Setlist YES, playlist NO

[anaxcrosswords]

Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoy playing my band’s material, namely covers of classic funk, disco, soul and motown, but none of it will ever find its way onto my MP3 player in the car. On that you’ll only hear post-punk or similar by the likes of Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, Deaf Havana, Muse, Sugarcult etc etc.
Is that in any way unusual? Anyone else here have musical tastes very different to what you play live? And if you happened to find a band playing ‘your stuff’ and looking for a bassist, would you be tempted (maybe you shouldn't answer that!)?

[DaytonaRik]

My musical taste is very much mainstream classic/heavy rock and as far from Thin Lizzy as possible who I always considered 'soft' when I listened to Skid Row, AC/DC, Metallica, Iron Maiden etc. in my yoof!

So, in answer to your question...no!

[Mykesbass]

I'm lucky in that I love Mozart, Led Zeppelin, Weather Report, BB King, Donna Summer, Old Crow Medicine Show, Little Feat etc, etc, just as a quick cross section. I have ended up playing Blues and Dylan as my main two musical outlets but do have a hankering for a bit more folk/bluegrass.

So in answer to your question, sort of!

[Adrenochrome]

I play more classic rock in bands than I should. It probably makes up only 5% of what I listen to at home, rest is pop/punk/electronic/metal etc.
Most decent players I know listen to more eclectic and 'interesting' music than they actually play.

[cheddatom]

I listen to all sorts, but one kind of music I hardly ever listen to is folk-rock, or folk-pop, or whatever you call it. Anyway, I play in a band that's frequently compared to the levelers but I've never liked a levelers track. I just like playing with these guys, it's good fun, and doesn't cost me anything

I also have a few other bands which are much more my kind of music

[discreet]

What I like to listen to and what I like to play are generally two different animals.
I only listen to what I play in order to learn how to play it, or to come up with ideas for it or to rehearse with it.

[ratman]

I listen to stuff I play. It's good music, why wouldn't I?. And I learn as much by listening as I do by practising.

[Ancient Mariner]

They used to be the same, but I'm finding them increasingly drifting apart.

[TimR]

Some music on my playlist has made it's way onto the setlist. Once I've learned it and the band starts to play it regularly, it comes off my playlist.

Music that is destined for the setlist is moved onto my playlist while I learn it but then gets taken off.

I tend to listen to a tune until it is embedded in my mind before I even touch my bass.

[Bilbo]

As a Jazzer, I play mostly standards but, to be blunt, if I see an album is a standards album, I avoid it and most of the standards I get on my ipod I fast forward to the next track. It's not that I think they are bad, it's just that I don't think I will die if I never hear another version of 'Yesterdays' or 'There Will Never Be Another You'.

[Nicko]

I had to leave the last band I was in because I hated listening to the songs on the list let alone shelling out 50p for the privilage of putting them on my MP3 player.

[ubit]

I have a wide taste in music but it's based mainly on the heavier side of rock. You would never get me listening to more or less any of our set. We play all the old classics like brown eyed girl, crazy little thing called love, proud Mary etc, but we also do traditional Scottish based tunes like the Gael ( last of the Mohicans theme tune) and battle by Wolfstone . Whisky in the jar, wagon wheel, Galway girl.

As I say, not my taste, but essential for gigs up this way.

[Drax]

Vast gaps between the music I listen to and play live.

There is another list - the 'Mustang Sally Files' - tunes I cannot ever listen to, or play.

[JTUK]

No..we play what we like and that means it is on my playlist, by and large.
When I put new units together it is always inspired by my playlists...or the type
of song that will make it there.

[anaxcrosswords]

Yes, I have a file like that, which raises another subject. In a 'democratic' band you probably reach consensus when it comes to choosing new songs - there are quite a few in our list on which I was heavily outvoted, so week in week out I'm playing some songs which I really despise.

[JTUK]

No, again, if anyone has a problem with a song... and they can put up a reasoned case,
we wont do it.

[Drax]

The stuff I play live I really enjoy playing, its fun and testing, and many of these were tunes I've included because I like them.

Once I've learned and gigged it, I lose the desire to listen to it..

Edited February 10, 2015 by Drax

[Weststarx]

It might sound daft but I never suggest songs that I personally enjoy in fear that I become sick of hearing it or we absolutely ruin it. I also would become completely anal about every single part and it would bug the hell out of me if someone was doing something wrong.

We tend to play in the 'Poppier' side of things so I generally don't have to worry!

[No lust in Jazz]

I like everyone to chip in with their suggestions, this way I often end up playing material that I've not heard previously heard.

If presented with a number that I don't like, yet others do I approach it professionally and use the part as a technical exercise in excellence, mentally fining myself for errors.

[JTUK]

If I've got people involved because they like the general direction and they come back with their choices
which are also well received, I'm thinking the musical chemistry is off to a good start already.
If the band can also play and we dove-tail well together, we are going to be looking at a very
worthy and enjoyable band, IMO. and conversely..??

[JapanAxe]

My music collection is all ripped to our main computer, and that is synched to my iPod. My music room computer can access all that stuff via our home network, but also contains loads of stuff I've ripped from iTunes solely for the purposes of learning it for gigs. This keeps it off of my iPod! If I really like a song that I've had to learn, I will buy the mp3 and it will end up on my iPod.

I occasionally make 'non-iPod' CDs of material to learn and put them in the multi-changer in the car.

Edited February 10, 2015 by JapanAxe

[stuckinthepod]

I chose my band based on the set list being songs I liked and wanted to play in the classic/heavy rock genre. Funnily enough bass playing has really opened my eyes to other types of music - to where I would now entertain the thought of playing a number of different types of music- as long as they have great bass lines (E.G, Motown or Disco).

[spongebob]

I play in a 3-piece old-skool R'n'B trio. Love what we do and the noise we make, but it's not a genre I really listen to myself.

I personally like that fact - there's no doubt similarities in what I listen to....obviously there's a large blues influence in a lot of stuff out there - and I feel that I can take from my direction and add something (hopefully slightly different) to the mix. I like like to think it makes me approach the cover material a little differently.

We're doing another EP of originals next month, and one of them is mine (don't run away just yet!). From early comments, I've been told that my composition sounds a bit like the Gang Of Four doing R'n'B....which I suppose brings the point to fruition, coming at things from a different angle.

Edited February 10, 2015 by spongebob

[Graham]

Same, in a fairly standard covers band so unfortunately the type of music I mostly listen to - doom and black metal isn't really suitable for the setlist

[SpaceChick]

Interesting one this!

I'm not into metal but absolutely loved playing Iron Maiden, Alice in Chains, Black Sabbath etc when I was in a metal band.

Haven't listened to them once since I left.

I love listening to Jamiroquai but those basslines are beasts

I have the best if both worlds right now as I Love listening to and playing Floyd