xilddx Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 From a point of view of EVERYTHING : playing skills, compositional ability, style, feel and dynamics, sensitivity to the needs of the songs and songwriter/s, theoretical knowledge, sight-reading, stagecraft, equipment, musicality, personality, professionalism and reliability .. If you had to replace yourself by auditioning new bass players for your band, do you think that would be an easy thing to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nibody Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Yep. I'm sh**e! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheddatom Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 no way, no-one plays like me. I could get someone better!! But not a replacement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I've sort of been in this situation twice. In my last serious band after spending nearly 12 months unsuccessfully auditioning guitarists, I switched to guitar and the first bass player we tried was a perfect fit for the band. Also for one Dick Venom gig, I was unable to play so our drummer got a friend of his to dep for me. He learnt the parts in a week (they're hardly difficult) However he didn't really look the part on stage despite the fact that I leant him one of my "interesting" basses to use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1329399878' post='1541850'] If you had to replace yourself by auditioning new bass players for your band, do you think that would be an easy thing to do? [/quote] No, it would not! It would be very easy to replace the rest of the band, however. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 My last band replaced me with a competent bass player with none of the other things that I brought to the band. I read a review of their (our) last EP today that said what really set them apart was their imaginative arrangements and a talent for vocal harmonies. Hehehe. Not so much any more. All that said, in my current band I currently contribute a lot less and I don't think I'm quite so key to the sound of the band, but it's early days and I'm still fitting in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 What a horrible question to answer!! Saying that, my friend sometimes covers for me and he has better discipline than I do. I overplay a bit too much when I get excited! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='shizznit' timestamp='1329401134' post='1541884'] What a horrible question to answer!! Saying that, my friend sometimes covers for me and he has better discipline than I do. [b]I overplay a bit too much when I get excited![/b] [/quote] Yes, that's a fault of mine too, and something I have had to reign in over the last couple of years. I'm getting a bit more discipline these days, I need it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1329400664' post='1541870'] no way, no-one plays like me. I could get someone better!! But not a replacement. [/quote] That's a great answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4 Strings Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Yes, was replaced in a jiffy by a younger, sprightly and altogether more appropriate bass player in a very noisy, american style rock band. No, the Motown band is my kiddie, the singers go out more without the band than with, but when the fees there so are we, however its my organisation etc. No, Gospel band is again my drive and organisation. Yes, church band needs an other bass player for the rota - any offers? Regarding those I lead, its a sign of a good leader where he can step down and other(s) stand in the breach. I wonder ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1329400826' post='1541876'] No, it would not! It would be very easy to replace the rest of the band, however. [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brensabre79 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 My covers band had to do a gig when I was on holiday once. It was for charity so I said I didn't mind if they got someone in. I spent two rehersals with the dep, teaching him the songs etc. I got a text from the drummer (who was a friend of the dep) while I was away to say the gig had gone well but he'd rather have me jumping around on stage than the dep (errr... great? I think). When I got back the venue they played at had cancelled the bands booking for Christmas eve (a lucrative gig) for some reason, nobody seemed to want to talk about it. It transpired, months later when the venue wanted to book us again and I said " f*// &0ff they cancelled Christmas on us" that the band had been so terrible at the charity gig that half the audience had left and they were asked to stop playing!!!! The singer said that the drummer had told everyone not to mention it to me because it would go to my head! She also said that if I ever leave the band she will leave too, and the guitarist said "Your my bass player now - I go where you go" I felt extremely smug (so the drummer was right i guess). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoffbyrne Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I could be replaced fairly easily in my Blues band & my Country Rock band, but my Middle-of-the-road band won't do anything without me, even practice the odd night. If I left, I reckon it'd disband. Not really sure why that is, as we don't do anything out of the ordinary. G. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shizznit Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='4 Strings' timestamp='1329401906' post='1541896'] Yes, church band needs an other bass player for the rota - any offers? [/quote] I am the only bass player in my church too. The keys player has a crack when I am unavailable and always moans at me about how difficult it is when I return! However, we have 4 drummers on the rota! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I am the band. The band is me. That goes for all three of us. It would be a different band if any of us left. We'd have to start from scratch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 it wouldn't be easy as I'm the youngerst and prettiest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Difficult one for me... I honestly don't know! The lines aren't easy but can be picked up with a little time. It would get more interesting when it came to personalities. A year ago (probably less) I didn't know them, now I would count them easily as my best mates. We've backed off from auditioning more people purely for the reason of "they might be great" but would they fit in? The our personalities are so similar but not irritatingly so is quite disconcerting tbh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 If you can play like Andy Fraser, Boz Burrell, John Deacon or Tony Franklin, you can replace me.... I play in a Paul Rodgers tribute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Low End Bee Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='MacDaddy' timestamp='1329403014' post='1541924'] it wouldn't be easy as I'm the youngerst and prettiest [/quote] Horribly true;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I think I am easily replaceable - classic rock, nothing fancy - just solid 'meat and potatoes' type stuff, playing in two bands. But recently, with the heavier rock band, it got to a 'him or me' situation (not that I put it like that) with our new, very talented and much experienced guitarist and the band chose me. Made me feel warm inside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 [quote name='Low End Bee' timestamp='1329403559' post='1541940'] Horribly true;) [/quote] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 In my covers band I'm completely replaceable. In fact they'd probably be better off with someone who was more used to playing covers as they wouldn't have to learn every song from scratch. In Dick Venom & The Terrortones, from a playing PoV I'm completely replaceable. For everything else I do maybe not so much... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louisthebass Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I've always been of the opinion that there are a lot of talented bass players out there who could replace me in any band I've played in, especially as places like ICMP, ACM, BIMM, Tech Schools, etc are producing bass players of great quality. There's a lot of guys who could run rings around me. I always feel I've been quite lucky that I've never been kicked out of a band in 26 years - I've either resigned from bands (3 times) or in a most cases, been with them "until the death" (4 times). I suppose I must be doing something right...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pietruszka Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I was in a funk/hip hop band, the best band Iv ever been in. I largely wrote the material which was finished and tweaked by the rest of the band. Eventually different methods of approach resulted in me leaving. The band dissolved not too long after. The singers BF had once told me "if you leave the band, the band is f**cked". I soon joined a club band afterwards and we gigged after 1 rehearsal I think it was. A line up change later and we had to get a dep in for me. The band after that gig said they really noticed a difference and would rather I didn't need a dep again! It's nice to be in demand! Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LiamPodmore Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Nobody in the area (that i know of) has as high quality gear as i do, knows the band as well as i do, can play my basslines, and actually knows my basslines (Not even i know my basslines). Theres one guy that plays bass and knows the rest of the band better than me, but thats it. Liam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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