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Quit my band ,best decision I've made in years


kevvo66
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[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1460989241' post='3030417']
So you only play the music you love, and you're making a living from it, but if you only played the music you love you'd be broke and bandless?!?!
[/quote]

Or does he love playing music he doesn't love and consequently not being broke and bandless

#paradox

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460987903' post='3030403']
I'm not like "a lot of you"

Not having a day job allows me to do what I want when I want. I call it freedom.

I'm not punching a clock for anyone. And I'm doing just fine. I'm not rich but, I can eat ,pay my mortgage and all my other expenses.

Blue
[/quote]

But have you not said previously that money from your band is not your only source of income? If so isn't it somewhat misleading to give people the impression that you live off playing in bars.

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[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1460989241' post='3030417']
So you only play the music you love, and you're making a living from it, but if you only played the music you love you'd be broke and bandless?!?!
[/quote]

I'm just lucky my band plays the music I love.

I was never restricted by it.

My point was I'd rather work than restrict my opportunities by only playing in bands that play what I personally like.

Seems simple to me.

Blue

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460988284' post='3030406']
There's no shame in getting paid for your trade.
[/quote]
certainly not, but at the same time, there is no shame in not getting paid for it if that is your choice.

i'm sure we would all love to be playing music we love and getting paid for it and fair play to you for being in that situation, but it's not always an option

Edited by RockfordStone
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[quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1460991064' post='3030432']


But have you not said previously that money from your band is not your only source of income? If so isn't it somewhat misleading to give people the impression that you live off playing in bars.
[/quote]

Maybe a little misleading.

My pension is so small.I could never make it on that a lone. Most of my income is from gigs.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1460991676' post='3030443']

certainly not, but at the same time, there is no shame in not getting paid for it if that is your choice.

i'm sure we would all love to be playing music we love and getting paid for it and fair play to you for being in that situation, but it's not always an option
[/quote]

Agreed,

I say, for all those that like playing for free have at it. If that's your choice.

On the other side of the coin and to make things a little clearer.

I don't think any band is traveling, setting up lights and sound, playing from 9:00pm- 1:00am then tearing down, selling a ton of alcohol for the owner and getting home at 3:00am for free. I hope not.

Blue

Edited by blue
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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460991493' post='3030439']
I'm just lucky my band plays the music I love.

I was never restricted by it.

My point was I'd rather work than restrict my opportunities by only playing in bands that play what I personally like.

Seems simple to me.

Blue
[/quote]

I'm just reading between the lines a bit as I read a lot of your contributions, and the general impression I get is that you're not interested in anything outside of "your era", and that you only play the music you want to. So, yeh, your point was that to make a living from it, you have to compromise on the music you play, and I think that's a valid point. However, you do often go on about how you only play the music you like, almost as if you're saying that you wouldn't compromise. It just seems a bit confused to me.

I guess the fact of the matter is that you would compromise on the music you play, rather than go back to working "for the man", but it just so happens that you're lucky enough not to have to compromise

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[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1460992319' post='3030453']

I guess the fact of the matter is that you would compromise on the music you play, rather than go back to working "for the man", but it just so happens that you're lucky enough not to have to compromise
[/quote]

Yes, that's exactly where I'm coming from.

Let's hope my luck doesn't run out. If my band of 10 years folded, I would be screwed.

I'm telling you, for guys like me, not really networked or on the A list for getting calls for work, finding a band with a good solid book of business is impossible in my area.

Blue

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460992143' post='3030451']
I don't think any band is traveling, setting up lights and sound, playing from 9:00pm- 1:00am then tearing down, selling a ton of alcohol for the owner and getting home at 3:00am for free. I hope not.
[/quote]
agreed there, but this is what i would refer to as a "working band" as opposed to a "hobby band"

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460992847' post='3030462']
I'm telling you, for guys like me, not really networked or on the A list for getting calls for work, finding a band with a good solid book of business is impossible in my area.
[/quote]

Pfft you think you've got it bad, your state is 1/10th of the size of our whole country :lol: (ok, the populations are a bit different though ;) )

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[quote name='blue' timestamp='1460987903' post='3030403']
I'm not like "a lot of you"

Not having a day job allows me to do what I want when I want. I call it freedom.

I'm not punching a clock for anyone. And I'm doing just fine. I'm not rich but, I can eat ,pay my mortgage and all my other expenses.

Blue
[/quote]
I assume you show up for gigs on time,help set up equipment(or maybe you have roadies who do all the heavy stuff),then play the songs that the frontman or leader(not you) calls the way he wants them played(ie. follow orders),take breaks when told to,pack up equipment and load as part of a team,and then go home when the day's work is done.Kind of sounds like punching a clock to me,you're not "doing what you want" as long as you are part of a band and playing gigs and doing things that other people tell you to do.You are very lucky to be in the band you are in and play regular gigs,which seems pretty much like a job to me.The fact that you happen to like it isn't so unusual,a lot of people like their jobs.What happens if you don't feel like playing a particular gig or venue?Freedom-nope.
A busker who picks his place and time to play and chooses his own playlist is a lot more free than you and some buskers do very well financially.
That said, a lot of us have played full time professional gigs and have chosen other routes at different times in our lives-we have the
freedom to change what we are doing and still play music in whatever context we chose,it sounds like you are stuck in a band(which is apparently fine with you) and will have a real problem if it folds or changes direction and you don't want to be a part of it.As you have pointed out many times,it's a business so you still have to "punch in" to keep the job.You can call it freedom but anyone who has played full time in a band knows what it really is-a business with all the good and bad things that come with it.As soon as you join a band you have to compromise a lot things and that takes away some of your "freedom",it's part of the way things work.
I hope you can stay in a band for as long as you want to play or are able to play.
I will be 70 in a month and have been gigging since I was 14 in a variety of bands and as a single so I'm not just shooting my mouth off without having had any experience.I'm still gigging,learning new stuff and styles(got an EUB a year or so ago),and love being involved in music whether it's playing gigs or jamming(on bass,guitar,banjo or mandolin) with friends. I also taught music in secondary schools here in Canada and have played bass in everything from military concert bands to jazz trios-what a great ride I have had,just like a lot of members on this site-we are so lucky.
Good luck in "the business".

Edited by Staggering on
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Staggering, I'm just lucky to be in a working band with good honest trustworthy people.

Things like what songs are played, what time I get to a gig, how much set up and tear down I do. I never even think about those things. They're all just part of the job.

I love it and words like "job" and "business" are fine with me. I have a fun job in a fun business.


Blue

Edited by blue
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