Clarky Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I play in the Wily Bo Walker Band but that's fine. Bo is a Grammy nominated singer/songwriter and very well regarded in the blues community. I just turn up and play bass! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wateroftyne Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Doesn't bother me at all. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 If I was joining an established band that was formed by the lead singer who was the main writer and they had some pedigree then not problem. If it was just some local mob put together through Joinmyband then it says to me the singer might be a bit of an egotistical berk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassintheface Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I think it depends on the specifics. There's a few scenarios to this as have already been discussed. If it's an already well established artist and you're being employed to be 'the bass player' and play what you're told to - with some artistic licence, but ultimately defer to the 'name' as singer, songwriter, arranger etc then I'd be ok to do that so long as I was being paid appropriately. I think really, that's my ideal role being honest.........in the background, just play, go home, get paid. If it's a new 'band', then it depends on your required input - if it's originals, are you contributing to the songwriting process, are you having a share of any of the writing credits - lots to consider. If it's a covers band playing the dog and dildo then again,I'd have to give it some thought - are you all getting an equal say / share in the responsibility, running the band, getting paid etc etc? Musicians eh...........🙃 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tegs07 Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 (edited) I wouldn’t mind playing bass in the bad seeds. Edited January 17, 2022 by tegs07 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 What's in a name? Unless it's your day job, try it out. If the X in the X and the Ys turns out to be a massive bell end then you can just leave, if X doesn't fire you first I'd say that being upfront at the outset is key. In my first originals band (not named X and the Ys, but a similar dynamic), the drummer and I were told straight at the beginning that we'd be sidemen to the singer and guitarist (responsible for words and music respectively). "If you want to write songs, go form another band" was pretty much what was said. I've probably shortened it and made it more pithy over time for amusement purposes but that was the jist of the conversation. Fair enough. I wasn't bothered - it was my first band, they took a chance on me and I was happy to take some direction. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 In a way, it's actually quite helpful to me if a band is called Eric Derek and the Evil Weevils or some such. It says to me they probably play the blues/blues rock which will say to me 'next'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 (edited) 12 hours ago, RhysP said: Yeah, I'd never join a band that was called Nigel. 11 hours ago, SteveXFR said: I probably would go for a band simply called Nigel. Unless Colin were looking for a bassist. I would absolutely and definitely go and audition for a band called Nigel or Colin assuming of course that I liked the sound/idea of what they were playing. One of my first bands after leaving school had the working name "3 Guys Who Know Paul". We were a 4 piece and one of us was Paul. Perhaps mercifully, we never got to gigging. I'd have no problem with joining an artist-name band as long as the conditions were right in terms of creative input/freedom. I wouldn't be interested at all if I was handed a part and told "play this and do not deviate from it, oh and you've got to wear black and stand well out of the light". Unless it was tremendously well paid -- I'm a proper clown wh0re, me. A few years ago I was in a band that was named for the singer -- essentially we were her backing band, but in reality two of the band did the songwriting along with Sally and all of us had creative input when it came to our respective parts, and the lights were for everyone. Came to an end when Sal started a family. It was a great band with fabulous songs and I really miss it. EDIT: I say 'a few years', I've just remembered that her daughter is now 14... yikes, how the years fly. Edited January 17, 2022 by Rich 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muzz Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I play with a The 'Singer's Name' Band, and it isn't an issue at all - I've played in other, more obscurely named bands where ego issues have been much, much worse...on the plus side, if there's any mither from punters or the people paying, you can point to the named bloke and say 'Dunno, ask him; it's his band...' 😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Quite surprised to see that this has reached p.2 without anyone mentioning Vince Furnier ... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimalkin Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I remember Big Ronnie's band complaining about the name, so he said he would initialise it. From then on they found themselves billed as: "The Big R Soul Band." Careful what you wish for. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulThePlug Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 @Happy Jack. Yep... Alice Cooper the band... before Alice Cooper the man Mates had a band called 'The Derek Nimmo's Blues Band'... But none of them was called Derek or Nimmo... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 25 minutes ago, Happy Jack said: Quite surprised to see that this has reached p.2 without anyone mentioning Vince Furnier ... Or Danny Wilson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Those of you that have been on Basschat a while will know that I used to play in a band called "Dïck Venom & The Terrortones" which like Happy Jack's band was perfectly appropriately named for the music we were playing - a garage rock/psychobilly hybrid. Myself and the rest of the band were under no illusions that on stage Mr Venom was THE TALENT and our job on stage was to provide the tightest of tight musical backdrops for his over the top performance (both visually and lyrically). The band was entirely Mr Venom's concept and he was the driving force that allowed us to go from nothing but an idea to complete band with a musical and visual concept performing our first half-hour set of songs we'd written ourselves in just 8 weeks. He also did the majority of work behind the scenes - getting gigs and interacting with our fans on social media and all that non-musical stuff that can be very off-putting and tedious for the average musician. The only downside to having a band named after the singer is the is absolutely no future for it once the singer decides that they have had enough, as we discovered when after 6 years Mr Venom became too unwell to be able to consistently deliver the level of live entertainment that our audience had come to expect, that was the end of the band as he was the only member that wasn't ultimately replaceable. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 37 minutes ago, BigRedX said: ... our job on stage was to provide the tightest of tight musical backdrops for his over the top performance (both visually and lyrically). Can I just interject at this point that Mike is in no way exaggerating about Mr. Venom ... his performance at an obscure mediaeval venue off Denmark Street (I'm absolutely serious about that BTW) remains one of the most memorable things I've ever seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 1 hour ago, Happy Jack said: Quite surprised to see that this has reached p.2 without anyone mentioning Vince Furnier ... Alice Cooper was originally the band's name, not the singer's. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dclaassen Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I’m rehearsing with a band with the leader’s name affixed. Won’t bother me unless the current dynamics change. always wanted a pub band named “free beer” Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 1 hour ago, RhysP said: Alice Cooper was originally the band's name, not the singer's. My point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ubit Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Jethro Tull and he died a couple of hundred years ago! 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacDaddy Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 Many people thought Blondie, was Debbie Harry's name in their early days. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 No problem - especially if the band is any good and I am getting paid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casapete Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 34 minutes ago, MacDaddy said: Many people thought Blondie, was Debbie Harry's name in their early days. I think many people still refer to her as this even now. When I worked in record retail many years ago, nearly everyone thought Ray Sawyer was actually Dr.Hook rather than the band’s name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 15 hours ago, RhysP said: Yeah, I'd never join a band that was called Nigel. What about Nigel and the Sex Nazis? I think I'll call my next band that. By the way, nobody in the band will be allowed to be called Nigel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 I always liked the idea of starting a punk band called KingBollock & The Danglies. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted January 17, 2022 Share Posted January 17, 2022 1 hour ago, ubit said: Jethro Tull and he died a couple of hundred years ago! I actually preferred his earlier inventing the seed drill period to the later stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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