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4 Question You Would Ask A New Prospective Band


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[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1450895179' post='2936848']


If its for decent money or your doing it for a living, a mans gorra do what a mans gorra do, agreed.
But there are quite a few on here that play covers for little or no profit cos' they say they enjoy it. In their case, why play stuff you hate ?
[/quote]

Good point, I'd venture to say if your not being paid it doesn't matter what you play and you can play only what you enjoy.

When your paid, your playing to please the customer not yourself.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1450884772' post='2936713']
Someone mentioned earlier "does anyone have small children" - it's one of mine, but from the other way around. We auditioned a guy who is now in the band and he has a small child, he and his wife split childcare duties so:
He can't do anything in August. Or around Easter, and turned down NYE (having said he could do it, then he couldn't after discussions at home, then after it was too late said he could do it after all). He can't do Sundays. If he plays Friday, Saturday is out. You get the picture.
He's a great guy, and a great front man (he sings, too). He was by far the best candidate at audition time I did ask the question, and he did say he had a small child etc. which rang alarm bells with me but we decided to take him on anyway. I'm not sure I'd do it again, though as it has cost us a lot of gigs. So much so, that we are considering an alternative lineup for Sunday stuff and August etc.
[/quote]

Yeah, unless a guy does this for a living, I don't know how you could be in a busy working band if you have a young active family. I guess there are exceptions where a guys spouse doesn't care what he does or what time he takes away from family.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1450903199' post='2936938']
Good point, I'd venture to say if your not being paid it doesn't matter what you play and you can play only what you enjoy.

[b]When your paid, your playing to please the customer not yourself.[/b]

Blue
[/quote]

You're always paid to provide a service...but that doesn't mean the songs are picked for the customer.
That is just a pub band crock, tbh...

I think you set out what you do and 'educate' audiences.

If you haven't got anything to make people come and watch you and come back, then giving them their
top 50...which every other band will be doing anyway, doesn't set you apart.

Of course, you want the song to work, but you do need originality, IMO, and not just defer
to what they think they want.

But then again, that is why I never subscribe to note perfect rips of songs... and nor do I want to
really see it in players..

That is why I said can they play... and I didn't mean they know the notes and the order to play them in..

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1450903616' post='2936945']
Yeah, unless a guy does this for a living, I don't know how you could be in a busy working band if you have a young active family. I guess there are exceptions where a guys spouse doesn't care what he does or what time he takes away from family.

Blue
[/quote]

There are countless occupations which entail one or other (sometimes both..?) partners being absent for long periods. It can be dealt with, given the willingness to do so on the part of all concerned. Family is, I would agree, important; perhaps primordial, but that doesn't preclude absences. High seas fishermen..? Soldiers on active service..? Road haulage drivers..? Touring musicians..? Mountaineers..? Round-the-world yachtsmen..? The list is long...

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1450913076' post='2937077']


There are countless occupations which entail one or other (sometimes both..?) partners being absent for long periods. It can be dealt with, given the willingness to do so on the part of all concerned. Family is, I would agree, important; perhaps primordial, but that doesn't preclude absences. High seas fishermen..? Soldiers on active service..? Road haulage drivers..? Touring musicians..? Mountaineers..? Round-the-world yachtsmen..? The list is long...
[/quote]

You must have a totally different history with women than me.

Blue

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1450910072' post='2937045']
As I review all your questions if I had to pick one that's a "must ask" it would be;

"Why did the last bass player leave?"

You don't ask that, you could be walking into anything.

Blue
[/quote]

But you will only get one side of the story by asking the band, so take the reply with a pinch of salt.

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[quote name='BILL POSTERS' timestamp='1450923198' post='2937116']


But you will only get one side of the story by asking the band, so take the reply with a pinch of salt.
[/quote]


Bands tend to get real guarded when they're asked that question. I think even hearing their side of the story would help.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1450913076' post='2937077']
There are countless occupations which entail one or other (sometimes both..?) partners being absent for long periods. It can be dealt with, given the willingness to do so on the part of all concerned. Family is, I would agree, important; perhaps primordial, but that doesn't preclude absences. High seas fishermen..? Soldiers on active service..? Road haulage drivers..? Touring musicians..? Mountaineers..? Round-the-world yachtsmen..? The list is long...
[/quote]

And whether your partner is into it / supportive or not. He's been with us about a year, she's never been to a single gig (even one of really nice afternoon outside ones in the summer) and I get the impression she'd rather he didn't do it at all, which make things quite awkward at times, to say the least. Moan over:
Tomorrow is Christmas!

