When did you realise….. you weren’t going to “make it”?

[SH73]

Picked up a bass at 16, played in bands, gigged, recorded a pro demo at 17, then on/off in various bands. At 26 gave it a last chance then that was it until 10 plus years later. I have more gear now when I played in bands. All in all, born in the wrong place at the wrong time did not help.

[ricksterphil]

11 hours ago, Leonard Smalls said:

Chapel Lawn! 

 

I've been there many times but not to play live. I didn't realise the Bang Bangs were from that neck of the woods 😊

[BrightonianBass]

On 14/09/2023 at 14:43, NikNik said:

I was certainly prepared to do that: drop everything and go. My GF/Wife had talked about this and she could handle the mortgage, but an income from being a musician simply had to raise its head at some point. otherwise it would have been unfair. Security was more important to me, I must admit. Being an artist living in penury wasn't an attraction to me. But I knew guys who packed their jobs in, went on the dole and got housing support (in those days you got 70% of your rent paid) and got some level of success and recognition, albeit short-lived. Or found nothing beyond the local and Uni circuit.

 

Proficiency aside, I understood the need to make contacts to get a call if I was between bands but there was a feeling of treading water. As for moving to London, it took one visit (for an audition) to convince me that city was not for me. My audition (for a signed, male singer guitarist) time was attenuated by other bassists still doing 'the sell' as they were leaving the rehearsal room. One even brought along his keyboard-playing pal and did 'the sell' in front of me, which reeked of desperation, as with the guy who turned up in full Confederate uniform at the end of my audition: he had already had his time but returned for another attempt at 'the sell'. The audition went well but they asked me to come back next week for another one but I really couldn't afford it, and the knowledge that I'd have to get digs quick in London if I got the gig came into sharp focus. I refused the second audition. If I couldn't make it up north, so be it.

Curious to know did the person you auditioned for make it?

[Leonard Smalls]

12 hours ago, ricksterphil said:

didn't realise the Bang Bangs were from that neck of the woods

They're not! 

But the Weeds drummer was their manager, and we all fancied a country gig, though I lived there so easy for me...

[NikNik]

I can't even remember his name. There was no band name or stage name mentioned. All I knew then, on the day, was 'Signed....' from the ad, and his first name. All I recall now was a friendly guy with curly, dark hair and a brown Gibbo 355.

[Mickeyboro]

On 16/09/2023 at 10:58, obbm said:

Somewhere in Morden if I remember correctly. The "Micky Kemp Band" went out under the name of "Badlands" supporting a Guns and Roses tribute band who where running out of steam, bored and just going through the motions.  You came to talk to Micky about Ryan Adams. 

Absolutely right, sir. There’s nothing wrong with your memory!

 

And this was the book that resulted…

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ryan-Adams-Michael-Heatley/dp/0711994358/ref=sr_1_1?crid=B3648CTZTH04&keywords=Ryan+Adam's+book+Heatley&qid=1695697472&sprefix=ryan+adam's+book+heatle%2Caps%2C363&sr=8-1

 

 

[warwickhunt]

Playing bass for 44 years (I'm 60) and I played to my biggest crowd of approx 1200 people this year and to top that I'm involved in negotiations to play bass with a big name next year at an even bigger gig!  You're never too old... unless you think you are!