Bluewine

"Knowing how and when to keep my mouth shut." It just means I don't want to be the guy that's always complaining about stuff and bringing a negative vibe to a band. Blue

I believe I referenced flakes and A Holes. Probably a bit of a difference. I don't think many of us will tolerate an A Hole. Blue

Agree 100% Blue

I'm not sure, however the topic still generates a lot of great comments, position and perspective. Blue

"We never look for the great musicians we look for great people " Emilio "Mimi" Castillo , Band Leader Tower Of Power. Blue

I understand and know the area I live in as well as what realistic opportunity there is for me. When my band folds, I'm done. I won't be auditioning for anyone. Blue

We might be talking about different levels of flakes. The level I'm talking, I'd never play in a band with or recommend anyone to, no matter how great a musician they are. I wouldn't even allow these types to step foot into my home let alone play with them. Playing in a band with even one flake can take the enjoyment out of the band experience. By the way, I'm probably the most average bass player on Bass Chat. My strength is the ability to work with others as a part of a team. And another strength is knowing when and how to keep my mouth shut. Blue

And I'd say it's not about me at all. There might be a few personal references I use for examples or to justify a position. But the thread is clearly not about me. The CD promotion was off topic, a mere side note. Blue

For Those Looking for a " For Fun" Band would be a very good thread. Blue

To my understanding the difference is our bars are all located in business zones while your Pubs can be located in residential zones. We play 4 hours while Pub gigs are 2 hours. Blue

Yes they are, however I recommend for anyone looking for a consistently gigging band to avoid them. Blue

Mikel, I would never play in a band that I didn't enjoy playing in nor would I recommend it. Blue

I'm not sure about that Dan. This thread is specifically about the plight of anyone looking for a gigging band and things you might want to consider when evaluating bands. This thread is not about me or who is or isn't entitled to play music or why we play music. Blue

Hi Pete, Agreed to a degree. A dedicated sound and lighting tech would be considered Overkill for bar and pub gigs by most. I'm spoiled as a result of my personal situation. Our band leaders husband happens to run our sound and lights. I will say bringing in sound & lights separates us from our competitors and gives us a more professional sound. But most bar bands are just fine without it. We also probably use more pedal effects than most bands. You do some pretty cool stuff with today's pedals.Like sending presents from my phone. Blue PS: New Live CD is finished

I don't want to discount my Flake-O"Meter bullet point. I bet all of us can detect "nut jobs", "goof balls", egotistical types, and " A Holes" rather quickly. We sometimes overlook these guys thinking it's a fluke or they'll change Word to the wise. It's neverr a fluke and those guys never change. Blue

Paul McCartney"s bass player plays an Epiphone bass. Blue

That's a great list Skankdelvar. I forgot about how important it is to find out why there's an opening. Here's something else. I remember once after reviewing live video clips of a band ,I flipped over their guitarist. And was interested just on the basis of said guitarist. During the first call with the Band Leader I found that guitarist as well as other members were no longer in the band. Blue

Agreed, those of us that have been around for a few summers know that bands with no plan but a lot of "talk", usually turn out to be just that. A lot of talk. Blue

I think it would be difficult if not impossible to depend on gig money to pay a mortgage. However there are those with extremely low mortgage payments. Still nothing wrong with an extra $400.00 bucks in your wallet after a weekend of gigging. Blue

I always have fun playing, however I don't play for fun.I play for a set fee. This thread is about those looking for bands in order to gig and make money consistently. Blue

That's a legitimate point or position. However, it gets back to one of my bullet points. Is depping realistic for everyone? Personally there's no band that I'd have depping opportunities with. Depping is not real big in my neck of the woods. And depping isn't really joining a band. Blue

Remember Pub and Bar bands also play festivals and fairs, which by the way, are not merely handed to any band. It takes a business strategy to land those gigs. The list may or may not be overkill. We're talking about busy bands with consistent bookings. My position , it rarely happens with a " Willy Nilly" or Loosey Goosey" approach to the business. Blue

When looking for a band or when looking for a busy working band? There might be a difference. Blue

I played with my fingers , traditional East Coast 70s style funk and R&B for most of my life. I started playing back in the mid 60s. About 10 years ago I switched to using a pick. I was playing more aggressive rock and found a pick helped develop the tone I was after and found it easier a IMO a better way to execute licks and riffs. Blue

An old topic , but always a good discussion. Bar and Pub Band Level Finding a gigging band is a challenge for most of us. A lot of it depends on where you live, how long you've been on the scene and how well your networked. Walking into an established band with a nice book of business is very rare for most of us. I'll start with a few bullet points to reveiw and discuss. 1. Look at the area you live in and determine if seeking out a gigging band is even realistic. 2. Look at your skill set, understand your strengths, weaknesses and experience. What can you bring to a band. 3. Only audition for bands that meet most of your requirements. 4. Make sure you understand the history and infrastructure of the band. A. What is their business model for booking. Do they have a member that's good at sales and maintaining business. How much business is from reaching out for new business, existing business and call ins. What's the percentage breakdown. B. Does the band own their own production with off stage talent ( dedicated sound and lighting) C. How much personal turnover has the band gone through over the past 12 months. 5. What type of reputation does the band have as well as the individual members? 6. What type of social media presence does the band have? I guess there are still some successful gigging bands with none. But to be honest, I have no idea how a gigging band can get by without it. 7. Last but not least. Make sure your Flake-Ometer is on at all times when checking out an opportunity. You decide what's important to you. Joining the wrong band can be frustrating and could potentially sour you on being in bands forever. Love to hear your comments. Blue