Musically Unfulfilled

[4stringslow]

Yep, there's a lot to be said for being happy with our lot - whatever it may be.

[Number6]

I am learning some new basslines at the mo. These aren't basslines i will ever likely play in a gig yet still strangely i feel fulfilled just learning and feeding the grey cells.

[discreet]

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1459986396' post='3021607']
I am learning some new basslines at the mo. These aren't basslines i will ever likely play in a gig yet still strangely i feel fulfilled just learning and feeding the grey cells.
[/quote]

I know exactly what you mean. As one reaches those autumn years it's good to have something that keeps your mind elephant boggler sneed sneed ashtray cheese on toasty lampost-buggery.

Edited April 7, 2016 by discreet

[Number6]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459987677' post='3021617']


I know exactly what you mean. As one reaches those autumn years it's good to have something that keeps your mind elephant boggler sneed sneed ashtray cheese on toasty lampost-buggery.
[/quote]

Yes i can relate to this in its entirety 👍

[Dad3353]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459987677' post='3021617']
I know exactly what you mean. As one reaches those autumn years it's good to have something that keeps your mind elephant boggler sneed sneed ashtray cheese on toasty lampost-buggery.
[/quote]

... and sneed. You forgot sneed.

[discreet]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1459988463' post='3021622']
... and sneed. You forgot sneed.
[/quote]

I got two 'sneeds' in there - how many more d'you want?

[blue]

[quote name='Number6' timestamp='1459986396' post='3021607']
I am learning some new basslines at the mo. These aren't basslines i will ever likely play in a gig yet still strangely i feel fulfilled just learning and feeding the grey cells.
[/quote]


You never know where one of those bass lines might fit in.

Blue

[Dad3353]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459988560' post='3021624']
I got two 'sneeds' in there - how many more d'you want?
[/quote]

In where..?

[discreet]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1459992190' post='3021628']
In where..?
[/quote][quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459987677' post='3021617']
I know exactly what you mean. As one reaches those autumn years it's good to have something that keeps your mind elephant boggler [b]sneed sneed[/b] ashtray cheese on toasty lampost-buggery.
[/quote]

[Dad3353]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1459993930' post='3021632']
[/quote]

... and sneed. You forgot sneed.

[Rich]

You can never have too much sneed or too many underpants.

[discreet]

[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1460005896' post='3021640']
... and sneed. You forgot sneed.
[/quote]

Ha, ha! I think I'm finally beginning to understand. It's all these herring, they're confusing me.

[discreet]

[quote name='Rich' timestamp='1460021044' post='3021787']
You can never have too much sneed or too many underpants.
[/quote]

I dunno about that, there so much sneed in here I can hardly get my underpants on. I have three underpants.

[Earbrass]

Underpants. Knew I forgot something this morning. Oh yes, and trousers. Damn. Explains the strange tube journey though. And the chilliness.

[tauzero]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1459939255' post='3021012']
I've finally begun to realise, after 37 years of playing, that if I'm looking for fulfilment I'm not going to get it from music.
[/quote]

It's never too late to diversify into niche porn.

[blue]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1459931705' post='3020871']
The new National Living Wage is a complete con.

In the UK, if you worked for 16hrs or less a week (at the old minimum wage £6.70ph) you are entitled to certain tax breaks due to your low income. Your annual income will be less than the national taxable wage.

Now that the wage is higher (£7.20ph), this puts you over the non-taxable limit which means you will now need to pay tax on your income. Which makes your net income less than it was before the new Living Wage was introduced!

It's a con and a shambles.

You could argue that this only negatively affects those on the lowest income. But aren't they the ones that deserve our help the most? I know many people that work exactly 16hrs a week because they have care responsibilies (kids, sick, elderly etc) and now they're being pinched even harder.

Anyway, back on topic; I've discussed with the band the possibility of trying to work out some original numbers. Promising!
[/quote]

Over here in the States, conservatives do not believe in helping anyone. They think you should just crawl in a gutter and die.

