Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

So I've been invited to come sing for a band that heard me singin before. They have their own studio with all the best equiment, and are all more taleneted musciains than I will ever be. Gigs are lined up, and once I'm in place as a singer we could start playing out witin a week or so. Here's the problem. They are a cover band that plays mostly (not all but mostly) 80's cock rock, and thats pretty far from my style of music (check out my page and you'll understand). So I'm not sure if I want to take the gig. On one hand I don't particularly care for over half the songs on the setlist, but on the other hand I'm tired of not doing anything, and there is always the potential I could sway them towards a style of music thats a little more me, as well as play some of my originals. What would you guys do? Take up with a band that you might not clique with musically, or pass on it and hope something else in this small ass town might come along Decisions decisions.......

You can never get to much stage experience. I say go for it and have a good time. You never know what might come of it....
Go for it.......

I have been in similar situations. I would tell them that I'll do it, but I'll still be looking for a more perfect match. It may not seem fair to them, but you get to work, they get to work, & you both can keep looking for a more suitable situation. Of course, the 1st one to find it wins & the rest lose...DO promise them to fulfill any obligations before you walk away, though, & make sure you do it.

Cock rock? Thats a new one on me.

If you want to sing, and they want yout to sing, whats the prob?

You may just be an arsehole like me and not want to do anything you do'nt like.
But if you become an intrigal part of the act, you may have some say in the direction of the material.
You can hardly go wrong if you follow your initial gut reaction. When we think about stuff too much, thats when we go to screwin stuff up.

Sway them twords your style? lol

Doubt it.

Do it, but do tell them you are shopping a different situation as of erm conflicting influences..

Capt. Scott wrote:Sway them twords your style? lol

Doubt it.

Do it, but do tell them you are shopping a different situation as of erm conflicting influences..

Yeah, they do the music they want to do.. and from past experience, there's not much worse than bringing in a singer who KNOWS what style music we do, then starts on day one trying to change it to what HE wants to do

... last guy who did that got thrown out of the band after his first rehearsal with us.

lol

Ok, so maybe you don't tell them that and you just go with it?

Afewdaysback, I checked out your site and I like your music, you have got a great voice bro. a little to heavy on the reverb on your vocals (just a little).
I don't know how big the town you live in is but the best peice of advise I have for you is don't burn any bridges. Desperation can cause you to do this if you are not careful. Part of playing with other musicians is learning to compromise. Without compromise someone in the band is not going to be happy and that is something the leader of a band should understand. If they want you to sing with them badly enough they will compromise, just remember it goes both ways though. Any potential bands that you are auditioning for, it is important that you be honest with them up front about what you want. Just going to play with someone because you want to play out will not be a pleasant situation for you or them and will lead to burnt bridges. Here in the greater Houston area population around 6 million I personally know of people that have ruined their reputation so badly no one wants to play with them. We call them band whores they go from band to band with no consideration for the bigger picture, its all about them.

Good luck to you. You have a good voice and I know you will do great things musically if you play your cards right.

Does the other band play 80's music because that's all they know, or because that's all they want to play, or because that gets the gigs? If that's all they know, they might be open to change. If it's what they want to play, they may not want to change. If it's what gets the gigs around there you might have to see if there would be gigs for your favorite type of music before trying to change them into a band that won't have gigs anymore. It's hard to offer advice when we only know your point of view. You do what you do well, and even though my band plays mostly older stuff, we throw in some newer tunes if we like them. If I was in the other bands shoes and you joined us and learned our material and we started gigging and then you brought some new material to the table, I wouldn't be opposed at all to throwing it in there and trying it out on the crowds. But that's me. Other bands might consider it a hostile take over.

I would take the gig. It is a lot more fun playing somebody's music than not playing at all. Remeber this is an occupation as well as a hobby and passion. Never pass up an opportunity and besides, if something better comes along after ANOTHER group member hears you sing, then you have another option to look at. Take the gig.

I listened to your songs on your profile, 6 times. I wish I were in michigan right now ,and I hate cold weather. Whatever you do guy, you'll do good at it.


And its another day in Paradise !!!

I was recently on the other end of this sort of deal. We've had some different people audition for our band and one of the first things that a few of them tried to do was change our music. That really pisses me off. We're very up front about what we do and the kind of music we're into. So you are either joining OUR band, or you're not. But there is no conversion process that's going to take place.


I've thought about what it would be like to join a band that did music I wasn't totally into. Why would I be joining that band? What would motivate me? I think I would be joining that band for experience and gigging, but not for total love of the music. Knowing that, and knowing how much I hate being on the other side of the fence and having people try and change what our band is doing, I'd be pretty respectful to them. I wouldn't try and change what they're doing. I'd know what I was getting myself into and I'd accept it as such. It's their music and I would be trying to help them.

So, the onus is on you. You either have to accept what they are as a band and be a part of that, or you have to not join them because of creative differences.

As to what I would do if face with that situation: It would depend on the people in the band, the vibe of the band and the gigging they were doing. If they were gigging a lot and doing some cool gigs, and if everyone was fun and having a good time (no drugs, no alcoholics, no huge egos) then I could see myself having fun with them even if the music wasn't totally my thing. But if they were jerks with egos, or they wanted to sit around and smoke pot, or they weren't out gigging, then that's just too many strikes against them including the music not being my thing. So I wouldn't join that sort of band.

Every situation is different. I think you have to determine what you want to get out of the situation.

Also, final note: I'd definitely tell them this sort of music wasn't my first choice and that if another band came along that DID do the kind of music I was into and they wanted me to be in their band, I'd likely jump.

But judging from what you've written you are considering this band because there are no other bands doing what you want to do. So if you join these folks you just might be with them for a long time before your dream band comes along.

Short and simple: do it once. Don't like it? Don't go back. Dig it? Grats, you found musicians.
[Very good recordings btw]

Whatever you decide to do... be honest with them.. but do not expect or try to change them... they will hate you for that.

So either accept the gig for what it is... 80's rock, or decline it for what it is... but it will only end badly if you're heart isn't in it unless they understand you are a "temp" until they can find someone more suited to their style.

X!