To what extent do you compromise...

[chris_b]

[quote name='JPS' timestamp='1333553055' post='1603462']
....it's hard to keep match-fit playing in your bedroom and networking skills (not something I'm good at as I never go to jam nights etc) can open lots of doors....
[/quote]

I'd be happily bored stiff for money.

I'm currently in a pretty good cover band which I got to by previously playing in 2 pretty bad cover bands. I've also done several recording sessions from contacts met through the same band and a whole new world of depping has opened up for me.

I'd have none of this stuff if I had scruples.

[jezzaboy]

For me, I can compromise on the type of music I will play (Shangalang anyone?) but I cannot play with people I don`t like/have some sort of bond with. I am jammin with 3 guys just now and the guitarist is a great player and all round good guy but the other 2, I`m not sure about.

I would rather play cheesy covers than sit around the house bemoaning the fact I ain`t playing. But that just me, a gig tart.

Jez

[martin8708]

I play in a Pub / Rock band with muso's that I would count as friends . There are some songs that I really have to grin and bear it , but on the whole the songs are pretty good , there is after all three other members in the band with different styles / tastes .
The need to play bass live far outweights the occasional song that I don't like , and as I am not the lead singer / frontman , I cannot dictate the entire set list , but I do try to make as many suggestions about song choice as possible , most are ignored , but some wheedle their way into the set .
As far as gigs go , we take them when we can get them , some are dire , some are great , just think as the empty pubs as paid rehearsal and the packed out gigs as a bonus.

[RhysP]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1333542917' post='1603213']
TBH I always think that people who say they can't find the right band for them aren't trying hard enough. Unless your only favoured music is some incredibly niche genre or you live in the back of beyond, I can't see why you can't find the right like-minded musicians to play with.
[/quote]

I've tried for the last few years to find a band playing the sort of stuff I want to play, but around here all the interesting bands are 20+ years younger than me. I've been told many times when enquiring about joining bands "Sorry, you're too old" (once I actually had somebody laugh when I told them my age). It's really disheartening, to the extent that I've just given up looking.

The only bands that seem to be looking for people of my age are all bloody blues bands & covers/function stuff, and I'd rather eat a skip full of dog poo than do that.

[BigRedX]

I must be lucky then. The other members of the Terrortones are all at least 20 years younger than I am. I might not be able to party quite as hard as they can (although even when I was their age I was already quite a lightweight) but I have an extra 20 years of musical ideas to draw upon when it comes to song writing.

[spencer.b]

I've found the best way of networking is getting out there gigging even if it's not with your dream band. I play for a living so TBH I end up doing some pretty dodgy gigs for the money but the longer I do it the more great gigs with musicians I really respect seem to come in.

[Doctor J]

Covers and tributes have never interested me in the slightest. I did play in a mate's blues/rock cover band for a while, on and off whenever he was looking for a new bassist or drummer, just filling in until he got a proper replacement but it was purely because he's a mate and needed a hand. I found the whole process of half-arsedly learning what they thought the crowd would like to hear to be soul destroying. Unless my heart is in it, there's no point in me being there. I want to play what I [i]want[/i] to play, not just playing some tunes I have no passion for. I can't see myself just sucking it up for cash and doing the wedding and function scene, I think I'd rather not play at all. It always depresses me to see lads on a stage playing covers and just going through the motions, where you can tell they're on autopilot and another little piece of them is dying inside as the grind through Mustang Sally for the thousandth time. The joy I get out of it all is the creative process, writing music, coming up with something new. Since the last band ended I've just been writing and recording myself and loving it, honestly. That looks like the way it's going to stay for the time being, at least. My brain's default setting is to find a band and gig but it's not going to happen unless I uncover something which stimulates me.

[JPS]

Reading some of these repiles has got me wondering whether I'm genuinely that passionate about getting back in a gigging band. Perhaps I'm kidding myself and almost putting obstacles in my way to avoid facing the fact that I can't really be arsed with it all right now. If the ideal opportunity came along I'd probably be fired up but in my heart of hearts I know it's very unlikely to happen - especially in the current climate and living in a small, seaside town.

Oh well, there's worse things to do than simply play the bass at home when you feel like it and be able to learn/play exactly what you want I suppose. Still beats vegging in front of mindless Saturday night TV.

[Wolverinebass]

I never compromise. If the band or the people aren't right, then I know that over a period of time it'll gradually wear me down and since my heart won't really be in it, I won't play as well as I can. I'm never, ever going to do covers as it's just not interesting to me. For me the fun is writing something new and then seeing what folk think of it at a gig. If I was being paid to play (and I have been on occasion) I'm more than happy to be bored for cold, hard cash.

However, as my primary focus is and always will be originals, I'm really only bothering about the situation. Which is to say, are the people okay? Do I like the material? How much freedom am I going to get to do something interesting? If the answer to any of those questions elicit a chin stroking motion and me thinking "hmmm," I'm out of there.

As much as I love gigging, I'd never take a soul crushing gig just so I could play unless I really needed the money and the opportunity was there. I'd rather write stuff at home.

[flyfisher]

It's interesting to read comments about how boring it is to churn out Mustang Sally for the umpteenth time. Easy to understand, of course, but I wonder if this is the sort of thing that differentiates the true pro muso from the amateurs. I don't mean this as a criticism but I've often wondered how the top bands can psyche themselves up to play pretty much the same set for months on end when touring. Why isn't Keef, for example, completely sick of playing all those 'corny' Stones songs by now? Perhaps that's why there are so many drugs in the music scene - to compensate for the basic monotony of the 'job' ?

