Bass Player Wanted

[blue]

I haven't posted this topic for a while, however it's always fun and maybe some new bass chat subscribers haven't seen it before.

This exercise is interesting to any of us that have been in between bands and have been out looking.

Take a look at the generic opportunities below. Hypothetically, are they a match for you? Or just make a comment on the ad.

Keep in mind this exercise shows that good opportunities are and open to the public. The ads below are all publicly advertised.

[b]1.[/b]Guitarist/Vocalist and Drummer/Vocalist seek Bass Guitar with vocals (backing or lead).
We play but are not limited to alternative, contemporary, kicked up country(outlaw country), classic rock covers. We do covers from artists like Cage the Elephant, Ben Harper, Johnny Cash, 7 Mary 3, Foo Fighters, Nickleback, Social Distortion, Pearl Jam, Fuel, Hank Jr.,
This is biker party rock cover band. Anyone that has booking contacts, social media reach and/or marketing encouraged to apply! Let's make some music, have a great time doing it and make some cold hard cash in the process.

[b]2[/b].Female fronted band looking for levelheaded musicians to join. We cover various musical styles from soft to heavily driven rock. Goals include recording and playing out. Material includes originals and covers (mostly reworked to fit our style). We are looking for bass, drums and possibly second guitar. Please contact us for further details.

[b]3.[/b]Regionally Established, Original Hard Rock Band Seeks
Dedicated Pro Bassist

Must have own gear, transportation, etc. Must have the ability to rehearse two nights per week, gig on weekends and occasional touring. Writing skills would be great but recording experience is a must. Live show experience is a must and should be pro. Backing vocals would be a huge plus if you’re able. We are currently recording and do have upcoming shows booked for the fall season, so if you think this is you, hit us up! [b]This ad is for serious bassists ONLY and we’re looking for the best! [/b]

[b]4.[/b]We are a group of seasoned musicians who are not really interested in playing out anymore but do not want to waste the talent so we get together a few times a month to rock anything from the 70's to today. Examples include but not at all limited to Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Styx, Alice in Chains, Kings of Leon. We are ages 45-50 but age doesn't matter to us as long as you're into it.

[b]5.[/b]rehearsals on sunday afternoons, 1-2 gigs a month, more if schedules permit. private rehearsal space in the milwaukee area. pro gear, professional and easy going musicians with reliable transportation looking for same to complete our lineup.

reo – led zeppelin – golden earring – bto – cheap trick - rush - the police – pink floyd - uriah heep – thin lizzy – foo fighters - van halen - the doors - and more - email or leave message to schedule your audition.



Blue

[blue]

I'll start.

I'm very lucky to be a member of my band. The band has been together for 11 years and I have been with them for the last 5 years. If my band folded it would take a long time to find a new match.

Blue

[Horizontalste]

How long does it take to get from Wolverhampton to Milwaukee on a Sunday afternoon? :-)

Joking aside, I've answered a couple of similar ads locally & nothing has ever clicked with the advertisers.
It's hard being the new guy, especially if they are all mates.

[blue]

[quote name='Horizontalste' timestamp='1470079404' post='3103157']
How long does it take to get from Wolverhampton to Milwaukee on a Sunday afternoon? :-)

Joking aside, I've answered a couple of similar ads locally & nothing has ever clicked with the advertisers.
It's hard being the new guy, especially if they are all mates.
[/quote]

In some circles were all the "new guy". Over here the circle of musicians that are really doing something and making money are closed to outsiders.I'm assuming it's the same case in the UK.

Blue

Edited August 1, 2016 by blue

[Barking Spiders]

When I was younger I went down the ads road but nowt ever worked out. Finding the right band was more difficult than finding the right girl . I only now ever play with peeps I know,

[paul h]

My first thought is why does everyone play rock?!

I've noticed while looking for band members for my current project that 90% of musicians seems to put down "classic rock" as one of their chief styles/interests.

It's prevalent. Prevalent I tell ya!

[Barking Spiders]

Aye, that's what I was thinking when looking at ads recently on joinymyband. Nary a funk combo or dub collective to be found.

