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Bass Player Wanted, No gigs


blue
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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507577046' post='3386505']
I do understand that any band that's truly in business for profit with a full schedule probably doesn't advertise publicly.
[/quote]

Well, there's your answer...maybe stop trawling bands-wanted ads and use another way to find a band ?

I've not had much luck finding exactly the type of band I want, but I wouldn't go as far as to blame all the people doing something other than what I want because they have the wrong 'mentality'. I still look, I still reply to ads, if it's not for me then fair play - I try to respect other people's desire to do what they want.

Edited by ahpook
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[quote name='charic' timestamp='1507619091' post='3386738']
Internet bands are on the rise a bit at the moment. I think the mentality of these is : we will record and release stuff, posting regularly to social media and the like and if the demand calls for it we'll look at branching out to gigging if/when the need arises.
[/quote]

And it may be of interest to note that it's not an entirely new phenomenon: Kate Bush is probably the most famous example of someone who decided she didn't much like gigging and just ensconced herself in the recording studio. There are groups like Big Big Train who seem content to play two shows a year.

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[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1507638161' post='3386884']
...it's not an entirely new phenomenon: Kate Bush is probably the most famous example of someone who decided she didn't much like gigging and just ensconced herself in the recording studio. There are groups like Big Big Train who seem content to play two shows a year.
[/quote]

Both have an established audience who eagerly await any recording or performance. Bit different to rehearsing in a railway arch every week and playing the Dog and Duck twice a year. ;)

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1507637146' post='3386877']
Apart from revolving in the right circles... how? :)
[/quote]

Putting your own advert up online or at rehearsal/recording studios, going to see other bands doing a similar thing and talking to those bands, form your [i]own[/i] band...more constructive than pursuing an avenue you know is unlikely to yield results and being surprised it yields little.

Edited by ahpook
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[quote name='EliasMooseblaster' timestamp='1507638161' post='3386884']
And it may be of interest to note that it's not an entirely new phenomenon: Kate Bush is probably the most famous example of someone who decided she didn't much like gigging and just ensconced herself in the recording studio. There are groups like Big Big Train who seem content to play two shows a year.
[/quote]
[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1507638837' post='3386889']
Both have an established audience who eagerly await any recording or performance. Bit different to rehearsing in a railway arch every week and playing the Dog and Duck twice a year. ;)
[/quote]

Wasn't there a popular beat combo back in the 60s who did something similar? I think they took over Abbey Road for ages and ages, and then released a record with a silly name?

Someone help me out here ...

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[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1507641449' post='3386918']
Wasn't there a popular beat combo back in the 60s who did something similar? I think they took over Abbey Road for ages and ages, and then released a record with a silly name?
[/quote]

Yes - they got fed up with playing thousands of gigs abroad for drunken sailors, then playing stadia full of young girls who screamed so loudly you couldn't hear the music...

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507595920' post='3386694']
I think some forget that [b]were all in it for fun[/b]. Some of us are in it for fun & money.

If your not having fun it's time to move on.

Blue
[/quote]

From your first post i get the feeling you have forgotten this as well.

Not everyone wants to gig, not everyone wants to book gigs before they have a full band to play them. Whats the issue you have with this? Were they offering gigs that didnt exist? Did they string you along and tell you that they were going to be gigging.

Im just trying to understand the mentality behind a thread like this. A band with no gigs looking for a bass player, cant be that much to talk about surely?

Edited by dave_bass5
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Guest bassman7755

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507577046' post='3386505']
Is local gigging officially over?

I researched 3 Bass Player Wanted ads and after a few conversations found none of the bands had gigs booked or any interest in gigging.The 3 opportunities we're all based in this "for fun only" mentality.
[/quote]

[attachment=255333:1xd0me.jpg]

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I think blue has forgotten that playing an instrument is primarily a hobby in fact some genres have never looked to be profitable, no not jazz!
I'm thinking of things like brass bands where the whole point was an evening out in the warm with friends rehearsing, if the gigs covered the cost of rehearsal space and a coach to get them to gigs that was a bonus.

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1507649233' post='3386979']
I think blue has forgotten that playing an instrument is primarily a hobby in fact some genres have never looked to be profitable, no not jazz!
I'm thinking of things like brass bands where the whole point was an evening out in the warm with friends rehearsing, if the gigs covered the cost of rehearsal space and a coach to get them to gigs that was a bonus.
[/quote]

Damn! Now someone needs to explain [i][b]The Floral Dance[/b][/i] to the people of Milwaukee ...

(Blue - do NOT look for this on YouTube. It could be a life-changing experience.)