[JTUK]

It can be a question of how you play it...same song, same dull old feel or not one at all = complete boredom.
So, sure why would you want to hear all that..?

Same with the AC/DC and Lizzy type gtr bands rocking out....when there ain't no rock anywhere near it

It should be more than just the same notes

[BigRedX]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1333613499' post='1604113']
It's interesting to read comments about how boring it is to churn out Mustang Sally for the umpteenth time. Easy to understand, of course, but I wonder if this is the sort of thing that differentiates the true pro muso from the amateurs. I don't mean this as a criticism but I've often wondered how the top bands can psyche themselves up to play pretty much the same set for months on end when touring. Why isn't Keef, for example, completely sick of playing all those 'corny' Stones songs by now? Perhaps that's why there are so many drugs in the music scene - to compensate for the basic monotony of the 'job' ?
[/quote]

I think the motivations are entirely different if its a song that you've had a hand in writing. I haven't ever been in the position to have had to play the same songs at gigs every night for an extended period of time, but I have played several times in bands that rehearsed and/or gigged 3+ times a week over a period of several years and for me the songs that we were playing never got old. If those bands still existed I'd be happily playing them now.

[stewblack]

It's actually hugely difficult to find a band that ticks all the boxes. You could end up sticking to your guns and never playing a gig again! I always seem to end in a band with at least one member who doesn't pull his/her weight or sours the atmosphere with their attitude. That's something I'm prepared to shrug and accept - to a point. But musically, well, I couldn't imagine playing songs I hate. I love music far too much for that.
The only exception might be if I lost my job and there was a band paying insanely well. Even then I would do it only as a temporary measure.
Playing music you despise would poison your love of playing.

[chris_b]

Of course it's easy to play the same set month in and month out. It's a live gig and the interest is in playing to and connecting with an audience. As every audience is different so playing the set to a different audience makes the gig equally different.

How do you think actors can say the same lines for months in a play or play the same character in a soap or TV series?

[ThomBassmonkey]

If it's a hobby and that's all it's ever gonna be, then just play in bands you like.

If you're getting payed, play what they want, it's a job.

If you want to do originals professionally, try and find musicians you think you'll work well with then see what happens in the practice room. Try and play a genre you enjoy then be willing to completely compromise how you play it to make sure the band works musically instead of you widdling over the top of good music.

[Doddy]

[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1333613499' post='1604113']
It's interesting to read comments about how boring it is to churn out Mustang Sally for the umpteenth time. Easy to understand, of course, but I wonder if this is the sort of thing that differentiates the true pro muso from the amateurs.
[/quote]
I'd rather smile and play Mustang Sally every night to a busy dance floor than over rehearse with an unoriginal,
original band. I love playing in a good original project,but I find good ones that I like to be few and far between,
so a good covers/function band will win every time. For me,boredom sets in if there is a lot of rehearsing involved-
whether it's covers or originals...even more so if I have to pay for the rehearsal.

[discreet]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1333629598' post='1604525']
I'd rather smile and play Mustang Sally every night to a busy dance floor than over rehearse with an unoriginal, original band.
[/quote]

God, yes. And in any case, covers are entirely what you make of them. You don't [i]have [/i]to play the 'Commitments' version, people! Wilson Pickett was a well-regarded and highly-respected artist for very good reasons!

[Bilbo]

A lot of this is why I prefer to play KJazz because, if you do it properly, the predictability element is minimised and every gig is different. I can do rehearsed sets but I do bore easily and it comes out in my face and pisses people off.

[icastle]

[quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1333629598' post='1604525']
I'd rather smile and play Mustang Sally every night to a busy dance floor than over rehearse with an unoriginal,
original band. [/quote]

+1
I played Mustang Sally, Sex On Fire, Johnny B Good, Brown Eyed Girl and a load of other standards last night.

The dance floor was packed all night, we ended up doing two encores, walked away with a very nice fee and are currently in discussion with three of the audience in relation to playing at their weddings as well.

[kaygee]

To the OP, I'd suggest if you cannot find a band advertising for a bassist playing the sort of music you want to play then start one yourself via networking and advertising. I have just started a soul / Motown band and although it was hard work to find all the members (particularly a keyboard player) when it all comes together it's worth it. And we have Mustang Sally in the set

[icastle]

[quote name='kaygee' timestamp='1333925182' post='1608433']
And we have Mustang Sally in the set
[/quote]

She certainly does some mileage at the weekends...

[Lozz196]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1333911529' post='1608172']
+1
I played Mustang Sally, Sex On Fire, Johnny B Good, Brown Eyed Girl and a load of other standards last night.

The dance floor was packed all night, we ended up doing two encores, walked away with a very nice fee and are currently in discussion with three of the audience in relation to playing at their weddings as well.
[/quote]

Sounds good to me - playing decent songs to an appreciative audience, getting paid, and getting more work from it as well. That`s not compromising at all, just an all round good result.

[mrtcat]

My enjoyment in playing comes entirely from playing live in front of audiences that are really enjoying the band. If that means playing covers of songs that I wouldn't choose to listen to at home or when out then so be it. Any time spent practicing at home or recording demos in the studio is purely out of necessity to get us out there playing live. The fact that this approach results in lots of gigs is no accident. The fact that it also results in some decent money is a bonus.

I am however far more picky about who I play with. Our current drummer is on borrowed time for sure.