AndyTravis Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 (edited) So tonight we started auditions for guitarists. The outgoing chap announced out of the blue on Tuesday last week that he was moving to Birmingham, and not letting the grass grow seemed the best option. We recorded the tunes just bass/drums/vocals last Monday when old guitarist didn’t show. Sent them with the brief of “see what you can put to these...” to see what they’d come up with. Two booked for tonight. 1 chap, very nice and obviously a good (Blues) guitarist. Started suggesting arrangements and changed the feel of the songs. Not sure yet. Didn’t learn anything we’d sent...just busked it a bit. Don’t know if it sat right with me - is a second audition acceptable? second guy didn’t show - He got his dates wrong. Helpful - and not so reassuring. Two more booked for next week. And maybe guy number 2 from today... I’m pretty unhappy with “auditions” - very uncomfortable things. I may dress as Simon Cowell next week. Edited March 25, 2022 by AndyTravis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Personally I’d run away from the busker. A sign of trouble ahead. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lurksalot Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Yep , keep looking ! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 3 minutes ago, wateroftyne said: Personally I’d run away from the busker. A sign of trouble ahead. He was quick to pick up and remember parts. He said he couldn’t get the Dropbox link to work, but he was alright once he got going. But yeah - spidey senses were tingling a bit. It’s the blues thing which bothers me, it’s all a bit one dimensional...and I want someone to push us along, not just be present. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 No, if he hasn’t bothered to prepare for an audition and has found excuses, move on. I’d also be scribbling out #2’s name. It’s too early to settle for less. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Some guitarists are great playing a part that’s right for the song. Some are great at just playing bluesy licks in the gaps. 🙂 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 Auditions are awkward for everyone Good luck & fingers crossed for the next batch 👍 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 (edited) not a great start from either contestant For #1, not having done any prep would set off alarm bells. The one redeeming point would be that you don't seem to have given them full details for a guitar part to learn or a cover to learn, so maybe he wasn't expecting to have the songs nailed down. But an audition is for somebody to impress you and show what a good musician and bandmate they will be. If they haven't impressed you then they have failed, pure and simple. And in my experience, the people who haven't done any prep for *insert weak reason here* either overestimates their talent, or underestimates the level of commitment it takes to be in a band If his playing on the night was OK but not enough to ask them to join then there's nothing wrong with a second audition. I've asked people back before, usually because the band couldn't make up it's mind. That then always fed back into the stuff about having done the prep - rather than taking advantage of the second chance, the ones who have come back have simply repeated the promising but not good enough performance from the first audition, and made it very easy not to offer them the gig - in one memorable case it highlighted all of the stuff we didn't like from the first audition rather than improving on the stuff we did like. Only ever had one person who took offence at being asked back - spat out her dummy that if we didn't like her singing enough at the first audition to offer her the spot in the band, why would she waste an evening coming back? Fair enough - made the decision to keep looking very easy. #2, could be genuine, but doesn't show much commitment or enthusiasm. That said, musical ability and organisational skills are often mutually exclusive, so I'd probably want to at least get them into a studio and see what their playing is like. If they cancel a second time then bin them Edited February 4, 2020 by Monkey Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 5 hours ago, wateroftyne said: Some guitarists are great playing a part that’s right for the song. Some are great at just playing bluesy licks in the gaps. 🙂 70 years of guitar-based rock 'n' roll summed up in 23 words, brilliant. 2 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Second guy from Monday is absolutely sound. now I’m dealing with him and not the singer, we’re getting somewhere. Decent setup - has done high profile gigs, knows what he’s talking about. I’ve arranged him for Monday this week, and ditched one off as the demos were really bad and widdly. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Well, just about to load in for tonight’s instalment... we’ll see. Fun starts around 8. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 ...and ends before five past, when the clenching starts, if my audition experiences are anything to go by... Good luck... 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 3 minutes ago, Muzz said: ...and ends before five past, when the clenching starts, if my audition experiences are anything to go by... Good luck... 😀 “Hey andy I'm running a bit late at work.” Magic. Fun may not start at all. not even got Neddy Van Hailen to entertain us for a bit... This had better be worth it. Although, I hold out little hope now. must remain positive. I’m on time, and set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 That’s another candidate who’s not made it through in my book mate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 16 minutes ago, Beedster said: That’s another candidate who’s not made it through in my book mate He has to turn up so I can fire him 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 That’s bad crack. Fingers crossed that he’s awesome, and brings biscuits etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybassplayer Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 I remember my first audition. I set up and before I played a note I explained I was not hugely experienced and certainly not a flamboyant slap bass style of player but would always be on time, willing and ready to rehearse and would ensure I have learnt my parts since the last rehearsal. Apparently the drummer and sax player who were in the next room told me a month later at my first gig that on hearing this they had decided that they wanted me in the band before they had heard me play a note. Sometimes it pays to be humble and reliable. Was a great band and I had some fabulous times with them. 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 13 minutes ago, tonybassplayer said: Sometimes it pays to be humble and reliable. Humble and reliable are 90% of professional 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 Nah. He’s not turned up for it. And therefore I’ll sack him now. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 10, 2020 Share Posted February 10, 2020 On 04/02/2020 at 07:30, wateroftyne said: Some guitarists are great playing a part that’s right for the song. Some are great at just playing bluesy licks in the gaps. 🙂 Worked with one of those, he really was inspired once he started but could never remember where the solos were meant to be. After the second chorus. In every song. Not complicated. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted February 10, 2020 Author Share Posted February 10, 2020 That was deflating... Rehearsal studio is booked up next week - with nobody forthcoming as it stands...we’ll have a week off and contemplate next moves. unless someone announces their interest and we’ll use the backup place. I’ll be honest. I didn’t enjoy that rehearsal - even with free reign on bass... Anyhow. Must keep trying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 so, that was contestant #2 from the first week, who didn't show then because he got the date wrong, and hasn't shown this week because he's running a bit late at work? This is exactly what auditions are for - to try before you buy. Imagine if he'd shown up last week, you asked him to join, and then found out that he rarely shows up for booked rehearsals 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 I once went to audition for a band at a booked rehearsal (just south of Tooting, IIRC), and the band didn't show up. True story. 2 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beedster Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 1 hour ago, Happy Jack said: I once went to audition for a band at a booked rehearsal (just south of Tooting, IIRC), and the band didn't show up. True story. That made my day Jack Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted February 11, 2020 Share Posted February 11, 2020 2 hours ago, Happy Jack said: I once went to audition for a band at a booked rehearsal (just south of Tooting, IIRC), and the band didn't show up. True story. Been there. What was even more disturbing was when the rehearsal venue wanted to be paid for the room hire. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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