Bands are like busses, but which one to catch?

[Jacqueslemac]

I've not been in a band for a couple of months, so finally managed to set up a jam session with a guitarist mate who I've been trying to play with for years. He's found a second guitarist and a singer (for just the jam session, because he's in another band) and I've found a drummer. As far as I can tell, we're all into the same music (classic rock with a twin guitar line-up). If the jam goes well, we're all up for starting a new band, except the singer. In other words, it could take ages before we find a suitable singer, if we ever do (from past experience) and get gigging.

Almost as soon as that was agreed I was approached by a singer/guitarist who wants to perform his own originals. He sent me a bunch of tracks which sounded a bit vanilla/bland. My preference would have been for something more blues/rock, harder and more aggressive. When I asked him what he was looking for sound-wise his response was "something more blues/rock, harder and more aggressive". So I've arranged a couple of jams with a couple of drummers I know just to see how it sounds. It'll be a three-piece. I've not been in a gigging originals band before, so it could be interesting.

And, at the same time, I was approached by an established, gigging, covers band. They sent me their set list (35 songs of which I've already gigged over 20 in previous bands) so it would be very easy to slot into their line-up and be gigging straight away. It's a bit more pop-oriented than the music I prefer, and there's only one guitar, but they already have plenty of gigs lined up.

There's no way I can be in three bands. I could possibly stretch to two so long as they didn't both insist on a weekly rehearsal (I've tried it and it was too much), but one is more realistic.

Anyone have any pointers I should have in mind when fretting about which band to throw my lot in with, please? I should mention that I'm not in it for the money, but to have fun and gig once or twice a month.

[Les]

If your goal is to gig then join the established band with gigs in.

Like you said it could takee ages to find the singer you need for the band playing your prefered style plus
you can always exert some influence on the set list once your established in the gigging band.

Les

[cheddatom]

If you've never done originals before I'd definitely go for that. Then, decide what you want on the side. A bit of fun while you wait around for the right singer? Or a bunch of gigs that probably pay

[discreet]

Yes, do originals - as long as it's fun - because you get more scope for creative input. Man.
And the covers band for the regular gigs.

[Stylon Pilson]

I think that of those three bands, one of the first two probably won't pan out. I'd suggest that you get started with all three, and if the first two both somehow miraculously come together, then make a decision on which one to retire from. It sounds to me like the established covers band is the one that you're the least musically engaged with, and it sounds like they wouldn't have much difficulty replacing you, so perhaps it would be them.

S.P.

[allighatt0r]

[quote name='Stylon Pilson' timestamp='1416481662' post='2610588']
I think that of those three bands, one of the first two probably won't pan out. I'd suggest that you get started with all three, and if the first two both somehow miraculously come together, then make a decision on which one to retire from. It sounds to me like the established covers band is the one that you're the least musically engaged with, and it sounds like they wouldn't have much difficulty replacing you, so perhaps it would be them.

S.P.
[/quote]

+1 to this.

[Jacqueslemac]

Thanks for your input. I haven't actually played with any of the three bands yet. When I do, they might make up my mind for me.

Not sure how my wife would react if I told her I might have three bands on the go!

How I've left it with the covers band at the moment is that I'll jam with the others first and then get in touch, so I've kept the door open. The songs they play aren't my preference and I'd rather have two guitars than one, but I'm fully prepared for the rock band to fizzle out and for the originals band to spend ages going nowhere and don't want to be waiting months and months before gigging.

[discreet]

[quote name='Jacqueslemac' timestamp='1416488736' post='2610722']
Not sure how my wife would react if I told her I might have three bands on the go!
[/quote]

Don't tell her. Night one: band practice. Night two: voluntary work for the homeless. Night three: flower arranging class.
She won't suspect a thing! What could possibly go wrong?

[skankdelvar]

i) Mates' band and do the vocals yourself. Power beckons...

ii) Covers band for the work.

[Dad3353]

Do all three, and bop until you drop. Keep all options open until Fate makes her intentions clear. As to ...

"...[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][size=3]Not sure how my wife would react if I told her I might have three bands on the go!..."[/size][/font][/color]

... , wives differ occasionally in their reactions (or so I'm told...), but the most often heard would probably be akin to 'Yes, dear...'.

[lojo]

These are my thoughts which may or may not apply

Options in order you put them

1. If its the sort of thing you really want to play and you are not worried about gigging soon then go for it

2. sounds like its not really your thing, if you want to play originals find something that floats your boat as it will quickly become tiresome if your not into the style

3. if you just want to gig and have fun, this is your option, but could you not combine this with either 1 & 2 above until its clear which route to take ?

