Dilemma

[lukeward2004]

Hi Guys & Gals,

Heres the situation: Im in a good job, which pays well and is about to offer me a promotion into the Field engineering team, meaning I will be working remotely on the road, visiting customer's on a daily basis. Im also in two bands, with commitments to gig and rehearse regularly with them.

The promotion will mean more money, a company car and several other perks - some days ill be finished and home at 3pm, others I may be late and have to cancel a gig etc. I will usually have 1 weeks notice of a job, however if the sh*t hits the fan and I have to go to a job at the last minute, I may well have to go.

My Team leader for my current role is also the Keyboard player and musical director of my new funk band, which Im having loads of fun with. He knows ive been offered this new role as a field engineer and is concerned I wont be available for gigs and rehearsals in the same manor as I am now. He tells me that Im the best bassist he has played with for years and that he values my musical input for the band, however I get a feeling he may kick me out of the band if I take this new role.

Ideally I would like to play it by ear and see how it works out, but Im unsure.

I was in a field based role before I joined Mettoni at xmas, and i managed to juggle between my bands and my work fine back then. I really want to take this new role as it will be a fantastic job, good money and great perks, but I really dont want to have to give up my music or the funk band im enjoying playing for so much.

Have any other basschatter's had a similar dilemma? How do you all juggle between work and band life?

[NJW]

It sounds like you really would like to do the job, and you can definitely still keep on playing bass. If the only reason you want to turn it down is fun, then think carefully, because there is no guarantee that you WONT be able to do both.

I quit my last 'office' job to go on tour, and it was the best choice i've ever made... but i'm not sure about quitting a job which I enjoy (I know your not quitting, just turning down a different role). You can always fit a band round a career, if not this one, then another one, but you can't fit a career round a band quite so easily.

[Muppet]

Unless you're going to be making good money or have serious prospects with your band then I'd concentrate on your career - especially when good opportunites come up at your [relatively] young age.

[quote]You can always fit a band round a career, if not this one, then another one, but you can't fit a career round a band quite so easily.[/quote]

Excellent advice.

[obbm]

[quote name='Muppet' post='17243' date='Jun 13 2007, 10:25 PM']Unless you're going to be making good money or have serious prospects with your band then I'd concentrate on your career - especially when good opportunites come up at your [relatively] young age.
Excellent advice.[/quote]

+1

[slaphappygarry]

If your serious about the band you will [i]make[/i] time for it as well as the job.

G

[ngombe]

[quote name='slaphappygarry' post='17282' date='Jun 13 2007, 11:32 PM']If your serious about the band you will [i]make[/i] time for it as well as the job.

G[/quote]


+ 1

I'm a single parent with a full time job and a 1.5 hour commute and I find time for music on the side. Sometimes the less time you have the more energy you put into it and the more you enjoy it when it happens. I play more now than when I had all day to myself 20 years ago.

The keyboardist sounds like he rates you so I'm sure he'll try and be flexible - he's working too. Rehearsals can be moved. The gigging side is a toughy though - I rarely gig and I can manoever my on-call shifts around them so I don't get faced with that problem.

I'd be very wary of choosing a band over work as I know there's always people around to jam with and there's always bands looking for new members if the worst comes to the worst. Not only that but you could turn down the job and find the band breaks down for other reasons.

[lukeward2004]

YOu are all absolutely right- my career pays the bills, and its just too good an opportunity to turn down. I was mainly concerned that I might end up becoming unhappy from not having the time to play music, but I guess that is something that occurs to all of us and may well be inevitible at different times of my life.

I feel confident that I will make the time for a band - I always have and at present, I have a good reputation for being reliable. Im actually good friends with my keyboard player, and haing spoken to him further, I think he was just concerned that I might be unhappy if I take the promotion and end up with no time to play.

Ive had a chat with the other engineers out there and they say that they dont often end up being stuck and having to cancel thier evening plans - it does happen, but apparently not very often, so im feeling more confident about this promotion.

[Veils]

The most sensible thing to do for all concerned is just to carry on as you are now. I think it would be foolish to turn down the job offer, after all your job pays your bills. If it turns out that things don't work with the band then at least you tried, but things may work absolutely fine! Ask them for some understanding and if they value you, they will try and cooperate with you!

[Rayman]

I was lucky Luke, I was made redundant and became a house husband looking after the kids while my wife worked. Which allowed me to gig six times a month with no problems with my previous band, but there's no way I could've managed that with a full time job and two young kids to look after.

