This really should be his bio on the site...
- Thread starter Ed Seith
- Start date
Did anyone else notice the smooth pelvic thrust ? Just me? Okay then….. 
Get it PG !!! You badass sun of a gun !!!!
Get it PG !!! You badass sun of a gun !!!!
This was a really tight 12 minute bit that always got a great response. It was the turning point in my comedy career. Up until that point it was jokes and original songs. I never like the idea of parodies (changing lyrics to existing songs). You don't even really have to be a musician to do that - AND Weird Al was already the gold standard of that genre. (And yes - I did parody Lucy in the Sky. Do as I say - not as I do. lol.) Anyway - this was about my life and I loved the idea of using hit songs to tell the story.
I went from a good opening act to a headliner in a matter of months because of this bit. I immediately got noticed by agents, Dunham, Comedy Central, Showtime - and the rest, as they say, is history.
Can't believe it's been 15 years. Avenged was moving into arenas at about the same time. Several times Dunham and I would have a show on a Friday and then A7X would have a show on Saturday - at the same arena. I knew it was cool at the time - but looking back on it I can see how rare that must be. Father and son on separate arena tours?
Crazy, wonderful times.
We were - and continue to be - blessed.
I went from a good opening act to a headliner in a matter of months because of this bit. I immediately got noticed by agents, Dunham, Comedy Central, Showtime - and the rest, as they say, is history.
Can't believe it's been 15 years. Avenged was moving into arenas at about the same time. Several times Dunham and I would have a show on a Friday and then A7X would have a show on Saturday - at the same arena. I knew it was cool at the time - but looking back on it I can see how rare that must be. Father and son on separate arena tours?
Crazy, wonderful times.
We were - and continue to be - blessed.
One of the things that I liked about this was that in addition to it being entertaining and funny, and showing off the diversity of your playing and song knowledge, I actually learned a few things about you. Obviously nothing deep, but it was a nice summary of your road to that point and how some of those things affected you. I can see exactly how this was a turning point for your career, and as a result, I have to ask the question:
When did YOU realize it would be a turning point? When you first put it together? During the tour? Once you could look back and say, "well, shit, that was a turning point in my career, huh?"
Thanks PG!
When did YOU realize it would be a turning point? When you first put it together? During the tour? Once you could look back and say, "well, shit, that was a turning point in my career, huh?"
Thanks PG!
Great question. I was opening for other acts in comedy clubs around LA. No touring. Just trying to get my feet wet as a comedian. Literally making 50 bucks a night. The first time I did it, It absolutely killed. And it just got better and better as I refined it. I had only done it maybe 20 times when this vid was made. I'm sure I did it hundreds of times over the following two or three years. It actually got much better than this.
So I knew it was special and something no other comedian could copy, (guitar comics are notoriously bad players). So it was a turning point almost immediately in regards to my confidence and belief that I could actually be a headlining comedian. It's a rare thing for a comedian to KNOW that no matter how good or bad a show goes they have a guaranteed KILLER closer. If a show is going bad, it usually just stays bad - even for good comedians.
It allowed me to experiment and take chances on bits and songs that needed work because I knew I could follow it up with this bit. That's a unicorn for a comedian. So it was a game changer in my head from the start.
As far as when I knew it would change my career? Almost immediately bigger comics (Bobby Slayton, Ralphie May, etc) were requesting me to open for them. So I knew it was strong.
But I think the big turning point was when I went to Chicago and taped Jingle Bombs with Dunham. I was just supposed to back him on guitar to make the YouTube vid. That was it. We taped it on two consecutive nights at The Improv. We did 2 shows on Friday that went really well. Then on Saturday his manager showed up and had seen my show. He convinced Jeff to let me open for him (as well as tape the Jingle Bombs bit in the middle of his show).
I got a standing ovation while Jeff was watching from the back of the room. Then when I came out to do the Jingle Bombs bit - the crowd cheered when they saw me.
I think Jeff instantly saw the potential of having me not only opening for him - but also being part of his show as "Guitar Guy". I was an added lift to his show and we both felt it.
I still didn't know until a week later. Jingle Bombs had 20 million views. His manager called and said Jeff wanted me to tour with him. I would open and also develop and write songs for his other characters - AND write songs for his upcoming Christmas special and be a part of that.
I think that was moment that I knew the Guitar Hero bit had been a game changer.
We did theaters for 6 months - flying commercial and staying in decent hotels. Then jumped to arenas for 3 years, flying in a private jet and staying at 4 star hotels. We toured the US, Europe, Australia, South Africa - multiple times.
It was a crazy ride - and totally unexpected.
Luck was certainly involved, but I do believe in the old show biz saying "Just do the work". People get focused on success and getting their "big break", but they forget that success is a byproduct of hard work. Yes, I got a break being asked to tape Jingle Bombs - but If I hadn't spent a year writing and honing the Guitar Hero bit to perfection, I would have never been in a position to take advantage of it.
you know somebody should write stories from brian and the guys from a7x down and make a book out of it...just a thought
