SICbass Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1451072686' post='2938158'] That's cool, I think I'm talking about the guy where you know his spouse can't stand and despises the fact that a guy is in a band. They're out there. Blue [/quote] Hi Blue, Yep, I have experienced such wives. Thankfully they were married to OTHER band members. Back in the 80s, our singer's wife preferred him stocking the bars at Anfield (LFC football ground) for 12 pounds over gigging with us for 30 pounds (80s prices) 'cos the bar job was a PROPER job. Doh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) [quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1451180710' post='2938736'] Very similar here - my wife has served her time seeing me play and nowdays if she doesn't want to come she doesn't...and neither of us are bothered about it. [/quote] I get that, and over here bar gigs are 4 hours. If a wife has seen the act and if she doesn't drink that's a long 4 hours. Blue Edited December 27, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted December 27, 2015 Author Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) [quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1450884772' post='2936713'] Someone mentioned earlier "does anyone have small children" - it's one of mine, but from the other way around. We auditioned a guy who is now in the band and he has a small child, he and his wife split childcare duties so: He can't do anything in August. Or around Easter, and turned down NYE (having said he could do it, then he couldn't after discussions at home, then after it was too late said he could do it after all). He can't do Sundays. If he plays Friday, Saturday is out. You get the picture. He's a great guy, and a great front man (he sings, too). He was by far the best candidate at audition time I did ask the question, and he did say he had a small child etc. which rang alarm bells with me but we decided to take him on anyway. I'm not sure I'd do it again, though as it has cost us a lot of gigs. So much so, that we are considering an alternative lineup for Sunday stuff and August etc. [/quote] Yeah, and there are other scenarios. Take a guy that's married, very active family and owns his own business. Generally this type of guy is usually not a good candidate for a heavily booked bar band. Blue Edited December 27, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsmedunc Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 (edited) [quote name='blue' timestamp='1450739450' post='2935461'] If you have done all the major homework on a working band you have received an offer from, what 4 questions would you ask to make sure your making the right decision? Blue [/quote] Q's 1) Would we be a band in the true sense? (to simplify this read Q2). 2) Will I be playing for a singer and guitarist etc that will claim all the royalties if we ever make any money? (If so, this is not a band. In my eyes I'm hired help). 3) If Q2 is answered honestly and singer/guitarist etc take the lions share. Will I get paid for my labour at a resonable rate until that point? 4) How much are you going to pay me then? Played with many bands in my younger days and it always ended up the same way... Bass players and drummers are often over looked as if they can be replaced at any point. When a tyranical singer said to the drummer once (when we were on the point of signing) "I could easily get another drummer", I asked him, "what about me"?. His reply was that he would have me replaced too. I left that second. The band never found another drummer or bass player and went into obscurity... Maybe I was a bit rash but at least I saved myself the crap that was to come! Edited December 27, 2015 by itsmedunc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 [list=1] [*]What is your business model? [*]What is your corporate structure? [*]What is your unique selling point? [*]What is your projected turnover for the next 12 months? [/list] Explanation:[list=1] [*]E.g. 'Play covers in pubs, get paid, have fun.' [*]E.g. benevolent dictatorship; star + side-men; equal-shares partnership. [*]E.g. 'U2 covers played acid-jazz-stylee.' [*]The top line! The bottom line is a little harder to calculate... [/list] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1451246538' post='2939098'] Yeah, and there are other scenarios. Take a guy that's married, very active family and owns his own business. Generally this type of guy is usually not a good candidate for a heavily booked bar band. Blue [/quote] Quite, I'd expect they wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Working 3 nights a week for pub money is not a good business plan, IMO considering it will impact on their life so much and not really be cost effective. My mate is looking for a drummer and they'll work as much as they could. It isn't going to make them a living, so you need to supplement it with other work.... This cuts down prospsective players to such a degree that it is very hard to make work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 [quote name='itsmedunc' timestamp='1451248151' post='2939109'] Q's 1) Would we be a band in the true sense? (to simplify this read Q2). 2) Will I be playing for a singer and guitarist etc that will claim all the royalties if we ever make any money? (If so, this is not a band. In my eyes I'm hired help). 3) If Q2 is answered honestly and singer/guitarist etc take the lions share. Will I get paid for my labour at a resonable rate until that point? 4) How much are you going to pay me then? Played with many bands in my younger days and it always ended up the same way... Bass players and drummers are often over looked as if they can be replaced at any point. When a tyranical singer said to the drummer once (when we were on the point of signing) "I could easily get another drummer", I asked him, "what about me"?. His reply was that he would have me replaced too. I left that second. The band never found another drummer or bass player and went into obscurity... Maybe I was a bit rash but at least I saved myself the crap that was to come! [/quote] Good questions, however this was really aimed at the bar band level, no royalties or big money. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 (edited) [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1451253878' post='2939156'] Quite, I'd expect they wouldn't touch it with a barge pole. Working 3 nights a week for pub money is not a good business plan, IMO considering it will impact on their life so much and not really be cost effective. My mate is looking for a drummer and they'll work as much as they could. It isn't going to make them a living, so you need to supplement it with other work.... This cuts down prospsective players to such a degree that it is very hard to make work. [/quote] True, at the bar band level ,outside of nut cases like me that want to gig all the time it can get tough. When we we're auditioning drummers when I told them we gig twice a week and more in the summer, they want nothing to do with it. Guys just don't like that sort of gigging anymore. Am I the only guy that's still loves gigging and the more gigs the better. To this day, my favorite days are when we have 2 shows booked at different times on the same day and you've got $800.00 in your wallet from weekend gig money. Blue Edited December 28, 2015 by blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottomE Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I love gigging too Blue. Not really bothered if there is a big crowd or not though obviously it makes it a little better if the shits kicking off. Its in my blood. After 30 years of gigging its just what i do. Also validates the collection of basses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 [quote name='blue' timestamp='1451266438' post='2939234'] True, at the bar band level ,outside of nut cases like me that want to gig all the time it can get tough. When we we're auditioning drummers when I told them we gig twice a week and more in the summer, they want nothing to do with it. Guys just don't like that sort of gigging anymore. Am I the only guy that's still loves gigging and the more gigs the better. To this day, my favorite days are when we have 2 shows booked at different times on the same day and you've got $800.00 in your wallet from weekend gig money. Blue [/quote] That is different money to a pub band. I think you'll have more takers at the price which I'd guess is around £500. If you could pay that, you'd get the guys interested and it'd be a sought after gig. They would drop the lesser payers tho unless the band was hot .. It wouldn't likely be the only/prime gig but you'd have the pick of the local players from around a 100 mile radius, IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 [quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1451308147' post='2939433'] That is different money to a pub band. I think you'll have more takers at the price which I'd guess is around £500. If you could pay that, you'd get the guys interested and it'd be a sought after gig. They would drop the lesser payers tho unless the band was hot .. It wouldn't likely be the only/prime gig but you'd have the pick of the local players from around a 100 mile radius, IMO. [/quote] With the drummers we spoke with we didn't even get to discussing pay. As soon as they hear they will be expected to gig at least twice a week and more in the summer they reject the idea. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blue Posted December 28, 2015 Author Share Posted December 28, 2015 [quote name='BottomE' timestamp='1451302868' post='2939365'] I love gigging too Blue. Not really bothered if there is a big crowd or not though obviously it makes it a little better if the shits kicking off. Its in my blood. After 30 years of gigging its just what i do. Also validates the collection of basses. [/quote] You are an exception, cool. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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