[TimR]

None of those bands appear to be replacing a bass player apart from 3. They all seem to be 'start ups'.

The female fronted band looking for guitar, bass and drums to complete their lineup?

So, plenty of people who want to be in a band.

Edited August 2, 2016 by TimR

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1470134408' post='3103438']
They all seem to be 'start ups'.
[/quote]
on that basis option 2 are highly unlikely to see their first gig. option 4 sound like they should keep it in the basement and not risk devaluing the music so that options 1 and 3 are not playing for sh*t money. 5 are probably not going to make enough money to live in so would be a "hobby" band, and really should follow the route of band 4.

given that several of these bands are covers bands, do we need to define what is a cover or tribute?

that's where this thread is going right?.......

[lojo]

Nowt for me there

[Happy Jack]

Those don't look like real adverts to me.

If they were real, they would all demand that applicants be *** COMMITTED *** and probably that they must *** WANT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN ***.

[JTUK]

I'm not sure of the value of Ads..most things are by word of mouth, IMO.
That way there is a degree of vetting in the equation already.

[peteb]

I don't think that there is anything wrong with any of those ads, but as stated above better bands will tent to recruit by word of mouth - either people they know or recommendations from people they know.

[mrtcat]

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1470127860' post='3103370']
My first thought is why does everyone play rock?!

I've noticed while looking for band members for my current project that 90% of musicians seems to put down "classic rock" as one of their chief styles/interests.

It's prevalent. Prevalent I tell ya!
[/quote]

As soon as I see 'classic rock' I switch off. Doesn't matter if it's an ad for a bass player or a poster advertising a local band. I'm so bored of seeing bands that do that stuff because there's just so many of them churning out the same stuff.

[blue]

[quote name='TimR' timestamp='1470134408' post='3103438']
None of those bands appear to be replacing a bass player apart from 3. They all seem to be 'start ups'.

The female fronted band looking for guitar, bass and drums to complete their lineup?

So, plenty of people who want to be in a band.
[/quote]

That's what I thought, all start ups.An established band with work and money is involved are never advertised.

And #3, says they're looking for the best. Sorry but your not going to get the best when your a start up.

Blue

Edited August 2, 2016 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1470152987' post='3103656']
I don't think that there is anything wrong with any of those ads, but as stated above better bands will tent to recruit by word of mouth - either people they know or recommendations from people they know.
[/quote]

True, here in Milwaukee you'd never see an ad from Greg Koch or Daryl Strummer (Genesis) looking for a bass player.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1470135696' post='3103451']
Those don't look like real adverts to me.

If they were real, they would all demand that applicants be *** COMMITTED *** and probably that they must *** WANT TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN ***.
[/quote]

Or "Let's Rock"

Blue

[TimR]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1470160661' post='3103747']


True, here in Milwaukee you'd never see an ad from Greg Koch or Daryl Strummer (Genesis) looking for a bass player.

Blue
[/quote]

That even happens in semi-pro bands around here. I was in a pretty good band but we couldn't get a decent singer through advertising. One night we had a dep trumpet player in. He suggested a singer, I left and he suggested a bass player, the guitarist left and by then the band was half made up of pro musicians who had a huge number of contacts. The band was started by a bunch of very amateur mates, they're all gone now and it's a pro level band with no original members.

[rushbo]

Do I get a balloon if I get the answer right?

[peteb]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1470160230' post='3103738']


That's what I thought, all start ups.An established band with work and money is involved are never advertised.

And #3, says they're looking for the best. Sorry but your not going to get the best when your a start up.

Blue
[/quote]
Every great band was a start up at some point. Quite often the best, most creative players want to start a project that they have a say in what it does, rather than fit in with an established band. Players of that standing have plenty of contacts and don't have problems finding work for a new band.

[peteb]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1470160661' post='3103747']


True, here in Milwaukee you'd never see an ad from Greg Koch or Daryl Strummer (Genesis) looking for a bass player.

Blue
[/quote]
Let's be honest, guys like that are operating at a different level to most of us and you wouldn't expect to hear of those opportunities. The thing is that the better bar bands would never put an ad out for a new bass player.

