blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1436516066' post='2818696'] Everyone sets what they can do time-wise and sets the bar with the type of band they want to be in.. then you just get agreement from everyone else. The problem is when people want to gig more or less. We'd say 2-3 gigs per month and a rehearsal when applicable but some guys have killer jobs and family ties and you have to balance the demands. The band has to be a release from that, and no another burden..? Mostly the guys you want to use are very busy elsewhere so there will be clashes. That is also why you also have 2 or 3 gigs. Personally, I want good gigs rather than any gig but other guys will attend all number of jam nights just to play. All long as it is good, is where I'd want to start from. If it isn't and the gig drag, I'm losing interest before I really 'lose' interest. Yes...if a band were forever telling the audience about a day job, I'd be think what the hell has that got to do with the gig..?? But if they weren't much good, I'd be gone quick enough anyway, or not be listening anyway.. so I'd miss the continual updates.. [/quote] I see where your coming from. I am not very critical of gigs anymore. If they can pay our fee and there is an appreciative crowd it's a good gig for me. Blue

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1436518605' post='2818731'] If you are retired and have another source of income, surely the only difference between you and the attorneys is that you are a little more rock n roll in your stage approach and you are a little further down the track in terms of how much playing you've done? Who knows they may do exactly the same thing as you when they retire and the multiple gigs a week may well improve their performance somewhat. [/quote] I doubt that, I came into this rock thing at the right time in history, around 1964.They didn't (way too young). I started gigging in 1966. Just about everything I do is based in the vast education and history in rock music I was a part of and witnessed first hand. I'll never be big on attorneys trying to play rock guy. I don't dig that scene. Blue

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436477016' post='2818568'] Me too - I wasn't being sarcastic, for a change. [/quote] Cool, keep in mind, I was married for 12 years and I have been divorced for 20. I've already been through the [i]"family on the beach stage" [/i]of my life. Good lord I wouldn't want to go through that phase twice. Blue

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1436430058' post='2817988'] Once a month isn't enough action for me. But this time of year when everyone's on holiday it's always frustrating band-wise. Who wants to lie on a beach in the sun with their families when they could be rehearsing or gigging in a humid, oven-like room with sweat running down the walls? Bah! [/quote] Were all different, I would choose a 4 hour bar gig with an appreciative crowd than the beach/family option (not my scene). Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1436471973' post='2818503'] Do we understand from this that you've revenue independant of your gigging..? (You're not obliged to answer this, of course...)..? [/quote] Yes, I have revenue/ source of income outside of gigging. I did the 9-5 day job thing for 40 years and was miserable everyday. Now when someone asks me what I do for a living, I'm proud to tell them " I Play Electric Bass Guitar and Sing in a Rock and Roll Band " as opposed to, " I'm a Worker's Compensation Claims Administrator " . Blue

As far as full time gigging as opposed to the hobby band. If a band like ours is out there gigging 2-3 times a week and more in our busy summer season (keep in mind festivals and fairs are huge in Milwaukee) is not a hobby. I personally wouldn't define gigging once a month as a hobby, it's a bunch a guy getting together for a little social activity. As far as rehearsing it depends on the kind of band your in and a lot of other variables. For example a new band is going to rehearse more than a band coming up on 9 years together. If your gigging 2-3 times a week rehearsal would be called for new material if that. I know of an originals band that rehearses twice a week without a gig insight. They want to be tight because they think they are going to be discovered by someone who will make them stars. Who knows, I guess it could happen. I'm retired so it's a little easier for me to do this without a 9-5 day job. Blue