[Phil Starr]

Sorry, you have a singist who wants to be rockier and a rock band without a singer, even if they are travelling in different directions there's a possibility of getting some jamming together here.

There's so much more to gigging than playing music PA, going out and selling the band organising practice that it takes someone a lot of effort. The covers band has someone doing this I would think so it is a much more together unit. If gigging is your thing it's a no-brainer. Plus the originals band has to write and develop a couple of dozen songs and the rock band with your mate have to develop a set before you can perform.


But covers bands have to do what the audience want and they probably don't care much about twin guitars or shades of vanilla/rockiness So if you care about the music then that's a no-brainer too.

Me, I'm a tart for the happy smiling faces so I'd go for the covers band and the easy ride but you may have a different perspective.

Good luck either way.

[blue]

Creativity is relative and way over rated. Fact, a lot us of think were creative but were not.

You want fun? Take fun with pay ( whether you need it or not ) and go out and gig with that cover band with work.

[i]"If your not gigging your not in a band"[/i]

Blue

Edited November 20, 2014 by blue

[Freddy Le Cragg]

Do all 3 and buy a coffee machine and shed loads of red bull

ROCK n ROLL

[blue]

[quote name='Phil Starr' timestamp='1416505354' post='2610997']

Me, I'm a tart for the happy smiling faces so I'd go for the covers band and the easy ride but you may have a different perspective.[/quote]

+1

Blue

[leschirons]

Go for the covers band, they're up and running and if they already have gigs, they're organised. You know most of their set anyway.

Jamming with mates is fine until one decides he can't really commit to a band. The originals thing might be fun but I doubt if that will get productive gig-wise within a year, and then it all ultimately depends on how good the songs are and how much control the writer wants to retain when you're playing them.

On top of this, you haven't said whether the bands are in Norfolk, Normandy, or both

[Jacqueslemac]

For me, that was one of the downsides when I lived in Normandy - I didn't have anyone to play with! It's just a holiday home for the immediate future.

Two of these bands are in Norfolk and one is in Suffolk.

Part of the reason for my indecision is that all three options have downsides. The originals band (he's given me four CDs of good-quality recorded material, so there's plenty to work on) is going to take ages to get gig-ready and I know that getting gigs will be tough. There's plenty of scope for it to fall apart/fizzle out before that stage.

The existing covers band plays material that just about every other local covers band plays (yes, including Sex on Fire), with only a couple I'd never heard before and I don't yet know if they stand out from all the others in any way. I also don't know whether I'll be able to influence their set list and make it a little more rock-oriented and/or drop a few of the clichés in favour of other good songs. In their favour, as has been mentioned, they already have a regular rehearsal slot sorted, plus they have gigs booked and most of those are repeat bookings, so they're organised.

The other band will comprise a drummer whose other band doesn't gig enough for him, my guitarist mate who is desperate to get gigging, plus another guitarist whose situation is the same as the drummer. Finding a singer will be the challenge (the singer/guitarist from the originals band doesn't want to play more than a handful of covers or I could suggest him) and there is also the risk that if the drummer's other band or the guitarist's other band starts picking up more gigs, we'll lose them (I do know a few other drummers, though, so could probably find another). In its favour, being a founder member means I know I'll have influence on what we play, and it already sounds like we all want to play the same type of rock.

I have my first jam with the latter band on Sunday and two jams (with different drummers) arranged with the originals chap in early December. All your comments have made me think about jamming with the covers band anyway, just to see what it feels like. They're gigging locally on Saturday, so I may go along incognito and find out what they're like first.

Not sure I'm any closer to deciding which is the best option, mind!

[Jacqueslemac]

An update:

The covers band had its first jam session ten days ago. Except the stand-in singer didn't turn up. We did the best we could and the drummer sang a few songs, but it was a bit of a shambles, so no real conclusions to be drawn. It seems to be left up to me to find a singer. I've tried a couple - one who I've been in contact with before through Bandmix (no response) and one who was in my last band which doesn't appear to be doing anything since I left (no response either). I cast the net a little wider and may have found someone interested in a jam, but he's not into the heavier stuff at all. That may be good for the rest of the band (apparently weddings are on their target list), but the band may not be heading the same direction as me.

I also contacted the established covers band on the advice of several posts. Unfortunately, they've found a replacement bass player, so that door has closed (although I'm now apparently on their dep list).

Last night we had the first jam with the originals band. It wasn't bad and I'm sure we could get a half-decent set of (mainly blues) covers together, but it's re-affirmed my impression that it's only ever going to be a side project with recording rather than gigging as the main focus.

So, three steps forward and two steps back!