Last Night's Gig, continued...

[bitflipper]

Yeh, the 800-mile commute might be an issue, though.

[SteveStrummerUK]

2 minutes ago, bitflipper said:

Yeh, the 800-mile commute might be an issue, though.

Ed really likes to be the bassist though Bit ?

[craigb]

I hear Geddy Lee hasn't been playing with his old band...

[Byron Dickens]

26 minutes ago, bitflipper said:

I actually did that for five years, because back then it was my full-time job and the money split better between three people than four.

Over time, playing bass with my left hand became second-nature. But at best it was a kludge that audiences could overlook. I couldn't possibly imbue the performance with any real expression and still do justice to piano/string/organ/synth parts - which often require two hands by themselves.

We have an entirely different outlook nowadays. When the singer asked me how I felt about adding a horn player, I said we're never gonna make any money at this anyway, so let's just make the best band we can. The sax turned out to be a wonderful addition. I actually wouldn't mind adding a percussionist or second guitar, but we have trouble squeezing the six of us onto some smaller stages as it is.

I hear ya. A bass does things no keyboard can. At least you could get by while you look for someone.

"...piano/string/organ/synth parts - which often require two hands by themselves...."

That sounds like some damn finel arranging skill. I have yet to figure out how to cram two-handed keyboard parts into two guitars, bass, drums and vocals without simply doubling the bass or it turning into a mess.

[bitflipper]

It's rock 'n roll. It's supposed to be a little messy.

[Byron Dickens]

I got plenty enough messy already between arthritis and mangling several instruments...?

Edited October 31, 2021 by bdickens

[Xoo]

19 hours ago, bitflipper said:

Well, the decision was made for me last night. A band member accidentally sent a text out that wasn't meant to include the bass player, in which he said we needed to play gigs sober. He didn't mention the bassist by name, but he figured it out and fired back an "I QUIT" text.

So we won't be playing out in November, or learning new material. Instead we'll be auditioning bass players. I've contacted two people who'd run ads on Craigslist, which is a crap shoot at best. Wish me luck.

Good luck - I *hate* recruiting new band members at the best of times (especially drummers!).

[PhonoBrainer]

Fire the drummer. Put out a large living room rug. Light candles. Wear a cardigan.

[Xoo]

21 minutes ago, PhonoBrainer said:

Fire the drummer. Put out a large living room rug. Light candles. Wear a cardigan.

Good call.  Although lock up the gun cabinet first.

[Shane_B.]

On 10/30/2021 at 7:04 PM, Shane_B. said:

Do you record your gigs? We used to record every one and critique them at the next practice.

It would put the reality of it right in his face. If he laughs it off and doesn't care what it sounds like then he needs to go.

I should clarify that we didn't actually sit there and listen to all 4 sets. It was the drummers band. He was a police officer in our town and had a lot of windshield time patrolling. He would listen to them during the week when he could and then go over the problem area's at practice.

It did get to the point where a couple of the guys heard how bad they were and we lost a couple of bass players. But we didn't care by that point. I was doing a lot of backing tracks on my Tascam 8 Track and had all the parts covered in case someone didn't show up. I transferred them all to DAT and we used that live. 

Finding reliable people is the hardest part. Sometimes you have to look pass the flaws in favor of reliability. 99% of the people aren't going to hear what you and I hear. I'm living proof of that. We were really popular and we were not a good band. But we had fun and so did the crowd and we tried. I've been trying to find people to form a band since I moved out to the midwest 23 years ago. It only happened once up in IA and we broke up before we played our first gig. Haven't found 1 person here in MO. It's really hard to get something together these days. I took my band days serious as a heart attack and it's really hard to find people with that drive and motivation these days.

[Notes_Norton]

7 minutes ago, Shane_B. said:

Finding reliable people is the hardest part. Sometimes you have to look pass the flaws in favor of reliability.

I've been gigging for a living ever since I got out of school.

Gigging is great, except for:

1. A**-hole Club Managers
2. A**-hole Agents
3. A**-hole other musicians

There have probably been a number of times when I've been in group #3

But when playing live in front of an appreciative audience, it's all worth it.