You know guys, this was really me ranting about a 3 piece we did a show with that seemed more occupied with constantly telling the crowd they were all attorneys than on music. And they were marginal at best. They pissed me off. Funny the bass player showed up at our gig last night. Blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1436384056' post='2817793'] I know more than enough guys who do it full time that aren't actually that good, but hey they work it and presumably they earn enough and I know plenty of very good players who have to do part time jobs and teach to make their money up. I've said countless times, I don't know many full timers who can get near £30k a year and they have to play EVERYWHERE and drive up and down the main motorways every week. I'm not sure I'd call that fun and it would become a 'job' just like anything else. And they aren't going to retire early either. Having said that, I do know a solo act who is very very busy and works manically and he has bought and paid for his house in a matter of a few years but that is a very rare story, IMV. I have no problem if the band has great gear...I'd expect a very good band to have that, but if they aren't very good, then nothing will really save them. Packing places out consistantly is very hard to do as well... so a monthly gig to your entire social circle is possible but doing it everywhere is very tough... and if you Can do that, you'll be setting better than average fees, for sure.. Good luck to you, in that case [/quote] 30k? in my area in the States if you can make 12k from gigging your doing good. Blue

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1436305194' post='2816997'] I can't quite get my head around this. Are you saying that the only people who should be playing in rock bands are people who do only that? Is it just attorneys or does it apply to anyone who has a day job and plays in a band as a hobby or for extra cash? [/quote] I guess what I'm saying if your good, i would be blown away and wouldn't care what they did for a day job. But if your up there on stage with polo shirts and khakis constantly telling the crowd that all the members are attorneys and your not that good I have no use for them. I felt like they were making a mockery of what I do for a living. blue

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1436294520' post='2816868'] If they behave likes arses then fair enough, but a band is measured about how good they are... and there are degrees of that measurement, for sure,... and for that it doesn't matter what you do, it's what you've got. If you get played off the park, it doesn't matter what your day job... [/quote] Believe me if these guys were hot I would not have made the post. These guys were so far off from any element of rock it wasn't even funny. Blue

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1436293025' post='2816844'] Can't agree there, I'm afraid. You are no more 'needy' than anyone else. If you (and the band...) are good enough, you'll get work. If not, train up or change your job. That's what everyone else on the planet has to do, in whatever occupation; musicians are no special category, imo. Sorry. [/quote] Respectfully agree that we disagree. My band is doing 4-5 shows weekly, we do fine with work. I just don't like attorney's playing in rock bands. My position remains, attorneys stick to lawyering and stay out of the rock business. It was actually sickening to me the amount of times they mentioned they were all attorneys. I won't be doing any training for anything, My thing is playing bass guitar in rock bands. Been doing it for 50 years, love it and have no interest in any other type of work. Sorry, I just don't like it. Blue

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1436211384' post='2816084'] Blue, they're getting more popular over here, getting some airplay on the rock radio stations, and early next year I got tickets to see them play Wembley arena supporting Shinedown and Black Stone Cherry, which should be enormous fun!! Didn't know the back story though, very interesting, and nice to hear that the hard work sometimes pays off. She has a great rock voice too, there's some footage of her doing Slave to the grind duet with Seb Bach, she can rip it!! [/quote] Check this out, talk about ripping it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQTgSQRA0hU

A few weeks ago we played a local festival and one of the bands that played before us kept going on about the fact that all 3 of these guys were attorneys and they do this for fun. Sorry guys, just not into bands like that, they have no credibility with me and as you can probably guess they were not very good in my opinion. I say do your attorney stuff and leave the music hustle to guys that need it. Blue

[quote name='sykilz' timestamp='1436184559' post='2815660'] Yeah, this is just wrong.... [/quote] Cool, thats Lizzy Hale. I saw her at SummerFest last week with her band Hale Storm. She started that band when she was 13 with her brothers. I understand they worked their butts off to get where they're at. Interesting, I didn't think they were that big. They had a line a mile long 2 hours before their show for merchandise. Good for them. Blue

I think it must be discouraging for guys looking for work to pay bills with and all they see are ads for the bands that only want to play once a month. However, like a few of you have said, being in a band for some is merely a social activity not driven by $$. You might say if you need money to pay bills playing in a band isn't the way to go and you would be right. There was a time when any decent band could gig several times a week and you could make enough to get by if that was your desire. It's no longer an option for most guys. blue