Blue

[RhysP]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460742301' post='3028438']
Over here in the States, conservatives do not believe in helping anyone. They think you should just crawl in a gutter and die.

Blue
[/quote]

Our countries have one thing in common at least then.

[Skybone]

After another awful rehearsal, where the other guitarist kept on dicking about, the singer got pissed, the drummer was pissed, myself and the guitarist called it all off. we were going nowhere. After a handful of successful jams, where we actually played a number of original songs, and played around with ideas with a view to writing songs, it's descended into covers and arsing about, despite our efforts to keep it on track and write and play songs.

Last night was the straw that broke the camel's back, the first hour was mildly amusing, though not very productive, and then it descended into farce. The guitarist and I just kept going until it got to the point about half an hour before the end of the session, when I just started to pack my gear away. Oh well, back to the drawing board.

[blue]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1460817065' post='3029052']
After another awful rehearsal, where the other guitarist kept on dicking about, the singer got pissed, the drummer was pissed, myself and the guitarist called it all off. we were going nowhere. After a handful of successful jams, where we actually played a number of original songs, and played around with ideas with a view to writing songs, it's descended into covers and arsing about, despite our efforts to keep it on track and write and play songs.

Last night was the straw that broke the camel's back, the first hour was mildly amusing, though not very productive, and then it descended into farce. The guitarist and I just kept going until it got to the point about half an hour before the end of the session, when I just started to pack my gear away. Oh well, back to the drawing board.
[/quote]

You really have to put a lot of thought into what your looking for in a band.

Weren't there any "red flags " that indicated these guys we're not going to work out for you?

Blue

[JTUK]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460957101' post='3030047']
You really have to put a lot of thought into what your looking for in a band.

Weren't there any "red flags " that indicated these guys we're not going to work out for you?

Blue
[/quote]

Must say that I agree that you are looking at a lot of things to make it work.

For me, it is musical chemistry, easy to to work with go-for attitude and out of
a lot of things, the music/player is a given.

You can be supportive as people have other lives ... but once you have a direction,
people should be able to do as they say.

So, things like gig frequency, money, hours, travel are all 1st base agreements.
It doesn't so much matter what you agree to as long as everyone is on the same page.

I prefer all-equal bands, but accept that some people are more dominant and able to devote
time to doing what needs to be done and others can only just turn up, due to demanding
famiiy commitments etc , but as long as they turn up and work when they say they can, then that is
ok.

In fact, a lot of people with limited time are pretty good at organising themselves to be ready
as they CAN'T waste time..

You just have to know and have established all the working rules ..


And another aspect, a lot of stuff I turn down is because I know it wont work for me
long term, so I don't get myself into a situation where I waste their, and they waste my time.

If the thinking is, I'll give it 6 months... then you kind of know it isn't working already..?

Edited April 18, 2016 by JTUK

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1460966703' post='3030118']


Must say that I agree that you are looking at a lot of things to make it work.

For me, it is musical chemistry, easy to to work with go-for attitude and out of
a lot of things, the music/player is a given.

You can be supportive as people have other lives ... but once you have a direction,
people should be able to do as they say.

So, things like gig frequency, money, hours, travel are all 1st base agreements.
It doesn't so much matter what you agree to as long as everyone is on the same page.

I prefer all-equal bands, but accept that some people are more dominant and able to devote
time to doingwhat needs to be done and others can only just turn up, due to demanding
famiiy commitments etc , but as long as the turn up and work when they sat they can, then that is
ok.

In fact, a lot of people with limited time are pretty good at organising themselves to be ready
as the CAN'T waste time..

You just have to know and have established all the working rules ..


And another aspect, a lot of stuff I turn down is because I know it wont work for me
long term, so I don't get myself into a situation where I waste their, and they waste my time.

