General Music Chat

I was supposed to meet this band and try out for them last Wednesday. You can never have too many bands, eh?

So anyway...I've never met these guys before, and I've never been around the area they lived in.

Now...this was the part that kinda scared me...

They wanted me to meet them at a mini-storage place in Burlington, where they said they practice. It would take me about an hour to get there.

Now I felt strange about bringing my $300 PA System in my van out to this place I've never been, to see these people I've never met, at a storage place with no witnesses. How do I know that when I get there, they're not gonna steal my PA and my van and leave me stranded and hour from home?

Now this band seemed like a good opportunity, because they said they had their entire setlist written...they just needed lyrics and vocals.

Now, was I being too paranoid, or do you think I made a smart decision in not going?

ALWAYS follow your intuition.
This is the path of the warrior.

Keep listening to that little voice in the back of your head. Of course I also have a black belt in 45ACP, and my trusty Kimber goes everywhere I go!

I guess it's not unusual for some bands to use a storage unit for practice, it's been done before...not too likely here in Az tho!

I'll pass.

First of all you said you're already in a few bands already. What happens when both bands book a gig at the same time. Which band are you going to piss off by telling them you can't do their gig. I don't like having band members who are in more than one band. If I go to the trouble of learning the material and then finding gigs I fully expect each band member to make the gig. Now you want to get into a third band? Don't you like the two bands you're in already? If they are not going anywhere in your opinion then yes keep looking. This particular opportunity you passed on did sound a little fishy. I would have gone with the biggest, baddest friend you know and tell them when you arrive that he's your attorney...

I was supposed to meet this band and try out for them last Wednesday. You can never have too many bands, eh?

So anyway...I've never met these guys before, and I've never been around the area they lived in.

Now...this was the part that kinda scared me...

They wanted me to meet them at a mini-storage place in Burlington, where they said they practice. It would take me about an hour to get there.

Now I felt strange about bringing my $300 PA System in my van out to this place I've never been, to see these people I've never met, at a storage place with no witnesses. How do I know that when I get there, they're not gonna steal my PA and my van and leave me stranded and hour from home?

Now this band seemed like a good opportunity, because they said they had their entire setlist written...they just needed lyrics and vocals.

Now, was I being too paranoid, or do you think I made a smart decision in not going?

You normally cant practice in a storage unit. They will kick you out.
Just like you normally cant live in one.
Ive heard of a band doing it temporarily, but it was risky middle of the night type buiziness.

I think you made the right call.

I don't know why a band with a "competed set list" seemed like a good opportunity? That's a pretty basic requirement for a working band isn't it?

Surely there was more to it than that?

And people use storage faclities for lots of things. Bands DO practice in them, and people operate businesses out of them. These are ALL against the rules, but managers charged with keeping the occupancy rate high, will turn a blind eye to all of it, if you are not damaging anything.

But the fact that they made YOU bring your PA?

And they are an hour away?

And you are already in two other bands?

You made the right call.

But I thought you were a rocker?

Staying in two half-assed relationships with others that you are apparently not really happy with, and all the while, playing the field until you find a better opportunity?

You sound like a woman.

You sound like a woman.

Hey!!!

Now Mary,

You KNOW that in general I am right. LOL

Women are like chimpanzes, they don't let go of the branch they are holding onto, until they have grabbed hold of the next branch.

LMAO!

I know you've never done that yourself though!

Women are like chimpanzes
LOL

At your age...I would focus on 2 bands at the most, don't strecth yourself or get stuck in the endless coverband deal, there's plenty of time for that when you are 40

And...before you meet with anyone on the internet or paper, make sure they have at least some phone numbers, real addresses, myspace or webpages...something to give people you know in case they need to get a hold of these band members if you get in an accident on the way there so they can check on you if you are overdue on a phone call when you reach your destination.

Done the hour away thing when I was doing 5 bands at one time...it's not an easy or cheap thing to do, hope you don't have a girlfriend or wife....believe me...it doesn't work well.


Lots of professional musicians are in mulitple bands, that's just the biz for the established bands, The Bass player for UFO also plays for Dokken, Nudgent, The BZ and his own project.

