General Music Chat

Have a look at those you thought you were finished with too. I found that some people I thought were done with the band thing really were'nt and was able to put some projects together that way. But like Bob says the only way to get it done is by doing it yourself. I tried to join other bands and finally figured out how hard it was to fit into someone elses mess. I know from what I've heard that you have a lot going on and any talented persons would love to have someone as good as you join them, myself included. But the only way to insure you get what you want and need is to put it together your own way and dictate it your way. I've gone from 0 to 3 bands in a months time and have choices like I've never had before. I was able to find 2 great musicians in my family that are helping me put my original project together and I have to say I'm real excited the way its coming together. But to keep me out playing I hooked up with a couple of cover bands playing bass in one and guitar carrying a lot of lead vocals in another. I doubt I can keeep either of these bands together long as both have a lot of problems, but all I can do is play as hard as I can and enjoy every minute I'm doing it.
As a side note I'm really glad to see you doing so well. Good luck!!


And its another day in Paradise !!!!

Haley I think you are on a level that you just need to focus on working bands. There are a few in Memphis that rotate players all the time. Look in your area and the bands that are playing 4-6 nights a week are the ones I think you should concentrate on. If a band isnt working and gigging then I feel from what all youve posted that they arent on your level. Im on the short list with a couple of bands like this these days in my area and have done a couple of gigs so far. I love these where the guy calls up and say can you cover such and such date. Once you get a couple of these you may find a band that suits you and needs you instead of the weekend warrior types who dont want to play but once or twice a month. The reality is that guys like this that dont truelly committ to a band will probably never play out much.

Thats just my 2 cents. I wouldnt go learning 80 songs for anyone unless they can show me some booked gigs that are paid decent. Ive done what you are talking about so many times its rediculous.

Good Luck and Hang With It Man!

Haley I think I remember that you sing and play. You might look at an acoustic gig, Ive recently started doing this and I can make as much or more than I can with a band, plus I just take a mixer and a couple of monitors with pole mounts. One on the floor as a monitor and the other on a pole. It works. You can set up in 10 minutes. You might think about that. Also there are way more places for and acoustic act to play. I did this big dinner speech thingie a couple of weeks ago and got paid 3 times what my band ussually pays me, and got a couple of referealls to some more of these gigs, so maybe think outside the box a little. I onley actually played for about an hour and a half and was done early enought that i could have done another gig later. You probaly have a huge selection of songs to draw from, just do like I did and print out lyrics and basic chords. Half the stuff I play, Ive never actually played so it makes it a real challenge.

Good Luck

Bob, I was just running a band called Cruise Control. People kept leaving for jobs and other reasons. It was a very easy situation we wound up being a badass 3 peice then the Bass player decided he didn't want to play smokey bars (I think he was tired of the revolving door too). So I decided it would be better for me to not have to book gigs, keep up the web site send out email announcements and all the other B.S. that goes with running a band. I thought I will join someone else's band and play guitar, sing, and do the sound thing. I joined this last band and was kept away from the Drummer She put a rythm guitar player between me and him so I couldn't hear him very well. She told me they were a gigging band with an ongoing gig every month. Well that gig never materialized and after 2 months of rehearsal the drummer couldn't make it thru 3 songs without a train wreck. The band was just not progressing like it should and no one seemed to know the parts to the new songs. At the last rehearsal I said can't you guy's learn your parts on your own away from practice and we just put them together here. She looked me right in the eye and said some of us are not capable of doing that. Need I say more. A couple of days later a freind called and asked me if we could play a gig in Nov. I called them to ask if they could do it and 10 hours later I get an email saying the bass player had a gig with his other band and they weren't sure what day it was on. I come to find out the other band doesn't even play for money. That made me look very bad to the freind that runs the bar and that was the last straw I thought about it and decided to leave the band and gave them notice. Now this morning they posted some adds on CL and other local sites trying to publicly humiliate me. I swear I am at my wits end with this music sh!t. I have worked so hard over 32 years to be the best musician I can be and the only thing I get in return is a bunch of heartache and destroyed freindships. It befuddles me how juvenile, 40 and 50 year olds can be when they feel like the rug is pulled out from under them at their own doing. What am I supposed to do drive the 100+ miles round trip to rehearsal to teach a bunch of wannabe's how to play music. It almost destroy's my faith in humanity. Damn I am whining and sniveling here LOL!
Anyway thanks for the advise guy's It will help!

i think it was bob who said start your own. I agree, you end up w/problems still but new members of 'your' band tend to look to you for approval. Problem is, they call you w/all problems and you end up being babysitter and host at your house. You then can blame yourself when tommy hocks guitar and drummer is sleeping w/your daughter!