If the thinking is, I'll give it 6 months... then you kind of know it isn't working already..?
[/quote]

Agreed,

I say, know what you want out of a band experience. If you haven't defined that your looking to be disappointed.

Then there's my own pet requirement. I'm not in bands to be anyone's mate or buddy. I'm your business partner. Yes, I said
"business", it's not a bad word in my book.

I think being able to tell if your working with good, honest trustworthy prople is of the utmost importance.

Blue

[blue]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1460966703' post='3030118']


Must say that I agree that you are looking at a lot of things to make it work.

For me, it is musical chemistry, easy to to work with go-for attitude and out of
a lot of things, the music/player is a given.

You can be supportive as people have other lives ... but once you have a direction,
people should be able to do as they say.

So, things like gig frequency, money, hours, travel are all 1st base agreements.
It doesn't so much matter what you agree to as long as everyone is on the same page.

I prefer all-equal bands, but accept that some people are more dominant and able to devote
time to doingwhat needs to be done and others can only just turn up, due to demanding
famiiy commitments etc , but as long as the turn up and work when they sat they can, then that is
ok.

In fact, a lot of people with limited time are pretty good at organising themselves to be ready
as the CAN'T waste time..

You just have to know and have established all the working rules ..


And another aspect, a lot of stuff I turn down is because I know it wont work for me
long term, so I don't get myself into a situation where I waste their, and they waste my time.

If the thinking is, I'll give it 6 months... then you kind of know it isn't working already..?
[/quote]

Agreed,

I say, know what you want out of a band experience. If you haven't defined that ,your looking to be disappointed.

I'm not in bands to be anyone's mate or buddy. I'm your business partner. Yes, I said "business", it's not a bad word in my book.

I think being able to tell early on if your working with good, honest trustworthy prople is of the utmost importance.

Blue

Edited April 18, 2016 by blue

[Skybone]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460957101' post='3030047']You really have to put a lot of thought into what your looking for in a band.

Weren't there any "red flags " that indicated these guys we're not going to work out for you?

Blue[/quote]

What I look for in a band is other people who aren't bell-ends.

The whole ethos of this band was to gather together a group of people of a certain vintage (most of us were over 40, parents and with responsible jobs), write a bunch of songs and hopefully get some local gigs. We said we didn't want to do covers, or blues, just play some rocking songs. No ego's, no "chasing the big time" or record deals. Just creating interesting music, having some fun, and being "yourself" for a few hours, instead of husband/dad/employee/responsible bloke etc.

Don't know about you guys, but I've been in quite a few bands over the years, a number of which didn't go anywhere because there were bell-ends involved who just wasted time. Time is a precious commodity when you're older, more people want more of your time, so time where you can do something you want to do is quite precious. Not wasting an evening surrounded by bell-ends who want to dick about playing Pink Floyd badly.

So yes, I have put some thought into what I'm looking for in a band. And your term "business" is very appropriate, I liken a band to a football team, you all have the same aim, and you need to work as a team not as a bunch of individuals.

[discreet]

[quote name='Skybone' timestamp='1461014576' post='3030742']
What I look for in a band is other people who aren't bell-ends.
[/quote]

+1 However, this one seemingly simple task can be overwhelmingly difficult...

[blue]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1461016973' post='3030774']


+1 However, this one seemingly simple task can be overwhelmingly difficult...
[/quote]

Good honest, trustworthy folks with band experience.

I'm a working bass player so for what I want I can usually tell fairly easy if the opportunity is potentially a fit.

Established Working Band

1. Tell me about turn over in the band, are you recruiting any positions besides bass guitar

2. How long has the current line up been in place

3. Why are you looking for a new bass player

4. Tell me about your book of business, venues and travel if any. How many shows did you do in 2015 and what's on the books for 2016

5. Tell me a little bit about how and what the job pays


Now that's all straight forward. Whether they are all good,fun, honest trustworthy people takes a little more time to discern.

Blue

Edited April 19, 2016 by blue