jackers Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Preface: This is mainly a rant to vent my frustration, but it is something I'm starting to consider. I have been in Oxford for 18 months doing my PhD (mostly), and in that time I have only met two people who I would consider doing any proper band stuff with (one of whom is my girlfriend). I have even tried looking for bands/musicians out towards Reading and Slough, with no luck. The music scene in Oxford is completely dead unless you are a thrash metal band or are considered 'alternative' (read that as teenage indie), which is fine if you like that, but I don't. I do get some emails from people who seem interested, but they either lose interest or flake out when I try to sort anything out that doesn't involve getting smashed in a pub... I am getting increasingly despondent about it and starting to wonder whether I should just give up on it for the moment. I don't even think I'm being that picky about genres...the only things I don't want to play are metal (been there done that), indie (hate it) and punk (not a fan). TL;DR version - People suck rant over, thanks for listening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Look round some open-mic nights. That should give an indication of people who want to play, and, importantly, people who material that you like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gareth Hughes Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Time to start working on your own. Garageband is your friend. And I say this as advice for myself too. Time will come when something will be worth doing. Right now it isn't. Swings and roundabouts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1358115396' post='1933496'] Look round some open-mic nights. That should give an indication of people who want to play, and, importantly, people who material that you like. [/quote] Good idea I shall have to find some open mic nights that are friendly (the 2 or 3 I've found so far have been these pretentious 'by invitation only' things....) [quote name='Gareth Hughes' timestamp='1358115481' post='1933500'] Time to start working on your own. Garageband is your friend. And I say this as advice for myself too. Time will come when something will be worth doing. Right now it isn't. Swings and roundabouts. [/quote] I do this already I picked up an electro-acoustic about a year ago and pick it up all the time to write songs, I love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 Jackers, try the [url="http://www.15minuteclub.co.uk/"]15 Minute Club[/url] in Faringdon, about 30 mins drive from Oxford. Good place to try stuff out in front of an audience, then generally get in people's faces with a view to... well, proper band stuff, as you put it. I'm hoping to go to the next one (3rd Feb), so if you see a Shrek lookalike holding a Godin Acousticaster, come up and say hello. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 also - as an aside, is it worth having a gigging rig if I'm not gigging? I'm really tempted to buy Prime_Bass's pair of SVT210AVs, cos I haven't seen them come up very often, but the sensible part of my brain keeps asking whether it is a good idea considering I'm not going to use them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 13, 2013 Share Posted January 13, 2013 (edited) [url="http://www.starnow.co.uk/"]http://www.starnow.co.uk/[/url] Edit: Oops sorry, ballsed-up that link completely! Edited January 13, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1358115963' post='1933512'] Jackers, try the [url="http://www.15minuteclub.co.uk/"]15 Minute Club[/url] in Faringdon, about 30 mins drive from Oxford. Good place to try stuff out in front of an audience, then generally get in people's faces with a view to... well, proper band stuff, as you put it. I'm hoping to go to the next one (3rd Feb), so if you see a Shrek lookalike holding a Godin Acousticaster, come up and say hello. [/quote] I've seen that, my mum lives in Faringdon I'll try and make the 3rd if I'm free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted January 13, 2013 Author Share Posted January 13, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358116127' post='1933514'] [url="http://www.starnow.co.uk/Casting-Calls/Search-Oxford/"]http://www.starnow.c.../Search-Oxford/[/url] [/quote] thanks Mark will give that a browse now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thisnameistaken Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Same story around here. And all the open mics are all singer-songwriter acoustic guitarists. There's the odd jazz jam night but those guys a bit beyond me tbh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 (edited) I can't help feeling we need to kick-start this process. I suggest we take some acid then randomly walk the streets at night with our basses strapped on, grinning insanely and greeting everyone we meet with an intense stare and the phrase, 'Hello! I'm open to new and interesting situations,' shouted in a terrifying falsetto. What could possibly go wrong? Edited January 14, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackers Posted January 14, 2013 Author Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358164018' post='1933935'] What could possibly go wrong? [/quote] Could end up hurling a puppy? back on topic, thanks for the suggestions guys. It can get pretty demoralising sometimes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stag Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 Another +1 to Garageband here. Wasnt doing anything, then I wrote a load of stuff on that, put an ad on an online local muso's forum and met up with like minded chaps for a beer, now we have a band on the go. Its taken a while, but I think having Garageband handy as alomst a "riff idead-Pad" really kept my interest in playing going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted January 14, 2013 Share Posted January 14, 2013 [quote name='jackers' timestamp='1358116079' post='1933513'] also - as an aside, is it worth having a gigging rig if I'm not gigging? I'm really tempted to buy Prime_Bass's pair of SVT210AVs, cos I haven't seen them come up very often, but the sensible part of my brain keeps asking whether it is a good idea considering I'm not going to use them. [/quote] Well, they`re great cabs, and as you say, don`t come up very often. So if you have the spare cash for them, I`d definitely get them now if you know they are the cabs you want. Plus side as well, you should easily be able to move them on if you decide to not gig. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.