Edited by phil.c60
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[quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1450974616' post='2937576']


And whether your partner is into it / supportive or not. He's been with us about a year, she's never been to a single gig (even one of really nice afternoon outside ones in the summer) and I get the impression she'd rather he didn't do it at all, which make things quite awkward at times, to say the least. Moan over:
Tomorrow is Christmas!
[/quote]

Except for me, I'm single, all spouses of the band members are actually a part of the staff, one is our sound and light tech. They attend every gig

I always raise an eye brow to the guy whose wife never shows up to even 1 gig.

Blue

Edited by blue
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In my experience the successful bands paid wages only, which was the nature of most pro bands where I come from. If you wanted to be in a band and have equal pay and status then you had to start from scratch, which I did a couple of times. Bands I have worked with had invested heavily in quality PA systems, lights show, large vans and quality publicity not forgetting the time spent building up a reputation and solid work bass.
Even though I have had quite a lot of experience and can contribute, musically, technically and business wise if someone has got a band to the point that I am happy to join than I was happy to let them run it.
Even if I started again equal split or status wouldn’t make any difference to me so long as I was treated fairly.

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1450988294' post='2937722']

I always raise an eye brow to the guy whose wife never shows up to even 1 gig.

Blue
[/quote]

My wife comes to almost none of my gigs. She's seen most acts once and then that's enough. It's not that she's critical of them, it's just that there are very few bands she'd watch twice.
Just for the record, I believe I may have the coolest wife in the known universe. (And no, she doesn't read my posts ;) ).

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My wife, who actually [i]is[/i] the cooolest wife in the known universe, has seen it all many times before. She first saw me play when I was in the band at school so I reckon she's served her time.

She does come to the occasional lunchtime gig but usually; the band is too loud, I don't get home until very late after leaving too early to get to the gig and I talk to the guys in the band. I call it networking and she calls it ignoring her.

She is very cool, and I have to admit, she is also right on all of those points.

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[quote name='SICbass' timestamp='1450995083' post='2937788']


My wife comes to almost none of my gigs. She's seen most acts once and then that's enough. It's not that she's critical of them, it's just that there are very few bands she'd watch twice.
Just for the record, I believe I may have the coolest wife in the known universe. (And no, she doesn't read my posts ;) ).
[/quote]


That's cool, I think I'm talking about the guy where you know his spouse can't stand and despises the fact that a guy is in a band.

They're out there.

Blue

Edited by blue
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I forgot about these question;
[list]
[*]Will I be given the opportunity to sing, not do I have to sing
[/list]
[list]
[*]Where is my spot on stage ( I have always been a center stage up front guy. I would have issues with being relegated to standing in the back by the drummer).
[/list]
Blue

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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1451081212' post='2938214']
1. Is it OK if I play my 10 string?
2. Can my wife come to the next rehearsal?
3. Would one of you be able to pick me up for gigs?
4. Can I take a selfie with you?

Do you think I'd get the gig?
[/quote]

Not with any band I'm in.😀

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1451002557' post='2937854']
My wife, who actually [i]is[/i] the cooolest wife in the known universe, has seen it all many times before. She first saw me play when I was in the band at school so I reckon she's served her time.
[/quote]

Very similar here - my wife has served her time seeing me play and nowdays if she doesn't want to come she doesn't...and neither of us are bothered about it.

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[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1450880198' post='2936650']
That bassist you're sacking, is he a Beatles obsessive who likes asking essay questions?[/quote]

No, he does this for a living and really enjoys making money and gigging as much as possible.

He wasn't sacked , he left because he found a much more lucrative band with a lot of stable consistent bookings.

I don't know where he stands on The Beatles, he never mentions them or any other band. That's not what he was hired for.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1450913076' post='2937077']
There are countless occupations which entail one or other (sometimes both..?) partners being absent for long periods. It can be dealt with, given the willingness to do so on the part of all concerned. Family is, I would agree, important; perhaps primordial, but that doesn't preclude absences. High seas fishermen..? Soldiers on active service..? Road haulage drivers..? Touring musicians..? Mountaineers..? Round-the-world yachtsmen..? The list is long...
[/quote]

My brother works on a dive ship - he does one month on, one month off. Seems to work for him and his wife and their two children.

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