[blue]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1470183965' post='3103970']

Every great band was a start up at some point. Quite often the best, most creative players want to start a project that they have a say in what it does, rather than fit in with an established band. Players of that standing have plenty of contacts and don't have problems finding work for a new band.
[/quote]

That might be true,

However, everyone I know that's gone the so called creative route is broke and gigless. But that's just what I've personally seen in my backyard.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1470184197' post='3103973']

Let's be honest, guys like that are operating at a different level to most of us and you wouldn't expect to hear of those opportunities. The thing is that the better bar bands would never put an ad out for a new bass player.
[/quote]

True and I agree.

Pete what I see is when a band is actually offering an opportunity to make money it's never advertised.

Blue

[ivansc]

Way back when, I got leads mostly from the management company that looked after my band - that band died and at the same time several other bands they looked after were also looking for a good tight rhythm section. Drummer and I ooked up with a new paying gig pretty quickly, so I suspect Blue is right - if there is a serious opportunity, it will get offered around the guys in the local "pro" clique for that genre.

[12stringbassist]

[size=3][i][b]1.[/b]Guitarist/Vocalist and Drummer/Vocalist seek Bass Guitar with vocals (backing or lead).
We play but are not limited to alternative, contemporary, kicked up country(outlaw country), classic rock covers. We do covers from artists like Cage the Elephant, Ben Harper, Johnny Cash, 7 Mary 3, Foo Fighters, Nickleback, Social Distortion, Pearl Jam, Fuel, Hank Jr.,
This is biker party rock cover band. Anyone that has booking contacts, social media reach and/or marketing encouraged to apply! Let's make some music, have a great time doing it and make some cold hard cash in the process.[/i][/size]

Not really my thing. Sounds very much like a start-up.

[i][size=3][b]2[/b].Female fronted band looking for levelheaded musicians to join. We cover various musical styles from soft to heavily driven rock. Goals include recording and playing out. Material includes originals and covers (mostly reworked to fit our style). We are looking for bass, drums and possibly second guitar. Please contact us for further details.[/size][/i]

Another start-up. Female fronted, so limited in what they can do stylisticaly, as they say things are changed to fit their style? Not my thing.

[size=3][i][b]3.[/b]Regionally Established, Original Hard Rock Band Seeks
Dedicated Pro Bassist

Must have own gear, transportation, etc. Must have the ability to rehearse two nights per week, gig on weekends and occasional touring. Writing skills would be great but recording experience is a must. Live show experience is a must and should be pro. Backing vocals would be a huge plus if you’re able. We are currently recording and do have upcoming shows booked for the fall season, so if you think this is you, hit us up! [b]This ad is for serious bassists ONLY and we’re looking for the best! [/b][/i][/size]

Rehearsing twice a week. They are serious. Asking for [b]the best[/b] shows either confidence or ego, but maybe it's justified.
A possible for me.

[size=3][i][b]4.[/b]We are a group of seasoned musicians who are not really interested in playing out anymore but do not want to waste the talent so we get together a few times a month to rock anything from the 70's to today. Examples include but not at all limited to Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Iron Maiden, Styx, Alice in Chains, Kings of Leon. We are ages 45-50 but age doesn't matter to us as long as you're into it.[/i][/size]

[size=3][size=4]Not really for me. It sounds like a bunch of guys who just want to get together and jam occasionally in a rehearsal room. You can be the best band in the world, but if nobody else sees it, you don't exist.[/size][/size]

[size=3][i][b]5.[/b]rehearsals on sunday afternoons, 1-2 gigs a month, more if schedules permit. private rehearsal space in the milwaukee area. pro gear, professional and easy going musicians with reliable transportation looking for same to complete our lineup.

reo – led zeppelin – golden earring – bto – cheap trick - rush - the police – pink floyd - uriah heep – thin lizzy – foo fighters - van halen - the doors - and more - email or leave message to schedule your audition.[/i][/size]

Generic setlist, though my own ideal would be a band that could do an amount of Cheap Trick stuff. I suspect they would stick to the couple of really well-known hits and I'd get frustrated with them. More rehearsals than gigs? No. Pointless, unless they can get really good money.