I auditioned for a "gig-ready" band!

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1347358508' post='1799676']
I don't even know what Tush is.
[/quote]

You've clearly spent your time with the wrong girls ...

[brensabre79]

Oh man, this brings back a whole load of deja vu! I went to audition for a long-established band with gigs booked... They sent me a set list of over 30 songs, I agreed to learn 5 for the audition, as they were part of their regular set I didn't think it would matter which 5. I arrived only to find out that the only member of the 'long-established' crew was the drummer, the singer was auditioning the same night as me and the guitard had joined a week ago, the rest of the band had left about a month ago. It turns out that the singer had learnt 3 songs from the list, different ones to me, and didn't know ANY others. The guitarist didn't like the old setlist and didn't want to do any of them. The drummer needed to listen to his iPod to refresh himself on the tunes as it had 'been a while'. So we played tunes that weren't on the list, after listening to the iPod once and muddling through, that nobody knew.

The singer and I were then informed that we would have to buy out the PA from the old band if we were to join. The singer was then told she was in. I was told that they had another bass player to see. I said "Good!' and left.

Its all too common I'm afraid, there are so many muppets with instruments out there.

[BottomE]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1347360193' post='1799701']
They did actually mention that they would like to do it at some stage.
[/quote]
I wonder what stage. Is that the stage where they rejoin reality.

[molan]

I had one of these a couple of years ago and, foolishly, thought I could organise them and get them into shape.

After 3-4 rehaearsals of listening to one guitarist play ludicrously loud, the other constantly being ou of tune and a drummer who lost time every time he through a 'fill' into the basic rhythm I finally gave up and walked away.

All three of them had been in bands before, were reasonably mature (late 30's / early 40's) and all hopelessly deluded.

If you get a good feel at an audition then musical ability isn't always the most important thing. A good Attitude and mutual respect, along with some basic organisation can go a long way. Doesn't sound like this lot had any of these

Also, charging for an audition is complete no go. I've genuinely never heard of this before!

[BILL POSTERS]

With that set list, they should have been able to wing it.

After I had a long long break from playing I came across similar things a few times. Usually people who had gigged a bit at some time in their lives, got married/jobs/life got in the way etc etc. then one day aged 40 decided to try and re live the youth they never really had. Spent some of the redundancy or the endownment on new gear that they couldnt have afforded back when.
The new and expensive gear that they were not familiar with was often the first sign. Rehearsing for ever would have been the next.

I'm not knocking people who want to start again after a long break, I did it myself. but a lot of em were deluded, thinking they were better than they were.and liked the idea of being in a band more than the work involved.

I should think guitar shops love people like that, they have money to spend, and are probably back a year later to sell the hardly used gear back to them.


.

[JTUK]

[quote name='allighatt0r' timestamp='1347357519' post='1799659']
How do you guys find bands in your areas? I've had success with Partysounds in the past but it seems to have died right down, and joinmyband.com seems to be a bit of a teenage dreamers hangout...
[/quote]

I know players and I ask them if they have time for this project idea..I explain it and they either want to find time and do it or they don't/can't.

Or they find you..which is easy enough if you are active.

If I need a certain player after all that, I will ask for recommendations and then check them out. Auditions don't happen, you know they can play, what you are looking for is chemistry and a feel for the whole unit being focused on the same page.

[brensabre79]

Its all very well if you have lived in an area for ages, and grown into the music scene there, but if you move somewhere new or are just getting started it can be quite hard to find a good band to play with! I used to live in Manchester and had no trouble getting in bands and getting gigs around the city, I had a little black book full of numbers if I needed someone too. but then I moved down to brighton and after 3 years I'm just starting to get connected with a few people.

Gumtree has been good, but turning up to jam nights even just to watch at first before joining in (when you're confident enough) can work well to get you known. Lots of people turn up to these things when they need a bass player.. drummer etc. There seems to be a larger percentage of muppets down here, or maybe I was just lucky in manchester...

[tauzero]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1347358508' post='1799676']
I've been playing for getting on for 40 years (admittedly only originals until recently) and I could only busk Louie Louie and maybe the main riff to Sunshine. I don't even know what Tush is.
[/quote]

You could probably find your way round a couple of others, Sanctuary is only three chords.

As for Tush, it's a ZZ Top song. If you've ever heard a ZZ Top song, you've heard Tush, even if it was called something like "Legs" or "Sharp Dressed Man".

