No lust in Jazz Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 If there's a place for a "I stopped and started again" element to this.. I stopped due to band implosion coupled with young family and poorly wife; started again ten years later with bunch of like minded people - having a ball Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) Couple of prolapsed discs in my lower back did it for me initially. I now also have two young sons, one of which is autistic so there literally aren't enough hours in the day. I do get out for a great jam a couple of times a month (just improvising for kicks) with some really good friends and I'm playing at home too. I do see me returning to the gigging world in the future as I do miss it, but not for a couple of years at least. Hey ho. I'm 43 this year so it ain't over just yet! \m/ Edited March 3, 2015 by miles'tone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1425405671' post='2707017'] I just have no desire whatsoever to entertain other people. When I've been on stage in the past I have felt no connection whatsoever with the audience. If I felt anything at all it would best be described as indifference or even contempt. I'm also very much a loner & just don't like the whole "band camaraderie" thing, it's the same reason I've never had any interest in team sports. I still very occasionally do an acoustic gig with an old friend of mine who is a great singer but I do that because I love hearing her sing - I couldn't care less about the audience. [/quote]aahh, finally I've found my long lost twin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1425408574' post='2707064'] aahh, finally I've found my long lost twin [/quote] I thought I couldn't be the only one who felt like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) I see several reasons for leaving bands and gigging has to do with personalities of the band members and the musical direction or focus of the band. Once you truly know What you want out of a band experience you have to have a keen instinct in picking bands. You can't do a whole lot about health issues and gigging ,however stopping gigging due to personality issues and music direction can be prevented. For me, while I love playing bass and believe continual improvement, I never look at bands and make decisions based on the music they play. If they are organized and conduct and manage the band like pros and maintain a healthy book of business I'm usually a good match. I'm an old school hard rock, funk and blues guy, however I will chose a polka band with gigs over a great rock band with no history of gigs. Side note and some of you will agree with me. You really want your eyes and ears open at auditions. You should be able to tell and spot potential personality problems. I think it's pretty easy to spot jerks. Also in the decision making process, there is no shame in understanding the experience level of all members as well as their family situation. Me personally, if member are young with young families that's a sign that there could be conflicts with gigs and would weigh heavily on my decision to join or not. In most cases bad band decisions can be prevented. Blue Edited March 3, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Stopped gigging in mid 30's . Only had 3 basses then . My good friend ( who's an absolutely fantastic guitarist), got me to celebrate my 40th birthday. Then, I got the bug . Having a good time, and lack of girlfriend meant my bass collection increased somewhat. Got the Telebsss, as miserable guitarist hated my headless basses. Then him and Mr.drums hated the wooly sound of that . Now I'm struggling to play with myself I have the feeling tho' , if I lived up north, there's much more going on band wise and I would probably be still doing it. Smoking in pubs is another turnoff IMHO. One minute you have a reasonable crowd, then they drift in and out . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anaxcrosswords Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Blue – that reminds me of one of the nicest experiences I ever had. I was probably in my early 20s when I auditioned with a guy (singer) who wanted to set up a band covering classic soul stuff; Sam Cooke and similar. Having only one hand I’ve always been a little bit self-conscious so I was nervous at audition, but I got the gig. A long way down the line the singer and I got talking about how the band had come together and I mentioned how nervous I’d been about my hand. He said that it wasn’t until about our third gig – and a lot of prior rehearsals – that he looked across and noticed I had no fingers! So much for my self-consciousness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Time wasters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1425405671' post='2707017'] I just have no desire whatsoever to entertain other people. When I've been on stage in the past I have felt no connection whatsoever with the audience. If I felt anything at all it would best be described as indifference or even contempt. I'm also very much a loner & just don't like the whole "band camaraderie" thing, it's the same reason I've never had any interest in team sports. [/quote] [i]"Band camaraderie"[/i] doesn't have to be an issue. I think it's more important to younger guys than older guys. My band has been together and gigging for close to 9 years. Were all in different stages of our lives, don't have much in common except the direction of the band. There is no camaraderie and we still work very well together. No desire to entertain, nothing anybody can do about that. I'm sure you get what you need from playing bass at home or with friends. Blue Edited March 3, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) [quote name='RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE' timestamp='1425418717' post='2707220'] Smoking in pubs is another turnoff IMHO. One minute you have a reasonable crowd, then they drift in and out . [/quote] I'm lucky, in Wisconsin smoking is prohibited by law in any bars or restaurants. Blue Edited March 3, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3below Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 The day job was my gig killer - it took total commitment and left little energy for other stuff. Luckily those days are over and the next phase is underway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1425404460' post='2707008'] And as I keep saying, from where I'm standing it's the complete opposite. There are far more gigging opportunities in my home town now than there were 15 years ago and even 35 years ago when I first moved here when getting to see a local band live at the weekend was a near impossibility. Furthermore I've probably done more gigs in the last 4 1/2 years with my current band than I have in all my bands over the previous 30 years. You just need to be entertaining and be prepared to put the work in to get the gigs because they are most definitely out there. As for the question in the OP. In my case it will be either death - my own, or a massive change in priorities in my life. And since playing music has been pretty much the most important thing in my life for about 40 years now I can't see that changing out of choice anytime soon. [/quote] Big Red X, We have the same band ideology. Those that read my threads know playing bass guitar and rock is the main focus of my life. I have also gigged more in the last 4 years than ever. The reason I finally understood what was important to me in a band, gigging, pro attitude and good people as band mates. I was lucky and and found those 3 elements in my band. