Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Take the polll and tell us what being in a band is to you.

Being in a good band shows people that you've got your musical sh*t together. It's something to be proud of.

Being in a good band is sort of a validation that my songs are good. It's the only way to hear them as originally envisioned and adds the special ingredient of the whole being better etc.

It's also a very special experience when it comes up just right and some magic happens. Doesn't happen often but when it does....

Talbot

I've quit a career in music 3 times in my life....and just can't figure out how to stay that way. It is what I am, like it or not.

yod wrote:I've quit a career in music 3 times in my life....and just can't figure out how to stay that way. It is what I am, like it or not.

I'm actually envious of that, YOD

... Most of the BM members including myself all have/had day jobs, apart from this music interest... It'll never go any farther than that for most people here...

I have always known, from the time I was 10 years old until present day,... that the only true way to make it big in music , is to do it big in music...that is... It needs to be the 'ONLY focus of profession and no other careers, it needs to start from teen-hood and it must be that way for the rest of one's natural years of life. There really is no other way...

How many Legends do we have , who did anything else but focus on music to get where they are/were?

The mistake I made in my young life, was my refusal and reluctance to reconcile the 'work' part of music career. I was a lazy ass., who was caught up in the 'philosophy of life' and the image of 'musical successes" than the pragmatics of being an damn entertainer... and actually working the rooms. In short, I was a poser.

I'm too old now, and frankly, out of touch to make any real difference musically, so a career in music for me is most likely an amusing laughable proposition.. I am doing this CD project of mine, because I dont want to go out wondering if I could have ever done one.

YOu ...are fortunate... Basically, the real article, YOD, I have tremendous respect for that...

I've been a premier member about 4 years now . I usually sit back and lurk on all of the opinions and have made a few of what I consider to be good friends here. I also have been in a few great bands over the years and had a lot of fun doing so.
Don't ever sell yourself short and think your too old to get anywhere. You might as well say your dead and go dig yourself a hole . Last year I met up with some bandmates and things started gelling like they never did before, and experience started taking over. I find myself happier musically than ever before. But I still run my business and work for the weekends . I am a true weekend warrior. I feel as successfull as any of the great bands out there. I've learned to be happy with what I have . That way I'll be happier with more. I love playing our original tunes , but I also love playing any of my favorite covers. Gigs and opportunities are starting to come by the droves now, and the work weve put in this last year are starting to pay a little. But it's what I am ! It's what keeps me sane. Without music in the world it would be a pretty bad place to live !

Keep your attitude adjusted in a positive manner, And only the best will come out of everything you do....
I apologise for the long winded paragraph...

I assume different positions in different bands.

Studio bands way different than live performing
bands.

Solo artist playing all instruments, it's all about you.
Nowhere to hide.

I love to audition for bands off cl, or bm, or the music
store wall. You get to rock out with a band and no
strings attached. I just tell them they're not what
I'm looking for at this moment. I try to audition
3 to 4 times a month. You should see some of the bands
I've auditioned for.lol

PaperDog wrote:

yod wrote:I've quit a career in music 3 times in my life....and just can't figure out how to stay that way. It is what I am, like it or not.

I'm actually envious of that, YOD

Thanks Dawg

I don't advise anyone to be as worthless a person as I was for the first 15 years of being a musician. Besides, nothing major really happened until I quit for a few years to find out what was most important in life.






.

It is a positive and fulfilling place for me to vent my incredible psychotic energy.

I have played music for a living and it just wasn't as fun. Now I have balance in my life. I play music for extra income and work my day job for money and benefits! I have ALWAYS said I work 2 jobs!

Right on Jeff! I tried to do music for a living in the early '80s; we were busy all the time but the money was not enough to support the lifestyle I'm used to. So I went back to school, got two degrees and I've been working ever since. Never stopped playing music, I just made it a hobby, and I still have a ball doing it to this day!

1collaborator wrote:I've been a premier member about 4 years now . I usually sit back and lurk on all of the opinions and have made a few of what I consider to be good friends here. I also have been in a few great bands over the years and had a lot of fun doing so.
Don't ever sell yourself short and think your too old to get anywhere. You might as well say your dead and go dig yourself a hole . Last year I met up with some bandmates and things started gelling like they never did before, and experience started taking over. I find myself happier musically than ever before. But I still run my business and work for the weekends . I am a true weekend warrior. I feel as successfull as any of the great bands out there. I've learned to be happy with what I have . That way I'll be happier with more. I love playing our original tunes , but I also love playing any of my favorite covers. Gigs and opportunities are starting to come by the droves now, and the work weve put in this last year are starting to pay a little. But it's what I am ! It's what keeps me sane. Without music in the world it would be a pretty bad place to live !

Keep your attitude adjusted in a positive manner, And only the best will come out of everything you do....
I apologise for the long winded paragraph...

Collaborator, I hear ya..But I think there is a little more optimism in your scenario, than my own sense of reality would accept...

When I say I am too old to make a difference... what I mean is I am too old to impact the earth like the last asteroid did... I'm talking about the world-wide acclaim variety (Zepplin, Beatles, Bowie Stones, Dylan , etc) ... I'm not talking about guys who have college degrees, work 9-fivers and troll the internet... LOL! I did not say I was too old to play, create, perform at certain venues... Its fun and a healthy outlet.

But it would be incredibly delusional to think that there is any 'lucky break' for the 'big-time' in any of that. To put it another way, If I were a promoter, the last people on earth I would ever consider pursuing and 'making' big..would are people who are doing anything less than music, 24/7 1000 days out of the year... As YOD has pointed out, with no ambiguity...there is no such thing as 'balance', there is no such thing as 'art' and if you're gettin paid better now while you aren't even on the radar yet... you ARE NOT bound for that asteroid sized impact.

So, Why is that so important to me? I guess it boils down to a pointless drill in my own thinking about 'best of the best'. I have always contended, what ever we do, do our hardest and best... Is it easy to measure up to that bar? LOL Phuck no, but we try anyway...cause what else is there left to pursue? If you taste Jack Daniels Anniversary bourbon, why would ya ever go back to that Hogs-head swill?

I'm just imposing a reality check ., more for myself than anybody else... I was just saying that i believe YOD is the real Article... If anybody had a chance at blowing the earth to pieces, its gonna be a guy like YOD, who has the necessary work-ethic for this kind of pursuit.

I liked tearing down, loading, traveling, unloading , setting up, tearing down, traveling unloading and setting up my gear at home again the most. I liked the squabbles over pay because they kept my blood pressure up to snuff. Watching the wives and girlfriends blow their cookies over a band member talking to a chick who came up to the bandstand was always entertaining. I guess the drunks that kept requesting the same song over and over every set were somewhat of a novelty. Watching the local Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire crashing into the trap set was always entertaining for some strange reason. I learned something about finances through my musical career. Always get cash at the beginning of the night whenever possible. I learned about diplomacy through various discussions from time to time with other musicians. Well, actually I learned that I didn't have any diplomacy. I also learned to be quick on my feet when an irate husband or boyfriend would show up with a gun looking for another musician.

I enjoyed a lot of experiences that I encountered being a full time musician. When things go right, you can't beat it. When things suck, you can embrace suck as the truly inadequate word that suck really is.

Enjoy it for what it is.

One hundred thousand years from now no one will know or care.

Play and be happy ...

There is no reason it can't be fun when you're full time.

But I seriously believe the reason so many full-time "artists" suck is because there aren't that many people who are want this lifestyle enough to persevere until it happens.

Meanwhile many potentially great stars (like MOST of you guys are) choose to be stable individuals that know exactly where your clothes are every day.