General Music Chat

As I went up for a 2nd round of songs last Saturday at an OM this guy came up to me with a list of songs and asked if I could play any of them with him. I had already seen him 'play' - hanging off the sidelines with 2 others (including one of the hosts and a guy on bass) - he could barely follow along on 'Knocking on Heavens Door' and just stood there during 'Proud Mary'). I told him I didn't have my reading glasses and couldn't read the list (true) and he walked away with a funny look on his face. Later the host told me he had songs like Rush's 'Limelight' on the list - how the hell could he even think he knows how to play it? So, yes, you do get some strange folks at OMs too.

Mike in my main band Im the only guitarist so when another guitarist wants to sit in I say what can you play? You always get those guys that say anything, hell I dont even do that!!!! LOL!

So then I say well look you are on your own cause I only have one amp, so I say look at this list what song do you know backwards and forwards, ussually if they arent legit they back down, well I dont see anything.

Most want to plug in and just lumber along.

I dont really push to play with people anymore, most bands I go see locally know me, and I wait for an invitation. If I get it I say can I see your list, I always pick one song I know the best of any of them and then maybe one more. I play the song I picked first, after its over i go to take the guitar off, if they ask if I want to do another one, I will mention the other song, if they dont ask me to play another one, I hand the guitar over and ussually grab a mic and thank them for letting me sit in.

Treat people with respect and you will get treated with respect.

Ive been kinda testing the local CL for a bassist with vocal abilitys, so far no good, it just takes time to weed thru things, and then the serious people when we talk on the phone I already know them.

The group of people actually playing music to any degree is a small group, Im with Jimmy check with active musicians, get off your ass, off the computor and go where people are playing the type of music you want to be involved with and and let people know you are available.

Its so crazy to think that you will find someone worth a sh*t over CL of all places, Ihave met a few but Ive been contacted by way more bozos that its worth to mention.

Capt if someone cant give me some sample of music, then I just dont even talk to them, or if they cant give me a reference of someone or some place they have played, if someone has no experience then Im not interested, my biggest problem is when I get with "real" musicians these days they want way more committment to playing than I can give, so in my case Im the problem, I want a cherry gig where I call the shots, like Jimmy, he runs his bands so he makes it fit his schedule.

I would say this is the best answer Guitar Mike B..John has spelled it out for you.. the best way to get in a band is hit the open mics..

The Steve Moeller Band did respond to my little CL ad.. they had paying gigs lined up.. Nixa is too far to drive..looking back I wish I would have went once for my scheduled audition, just to see if I would have held up..but like that other country music group out of Stockton that messaged me here on BandMix wanting me to come audition, I had to turn down too since I have a rule about driving distances for rehearsals

I got enough material(s) to populate my end of the acid rock thing.
I like to play that and it suits me well. EP/CD whatever, I can provide plenty of materials along that line, but I am only a 1 trick pony, maybe 2 tricks. It's really dependent on who I am playing with at that moment.
(With Lester, we got Pink Floyd. With my other buddys, we do vampire music like Type O Negative. With the set in Q-town, we do that fake radio show thing with some very faint covers that sound oddly different, but hopefully good to the ear. Every single situation is different and I like to finish the puzzle, not make it more complicated by being difficult and not completion oriented.) (Sometimes you are the gear and sometimes you are the oil, both parts are important and everything teaches you something new. I just am not multi-genre right off the bat unless it's something caused by the individual(s) involved with whatever project is at hand.)

I know some people that I see at my local open mic and they immediately want to support what I am doing. So I do that at that moment in time..
Otherwise, I support others' music that I like.
Everyone gets a turn at the helm, the question is "can you steer the ship"? I can. Show me what you can do.

I do what I do on guitar and realizing my own limitations, that's why I play bass for others at times. (It's the best way for me to play with others that are like minded but not on my wavelength.)

And other than tell someone that has their own talent(s) that I don't like what they do, I can pick up that bass and play with anyone at that point.

With a guitar and what I focus on, it's not really as flexible as all that.
It's pretty much a 1 guitar setup, so when others want to play along it doesn't work very well. So I avoid 2nd guitarists like the plague.

Rather play bass and have a GREAT product, than to play guitar and have someone do a lackluster job at playing cohesively on my materials. (hackles up!)

Besides, I am just starting to get back into the vampire stuff and digging it. That Type O Negative stuff is very addicting. We mixed in some Deftones and it was madness. I like madness and chaos !!!! (just don't bite me)