Punters Don't Know The Difference

[blue]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1501017517' post='3341887']

That would be Chuck Burgi (he also played on the original Bon Jovi sessions)
[/quote]

Hi Pete,

Yup Chuck and Al Anderson both did quite well. Interesting that both of their careers really broke in the UK.

I'm still in touch with both.

It's kind of cool that Chuck, Al and Joe Walsh, we all went to good old Montclair High School.

Blue

Edited July 26, 2017 by blue

[ahpook]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1500978747' post='3341403']
... and I get a sense of ...


[/quote]

Massively.

[blue]

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1501017126' post='3341882']



Can i ask how you managed to go from "normal full time job" and being amatuer to being professional.
I'm assuming you were gigging weekends kind of thing even when you were workng in normal job.

I'm interested in how you made the transition and what were the main reasons and highlights or downsides to it at the time.
I've only ever known guys in their teens to early 20's managing to go pro/

Dave
[/quote]

I still battle with the word pro.

My story is actually very untraditional. Pro usually means your doing more than bar gigs.

I had already worked for 35 years. My major bills suddenly disappeared. Both son's done with college out of the house and working. Home was paid for,I don't carry any loans.

My expenses were so low I decided to primarily live off of gig money.And I have assets.

So I'm not like a 20 something that managed to go pro.

I would never define myself as a pro, others can if they like, I won't.

Aren't there other seniors here that are in the same boat as me?

Blue

Edited July 25, 2017 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='ahpook' timestamp='1501021730' post='3341926']

I get a sense of;

Massively.
[/quote]

Not me

Vlue

[peteb]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501022201' post='3341932']
I still battle with the word pro.

My story is actually very untraditional. Pro usually means your doing more than bar gigs.

I had already worked for 35 years. My major bills suddenly disappeared. Both son's done with college out of the house and working. Home was paid for,I don't carry any loans.

My expenses were so low I decided to primarily live off of gig money.And I have assets.

So I'm not like a 20 something that managed to go pro.

I would never define myself as a pro, others can if they like, I won't.

Aren't there other seniors here that are in the same boat as me?

Blue
[/quote][color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
Not quite a senior, but it is conceivable that I could be in a similar(ish) situation in a few years time...! [/font][/color]

[chris_b]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501022201' post='3341932']
Aren't there other seniors here that are in the same boat as me?[/quote]

Me too.

Easily done with the right attitude, ability and contacts. It's getting tougher but I'm hanging on.

[blue]

[quote name='peteb' timestamp='1501023428' post='3341940']
[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]
Not quite a senior, but it is conceivable that I could be in a similar(ish) situation in a few years time...! [/font][/color]
[/quote]

Cool,

It's not a bad really.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1501023685' post='3341941']


Me too.

Easily done with the right attitude, ability and contacts. It's getting tougher but I'm hanging on.
[/quote]

I hear you.

I'm ok but some extra gigs outside of my band wouldn't hurt.

Blue

[skankdelvar]

Ah! It's the annual Basschat 'no pay, no play vs. doing it for the peeple and the art' bunfight.

Whoopee f*cking doo.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='oldbass' timestamp='1501010372' post='3341795']
...Think Ive gone of piste a bit but u get the drift.
[/quote]

Not at all. As a matter of fact you were concise, on-topic and your shared experience is interesting to read.

[SpondonBassed]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1501022201' post='3341932']
...My expenses were so low I decided to primarily live off of gig money.And I have assets...
[/quote]

I think I said this before. You and I are among the lucky ones. I'd have to assume that the majority reading this aren't so lucky.

[dmccombe7]

Financially i'm pretty similar situation to Blue in the fact that house is paid, no loans and i have assets. (Edited to clarify)

The big difference is I have a good pension and returns on investments that take my income to almost what i was earning while workng. I have the usual unavoidable monthly bills to pay. Life is a good balance at the moment.

The main difference for me is that i don't want playing to take over my life like a job. I really don't want to be gigging every weekend and certainly not more than once a week.
I have various other hobbies, pastimes and social activities that i also enjoy.

If i was playing every weekend it would rule out many events i enjoy attending even watching other bands.

Dave

Edited July 26, 2017 by dmccombe7

[stingrayPete1977]

That's not similar to blue, his house might be paid for but as he says he MUST gig to survive, you don't.

[dmccombe7]

I meant having no debts and house paid. Why so pedantic ?