The Drummer for Springsteen played drums at jazz clubs, did studio work and did the Conan O'brien show

If you are a professional touring startup band that's doing it full time, I could see needing full time attention to one project....but I would hope it would be playing on a regular basis, I sometimes have to go through a few bands before I can find a workable group that will ever actually gig on a regular basis, so I have been known to be in more than 5 bands for awhile until I found the groups that worked the best and were as motivated as I was.

I keep in one really good local cover band that's been together for years to just keep my keyboard chops up when I'm not playing Bass with my orginal bands, all the members have 9-5 jobs and are also in other bands, they don't usuallly do more than 2 gigs a month and many of the members have replacements that are in the same deal. I like playing all sorts of different genre's of music and usually can't get that from one band so it's nice to sit in and play with other bands.


If you can get the work done, learn the songs and work it out so your gigs don't bother the gigs of the bands, all is good. Just don't over extend yourself.
I would play 24/7 if I could stay awake, unfortunatly poeple don't appreciate the Sweet Tone of Warm Tube Wattage at 4 am on a weekday

First of all you said you're already in a few bands already. What happens when both bands book a gig at the same time. Which band are you going to piss off by telling them you can't do their gig. I don't like having band members who are in more than one band. If I go to the trouble of learning the material and then finding gigs I fully expect each band member to make the gig. Now you want to get into a third band? Don't you like the two bands you're in already? If they are not going anywhere in your opinion then yes keep looking. This particular opportunity you passed on did sound a little fishy. I would have gone with the biggest, baddest friend you know and tell them when you arrive that he's your attorney...


several good points here.
1st.. I have been in the simular situation. in a band,work My ass off,only to find out te other members were doing "tajano" in 2 other bands. I lined up some serious money making gigs and no one could/would show for practice. so I believe if You are serious about Your Music should place all Your focus and energy in the band You feel is the best, no as for "jamnning" with other bands that is a horse of a different color.
as for Your decision ...damn staright was a good one, I would have done like Bob and at least had someone else go with Me if nothing else say they were there to help with the equiptment all the while My "lil-Buddy-breta" and His 9 lil friends would have been standing" at My side

all in all I would have passed on that deal as well or perhaps at least asked if there could be a halfway point to meet up seeing how I was bringing the majority of the gear.

just a thought.

First of all you said you're already in a few bands already. What happens when both bands book a gig at the same time. Which band are you going to piss off by telling them you can't do their gig. I don't like having band members who are in more than one band. If I go to the trouble of learning the material and then finding gigs I fully expect each band member to make the gig. Now you want to get into a third band? Don't you like the two bands you're in already? If they are not going anywhere in your opinion then yes keep looking. This particular opportunity you passed on did sound a little fishy. I would have gone with the biggest, baddest friend you know and tell them when you arrive that he's your attorney...


several good points here.
1st.. I have been in the simular situation. in a band,work My ass off,only to find out te other members were doing "tajano" in 2 other bands. I lined up some serious money making gigs and no one could/would show for practice. so I believe if You are serious about Your Music should place all Your focus and energy in the band You feel is the best, no as for "jamnning" with other bands that is a horse of a different color.
as for Your decision ...damn staright was a good one, I would have done like Bob and at least had someone else go with Me if nothing else say they were there to help with the equiptment all the while My "lil-Buddy-breta" and His 9 lil friends would have been standing" at My side

all in all I would have passed on that deal as well or perhaps at least asked if there could be a halfway point to meet up seeing how I was bringing the majority of the gear.

just a thought.

"Women are like chimpanzees!"

Craig, you smooth-talkin' lady charmer, you! LMAO!

Ryan, I figger you prolly did okay, except for setting up the meet in the storage locker in the 1st place. You prolly had 3 or 4 guys waiting to meet you there while you 2nd-guessed it all.

You haven't lost anything. You still have your PA & your 2 bands.

You haven't gained anything, either, but you don't really need anything.

"Women are like chimpanzees!"

Craig, you smooth-talkin' lady charmer, you! LMAO!

LOL

Yeah, but I'm just a friggin' branch!

Use the force Luke! er Ryan.