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1436107646' post='2814984'] We gig 7-10 times a month on average and that is enough to keep us tight. New stuff is rehearsed individually at home and then more often than not we just gig it. More complex arrangements will get a quiet group rehearsal round my house. I'm blessed to be with such capable and affable chaps. [/quote] Yeah, I was sort of getting at that with my response to Lozz. Our summer schedule is also right around 7-10 gigs a month, a lot of double and triple header weekends. So rehearsals would be a bit much. And it also depends on the a guys ability, we added a key board guy last weekend without rehearsing with us. The guy was a pro, we sent him files of the set and I swear he knew the material better than me.lol blue

[quote name='bassman7755' timestamp='1436088475' post='2814781'] Most important thing in any band is that the people involved share the same commitment level and motivations. Things rarely work out long term when you have casual and obsessive people or "just for fun" types and those doing it as their main income in the same band. [/quote] Exactly, I remember when we were auditioning drummers. We really didn't want to bring in a guy in his 30s or 40s married with a young family. Rarely can these guys just get up and leave their family several times per week. Blue

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1436053177' post='2814663'] Entirely depends on your circumstances. You're gigging to pay the bills, I have a day job that covers that, music is a passion and a release and so I make music I love with good friends and gig when I can. Busy month this one, three good gigs in three weeks but normally we get together every other week and gig about once every month or two. Which is perfect for me.... [/quote] Understood, for those who have followed my threads know that 40 years of 9-5ing it in the corporate world was enough for me.If I never step foot in an office again it would be too soon. I sacrificed a lot, however I get up every morning to a life I love. Life is too short and I was seeing to many guys my age leaving us before they had the chance to sit back and enjoy life on their terms. Playing rock and roll music for a living is the closest I could probably ever get to working for myself. Blue

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1436049744' post='2814643'] I might respond to an ad of this type as a potential dep, but not as an outfit to join. [/quote] I can see that, but I understand that some of these bands still want someone that is not in another gigging band, but they might look at the guy that wants to dep differently. I think like anything else there are pros and cons and if it's a fit for a guy it's all good. Blue

[quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' timestamp='1436048006' post='2814627'] I don't see a problem with it. Some people are too busy to devote more time than that to their music. [/quote] Agreed, so definitely not for those like me where gigging and rock and roll is all we have in life. And for me, it's all I ever wanted. Blue

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1436045766' post='2814607'] I wouldn`t want to join a band that only rehearsed that much. If you want to be tight, you have to work at it. Fine as a hobby/bit of a laugh with mates but for a gigging band nope, rehearse every week for me, even if gigging in the same week. [/quote] Lozz, I usually agree with you 100% on most issues. However , during the summer we have several 3 and 4 gig weekends adding a rehearsal would be a bit of a drag for me. Were not adding new material or changing any of the dynamics of our show. Blue

I guess it depends on your personal situation. Certainly wouldn't be an opportunity for me. Even if I could add it as an extra gig to my existing bands schedule it would ultimately still bring about schedule conflict. I think being in a band can be a lot of work whether your playing 4 times a month or once a month. If it's full production ( 4 pieces, lights and sound) is it worth it? And remember bar bands in the States is a 4 hour proposition. Blue

[size=4][font=Arial]I see so many ads for bass players, with this sort of description:[/font][/size] [size=4][i]"We rehearse about once a month and play out about the same."[/i][/size] [size=4]What do you guys think about this type of opportunity?[/size] Blue * The t-shirt, I guess I've been on bass Chat too long.

You know, when someone constructively critizises something about my playing, i am usually aware of it and agree. I'm usually experimenting with something new. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't.

[quote name='Norris' timestamp='1435608872' post='2810624'] At gigs where the audience isn't really interested we tend to mess around musically, putting in accents, rhythms and recurring themes to keep ourselves amused. Nothing that the punters would notice unless they were actually listening of course. It can make a dull gig fly by and have us in stitches [/quote] Spot on! At these gigs it's not unusual for us to try new material we have been working on but not quite ready. Blue