[JellyKnees]

Very bad form asking you to pay! I would have told 'em to whistle...which they no doubt would have struggled to do, given their obvious lack of musical prowess.

[thebrig]

[quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1347371896' post='1799894']
Very bad form asking you to pay! I would have told 'em to whistle...which they no doubt would have struggled to do, given their obvious lack of musical prowess.
[/quote][quote name='JellyKnees' timestamp='1347371896' post='1799894']
Very bad form asking you to pay! I would have told 'em to whistle...which they no doubt would have struggled to do, given their obvious lack of musical prowess.
[/quote]
You are right, but I think I was in a state of shock to be honest, I just didn't expect them to be so bad.

Whenever the bands that I have played in have auditioned musicians, we would always run through the chosen numbers a couple of times before they arrive, because like people on hear have already pointed out, the band needs to impress as well, it should be a two way thing.

BTW, I took along my Zoom H4, as I like to record all the sessions I do, and I thought that if they were that good, and they decided to take me on, then I can work on the way they interpret the numbers at home, so that I'm up to speed at the next rehearsal.
But when I listened back to it, I deleted it straight away, which in some ways is a pity, because I could have uploaded it hear, and inflicted it on you poor people.

[oggiesnr]

I'm trying to put that songlist into a set list that would make sense at a gig and failing miserably. It's neither owt or summat.

Steve

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1347358508' post='1799676']
I don't even know what Tush is.[/quote]

A mid-tempo 12 bar in 6/8 where the distinguishing feature is a semi-tone slide down to the 5 at the end of the turnaround.

See. you could play that right now if you wanted to. No need to thank me.

[Big_Stu]

[quote name='thebrig' timestamp='1347322154' post='1799434']
Here's the list I was sent, admittedly, there are quite a few on there I don't like, so it's probably best that it did not work out.


[b][i]All Right Now[/i][/b]
[b][i]Billie Jean[/i][/b]
[b][i]Crossroads[/i][/b]
[b][i]Don’t Believe A Word[/i][/b]
[b][i]Ever Fallen In Love[/i][/b]
[b][i]Jumping Jack Flash[/i][/b]
[b][i]Louie Louie[/i][/b]
[b][i]Piece Of My Heart[/i][/b]
[b][i]Riders On The Storm[/i][/b]
[b][i]She Sells Sanctuary[/i][/b]
[b][i]Sunshine Of Your Love[/i][/b]
[b][i]Teenage Kicks[/i][/b]
[b][i]Times Like These[/i][/b]
[b][i]Tush[/i][/b]
[b][i]Whiskey In The Jar[/i][/b]
[b][i]Whole Lotta Rosie[/i][/b]
[b][i]With A Little Help From My Friends[/i][/b]
[/quote]

A large % of that set-list would make it a tough call whether I'd be washing my hair and/or watching the tele that night.

[thebrig]

[quote name='Big_Stu' timestamp='1347384560' post='1800085']
A large % of that set-list would make it a tough call whether I'd be washing my hair and/or watching the tele that night.
[/quote]
I know, but when I spoke to the fella, I told him the type of music I like, and of course, he said yeah, we like and do all that too.
But when I got the list it was a bit late to pull out, as I don't like letting people down, more fool me!!!

[BassTractor]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1347384426' post='1800084']
A mid-tempo 12 bar in 6/8 where the distinguishing feature is a semi-tone slide down to the 5 at the end of the turnaround.
[/quote]

May I divert the thread to ask:
1) Is this really counted that way? I'd expect stuff like that to be counted 4/4, and the punctuation to be implied. Then again, me is a classical boy.
2) the semi-tone slide down is not heard by me off YT. Is it one some versions only or is it me just being deaf? I seem to hear silence from the bass, or that it follows the guitar, twice doing a semitone up.

I only ask because I want to learn about popular music and its vocabulary.

best,
bert

Edited September 11, 2012 by BassTractor

[jezzaboy]

Been there and got the T shirt. They asked me to learn 16 songs and over the course of the week got most of it down. Heck, I even enjoyed learning some of them. I turn up and got the "we only know a few of the songs. They are a work in progress!"

The world and particulary Gumtree, are full of dreamers.

[flyfisher]

A lot of the frustrations being aired in this thread might be avoidable by asking a few questions when invited to audition.

- how often do you gig?
- when was your last gig?
- do you have any audio/video of your performances?

I'm not suggesting there are right or wrong answers to these questions, it's more a case of getting a better understanding of the sort of situation you're walking into before deciding to go for an audition.

