Hobbayne Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I went for an audition the other night, and the band were very good with lots of gigs booked. They seemed very impressed with my bass playing. The only thing is, they are all the way in Reading and I am in West London. It took me an hour and a half to get there. They have offered me the job last night, but I have been mulling it over for the last few days and have decided against it as it is too far. They are such nice blokes, I feel a bit rotten for saying no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lw. Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 It's best just to tell them the truth; say you thought the band were great & really liked the guys but you didn't realise the journey would take that long - should be fine. Out of curiosity though; how did you manage to take that long to get to Reading? I get the train through there every day & it's 25 minutes on the train from Paddington! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Where they are doesn't matter as much as where the gigs are ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Depends how often they rehearse and where. If they insist on rehearsing every week and it is local to them (ie an hour and a half drive) then even if the gigs them selves are more local to the OP it may not be feasible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 They are bound to think "What a complete waste of our time, if the distance is a problem why did you bother auditioning in the first place?". Surely you must have realised the distance would be a problem before you auditioned? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CamdenRob Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Just be polite and decline, you'll never get started in music if your worrying about upsetting people. I've been to loads of auditions recently, turned some bands down, others have turned me down. I don't get upset or annoyed... just move on to the next one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Yes. I've been in that situation. Do a googlemap. Think that's ok, only to find traffic makes it a nightmare at that time of evening. Just tell them traffic was more of an issue than you realised and you couldn't commit to regular travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1389950987' post='2339783'] ....They are such nice blokes, I feel a bit rotten for saying no.... [/quote] Then say yes. On the other hand, if you really don't want to do it just call and tell them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 A year ago I was playing with some guys in Uxbridge. I live near Witney, about 10 miles west of Oxford. On a good day, I could get from my house to the rehearsal studio in under and hour, but it often took two hours plus if there had been an accident on the M40. It quickly became more trouble than it was worth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noisyjon Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I once turned a band down a long time ago because of distance/travel issues [i]before[/i] an audition and got this back: " Don't worry about sending the demo back,it's only a cheap sh*tty tape copy anyway,I don't need it. Can't say I'm too surprised that you're not up for it, I didn't think you really would be after the first e-mail I got from you when you were fretting about travelling arrangements - too concerned with trivial matters for my liking (sorry, but I have to be honest). At the end of the day we need someone who lives,eats, shits, sleeps and breathes Rock'n'Roll as opposed to it just being a "weekend" distraction,this comes before everything else in our lives! Good luck in your search for a band but, just a word of advice, think carefully how you approach people in the future, I think you're really looking for something to fit in round your life for fun and maybe you should state that in your ad. Hope you don't take that the wrong way, just being honest..." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted January 17, 2014 Author Share Posted January 17, 2014 TBH It was them that approached me first. I had an ad in which I stated that I was prepared to travel as far as Slough, Maidenhead in which they answered that they where further out than than that, and as i knew 80 percent of their stuff, they would love me to have a jam with them. Which I did. But I would rather join a more local band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I was in the same situation a couple of years back. I knew where the rehearsals took place as used to make the journey many years ago, but with increasing traffic etc, I knew that in summer I`d be fine but that it would get on my nerves in the winter months, so I explained this and said thanks but no thanks. However the band had a gig coming up and asked me to dep for them and I was happy to do so, and am still in touch with them - in fact their current bassist is a Basschatter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 I once went to a blind audition - turned out the band was some mental death core band with not one but two 'vocalists' who basically just went "grrrrrrruuuuuoooooooorrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhh" in some vague semblance of harmony. If memory serves me correctly the name of this outfit was Nun's Beaver. Out of politeness I endured an hour or so, before making my excuses and getting ready to leave. I had no problems with telling them I was not going to be joining their band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skankdelvar Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 You went down there, had a meet, thought about it and decided not to proceed. That's what first meets are for. As for the journey - I know the area well. The sheer unpredictability of the M4 around Slough and Reading coupled with a dearth of easy rat-runs would make me think hard, even if I was starting from Slough let alone West London. But you won't have known till you tried it. Again, that's fair enough. Just drop them a mail saying ta for the audition, thanks but no thanks, good luck with the band, big pink kissies. No harm, no foul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skej21 Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1389950987' post='2339783'] I went for an audition the other night, and the band were very good with lots of gigs booked. They seemed very impressed with my bass playing. The only thing is, they are all the way in Reading and I am in West London. It took me an hour and a half to get there. They have offered me the job last night, but I have been mulling it over for the last few days and have decided against it as it is too far. They are such nice blokes, I feel a bit rotten for saying no. [/quote] Don't feel like you were the only option and you're letting them down. They might have offered to someone else first who had similar reservations so they asked you, so don't worry! It's only fair to let them know so they can sort out the issue ASAP :-) Edited January 17, 2014 by skej21 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 [quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1389963667' post='2340005'] Just be polite and decline, you'll never get started in music if your worrying about upsetting people. I've been to loads of auditions recently, turned some bands down, others have turned me down. I don't get upset or annoyed... just move on to the next one [/quote] This is great advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 just tell them the truth you have tried the journey and its longer than expected, if they are any kind of guys they will respect that, and either offer to meet half way or accept your respsonse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam-davies Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 Just a thought... Could you rehearse with them somewhere in the middle? Or every few times they come to you? No harm in asking them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Westie9 Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 I travel up to the Midlands once every 7-10 days for hearsals from Bedfordshire! Just short of a 200 mile round trip. The reason is that the band are great, the gigs are generally well paid and it's a pleasure to play with them.... Don't be too hasty to knock them on the head. If it ticks all the boxes for you, you may be able to come to a compromise further down the line. Your not going to be rehearsing forever.......? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 [quote name='Noisyjon' timestamp='1389964953' post='2340036'] I once turned a band down a long time ago because of distance/travel issues [i]before[/i] an audition and got this back: " Don't worry about sending the demo back,it's only a cheap sh*tty tape copy anyway,I don't need it. Can't say I'm too surprised that you're not up for it, I didn't think you really would be after the first e-mail I got from you when you were fretting about travelling arrangements - too concerned with trivial matters for my liking (sorry, but I have to be honest). At the end of the day we need someone who lives,eats, shits, sleeps and breathes Rock'n'Roll as opposed to it just being a "weekend" distraction,this comes before everything else in our lives! Good luck in your search for a band but, just a word of advice, think carefully how you approach people in the future, I think you're really looking for something to fit in round your life for fun and maybe you should state that in your ad. Hope you don't take that the wrong way, just being honest..." [/quote] That is someone with too much time to fill. Surely 'OK thanks for letting us know' would have sufficed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziphoblat Posted January 18, 2014 Share Posted January 18, 2014 [quote name='Noisyjon' timestamp='1389964953' post='2340036'] I once turned a band down a long time ago because of distance/travel issues [i]before[/i] an audition and got this back: " Don't worry about sending the demo back,it's only a cheap sh*tty tape copy anyway,I don't need it. Can't say I'm too surprised that you're not up for it, I didn't think you really would be after the first e-mail I got from you when you were fretting about travelling arrangements - too concerned with trivial matters for my liking (sorry, but I have to be honest). At the end of the day we need someone who lives,eats, shits, sleeps and breathes Rock'n'Roll as opposed to it just being a "weekend" distraction,this comes before everything else in our lives! Good luck in your search for a band but, just a word of advice, think carefully how you approach people in the future, I think you're really looking for something to fit in round your life for fun and maybe you should state that in your ad. Hope you don't take that the wrong way, just being honest..." [/quote] Haha. A true weekend delusional weekend rockstar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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