operative451 Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Hi! So there's been various links on here to joinmyband laughing at some of the sillier ads. Is it actually any good though? If not, does anyone know of good sites to find bands needing new people? Especially if you're not a 24 year old arctic monkeys fan... I want to do some gigs, and getting paid would be a major bonus! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I joined a band 4 years ago via a JoinMyBand advert, still going strong. I also use it to advertise my services as a dep, and we successfully recruited our current drummer using the site. So yes it can work, but as has been observed in many a thread, the site is not short of delusional megalomaniacs, time-wasters, and what I can only describe as feckin' eejits. The trick is to filter these out as early as possible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I’ve used JMB also Bandmix although you need to pay for it and Gumtree had some success. Others are Facebook and Musicians In Your Area site altho I personally haven’t used those two yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Found long term bands there twice, but mostly seems to be full of numpties of varying degrees, as already noted. EG delusional about their skills, some are time wasters, some dont answer, but i guess thats not special just to JMB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanOwens Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Facebook seems to work for finding paying work. You generally need to have some form of video cv though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Len_derby Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I've had some success using both JMB and facebook. But, in my experience nothing beats getting out into the real world: going to gigs, networking, taking to strangers even! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt4ever Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 I think the best way to find musicians or bands is to use local music shops if you have them, chat to owners/people working there, put a card up etc. Other ways could be local jam nights, or going to see bands on the local circuit, chat to them and punters. good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 JMB is a complete waste if time. Jackasses Morons B3ll3nds in many case of people advertising on it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 50 minutes ago, Barking Spiders said: JMB is a complete waste if time. Jackasses Morons B3ll3nds in many case of people advertising on it. Can I suggest you get off the fence and say what you really think? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gt4ever Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Only time I used JMB was to audition someone and he ended up nicking my flight case with my cables, leads,some pedals, mics and all my guitar tool accessories. Still waiting to come across the little nasty pasty again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Joinmyband doesn't have very good search/filtering capabilities, I was on there earlier. The search uses Google so pulls up ads from years ago, so you just have to wade through dozens of pages. More than once too if you live on the border of multiple counties, as that's how the lists are divided up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannybuoy Posted July 7, 2019 Share Posted July 7, 2019 Musofinder was another one I recall, don't know if it's any good these days though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Dont ever bother with Musicians In Your City. Utterly awful site https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/musicians-in-your-city.co.uk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 I found one of the bands I currently play with through a JMB ad (I advertised they got in touch). I found the other through Facebook. The last band I joined before that, was done from answering an ad pinned to the wall of my local record shop (that was just over 10 years ago though). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted July 8, 2019 Author Share Posted July 8, 2019 Thanks for the replies.! "Local music shop!'.. yeah I remember those used to be a thing... also I'm quite shy, so 'chatting to people' and 'going out...' um... I feel like what there is of my local music scene is pretty incestuous... there used to be a punk band called "the bus station loonies" and if you're a music person in Plymouth and either haven't been in it or don't know someone who was in it at some point, you're probably dead.. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthedog Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 I signed up to a six week “get to play in a band” course: basically you are mixed in with a group of musicians to form a band with the result being a gig in front of the public at the end. I mention this because the rhythm guitarist in this “band” subsequently asked me to join his own established band. Others went on to form bands as a team and even one couple ended up getting married! I have no idea if such a thing exists locally for you but a perhaps a good way to meet other musos, especially if you are shy. You all put your own band set list together and get tips from the pros. A business like the rock project does something similar all over the UK but that tends to attract real beginners. In Milton Keynes places like The Stables, a music venue owned by Cleo Lane runs a local scheme. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missis sumner Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 (edited) Once past the alcoholic (read no driving licence) drummers, and drug addled singers, I was in a band for a steady year, through JMB. And I have some tales to tell... Edited July 8, 2019 by missis sumner Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missis sumner Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 We were never anywhere near "gigging" though. But having said that, I left to join a "more professional" set-up, in January, and we're still nowhere near gigging... Maybe it's me? 