How was your 2011?

[GarethFlatlands]

Spent the first part of the year writing and recording. Got 8 songs ready, 6 of those recorded and played 1 gig in August. Our bassist found out his wife was pregnant and that's pretty much been it so far! The other band has taken a back seat while the album is finished so done very few gigs this past 18 months.

[neepheid]

Quiet, then not so quiet! Started the year with no band, did a dep/help out thing in January then nothing for ages, apart from increasing my Gibson bass collection and embarking on some lessons - best thing I did in ages. Joined the Oxbow Lake Band in May and it's going really well, playing songs I enjoy with people I enjoy playing songs with. Had 4 gigs so far with at least 1 more before the end of the year (and one booked in January), revamped the band website, joined just too late to have any influence (or appear) on the band's recent recorded output, but looking forward to being actively involved in new material.

Edited November 5, 2011 by neepheid

[discreet]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1320518871' post='1427951']
I recently became a dad for the second time so I had to say no to a few things.
[/quote]
Should have said 'no' a bit earlier!

[51m0n]

Band/bass - not so good - although got a recording out.

Recording - pretty busy, few projects done or doing.

Mixing - pretty epic, taken up a huge amount of 'spare' time. Loving it!

Oh and I got married - which was awesome

[Bankai]

2011: 0 gigs
2010: 1 gig
2009: 2 gigs


I'm going backwards.

[4-string-thing]

Bobbins year..... One (crap) gig in Jan, left band thinking I wanted to play in a folky band again. Started new folky band, did a few rehearsals, got bored very quickly, left folky band. Realised today that Its 3 months since I even took any of my basses out of their cases! I think that means I've pretty much given up playing....

[BigAlonBass]

Found out (too late ) that the new tablets I had been given for my Arthritis were Ototoxic, and the accumulated effect has made me virtually deaf. Had to pack in playing, not because of any on-stage problems, but the fact that I got angry at not being able to hold a conversation with anyone whilst at a Gig. The 'social' aspect of it all went out of the window, which was one of the main reasons I liked playing in a Band.
On the bright side, my Daughter and Son-in-Law presented us with a brand-new Grandson, and asked us if we would look after him while they were both at Work. Talk about a new lease of life!

[ZMech]

Well, 3rd year of uni went well, and the 4th n final year is off to a good start. The project I was working on over the summer is going well, and I'm now looking to start the patent application, and find a small bit of investment, so that's great. I haven't really forced the whole band issue whilst at uni, due to plenty of stuff to keep me busy, but one now seems to be coming into place nicely. Found myself a drummer who's pretty awesome, and a singing pianist with a voice I love. Haven't really decided what direction we want to go yet, as we've only mucked about together a few times, but I think it's promising

To top it off, having started the DB late last year, I'm really happy with my progress. Over the summer I did my regular daily practice, and I'm finally on my way to being happy with my tone and abilities, although to be truly content may take another couple of years, that seems to be the nature of the beast.

[lojo]

As my gigs are playing pop and rock covers I'm not sure they count given bilbos veiws on what is real music

Being serious though, I can only gig once of twice a month around the other things I do , and I'm doing that more often than not

[bigthumb]

This time last year my diary was very healthy for 2011. I think there were over fifty gigs booked with three different bands. (Previous years I'd be gigging around 100 times a year). Then it all goes t1ts up with all bands leaving me practically jobless and very skint!

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1320532755' post='1428198']
Should have said 'no' a bit earlier!
[/quote]
This advice is about ten months too late...

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='BigAlonBass' timestamp='1320535575' post='1428232']
Found out (too late ) that the new tablets I had been given for my Arthritis were Ototoxic, and the accumulated effect has made me virtually deaf. Had to pack in playing, not because of any on-stage problems, but the fact that I got angry at not being able to hold a conversation with anyone whilst at a Gig. The 'social' aspect of it all went out of the window, which was one of the main reasons I liked playing in a Band.
On the bright side, my Daughter and Son-in-Law presented us with a brand-new Grandson, and asked us if we would look after him while they were both at Work. Talk about a new lease of life!
[/quote]
Bittersweet, Al - sorry to hear about the ear troubles.

[scalpy]

Firstly, things got so desperate I used joinmyband to get a gig.

The most memorable bit was when the guitarist pointed to an old HH amp and said "Do you know who that used to belong to?" I started wracking my brains for famous HH users. He said "Fred West."

I decided to opt for the last resort. Start my on band.

[thisnameistaken]

I quit my band in May and finished all the gigs I'd said I'd do by the end of July, so it's been pretty quiet since then. Definitely the right thing to do quitting the band though, and I'm still good friends with them all so it's worked out OK.

Currently rehearsing with a singer/songwriter guy so I'll have some double bass gigs in the new year, also busking with the singer/guitarist from the band I quit, and planning to do the same with another singer/guitarist I met earlier this year, and another guy wants me to record some DB for a new project he's doing so generally the double bass side of things is picking up. Still no full-time gig though, and nothing on bass guitar at all.

Trying to put together a project of my own but I've been stuck looking for a good drummer, which might never happen.

