshed out to be more intricate and having more people to write new songs with would mean better variety and more substance than I can manage on my own. On paper having extra people in the group is all win, however to be honest I'm not really sure that adding permanent members is totally the right thing to do. Being a solo act does allow me a hell of a lot of freedom to take things in my own direction and to keep decisions, travel and practice to the minimum effort needed. I don't need to arrange practice slots, or organise times to get to a venue or teach anyone the new songs. It might just be that my real reason for not wanting other members in the band is that I've got this music thing on easy mode and I'm just too lazy to step things up a notch.

Well far from me to back down from someone calling me lazy, even when I just called myself lazy!! I'm gonna make a few preparations and trial having extra people join the Red Rag Front. Will it go well? Will I become a horrendous dictator? Only time will tell. Now if only I knew someone who was awesome and played acoustic punk rock.....