Too Tall to be a Session Player

[Tobiasthegiant]

Hey guys. I've auditioned for a few bands recently, and all of them have said I was 'too tall' to fit in with the image. Does anyone else have any experience with this. I know there's nothing I can do about it, but still, feeling a little bitter about it all.

[JTUK]

Not fitting a bands image to get the gig has nothing to do with being a session player.
You do sessions on a track.... and you may not even need to play outside a studio.
If you don't get a gig for visual reasons, then that is down to who is doing the hiring
but sessions were traditionally studio dates

Edited March 29, 2014 by JTUK

[SteveK]

That would explain why Pino never gets any gigs

[lemmywinks]

I'm 6'6" and my guitarist is 6'5". Just join a band with other tall people, you'll always get paid at the end of the night!

[martin8708]

Reasons for being turned down for a band .

1) not jazzy enough
2 ) being too jazzy
3 ) too old
4 ) too bald
5) too quiet
6 ) too outspoken

Being in a band is like being married to 3 -4 different people . ( never done any session stuff , though )

[Mornats]

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1396130045' post='2410323']
Being in a band is like being married to 3 -4 different people .
[/quote]

Quote of the year!

[bubinga5]

well I'm going to be be rude. tell them to f*** off.. its about the music. we all know that . bit of a sad bunch looking at music through image.. i would say.. Goodbye.

Edited March 29, 2014 by bubinga5

[Tobiasthegiant]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1396127629' post='2410300']
Not fitting a bands image to get the gig has nothing to do with being a session player.
You do sessions on a track.... and you may not even need to play outside a studio.
If you don't get a gig for visual reasons, then that is down to who is doing the hiring
but sessions were traditionally studio dates
[/quote]
Sorry, should have been clearer, meant a session player in a live context. The studio still accepts me. It doesn't judge me, it accepts me for who I am!

[discreet]

Ludicrous. Surely your name gave them a clue? They must be thick.
[size=4]Seriously though, it sounds like an excuse to me. You're not 'too tall' - everyone else is too short. Bloody midgets.[/size]

[size=4][quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1396130045' post='2410323'][/size]Being in a band is like being married to 3 -4 different people.
[/quote]

Yes, and you [i]still [/i]don't get any sex.

Edited March 29, 2014 by discreet

[lurksalot]

Take a couple of pairs of these with you next time [url="http://www.increasingshoes.com/detail.asp?id=352"]http://www.increasingshoes.com/detail.asp?id=352[/url]

share them with the shortest dudes there , and thats it , your in

[Lozz196]

Sometimes things like this will want average people who blend into the background, leaving the focal point being the actual act. It may not seem right, but that`s occasionally the way life is. It doesn`t seem to have stopped Dave Swift - possibly being both too tall and too bald - from having a darn fine career doing session work.

[topo morto]

How tall are you? If it's like, 4,2 metres then they may have a point.

[icastle]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1396141862' post='2410433']
Sometimes things like this will want average people who blend into the background, leaving the focal point being the actual act. It may not seem right, but that`s occasionally the way life is.
[/quote]

^ This.

[steve-bbb]

im going with Lozz on this one - i wouldnt mind a small wager that the frontsperson of this band is some stroppy little shortarse diva who doesnt like the fact that your vertical excessiveness will distract from their irritatingly indulgent narcissitic exuberance

tea and biscuits anyone?

Edited March 30, 2014 by steve-bbb

[flyfisher]

I'd agree with that, except the OP said it had happened with 'a few bands', which I take to mean at least three. That sounds a bit odd to me, especially if none of the bands know each other.

[HowieBass]

Sounds like a bit of an excuse seeing as Pino is about 6'6" tall and, has already been noted, he never seems to have a problem.

[lowdown]

We are talking about just trying to join a regular gigging (image) band?
Doing studio/TV sessions of general freelancing/depping work, this would never arise,
Unless you are auditioning for a Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs gig/tour.

[Cat Burrito]

I once joined a band (briefly) where I was told that "I was tall and looked like Duff McKagan with that long blonde hair" (a LONG time ago!) but then given instructions to stand at the back. I dyed my hair and quit.

Most bands I've played with have had an image of sorts being an important aspect but this hasn't meant they needed to resort to being idiots.

[discreet]

[quote name='martin8708' timestamp='1396130045' post='2410323']
Reasons for being turned down for a band:

4 ) too bald
[/quote]

Has anyone ever turned down Tony Levin for being 'too bald'?

Edited March 30, 2014 by discreet

[RhysP]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1396177237' post='2410592']
Has anyone ever turned down Tony Levin for being 'too bald'?
[/quote]

[pedant]Tony levin isn't actually bald, he just shaves his head.[/pedant]

[spike]

Maybe he shaves his head because he was once turned down for not being bald enough.

[discreet]

That's it then, I'm shaving my head in case I'm not bald enough.
I'm going to shave my balls too, just in case I get turned down for having a hairy scrotum.

[spike]

I would, it's always best to be prepared for these things.

[JTUK]

Guess the OP needs to give them reasons not to be able to not offer him the gig.

Take a positive out of a negative... and get the bass going..

[discreet]

Should I shave my legs too, do you think?
I should probably start wearing a dress as well, in case I'm not tranny enough.

In which case I'll need a wig.

Edited March 30, 2014 by discreet