thunderbird13 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I’m not ranting and TBH I find it more amusing than anything else but I’ve been looking around for another band since my little covers band has a bit of down time. I thought I’d see what Gumtree had to offer .Here are my findings : Aug – folk band, rang guitarist had a brief chat sent him my email so that he could send me over some of his songs , no reply , email sent chasing up , still nothing Aug - folk band, rang guitarist had a brief chat sent him my email so that he could send me over some of his songs, received email learnt a few songs , emailed him to arrange auditon received reply saying that he would organise one for next week and he would let me know, no reply rang him he said that he didn’t think I was suitable ! Sept – rockabilly band rang guitarist had a brief chat sent him my email so that he could send me over some of his songs, nothing , sent chasing email , got a reply saying that the original bass player had come back Oct – Covers band , rang guitarist he talked for 20 mins without me getting a word in , didn’t bother following up Nov – country and western band , rang guitarist had a brief chat sent him my email so that he could send me over some of his songs, got his songs learnt a few and then phoned him back for a meet, he sent me an email with some more songs and said he would get back to me for an audition , didn’t hear anything else from him , sent chasing email , nothing Dec – Rockabilly / surfing band rang guitarist had a brief chat sent him my email so that he could send me over some of his songs, got his songs learnt a few and he texted me saying that he would sort an audtion out next week. No reply, chasing email still no reply Jan –“ Originals” band sent email asking if they still wanted a bass player and what sort of material they played on the day they advertised – no reply I know some of you might say that I should chase these people up more but TBH if I cant trust prospective new band mates to arrange an audition then I really don’t see the point in dealing with them further . It just amazes me that there are so many timewasters out there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big_Stu Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Moral of the story - guitarists shouldn't get the job of forming bands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) [quote name='thunderbird13' timestamp='1358957009' post='1947618'] It just amazes me that there are so many timewasters out there[/quote] Tell me. The problem is this - there are a lot of people out there who like the idea of being in a band, but are absolutely NOT prepared to put in anything like the amount of work and commitment necessary to make it happen. Not even for a part-time, six-gigs-a-year amateur hobby band. There are also people who like to rehearse endlessly, talk a good game and bemoan the fact that there are few decent gigs available (for example) when in fact they have NO intention of EVER gigging and see rehearsal as a social event, a laugh and a piss-up. Which is completely fine if that's what you want, but some people will not hesitate to waste the time of other people who don't want! Edited January 23, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Vader Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Never had this problem, but I can understand why it would grate. My current gig was got by a bit of a punt on a month and a half old advert, which I didn't get a reply to until a month after I sent it. So there is hope, it's a good gig as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I must be really lucky. I've never been mucked about. Each time I've gone for something I've either ended up joining the band, or deciding after a jam or two that it wasn't my thing and declining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) Try not to be downhearted - you can take away a positive lesson from every experience. The next time you answer an ad on gumtree your first question must be 'Are you the guitarist?' If the answer is 'yes', put the phone down. *edit* I've send two emails to a chap advertiding a double bass for sale - not a beep out of him. Perhaps it's just something about people who advertise on Gumtree? Edited January 23, 2013 by TheRev Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbird13 Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='TheRev' timestamp='1358958279' post='1947656'] The next time you answer an ad on gumtree your first question must be 'Are you the guitarist?' If the answer is 'yes', put the phone down. [/quote] Hold on that means I wont get to speak to anyone ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LemonCello Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I understand your frustration. We've been looking for a singer for about 4 months now and in that time we've auditioned a guy who sang really well at first rehearsal - got a txt later saying he couldn't join the band as he had clinical depression. A girl with a really nice voice but not powerful enough. A guy who'd been doing screamo and couldn't sing anything without screaming. A guy who sang really well at first rehearsal, got an e mail after telling us we had to change the set coz he didn't like it, we couldn't rehearse where we always do coz he didn't like it, if I was gonna do backing vocals then I had to learn them outside of rehearsal coz.....yes, you guessed it...coz he didn't like it. So, I've reluctantly been singing lead and playing bass to try and keep us all together. Patience is the answer, we had a reply to our ad recently a guy who has sung with the same band (who have just split) after 17 years, up and down the country and in Europe, loves our set, knows a lot of the material, appears keen as mustard and drinks Jack Daniels. I'll let you know if he's as good as he says he is!