Work must come first (after family), unless you're lucky enough to earn enough proffesionally as a musician, so I'd go for the job prospects, and keep your music as your escape from work.

Edited June 14, 2007 by Rayman

[NJW]

so now that it seems you have made a decision... i'd like to say - congratulations on the promotion!

[The Funk]

[quote name='ngombe' post='17286' date='Jun 13 2007, 11:53 PM']Sometimes the less time you have the more energy you put into it and the more you enjoy it when it happens.[/quote]

Spot on.

I'd say take the promotion but do have a proper chat with the keyboard player to make sure you don't get chucked because of it. If you're the best bass player he's played with, then he can afford to be a bit more flexible.

My band consists of a lawyer, a civil servant, a teacher, a graphic designer and a schoolboy. It's difficult to organise things around the band's other commitments but it hasn't stopped us progressing fairly quickly on the London launchpad circuit.

[NJW]

my band consists of a primary school teacher, master joiner, myself and someone who lives in New York. It's not the easiest!

[lukeward2004]

Where there's a will, there's a way - as the saying goes.

Im waiting to hear back "officially" about the promotion, but my boss assures me that it is pretty much mine. Nobody else can do the job I do without considerable training, so im always in with a shout!

As for the band, our singer is a trained theatre singer and actor, also does voiceovers for many things, our drummer is a network designer and plays for just about any band that asks for his services (at present, about 5 or six bands), one guitarist is a full time tutor, the other is in 3 bands as a session player, and then there's me, with my job and commitments with the Natalie Long band. We all seem to get by, so I guess im worrying for nothing.

Thanks for the support guys - as ever, the membership excels once again.

[Hamster]

[quote name='lukeward2004' post='17623' date='Jun 14 2007, 03:05 PM']Where there's a will, there's a way - as the saying goes.

Im waiting to hear back "officially" about the promotion, but my boss assures me that it is pretty much mine. Nobody else can do the job I do without considerable training, so im always in with a shout!

As for the band, our singer is a trained theatre singer and actor, also does voiceovers for many things, our drummer is a network designer and plays for just about any band that asks for his services (at present, about 5 or six bands), one guitarist is a full time tutor, the other is in 3 bands as a session player, and then there's me, with my job and commitments with the Natalie Long band. We all seem to get by, so I guess im worrying for nothing.

Thanks for the support guys - as ever, the membership excels once again.[/quote]


It's always a good idea to get a 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th etc opinion! Don't bother with a newer/better company car - get a company Volkswagen Transporter LWB and be the band's transport manager - they'll think twice about looking for another bass player

Hamster

[lukeward2004]

Unfortunately the company doesnt allow for vans - however they have a pool of cars consisting of a few VW's, Audi's, BMW's and Mercs - most of the other Engineer's drive BMW's or Audi's, either of which I would be very happy with!!!!

[E_MaN]

There may be more job promotions, but there will definetly be more bands. Sometimes you have to be selfish and put yourself first. I would go for the job and if like you say you jugled the work and gig alright back when I reckon it wont be too different. But shame, rock and hard places eh????

good luck

[JPJ]

[quote name='lukeward2004' post='17644' date='Jun 14 2007, 03:39 PM']Unfortunately the company doesnt allow for vans - however they have a pool of cars consisting of a few VW's, Audi's, BMW's and Mercs - most of the other Engineer's drive BMW's or Audi's, either of which I would be very happy with!!!![/quote]

Sounds nice, but check the tax position before signing on the dotted line, something like a 3 series beemer with petrol for private mileage will probably cost you around £6k a year in tax! Best tax dodge on company cars is to go for one of those double cab four wheel drive pickups as they are very tax efficient and with the cover on the back can carry a lot of gear.

[MB1]

MB1.

Give me your job, and you can play penilessly in your two bands, and not have to let anyone down.
sound good?
stick with the job,hold down,one band,and have whatever amazingly tasty gear your heart yearns for?
sound good?
is your playing a hobby or a job?you seem to have a good job!not of the bass playing variety though!Is this what you want?
does it look like you could ever become famous in either band?
only people in famous bands, can afford not to work, as that is classed as there job,ussually.
i was a uk mobile service engineer for 4 years, and couldnt play in any band, as i deemed myself unreliable,so i know where your coming from.just where is the line between work and play?
catch 22!

MB1.