Playing in 2 bands at the same time?

[jezzaboy]

I play in a covers band and am very happy with it. The only problem is we only play twice a month at the most. We can`t do any more due to our singer getting a hard time from his wife and we have knocked back umpteen gigs recently due to this.

I would like to gig every weekend if possible, so, I have thought about joining another band to fill up my time. The only problem I can see is that there are obiously a couple of saturday`s a month that I am commited too. Now, I know that some of youz guys and gals are in 2 or sometimes more, band, so how do you approach this? Understanding bandmates? Any pointers will be gladly taken in.

Cheers, Jez

[waynepunkdude]

It's OK as long as they are both at the same venue.

[OldGit]

Be up front about your other commitments then work the "first in the diary" rule.

Have a few mates set up to dep for you when there's a date your band really has to do but you can't do.

Prepare to be fired from either or both if you can't play enough of the gigs they get offered.

I find being the gig organiser for the bands works well. That way you can veto gigs you can't do before asking the rest of the band.

[pietruszka]

Its not that hard. I play for 3 people;

Soul Technique, main effort which I spend most of my time in. This bands gigs take priority.

I play for Anna Leigh Middleton which doesnt take much time, but does fill it out when the work is on!

I also play for Little Makers, this is weekly with hopefully regular gigs.

I find its most benificial to be in more than one band. It gives your mind a break from what you do in each band and allows you to return to each band fresh. Every one in every one of my bands are in at least one project.

Hope this helps.

Dan

[6stringbassist]

I play for 4 bands and do dep gigs too. You just need a diary and to know when to say no.

[Mr Fudge]

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='852159' date='May 30 2010, 09:51 PM']I play in a covers band and am very happy with it. The only problem is we only play twice a month at the most. We can`t do any more due to our singer getting a hard time from his wife and we have knocked back umpteen gigs recently due to this.

I would like to gig every weekend if possible, so, I have thought about joining another band to fill up my time. The only problem I can see is that there are obiously a couple of saturday`s a month that I am commited too. Now, I know that some of youz guys and gals are in 2 or sometimes more, band, so how do you approach this? Understanding bandmates? Any pointers will be gladly taken in.

Cheers, Jez[/quote]


My first wife did similar things and eventually gave me an ultimatum.

I play every week now and have done for 15 years +

Somethings are just more important.

[chris_b]

The number of bands you play in isn't important as long as you are open, organised, run a diary, can get a good dep and give plenty of notice.

I currently play in 7 bands. All of them will let me dep out gigs because they understand that I need to do more gigs than they want to do.

[Cat Burrito]

I peaked at 3 bands at the same time. I'm a little old fashioned in I personally prefer one band for one band member but I was so used to playing with people in several projects I decided to do the same. It was never a problem although I did get pretty tired on occasions when a couple of bands would get busy at the same time.

I too agree "first in the diary is what you do" and you can't then start mucking about because the new booking is more money - you have to be disciplined. I was upfront with other band members but didn't go on about other bands in front of band members unless directly asked.

I now play in just one band and personally I prefer this set up. My current guitarist has 3 bands but I prefer having time for other things these days. My current band is busy enough for me.

[Golchen]

Playing in two bands at the same time? I'd have thought the cacophony would be insurmountable.

[bassace]

I have regular comittments with four bands. Two of them book so far ahead that I don't find a problem - we're well into 2011 already. The other two know that the main bands have 'first call' status. When there is a clashing problem - surprisingly rare - they put a dep in. It seems to work well.

In answer to the question, be open and transparent. If you can have a first call arrangement so much the better. First in the diary can lead to chaos IMO.

Edited May 31, 2010 by bassace

[OldGit]

[quote name='bassace' post='852363' date='May 31 2010, 09:09 AM']First in the diary can lead to chaos IMO.[/quote]

How so?

[Malc62]

At one stage I was playing bass in my function band, guitar and sax in a mate's function band (they were lap-top users so the line-up was flexible) and keys in a rock covers band - and that was on top of going out as a soloist (which now takes priority)! That taught me how to run a diary and prioritise dates. The big drawback for me was getting moaned at by the leaders of all three bands about not being able to do this date or that date - I pretty much developed a phobia about my phone ringing.

Nowadays, with the apparent downturn in function work, I concentrate on solo gigs and the three or four gigs a year that my function band pulls in. Much less fuss for me. That said, I'm looking to pick up some bass dep work...