[EssentialTension]

Definitely doing less than I used to:

2007 = eighteen gigs with two different bands
2008 = twenty-nine gigs with three bands
2009 = eighteen gigs with three bands
2010 = nine gigs with two bands
2011 = five gigs with one band
2012= two booked with two bands so far.

And this year three basses out and only one in (so far).

[Delberthot]

I've had quite a good year. previously I've only ever played in bands that I was a permanent member but this year I've depped with quite a few bands - partly because I enjoy playing and partly because it should generate more dep gigs for next year with these bands and others to fill in the gaps in the diary.

plus its nice to get complements. when you play in a steady band for so long you forget how good your band mates are so to get complements on my playing is nice

Edited November 6, 2011 by Delberthot

[BottomE]

Not a bad year. Not the best. 2010 was the best for us with over 80 gigs. This year looks like we'll have done 67 gigs. More are coming in and the phones still ringing. Whats helped is a change of material letting us compete for better paid gigs.

[rOB]

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1320534718' post='1428219']
Oh and I got married - which was awesome
[/quote]
Congratulations!

2011 - bit of a mixed year for me

+ves: Finished putting together an originals band to play music that I've written in a style that I love. Gigged a fair bit and did a bit of recording with them. Strong creative control. Played a few gigs with the covers band and met some excellent people through them.

-ves: Politics within both bands can be tricky, availability can be an issue with some other members working shifts. I'm finding being a band leader for the first time quite difficult what with dealing with booking gigs, organising rehearsals, balancing different needs and expectations from the other members and writing all the music and lyrics for the originals band.


Edit: Band politics have suddenly become very very tricky.

Edited November 23, 2011 by rOB

[spike]

My band split up in June mainly due to lack of work and I've not gigged since then. On the bright side, I'm having my first rehearsal with a new band today and I'm really looking forward to it.

[BigRedX]

With Dick Venom & The Terrortones, it's been a fantastic year. Gigging almost every week up and down the country and starting to build up a proper following. Recorded and released our debut EP "RockinRollin' VampireMan" and shot a video which will be completed before the year's end. Also we're actually making money out of it - enough to cover our gigging costs and still have sufficient left over to pay for our rehearsal room, proving that so long as you are entertaining there's no reason why playing original should be something that you only put money into.

In fact I haven't been this musically busy since 1982, and including the 3 gigs my covers band have done this year, by 31st December, this year will have been my most active.

In non-musical matters unfortunately my life it's continued to be fairly sh*t, but then it's been like this for almost 20 years now so I'm pretty much resigned to it. Makes me glad that the music is so good at the moment.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Basswise: Played last gig November last year, somewhere in Watford. Awesome gig,which ended when 2 members quit.
Taking time off , doubtful if I can carry on.Lost enthusiasm . Have many basses , not sure how many will be left this time next year.
Have a lovely Aguilar setup, sitting idle in bedroom.

Personal stuff(or not ); Brother is now my lodger. Quite turbulent at times. Moved in last summer due to his redundancy.
Chucked various stuff out to accomodate. Got a new TV/DVD combi saving space in living room , giving big TV to neighbour.
Still working with A**hole in work ,who is not dead yet!! Stuck in this job I got through temping, but obviously have to stay
after being there approx 4 and a half years.Nothing else out there.

Altho' I think this thread should 've been started in Jan 2012, so far this year is better than last.(which was my worst ever)
My last proper good year , was in 2005.

Edited November 6, 2011 by RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE

[bassace]

Not too bad considering an 'interesting' year. 85 gigs, all jazz, from 1jan to 20 oct. Some of them were particularly good. Highlight was being invited back by my first call band which I left, not altogether amicably, last year. My 'village project', a three piece fiddle/gtr/bass django trio is starting to get some good gigs.

Low point is the broken arm on 20 Oct which has lost me 16 gigs until the end of November. I go for an X-ray on Thursday to see if it is mending or if a meccano job will be needed.

So overall, as Mrs Jones would say, Musn't grumble'.

[gregsguitars]

So far so good, bought,traded and sold tons of gear ,met a lot of great business to business contacts and look forward to doing more in 2012.

[Wylie]

Very few gigs, the most memorable being cocktail hour music for a group of Episcopal clergypersons (as they say). The bishop's wife got hammered, and that was pretty amusing. In the summer I was asked to play with another couple of guys specializing in 'Americana' (as they said) tunes, all their own compositions, and that was interesting; but they split after I'd been with them a month. It was nothing to do with me, I believe ... Not a good year. I continue to improve my playing. Incrementally.

[Cat Burrito]

We signed an Indie deal at the start of the year and our album came out a couple of months ago to some favourable reviews in the National Press. The radio play has been a little quiet but fair. I'd like to have been a little busier gig wise but we've definitely gone quality over quantity. There's talk of the follow up album happening pretty fast too, maybe even a 2012 release. So generally pretty good.

Away from playing my GAS that had been dying a death for a couple of years finally ground to a halt and I've downsized my kit to sensible levels - much happier with that too. Long may it stay the same too