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL POSTERS Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358957690' post='1947635'] Tell me. The problem is this - there are a lot of people out there who like the idea of being in a band, but are absolutely NOT prepared to put in anything like the amount of work and commitment necessary to make it happen. Not even for a part-time, six-gigs-a-year amateur hobby band. [/quote] This. Just wish I could learn to spot em sooner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepurpleblob Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Yes - there's a lot to be said for people who can manage the basic skill set of answering emails / texts / calls, can manage to string together proper sentences and show up when the say they will. Being any good is secondary - it doesn't matter how good you are if you are an idiot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1358959617' post='1947691'] Being any good is secondary - it doesn't matter how good you are if you are an idiot [/quote] Brilliant !!! Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) [quote name='thepurpleblob' timestamp='1358959617' post='1947691'] Being any good is secondary - it doesn't matter how good you are if you are an idiot [size=4][/quote][/size] [size=4]True. I joined a rock covers band, then joined an originals band. I would have been happy to play in both - but the guitarist in the covers band said 'I'm far too good a guitarist to share a bass player with another band' ...You can imagine what my response was to this![/size][size=4]*[/size] [size=4]What an arrogant, egotistical w@nker! He was also one of these idiots who like to rehearse but not gig![/size] [size=4]*[/size]I told him to f[size=4][font=arial, sans-serif]μ[/font][/size]ck right off. Edited January 23, 2013 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbird13 Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 One of the guitarists I spoke to said that rehearsing with a band was being in the same room as 3 of 4 other guys who all think that they are better players than everyone else and they are doing the rest if the band a favour by playing for them TBH this has been my expereince with a lot of bands Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 (edited) I've had little luck this year too though there may be something on the horizon. Having said that the jam/audition booked for this weekend has just fallen through! My main gripe is with the people who either make an initial enquiry then never follow up or worse the ones that can't even be bothered to reply to my first enquiry to their ad. How hard is it to just send an email saying 'sorry we already found someone'? Edited January 23, 2013 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oggiesnr Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I answered an ad for a folk/roots band looking for a multi-instrumentalist. Answered ad and got asked what I played so I gave them the list "bass, guitar, mandolin, melodeon, tin whistle to a reasonable standard plus a few other bits and pieces I can get a tune out of". "We'll get back to you". Nothing happened, left it a few weeks and got back in touch. Back came the reply "Well, we were really looking for a keyboard player!" To which my reply was unprintable. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I'm starting to see why Peter Hook started Freebass...... ......until they all fell out..... [size=4] [/size] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uncle psychosis Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 These idiots only get away with it because people put up with it. Thankfully all of my musical adventures have been with people I already knew socially, so no problems dealing with muppetry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I auditioned for a pretty impressive local rock band doing original material, I learnt all the songs turned up and played them perfectly but I didn't get the gig because "I didn't like Guns N Roses enough!" Got a call from them a few weeks later asking if I would be interested in depping every other week because their new bass player works shifts.....my answer started with sod and finished with off! shame really because I still think the songs were actually pretty good The other upside was that they insited on rehearsing at maximum Marshall stack volume which was stupidly loud, I couldn't hear properly for a couple of days after the audition! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1358963208' post='1947781'] ...all of my musical adventures have been with people I already knew socially, so no problems dealing with muppetry![/quote] Better the muppets you know, definitely! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norm Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358960038' post='1947705'] [/size] [size=4] 'I'm far too good a guitarist to share a bass player with another band' [/size] [/quote] Ha ha ha ha, thats brilliant! Oh what glorious guitarist delusion of adequacy & you managed not to punch him? You got more tolerance than me! Cheers, Norm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted January 24, 2013 Share Posted January 24, 2013 I contacted someone on JMB and we had a good initial exchange. In response to his comment that "I wasn't 14 was I as many who posted were" I said , "No I'm 58 actually!" No response since..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.gif.9ad672bb8b84505709f76b39c8c256ec.gif)
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.