How varied are you?

[charic]

For years Ive played in various levels of metal bands but recently ive decided that im fed up with bands that are sitting around when I want to be gigging regularly. To this end Im recently finding myself far more open to other types of music than my usual as it were :-)

So as it stands I am currently in:
1 x Melodic Death Metal Band
1 x Death Metal Band
1 x Folk band
Possibility of 1 x light rock / Indie band

So... how varied are you?

[Clarky]

In order I have progressed from a death/thrash metal band to a 70s style punk band to playing double bass in a voodoo swamp blues band and now a gypsy pop band. Not bad going on the variety front in 8 years!

[Roland Rock]

I've played in:

A Britpop/indie band
A Jazz/funk band (who on occasion doubled as a jazz standards function band)
Several rocky covers bands
A Bowie tribute band
And am currently in a Ska/Reggae band

I also love playing blues, so would love to be in a great blues band sometime in the future.

[rushbo]

Right then. Since 1986...
Jangly Pop a la REM
Chicago Blues
Hair Metal
Muso Pop (It Bites, that sort of thing)
Pre Madchester baggy
Indie
Avant Garde (Can/Faust)
Electronica
Psychedelic Folk Rock
Rock
Acoustic Duo
Heinz 57 covers/functions band
Blues (again)
Americana
Pop Rock (a la Crowded House)
Country Folk
Classic Rock tribute

It's good to have a broad palette.

Edited March 4, 2013 by rushbo

[icastle]

Busy but not hugely varied at the moment.

1x Folk Duo
1x Folk Trio
1x Covers Band
1x Blues Band

I've always had a 'preferred' music type to play, but when there's none of that about, I'll play just about anything just to keep my ear in.

[the boy]

[quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1362437589' post='1999911']
I've played in:

A Britpop/indie band
A Jazz/funk band (who on occasion doubled as a jazz standards function band)
Several rocky covers bands
A Bowie tribute band
And am currently in a Ska/Reggae band

I also love playing blues, so would love to be in a great blues band sometime in the future.
[/quote]
I'm desperate to start a blues band. A real experienced group of musicians with about 30 songs and plenty of jamming. I've been in blues bands before and when it works there is nothing like it.

[mep]

I can play both types of music. Country......, & Western.

Sorry, couldn't help it. Was watching The Blues Brothers on Sunday afternoon.

[icastle]

[quote name='the boy' timestamp='1362437860' post='1999920']
I'm desperate to start a blues band. A real experienced group of musicians with about 30 songs and plenty of jamming. I've been in blues bands before and when it works there is nothing like it.
[/quote]

Ironically, that's the band I get least out of as a musician.
The musicians have all been playing longer than I have (and I'm in my 33rd year now) and it's tighter than a ducks bottom, but the genre just doesn't really 'do it' for me.

[Earbrass]

Hmmm, let me see...not counting the "just at home for fun" stuff....
Played bass in avant-garde free jazz ensembles and a couple of rock bands (one middling originals/covers, one heavyish pagan originals)
Played piano in jazz/blues duo (with female singer)
Been a composer for theatre/dance/film/tv
Currently playing squeezebox for border morris.
Who knows what tomorrow will bring?

Edited March 4, 2013 by Earbrass

[Wylie]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1362438637' post='1999939']
Ironically, that's the band I get least out of as a musician.
The musicians have all been playing longer than I have (and I'm in my 33rd year now) and it's tighter than a ducks bottom, but the genre just doesn't really 'do it' for me.
[/quote]

My experience is very limited: basically, the jazz trio I play with now, though I have to say my trio-mates are fabulous musicians and I am constantly learning from them. But I agree here: the blues -- to me, anyway -- is just boring.

tg

[yepmop]

Active bands now and in the past;

Rock covers
Rock (original material)
SKA
Varied Covers

Would love to get into Jazz fusion but I'm not good enough these days but hey I'll have a go at anything.

it's funny I love heavy Metal but now I'm older I don't like playing it, just doesn't do anything for me bass wise. I'm really getting into the "Old School" type of bass playing/sound from the 50s and 60s.

yes I'm an old fart

[4 Strings]

Currently:
Bass player for the Motown Sisters
Also in a gospel/soul band
Also in a church concert orchestra playing huge american almost disney style arrangements
Until a year ago also in a 'hybrid' metal band

Weird, I'm blues first and foremost.

Edited March 4, 2013 by 4 Strings

[Fionn]

Good thread. Interesting to see peoples musical journeys in that respect.