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickJ Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, operative451 said: also I'm quite shy, so 'chatting to people' and 'going out...' um... I feel like what there is of my local music scene is pretty incestuous... there used to be a punk band called "the bus station loonies" and if you're a music person in Plymouth and either haven't been in it or don't know someone who was in it at some point, you're probably dead.. I'm shy too (and incidentally grew up just outside of Plymouth, must be a west country thing!!). Despite its numerous flaws you can have success with JMB and I haven't found a better alternative. I've used it a couple of times to set up bands with people similar to me, i.e a dads band for people with commitments but who still want to get together every few weeks to jam and gig a few times a year for fun. I actually had a really positive response, sure there were some time wasters but also some really good musicians and singers. It was pretty ease to weed out the crap from the serious. I also once sent a enquiry to a big band who were looking for a bassist. I never got to audition stage as I worked out pretty quickly that I wasn't going to be the right guy for them (given I couldn't sight read) but it was a friendly and positive experience. I'd say give it a try, you have nothing to lose. Edited July 8, 2019 by PJ-Bassist 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickJ Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 43 minutes ago, Bobthedog said: I signed up to a six week “get to play in a band” course: basically you are mixed in with a group of musicians to form a band with the result being a gig in front of the public at the end. I mention this because the rhythm guitarist in this “band” subsequently asked me to join his own established band. Others went on to form bands as a team and even one couple ended up getting married! I have no idea if such a thing exists locally for you but a perhaps a good way to meet other musos, especially if you are shy. You all put your own band set list together and get tips from the pros. A business like the rock project does something similar all over the UK but that tends to attract real beginners. In Milton Keynes places like The Stables, a music venue owned by Cleo Lane runs a local scheme. I think I remember reading your original post on this and thinking it was interesting. Who ran the course and where was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthedog Posted July 8, 2019 Share Posted July 8, 2019 Mine was run by the management of The Stables in Milton Keynes. Try looking at a business called The Rock Project. They are all over the UK, mainly for kids but they do an adult version too. It was not my thread but if you can find it, it also gave names of other organisers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DrBike Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 17 hours ago, Bobthedog said: Mine was run by the management of The Stables in Milton Keynes. Try looking at a business called The Rock Project. They are all over the UK, mainly for kids but they do an adult version too. After not playing a note for some years (and on the encouragement of an old mate of mine who had recently taken up drums as part of a mid-life crisis, I got back into playing via The Rock Project (Encore) that is/was running in Windsor. From the guys who started around the same time as me there were at least 3 spin-off bands from that (and probably more by now as I only stuck around for a year). Since then I've used JMB (and to a lesser, certainly less succesful extent bandmix) to recruit a guitarist and singer for subsequent bands. More recently I used it for looking for another band to join (locally). To summarise, JMB is good, but you have a lot of chaff to sort through to find the wheat, Bandmix is not so good. I've also recently discovered shed loads of local Facebook groups for bands, buying selling gear. gigs etc.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
operative451 Posted July 9, 2019 Author Share Posted July 9, 2019 Ok, well i've taken the plunge and posted an ad on JMB... Waiting for the abuse to roll in..! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatrickJ Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 29 minutes ago, operative451 said: Ok, well i've taken the plunge and posted an ad on JMB... Waiting for the abuse to roll in..! Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted July 9, 2019 Share Posted July 9, 2019 On 08/07/2019 at 14:16, fleabag said: Dont ever bother with Musicians In Your City. Utterly awful site https://www.sitejabber.com/reviews/musicians-in-your-city.co.uk I tried that - it is so weird. Never had any use for it. Bandmix too.. never got a band out of that, but have got a friend, so I guess that is ok. JMB though, I have had two productive bands, and offers of others from it (and a 3rd based on being in the first), so yeh, it is a pain sometimes and there is a lot of time wasting there, but I am more than happy that I have used it. On 08/07/2019 at 16:40, operative451 said: also I'm quite shy, so 'chatting to people' and 'going out...' um... Same here, plus all the 'go and hang out with local bands'. Who the hell wants to go and see some cover band in a pub Luckily, it seems a lot of people do. 1 hour ago, operative451 said: Ok, well i've taken the plunge and posted an ad on JMB... Waiting for the abuse to roll in..! If you get abuse, you will be in the productive side of the site, at least it means they aren't ignoring you, which is the main thing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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