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='dmccombe7' timestamp='1501066534' post='3342166']
I meant having no debts and house paid. Why so pedantic ?
[/quote]

Because it's a huge difference to what he is saying, your income without gigging is similar to what you had when working so you can pick and choose or even not play ever again if you like, Blue has told us many times that he can't feed himself if he doesn't play almost every night for four hours, those situations to me are the opposite ends of the spectrum.

Edited July 26, 2017 by stingrayPete1977

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1501066795' post='3342168']
Because it's a huge difference to what he is saying, your income without gigging is similar to what you had when working so you can pick and choose or even not pay ever again if you like, Blue has told us many times that he can't feed himself if he doesn't play almost every night for four hours, those situations to me are the opposite ends of the spectrum.
[/quote]

My original comment has been edited

[stingrayPete1977]

Ok that makes more sense to me now, having to do anything for me would certainly spoil the fun even if it was something I enjoy normally.

[dmccombe7]

When i re-read my comment i realised it didn't come out the same as in my head. I was trying to see how Blue went from working to playing full time and how that related to my own circumstances.

I was curious to know what the drive was that made him change priorities in life.

Dave

[BrunoBass]

Blue, does your band do weddings, functions, corporates etc? Are are you purely a bar band, with the occasional summer festival or fair gig?

[chris_b]

Professional musicians or semi-pro's . . . . this is played out in many spheres.

There are photographers and those who take snaps; gardeners and those whose idea of heaven is to pave the whole thing over; rally drivers and Sunday drivers, etc etc.

[ricksterphil]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1499886624' post='3334357']
We will often see comments here on bass chat pushing the idea that punters don't notice the flaws in our shows.

I recently saw 2 pro level shows, Ann Wilson from Heart & Peter Frampton. Both shows were outstanding. Production and the caliber of musicianship was outstanding.

Do you think they got to that level of performance with a "punters can't tell the difference" attitude?

My point, none of us should use this
"punters can't tell the difference" as an excuse for "shoddy" performances.

Blue
[/quote]

To get back to the OP's starting point, I once saw Gladys Knight & The Pips do a show at the local theatre. They were only onstage for about 45 minutes, but boy did they put on a show. Imagine how many times they've sung those songs and danced those moves. Not even a hint of 'dailing it in'.

In our band we work to get it right, think about set lists, rehearse new stuff diligently, listen back to rehearsal recordings to see what we can improve on etc. But if we make a fubar on the night, we try not to worry too much about it.

I heard a quote from Yehudi Menuhin which went something like

If I miss one practice session, I notice
If I miss 1 day, the orchestra notices
If I miss a week, the audience notices

[chris_b]

+1

. . . . and your next band leader might be standing in the audience, so make that guy notice you and be impressed. Play every gig like you're auditioning for your favourite band.

[blue]

[quote name='SpondonBassed' timestamp='1501052045' post='3342001']


I think I said this before. You and I are among the lucky ones. I'd have to assume that the majority reading this aren't so lucky.
[/quote]

I don't think majority here are seniors. It makes a big difference.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='ricksterphil' timestamp='1501070576' post='3342209']


To get back to the OP's starting point, I once saw Gladys Knight & The Pips do a show at the local theatre. They were only onstage for about 45 minutes, but boy did they put on a show. Imagine how many times they've sung those songs and danced those moves. Not even a hint of 'dailing it in'.

In our band we work to get it right, think about set lists, rehearse new stuff diligently, listen back to rehearsal recordings to see what we can improve on etc. But if we make a fubar on the night, we try not to worry too much about it.

I heard a quote from Yehudi Menuhin which went something like

If I miss one practice session, I notice
If I miss 1 day, the orchestra notices
If I miss a week, the audience notices
[/quote]

I can only wish I was in a band that had a professional 45 minute show like you described.

Great point and example.

Blue

Edited July 26, 2017 by blue

[blue]

[quote name='PaulGibsonBass' timestamp='1501069443' post='3342194']
Blue, does your band do weddings, functions, corporates etc? Are are you purely a bar band, with the occasional summer festival or fair gig?
[/quote]

We have done weddings on request only. We have done corporate/functions shows and we get our share of festival and fair business. We're playing the Washington County Fair this weekend.

We're primarily a "down & dirty" bar band IMO. It's where we're most comfortable.

Blue

Edited July 26, 2017 by blue