Myself. Well, in my youth as a bassist I was completely open minded to that incompehensible jungle of musical possibilities. I played in a fair few bands/projects and greatly enjoyed most of them, so aye, I suppose I [i]was[/i] "varied" ... but as I've become older, grumpier, more cynical and intollerant I only want to play the music that I really truly love the most.

That's why I don't have a band and nobody can handle even jamming with me.

Only kidding. I've got that love-music on the go, at last! In a way I wish that I hadn't spent so long being "varied".

[lojo]

My current covers set is varied.

I'd love to play Americana / folk but never had the opportunity

[TheRev]

My main band has a country'n'western/Johnny Cash sound.
My other band is a jazz/soul sounding trio.
My preferred listening genre is post-rock, completely different from either of my current bands.

[Lozz196]

1987 to 1990 - originals punk band
1990 to 1991 - originals rock band
1991 - middle of the road covers band
1995 to 1996 - punk covers band
2001 to 2004 - indie-type covers band
2004 to 2009 - heavy rock/glam band
2009 to present - punk covers band
2011 - heavy rock covers band
2011 to present - originals odd quirky band

[scalpy]

I play for a lot of am-dram stuff, so that can go from root fifth root fifth for an evening to anything really. Ceilidhs were the same! I also do a soul band, which has lots of fun lines to play, and a singer songwriter gig which can go from flat out rock to jazz to funk in a verse! I started in power trio type things but don't enjoy that kind of rocking out so much anymore.

[fumps]

I've not been open to different bands but have always listened to a wide range of music.
in the past I've only been in metal covers & metal originals bands but when in these bands I've always listened to stuff like Simon & Garfunkle through to Hip Hop, Acid Techno & Classical music.

Nowadays I dream of being in an experimental/psychedelic band, something I could use all my influences together in one place. but finding musicians like this I know has always been like trying to find unicorn poop.

[xilddx]

If it's within my technical abilities and I can FEEL the music, then I can probably play it. I can't play jazz, limited at notey funk, but I've played in a variety of bands with styles from alt metal, Bollywood pop, funky electronica, folky, poppy, rocky, psychedelicy, experimental soundscapey ...

[charic]

[quote name='Clarky' timestamp='1362437299' post='1999902']
In order I have progressed from a death/thrash metal band to a 70s style punk band to playing double bass in a voodoo swamp blues band and now a gypsy pop band. Not bad going on the variety front in 8 years!
[/quote]

Funnily enough Clarky it was reading one of your posts that made me rethink my position on playing with bands. I've since realised that what I want to play doesn't necessarily correlate with what I listen too. More to the point, I want to play in bands that get gigging regularly and have decided that as long as I enjoy PLAYING the music then that's all that matters too me.

[BigRedX]

In order... (playing bass except where indicated)

LoFi-DIY prog/punk (playing anything I could get my hands on)
Post Punk
Synth Pop that mutated into Synth Metal (Playing keyboards)
Goth (playing guitar)
Acid House (playing keyboards)
A series of 4 bands playing various flavours of Dance Rock (bass for the first 3, guitar for the final version)
Pop covers in a very eclectic style
Pop/Rock with Jazz/Blues influences
A band that could best be described as a modern day version of the Velvet Underground with added synths, loopers and drum machine
Classic Rock Covers
Psychobilly/Punk

Varied enough?

Edited March 5, 2013 by BigRedX

[JTUK]

If the band is good, I can just get along with it all...
I wouldn't do metal, but apart from that, I've done it all...

I can give Reggae and Ska a miss..if the band is heavily themed on that.

I've been playing slap since Stanley and some people don't realise I do it so I find pidgeon holes of music are more the problem of other people, myself.

[cheddatom]

At the moment I play drums in one hip-hop/raggae band, one folk band, and one rock band. I also play bass in an instrumental (not sure on genre but going for...) post-rock band

I'm also in the middle of developing my solo stuff which is just weird rock where I play drums, bass, guitar and sing

I used to play bass in a rock band and drums in a punk band

I think that's varied enough, although I wouldn't mind trying my hand at piano in a jazz trio

[Nodd]

Currently,
I'm playing bass in:
A Cajun/Zydeco band - Fender/EUB
A Blues band - Fender/EUB
and acoustic folk duo/trio - ABG/EUB

I'd like to add some thing a bit more 'out there' eclectic and electric,
but perhaps that's just greedy....

[BassTractor]

Right now, I'm not that varied. It's limited to the open E on the E string and the open B flat on the B string - without downtuning!

In my dark past, I've (written and) performed everything from Medieval music to post modern classical, prog, pop, rock, jazz, country, blues.
Sadly never metal.

When I grow up, I wanna learn to play a few more notes on the bass.


best,
bert