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='3below' timestamp='1425420746' post='2707263'] The day job was my gig killer - it took total commitment and left little energy for other stuff. Luckily those days are over and the next phase is underway. [/quote] Nice! and good luck. Since I retired from traditional 9-5 work band life has been a dream. Side topic; A lot of guys over here work only because they need the health insurance. I would think that is not an issue you guys have to deal with? Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1425419352' post='2707241'] Time wasters [/quote] Easy remedy for that one. Learn to spot the attributes of time wasters before you commit to working with them. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 (edited) [quote name='blue' timestamp='1425420139' post='2707255'] I'm sure you get what you need from playing bass at home or with friends. [/quote] No, I "get what I need" from playing bass by doing occasional paid session work. Not that I really get anything from it at all anymore, bass playing has been very low on my list of priorities for many years now. If I play music at home or with friends it's guitar & keyboards, I go for months at a time without even getting a bass out of it's case. Edited March 3, 2015 by RhysP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 3, 2015 Author Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1425422684' post='2707300'] No, I "get what I need" from playing bass by doing occasional paid session work. Not that I really get anything from it at all anymore, bass playing has been very low on my list of priorities for many years now. If I play music at home or with friends it's guitar & keyboards, I go for months at a time without even getting a bass out of it's case. [/quote] Cool, I forgot about session work as an option. Your lucky, paid session work is reserved for the elite over here. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1425421403' post='2707278'] Easy remedy for that one. Learn to spot the attributes of time wasters before you commit to working with them. Blue [/quote] Live where I live and you'd never play in a band without time wasters in it. In the last five years I've probably met about 2 people ( one guitarist and one singer) who had the right attitude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1425423900' post='2707324'] Cool, I forgot about session work as an option. Your lucky, paid session work is reserved for the elite over here. Blue [/quote] Not exactly elite stuff, mainly just vanity project CDs for mediocre singer songwriters with more money than sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1425424218' post='2707336'] Not exactly elite stuff, mainly just vanity project CDs for mediocre singer songwriters with more money than sense. [/quote] More money than sense? I need to meet more people like that. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dadofsix Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 I left live music in 1984 to raise a family and build a career. I came back to it quite by accident in 2006 when a friend, who was starting a group to play contemporary Christian music at our church, asked me if I could fill in on bass for a couple of weeks for the regular bass player. I did and liked it. The kiddies by then were pretty much grown and headed to college so I played for quite a while in that group while I attended that church. Then I got an invite to play bass in a local southern rock/country group. Had a laughable audition (that was NOT the music I was brought up on -- I cut my teeth on British rock!) but they were really patient with me and were genuinely good people. I'm still with them years later and work with two other groups as side projects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1425423929' post='2707325'] Live where I live and you'd never play in a band without time wasters in it. In the last five years I've probably met about 2 people ( one guitarist and one singer) who had the right attitude [/quote] Is this perhaps a maturity/age issue. Most guys, well, most guys my age ([i]Methuselah) [/i]don't have any time to waste. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 (edited) [quote name='dadofsix' timestamp='1425428404' post='2707381'] I left live music in 1984 to raise a family and build a career. I came back to it quite by accident in 2006 when a friend, who was starting a group to play contemporary Christian music at our church, asked me if I could fill in on bass for a couple of weeks for the regular bass player. I did and liked it. The kiddies by then were pretty much grown and headed to college so I played for quite a while in that group while I attended that church. Then I got an invite to play bass in a local southern rock/country group. Had a laughable audition (that was NOT the music I was brought up on -- I cut my teeth on British rock!) but they were really patient with me and were genuinely good people. I'm still with them years later and work with two other groups as side projects. [/quote] Cool story, yeah and I hope a lot of you guys in your 40s with young children know that they will become adults before you can blink an eye. If it's in your blood once the kids are out on their own it's a great time to get back into the business. BTW, you mentioned something that I hope everyone really understands. [i][b]"Good People"[/b][/i], working with good people is tops always will be. For me it's the number one deal breaker for me. I can spot jerks a mile away ( learned over time ), how about the rest of you? If you can share a few examples and help out those that might not have your insight or instinct. Blue Edited March 4, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dad3353 Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1425420398' post='2707258'] I'm lucky, in Wisconsin smoking is prohibited by law in any bars or restaurants. Blue [/quote] A misunderstanding here. RATM was complaining that, exactly because smoking forbidden in bars, the folks drift outside for a smoke, then come back in, then pop out again etc... It's difficult to engage with an audience that disappear, then come back, then disappear... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted March 4, 2015 Author Share Posted March 4, 2015 [quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1425431922' post='2707388'] A misunderstanding here. RATM was complaining that, exactly because smoking forbidden in bars, the folks drift outside for a smoke, then come back in, then pop out again etc... It's difficult to engage with an audience that disappear, then come back, then disappear... [/quote] Yeah, we get that too, some venues more than others. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deaver Posted March 4, 2015 Share Posted March 4, 2015 Problems with my hearing started the rot but frozen shoulder has put a complete stop to gigging for the time being. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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