Might be worth adding "do you expect me to contribute to the rehearsal studio hire for the audition?"

[skankdelvar]

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1347386602' post='1800114']
May I divert the thread to ask:
1) Is this really counted that way? I'd expect stuff like that to be counted 4/4, and the punctuation to be implied. Then again, me is a classical boy.
2) the semi-tone slide down is not heard by me off YT. Is it one some versions only or is it me just being deaf? I seem to hear silence from the bass, that or following the guitar, twice doing a semitone up.

I only ask because I want to learn about popular music and its vocabulary.
[/quote]

Dunno about implied punctuation - I just heard somebody say 6/8 one time and it stuck. Usually I'd say "It goes dum-di-dum-di-dum-di-dum-di."

Album version - slide up (duh-dur-durr). Some versions (live) there's a slide down (just the once) then they either play straight through the 12 or dead stop or go to 'crowd singalong' or fire off an armadillo or something.

It's all over my head and I'm not from Texas

[BassTractor]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1347391025' post='1800220']
or fire off an armadillo or something[/quote]

Ah! The missing link. NOW I get it. 6/8 it be then. Thanks for explaining.

best,
bert

[thebrig]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1347389713' post='1800193']
A lot of the frustrations being aired in this thread might be avoidable by asking a few questions when invited to audition.

- how often do you gig?
- when was your last gig?
- do you have any audio/video of your performances?

I'm not suggesting there are right or wrong answers to these questions, it's more a case of getting a better understanding of the sort of situation you're walking into before deciding to go for an audition.

Might be worth adding "do you expect me to contribute to the rehearsal studio hire for the audition?"
[/quote]
1. They told me they've rehearsed every Monday since they've been together (3 months), and expect to be gigging in a few weeks.

2. I didn't ask when their last gig was, as they are a new band, but they did say they have plenty of contacts through their previous bands, and are confident of getting plenty of gigs from early November, and are already booked for a New Year gig.

3. Again, new band, so I did not ask about audio/video samples.

I understand what you are saying, but when you consider everything I was told like:
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][b][i]we are all very experienced musicians[/i][/b][/font][/color]
[b][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]played in bands for years[/font][/color][/i][/b]
[b][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]aim to be gigging in a few weeks time[/font][/color][/i][/b]
[b][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]just need a competent bassist, and they will be ready to gig[/font][/color][/i][/b]
[b][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]already have a set list[/font][/color][/i][/b]
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]then I guess that most people would think that this could be a decent opportunity.[/font][/color]
[b][i][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] [/font][/color][/i][/b]

Edited September 11, 2012 by thebrig

[Doddy]

[quote name='skankdelvar' timestamp='1347384426' post='1800084']
A mid-tempo 12 bar in 6/8 where the distinguishing feature is a semi-tone slide down to the 5 at the end of the turnaround.

See. you could play that right now if you wanted to. No need to thank me.
[/quote]

Nearly...it's just a 12 bar shuffle in 4/4 in G.
I've never heard a semitone slide down to the V chord in the turnaround....generally on the track it's a standard chromatic
walk to the chord-C,C#,D

[lurksalot]

I answered an ad from joinmyband about 2 years ago , I did an audition of sorts, but I just kept going back , I still haven't been told if I am in yet , but Have been gigging for 2 years with them and LOVE every minute of it , I still get miffed if we miss a rehaersal date.
I guess I was really lucky , but I guess so are the rest of the guys.
I had left my previous band because they put 3 new numbers in in 5 years, these boys put 3 in every rehearsal , fantastic.

[bertbass]

You may think that you'll never be the best bass player in the world but you will be the best thebrig type bass player in the universe!

[BassTractor]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1347395296' post='1800331']
Nearly...it's just a 12 bar shuffle in 4/4 in G.
I've never heard a semitone slide down to the V chord in the turnaround....generally on the track it's a standard chromatic
walk to the chord-C,C#,D
[/quote]

Ah! Like me, you too missed the armadillo.

best,
bert

[TimR]

It's sometimes difficult to pitch an advert right.

We need a singer. I'm conscious of putting out an ad that says:

"We're a bunch of 40something guys who've been in various bands but never gigged together. We've had 2 rehearsals and have 8 songs that are sounding good but need a singer to go any further. Hope to be gigging within a month of finding right singer."

All truthful but wonder how many takers we would get.

Edited September 11, 2012 by TimR