[JTUK]

[quote name='OldGit' post='852206' date='May 30 2010, 11:10 PM']Be up front about your other commitments then work the "first in the diary" rule.

Have a few mates set up to dep for you when there's a date your band really has to do but you can't do.

Prepare to be fired from either or both if you can't play enough of the gigs they get offered.

I find being the gig organiser for the bands works well. That way you can veto gigs you can't do before asking the rest of the band.[/quote]


'zactly...

also...make sure the other guys have more than one gig on the go...so everyone accepts it is just how the diary works.
This will also lead to you making new contacts and geting more gigs but since everyone accepts that decent playser may be busy...it can work out fine. No one is too upset if you can't make it and there will always be another gig where you'll get to play with them....


And then........??????????

you get burnt out and cancell all gigs...people stop calling and think you have given up and you need to build up the gigs/contacts all over again there is always someone else...

[Clarky]

I would love to be in a second band but our control freak guitarist/singer/frontman would go ape and it would probably be the end of my days in Kismetik. I mentioned jokingly to him the other day over a pint that I had also joined a thrash metal band and his face dropped about a foot and his attitude totally changed until I pointed out it was a quip. His SOH barely returned after that (he is 47, has no kids and views the band as his 'baby').

As I feel loyalty to Kismetik I don't want to rock the boat badly but I would love to do something a bit different than 16th-note pick-style punk just for fun (I dunno, maybe classic rock, metal, even indie rock or covers band)

[JTUK]

[quote name='Clarky' post='852456' date='May 31 2010, 11:23 AM']I would love to be in a second band but our control freak guitarist/singer/frontman would go ape and it would probably be the end of my days in Kismetik. I mentioned jokingly to him the other day over a pint that I had also joined a thrash metal band and his face dropped about a foot and his attitude totally changed until I pointed out it was a quip. His SOH barely returned after that (he is 47, has no kids and views the band as his 'baby').

As I feel loyalty to Kismetik I don't want to rock the boat badly but I would love to do something a bit different than 16th-note pick-style punk just for fun (I dunno, maybe classic rock, metal, even indie rock or covers band)[/quote]


What...??? it may be his baby, but he needs to get a grip.

I don't see why you should have to curtail what you want to do to pander to his..errr..... not sure what to call it...but he needs to grow up.
As long as you give that band first call status, then what more could he demand from you..?

Anyway..it is what it is..but I don't get it.

[Clarky]

[quote name='JTUK' post='852469' date='May 31 2010, 11:34 AM']What...??? it may be his baby, but he needs to get a grip.

I don't see why you should have to curtail what you want to do to pander to his..errr..... not sure what to call it...but he needs to grow up.
As long as you give that band first call status, then what more could he demand from you..?

Anyway..it is what it is..but I don't get it.[/quote]
Took me ages to find a band (major age discrimination!) and I do get on with the two other guys in the band. If I find a second band, I would say there's a >50% chance I will end up out of Kismetik and that would be a disaster if the new band didn't work out. I am 46, have 3 kids, a dayjob that has pretty long hours (I leave at 6.15am and get home 7.30/8pm) and don't have time to do countless searching and auditioning ....Being a chicken here, but safety first ...

[Telebass]

[quote name='Clarky' post='852456' date='May 31 2010, 11:23 AM']I would love to be in a second band but our control freak guitarist/singer/frontman would go ape and it would probably be the end of my days in Kismetik. I mentioned jokingly to him the other day over a pint that I had also joined a thrash metal band and his face dropped about a foot and his attitude totally changed until I pointed out it was a quip. His SOH barely returned after that (he is 47, has no kids and views the band as his 'baby').

As I feel loyalty to Kismetik I don't want to rock the boat badly but I would love to do something a bit different than 16th-note pick-style punk just for fun (I dunno, maybe classic rock, metal, even indie rock or covers band)[/quote]


What JTUK said...

I'm angling for more work via a second band - just another covers band to fill in the gaps, really. Will use the first in the diary rule..