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

[Xoo]

8 minutes ago, Notes_Norton said:

Gigging is great, except for:

1. A**-hole Club Managers
2. A**-hole Agents
3. A**-hole other musicians

4. A**-hole punters (like the one who tried to walk off with my guitar while we were packing up)?

[Shane_B.]

31 minutes ago, Kevin Perry said:

4. A**-hole punters (like the one who tried to walk off with my guitar while we were packing up)?

Our drummer had his car stolen one night at a gig. He had a set of spare drum heads and extra cymbal's in the trunk but not much else. It was in a rough area in a town called Easton PA. I don't want to say the name of the place because it's still there. It's a private club in a bad section of town. Not that there's a good part of Easton.

3 weeks later I was driving around with a friend and we stopped at a Dunkin' Donut's to get coffee and there was his car just sitting in the parking lot like 2 blocks away from the club where it was stolen. They left the windows down and it had gotten rained on so we knew it had been there a while and I didn't happen to just run in to them while they were inside the DD. Oddly the police were really pissed that I found it. The dude had a really bad attitude. When I mentioned it was a fellow officers car from another town he changed his tune a little but he was still an a-hole about it.

Side note: The barn where my wife has boarded her horse for the last 10 years sold the farm and stole all her tack gear. She never told us she was selling the place and sold it to a large family that has never owned horses or animals and they can't speak English. She left 10 goats, 30 chickens, and 2 horses of hers plus ours. People just suck in general. The new owners are extremely nice, but know less than zero about running a farm or taking care of a 30 year old horse.

I just saw Bit has his problem solved. I hope it works out. I knew a group where the steel guitar player did the bass parts on his steel guitar. They were one of the best bands I've ever heard. I'm a sucker for steel guitar though. 

[Xoo]

I had a case like that too.  Many years ago, when I lived in an allegedly nice town (UK), I had my garage burgled and my amp and guitar rack stolen.  I reported it to the police, got the insurance to cover it - pretty good actually.

Then a few months later, I was playing a gig and the support band (bunch of teenagers) showed up, and their guitarist had...my stolen gear.  I checked it out (there was a memory fault on the rack unit, so one memory slot glitched, and I checked it did on his too).  He soon had a visit from the local police - he was not involved in the theft, but did have an idea the goods may have been somewhat likewarm, shall we say, and I think it put the willies up him.

[57Gregy]

22 hours ago, SteveStrummerUK said:

Give Ed a ring.

I hear he's got an Alembic ?

What's an Alembic?

[craigb]

Just now, 57Gregy said:

What's an Alembic?

A bass apparently made from Unicornian.  ?

[Byron Dickens]

23 hours ago, bitflipper said:

Well, the decision was made for me last night. A band member accidentally sent a text out that wasn't meant to include the bass player, in which he said we needed to play gigs sober. He didn't mention the bassist by name, but he figured it out and fired back an "I QUIT" text.

And you said you didn't believe in God....?

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by bdickens

[Old Joad]

Should have gave em the line, you're so good when you play that booze just brings you down?

[bitflipper]

  

5 hours ago, bdickens said:

And you said you didn't believe in God....?

Well, I may have my doubts about God but I do believe in the power of COVID-19. Not many bands have survived it, resulting in a surplus of players now looking for something to do. We posted an ad on Craigslist last night and already have four people lined up for auditions on Sunday.

I am encouraged.

[Tim Smith]

I was approached not long ago to join a band . I looked at the practical side of it for me: At least once or twice a week to a practice 40 miles away AFTER my day job. I'm running on fumes already after being up over 12 hours straight. That fun factor would really need to pull me in. In my case I said no and haven't ever regretted it.

I gotta hand it to anyone over 60 who is out there doing it with gusto and having fun. You are probably in a good area for Craigs list to find musicians. In my area  you might get lucky..........or you might get a nut job. The ratio of nut jobs to legit players on Craigslist is probably a high nod to the first one and a shrug on the next. Of course there are good player nut jobs too. I will say I've met some of the weirdest people alive in bands.