POLL - Are bass players the most reliable band members?

[Dubs]

We seem to like moaning about our sh!tty bandmates, but are you secretly the sh!tty bandmate?! 😮

Edited September 12, 2019 by Dubs

[walshy]

Not at all, I’m the glue that makes it work or it would be a right shitshow 😂

Edited September 12, 2019 by walshy

[EliasMooseblaster]

I have ticked the first option, because my solo project is currently my main focus, and everyone involved agrees that I am excellent.

 

Thinking back to my other band, I must humbly concede that title to our guitarist. I'd previously thought of myself as a particularly patient and dependable person, but I could learn a thing or two from him.

[Bolo]

I am runner-up I think. Lead guitar is the most solid player I know, I do bass/vox. Rythm guitar is a nice guy and always shows up on time but doesn't like to put on a show and doesn't practice much at home. The drummer founded the band...

[ahpook]

This is Basschat...all guitarists are egomaniacs, singers are preening narcissists and drummers are always late.

Meanwhile on Drumchat, all guitarists are egomaniacs, singers are preening narcissists and bass players are always late.

 

[Davo-London]

Drummers are normally OK too in my experience.  It's drums n bass versus the rest ... gotta have sympathy for drummers with setting up and down.  In my experience singers just turn up and say ... can we do a sound check?

Peace

Davo

[TimR]

Could have done with a No, the rest are pretty reliable too. 

I’ve got used to singers and brass players who turn up last minute and hand you a lead to plug in. In the end it’s much better that way, having had band members like that who would otherwise turn up early and either get in the way or get drunk or both, it is the best way to manage them. 

[Roger2611]

I am without question the voice of reason within my band.....no, we are not playing a festival when 2 members of the band are unavailable and the remaining members cannot get a rehearsal together before said festival takes place!! I mean come on, it's not rocket science is it!

[chris_b]

Good attitued, common sense, reliability, good ears, great ideas. . . . . only the bass player can get a tick in all those boxes.

Have you noticed how many great producers were bass players?

[odysseus]

I've blown out the least number of rehearsals, so yeah, I rock!! 😎

[lurksalot]

I voted yes for my last band, all very reliable except lead guitar who was always pushing the clock .

no-one really noticed until I left, then they all had to sort, learn and set up the PA, it is a shame it has pretty much landed in the shoulders of the singer, the promo has nearly gone , and I think generally there is a bit more stress in the outfit. They haven’t bothered getting band lighting either , that is too much extra to consider just yet , but the singer has bought a van to be able to carry the stuff he needs to.

Overall they are good guys , who have obviously stepped up to the plate when needed 👍

 

[BreadBin]

It's not just in bands, we bass players are the best at other things too...

https://www.independent.com/2014/11/19/dating-musician-i-recommend-bass-players/

[ribbetingfrog]

I have a weirdly reliable band!

im pretty damn reliable but still not as much as the guitarist.

[Newfoundfreedom]

I wasn't even the most reliable bass player in the band. 

[Low End Bee]

A few years ago I would have said I was definitely the reliable and reasonable one. On reflection I can, and have been, as difficult a bugger in bands as any of the other members.

[PaulWarning]

Bass players do seem to get saddled with setting up the PA, me and the drummer do it while the singer 'networks' I don't mind too much because I can't be doing with talking crap to drunks like he does.

However, Karma, he started an occasional band with his wife, and had to borrow the PA, despite having done over 300 gigs with it he hadn't got a clue, gave him and his wife a quick lesson but it didn't end well, since then I've noticed he only does gigs where the PA is provided 😁

[CamdenRob]

Not really a reliability thing but (as it keeps happening it must be true) I always seem to be the least “committed” 😕

Id never miss a gig, rehearsal, recording or other band commitment, but despite me setting out firmly from day one that work is my priority and music very much a hobby, bands still seem surprised when I tell them I won’t be taking Four weeks off work to go “on tour” in a van round Sweden... 😕

Edited September 13, 2019 by CamdenRob

[Lozz196]

We’re all pretty much as reliable was each other, no issues with any of us (aside from being grumpy middle aged men of course). 

[dave_bass5]

Since ive been playing bass in bands the bass player has been the most reliable and dedicated.

I dont drive so my drummer used to drive me to gigs. I had a saying, 'you carry me to the gigs, i carry the band at them' Pretty much what happened for 15 years.

[Monkey Steve]

obviously we're massively biased, and even the flakiest band members think that they haven't put a foot wrong no matter how badly they behave, so possibly we're all rubbish and we just don't realise it...

but I do think that there is something in the people that play bass which reflects the role of the instrument in the band - solid, reliable, doing all the heavy lifting and carrying all the melody and the dynamics, but often unobtrusively and in a way that others don't appreciate until it's not there.  So we tend towards being the people who get stuff done

Of course there are outliers and YMMV

[Frank Blank]

There is an important option missing in your poll I’m afraid and that’s...

No, because I’m a massive tnuc.

...certainly applies to me.

[Bluewine]

8 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

We’re all pretty much as reliable was each other, no issues with any of us (aside from being grumpy middle aged men of course). 

Me, in 8 years I've nrver missed a gig and we gig a lot. Never missed a rehearsal and never been late 

I work for milenials, so I don't know if they even notice.

Blue

[Bluewine]

6 hours ago, Monkey Steve said:

obviously we're massively biased, and even the flakiest band members think that they haven't put a foot wrong no matter how badly they behave, so possibly we're all rubbish and we just don't realise it...

but I do think that there is something in the people that play bass which reflects the role of the instrument in the band - solid, reliable, doing all the heavy lifting and carrying all the melody and the dynamics, but often unobtrusively and in a way that others don't appreciate until it's not there.  So we tend towards being the people who get stuff done

Of course there are outliers and YMMV

You know, here in Milwaukee word gets around pretty fast about guys showing up late to gigs/rehearsals and always blocking dates.

Blue

[machinehead]

22 hours ago, Bluewine said:

You know, here in Milwaukee word gets around pretty fast about guys showing up late to gigs/rehearsals and always blocking dates.

Blue

Belfast N. Ireland is a small place and word gets around pretty quickly here too.

As a reliable bass player I've nothing to worry about. 

Frank.

[tauzero]

For many years, I've been the supplier of the PA as well as bassist, for assorted bands. Of late, I only do PA for the originals band, and even avoid that when we get a gig where the PA is there. That tends to make you pretty reliable. Current covers band, we're all pretty reliable, with the cajon player and me vying for who's there first (he does the PA).