[OldGit]

[quote name='Clarky' post='852471' date='May 31 2010, 11:38 AM']Took me ages to find a band (major age discrimination!) and I do get on with the two other guys in the band. If I find a second band, I would say there's a >50% chance I will end up out of Kismetik and that would be a disaster if the new band didn't work out. I am 46, have 3 kids, a dayjob that has pretty long hours (I leave at 6.15am and get home 7.30/8pm) and don't have time to do countless searching and auditioning ....Being a chicken here, but safety first ...[/quote]


Yeah Stick with it .. At least you are in one band. Loads of people in your circs would be noodlin' in their bedroom.
Kids grow up and things change. You'll be able to play more later on, assuming you still want to.

I'm helping out a mate on Wednesday with some auditions.
Amongst his parameters are that his band should be number one in the players' priority list, and preferably the only band.

Counts me out, and my mate who's helping him with drumming for the auditions. However the guitarist on the band has 3 bands of his own on the go that I know of so I wonder if they have had that conversation

Edited May 31, 2010 by OldGit

[TimR]

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='852159' date='May 30 2010, 09:51 PM']I play in a covers band and am very happy with it. The only problem is we only play twice a month at the most. We can`t do any more due to our singer getting a hard time from his wife and we have knocked back umpteen gigs recently due to this.

I would like to gig every weekend if possible......

Cheers, Jez[/quote]

What about the other guys in the band? What about finding a second singer? It's covers so should be simple. Current singer always gets first refusal.

The main issue is whether you have time to rehearse. I seem to be the only person in the world who would rather run a one rehearsal per gig ratio, rather than a 13 rehearsals per gig ratio. Grrrr!

I joined a second band that didn't gig much to complement my first band that didn't gig much. For various reasons I left the first band and the second band don't actually gig as often as they say they did. So now I'm looking for a second band (or is in First band? I get easily confused).

Edited May 31, 2010 by TimR

[Pkomor]

[quote]I find being the gig organiser for the bands works well[/quote]

+1 I play with 4 bands, and manage 2 of them, and it makes it much simpler!

[Commando Jack]

[quote name='OldGit' post='852206' date='May 30 2010, 11:10 PM']Be up front about your other commitments then work the "first in the diary" rule.

Have a few mates set up to dep for you when there's a date your band really has to do but you can't do.

Prepare to be fired from either or both if you can't play enough of the gigs they get offered.

I find being the gig organiser for the bands works well. That way you can veto gigs you can't do before asking the rest of the band.[/quote]

^^^This

I'm in 2 bands and do solo work as well. Though in the past month I've let two gigs go, one with each band, because I was already booked. With one, there was a hissy fit from the gig booker. He calmed down after the dep I suggested said he'd play it.

Unfortunately the one thing you have to deal with is that someone along the line will think you've 'let them down', even though you've been as transparent as possible.

[jezzaboy]

Clarky, that guitarist of yours sounds like a bit of a control freak but if it works for you, more power to ya! Cant see the rest of the band throwing me out as I own most of the pa!

Regarding keeping a diary, I`m pretty lucky as we are booked up through till December and as I mentioned in my op, due to the singer`s domestic situation, there won`t be any more additions. We knocked back £700 to play last new year as the singers wife would have cracked up. We usually get £250 max between the 4 of us so that was a bit of a pisser.

TimR, your suggestion seems to be pretty cool. I`ll speak to the guitarist and see where the land lies as they say. The drummer will be up for it as he just does what he`s told!!

Thanks for all the suggestions so far, it`s what makes basschat a cool place to visit!

Jez

[acidbass]

I play in three regular bands, and dep quite often for another 3-4 too. I've always used the 'first come first served' rule, and only accept gigs if I know for a fact that I don't already have a booking that night. It has never caused a problem for me, and it's definitely the most professional way to do it if you have to play with more than one act.

[EssentialTension]

I'm only in one band at the moment but have often been in two (or even three).

First in the diary is the rule.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='jezzaboy' post='852720' date='May 31 2010, 03:58 PM']... Cant see the rest of the band throwing me out as I own most of the pa! ...[/quote]

Going slightly off-topic, when my current band was in its original line-up at the start of 2009 it turned out that four of us (out of five) had complete PA systems.

One guy left after a few months, taking his (unused) PA with him, but the replacement has been a semi-pro musician since the 70's and has enough kit that he can cobble together another PA should we need it.

Mine turned out to be the best fit for the band so that's what we use, but I can bring in components from the others as and when needed (e.g. playing outdoors for the first time a couple of weeks ago).

If Glastonbury have a problem this year, all they have to do is whistle ...