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... and the bloke 'tickling the ivories' at his local, bashing out the post-war favourites on the ol' Joanna. He got paid in pints; often they'd take it in turns, to rest their hands and chat with their mates and neighbours. That was the 'live music' of traditional pubs for decades. Very few 'pro's on that circuit (Mrs Mills, maybe..?). There's nothing sacred about having rock groups (or even blues bands...) in pubs. Where I live, it's a very rare event, to have live music in bars, cafés or pubs. I must say I don't miss the 'attraction', either. :mellow:

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[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1507618247' post='3386732']
I can definitely see the attraction in the 'practice' being the main event. You get together and you play. That's the event. I enjoy playing gigs but there's plenty about [i]gigging [/i]that's a total PITA. It's nothing to do with hard work, it's about tedium, getting messed around and dealing with idiots. Hours of hanging around for one. City parking restrictions near venues. Arrangements bearing no relation to what you agreed. Sitting around in bars not being able to drink because of the playing and the driving. Sound guys not following the rider even though they've had it for three months (no monitors??). I spent an hour of Sunday evening just sitting on my rig out in the street because the promoter had given us the wrong load-in time. Then he let the band before us significantly over-run and let them stand around chatting on the stage afterwards, preventing us setting up, so our set-time (in the printed and electronic listings - it was a festival) was completely wrong and very late. As the icing on the cake, just as we were due to kick off, he announced that some urban artists (his mates, I assume) would be doing a two song showcase before we played. This basically killed the audience who were there for a world-music type programme. Just playing and recording definitely feels attractive a lot of the time.
[/quote]

We're playing the Ojxam Beeston Takeover on Sat night. which band are you? This is us [url="https://www.facebook.com/missbowieband/"]https://www.facebook.../missbowieband/[/url]

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1507649233' post='3386979']
I think blue has forgotten that playing an instrument is primarily a hobby in fact some genres have never looked to be profitable, no not jazz!
I'm thinking of things like brass bands where the whole point was an evening out in the warm with friends rehearsing, if the gigs covered the cost of rehearsal space and a coach to get them to gigs that was a bonus.
[/quote]

True, also bands looking for a bass player might not actually have any gigs until they get one. Im putting a band together (from the ashes of my old band) and wouldn't dream of booking a gig until the band was gig ready. I can get them, so have told prospective members this, but until i have a full line up im not going to mess agents etc around.

In fact i had a few guitarists call up just like Blue. asking how many gigs we have booked, how much they will walk away with etc etc, and this was all on the assumption that i would actually want them in the band without an audition. Jokers the lot of em (especially as the ad said new band and explained all the above.). IME sometimes those chasing the money will also be time wasters. it works both ways.

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So many different types of aspiration I see here... I gigged regularly in my twenties but not really beyond thirty, and you know just covers band stuff and a band in south London doing only our own material... now at sixty one I am more into guitars than ever and really wanting to play with others, but small kids very late in life means I might too often be letting the other band members down if I learned a set with them and they got us bookings... how can you suddenly be saying "I need to give it a miss this Saturday guys as my boy is a bit groggy".
But now I practice bass and foot drums and vocal all in one I dream of finding a good keyboard/vocal artist who I can accompany; and I have a couple of local pubs that would welcome us if just for a few beers as payment.
But still searching for that person!

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[quote name='ricksterphil' timestamp='1507651749' post='3387004']
We're playing the Ojxam Beeston Takeover on Sat night. which band are you? This is us [url="https://www.facebook.com/missbowieband/"]https://www.facebook.../missbowieband/[/url]
[/quote]

A pretty nice sound going there from the Miss Bowie Band, do you ever come as far south as Sussex?
Mark.......................

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1507595920' post='3386694']
I think some forget that were all in it for fun. Some of us are in it for fun & money.

If your not having fun it's time to move on.

Blue
[/quote]

I think that sums up a few of the discussions on here in one simple post.

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[quote name='Les' timestamp='1507600690' post='3386699']
Having finished off a couple of drummers and a guitarist with our semi pro weekend warrior gig schedule I'd go to great lengths to
point out that we're busy so the "just for fun" guys wouldn't waste their time and ours.

I can't believe you had to research those ads and have conversations to establish that they didn't really gig or intend to.

Why did they not just say what they're about in the advert ?
[/quote]

It might be a cultural thing Les.

Some ads are more up-front and will clearly state,

"If your looking for money, this ain't it"

And I might add that I would bet that more guys are looking for "for fun" and one gig a month opportunities than fully booked weekends.

Blue

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As long as you enjoy being in a band that doesn`t really want to gig, wheres the problem? The problem comes when people get into it without really saying what it is they want to do.

After leaving my last band with nothing but a bad taste in my mouth, a band just getting together in the studio just to belt out some tunes sounds good to me.

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[quote name='dave_bass5' timestamp='1507652610' post='3387011']


True, also bands looking for a bass player might not actually have any gigs until they get one. Im putting a band together (from the ashes of my old band) and wouldn't dream of booking a gig until the band was gig ready. I can get them, so have told prospective members this, but until i have a full line up im not going to mess agents etc around.

In fact i had a few guitarists call up just like Blue. asking how many gigs we have booked, how much they will walk away with etc etc, and this was all on the assumption that i would actually want them in the band without an audition. Jokers the lot of em (especially as the ad said new band and explained all the above.). IME sometimes those chasing the money will also be time wasters. it works both ways.
[/quote]

I would never ask about money until I have been offered the job.

Once I'm offered the job, that's when I ask the tough questions about band funds, how much it pays, how I get paid and when.

At the bar band level I prefer cash on the spot right after I'm done playing. If it's big money or a decent salary, well that's different and something I can work with.

Blue

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