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Bands using singers name


SteveXFR

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I think it depends on the specifics.

There's a few scenarios to this as have already been discussed.

 

If it's an already well established artist and you're being employed to be 'the bass player' and play what you're told to - with some artistic licence, but ultimately defer to the 'name' as singer, songwriter, arranger etc then I'd be ok to do that so long as I was being paid appropriately.

I think really, that's my ideal role being honest.........in the background, just play, go home, get paid.

 

If it's a new 'band', then it depends on your required input - if it's originals, are you contributing to the songwriting process, are you having a share of any of the writing credits - lots to consider.

 

If it's a covers band playing the dog and dildo then again,I'd have to give it some thought - are you all getting an equal say / share in the responsibility, running the band, getting paid etc etc?

 

Musicians eh...........🙃

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What's in a name?  Unless it's your day job, try it out.  If the X in the X and the Ys turns out to be a massive bell end then you can just leave, if X doesn't fire you first :D

 

I'd say that being upfront at the outset is key.  In my first originals band (not named X and the Ys, but a similar dynamic), the drummer and I were told straight at the beginning that we'd be sidemen to the singer and guitarist (responsible for words and music respectively).  "If you want to write songs, go form another band" was pretty much what was said.  I've probably shortened it and made it more pithy over time for amusement purposes but that was the jist of the conversation.  Fair enough.  I wasn't bothered - it was my first band, they took a chance on me and I was happy to take some direction.

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12 hours ago, RhysP said:

Yeah, I'd never join a band that was called Nigel.

 

11 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I probably would go for a band simply called Nigel. Unless Colin were looking for a bassist. 

 

I would absolutely and definitely go and audition for a band called Nigel or Colin :lol: assuming of course that I liked the sound/idea of what they were playing. One of my first bands after leaving school had the working name "3 Guys Who Know Paul". We were a 4 piece and one of us was Paul. Perhaps mercifully, we never got to gigging.

I'd have no problem with joining an artist-name band as long as the conditions were right in terms of creative input/freedom. I wouldn't be interested at all if I was handed a part and told "play this and do not deviate from it, oh and you've got to wear black and stand well out of the light". Unless it was tremendously well paid -- I'm a proper clown wh0re, me.

A few years ago I was in a band that was named for the singer -- essentially we were her backing band, but in reality two of the band did the songwriting along with Sally and all of us had creative input when it came to our respective parts, and the lights were for everyone. Came to an end when Sal started a family. It was a great band with fabulous songs and I really miss it.

EDIT: I say 'a few years', I've just remembered that her daughter is now 14... yikes, how the years fly.

Edited by Rich
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I play with a The 'Singer's Name' Band, and it isn't an issue at all - I've played in other, more obscurely named bands where ego issues have been much, much worse...on the plus side, if there's any mither from punters or the people paying, you can point to the named bloke and say 'Dunno, ask him; it's his band...' 😁

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Those of you that have been on Basschat a while will know that I used to play in a band called "Dïck Venom & The Terrortones" which like Happy Jack's band was perfectly appropriately named for the music we were playing - a garage rock/psychobilly hybrid. Myself and the rest of the band were under no illusions that on stage Mr Venom was THE TALENT and our job on stage was to provide the tightest of tight musical backdrops for his over the top performance (both visually and lyrically).

 

The band was entirely Mr Venom's concept and he was the driving force that allowed us to go from nothing but an idea to complete band with a musical and visual concept performing our first half-hour set of songs we'd written ourselves in just 8 weeks. He also did the majority of work behind the scenes - getting gigs and interacting with our fans on social media and all that non-musical stuff that can be very off-putting and tedious for the average musician.

 

The only downside to having a band named after the singer is the is absolutely no future for it once the singer decides that they have had enough, as we discovered when after 6 years Mr Venom became too unwell to be able to consistently deliver the level of live entertainment that our audience had come to expect, that was the end of the band as he was the only member that wasn't ultimately replaceable.

 

 

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37 minutes ago, BigRedX said:

... our job on stage was to provide the tightest of tight musical backdrops for his over the top performance (both visually and lyrically).

 

Can I just interject at this point that Mike is in no way exaggerating about Mr. Venom ... his performance at an obscure mediaeval venue off Denmark Street (I'm absolutely serious about that BTW) remains one of the most memorable things I've ever seen.

 

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34 minutes ago, MacDaddy said:

Many people thought Blondie, was Debbie Harry's name in their early days.

I think many people still refer to her as this even now.

 

When I worked in record retail many years ago, nearly everyone thought Ray Sawyer was actually Dr.Hook rather than the band’s name. 

 

 

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