Bass Player Wanted Adds

[Johngh]

Is it just me getting tired of the constant messing about when trying deal with people when trying to join a band. A typical bass player wanted add should read.


Wanted: Bass player for dedicated band. Must have the right attitude, professional outlook, good gear, and play to a good standard. We are an established band ready to gig and rehearse once a week. Please phone **** ******* for a chat. You must however be prepared to be messed about from day one, remember to bring a list of tunes we ask you to learn for your audition as we will have forgotten what tunes we asked you to learn. Be prepared to turn up for rehearsal only to find no one there as we will have forgotten to tell you we have cancelled. Be ready for the band to split up after rehearsing for 6 months because one of us will have decided we can't commit as we are in too many bands already. And be prepared for the guitarist who is an arrogant prat, not to turn his volume down because he is way too loud. And finally be prepared for us not to call you back from your answerphone message in reply to this add because we can't be arsed.


I'm sure a lot of you could add to this, but this is seriously making me think about packing up all together as I've spent the last year being messed about from pillar to post !

[thunderbird13]

completely agree with you - I'd say about 90% of bands that I have dealt with fall into this category and from what I've read in this forum I'm not the only one. What I'd be curious to find out is whether players of other instruments get messed about the same way or is it a bass thing ??

[Toasted]

I think it's a "people" thing.

[xgsjx]

Best thing to do is start your own band. You have a wide pallet to chose & you get to choose what you want the band to do.
Mines formed by just talking to people. I worked with a folk guitarist who knew a Canadian blues singer who met a jazz drummer in a pub & that's how Frigorifico started.

[Les]

I'm fortunate not to have been messed about much like this, but your right, reading this and the many "should I leave my band" topics on here it does seem rife.

An audition is a two way street though. If they've give you songs to learn then forget what they asked you to learn and the guitarist is an arrogant loud prat, well surely they failed their audition to be your band ?

[oldmanrock]

[quote name='Johngh' post='651644' date='Nov 11 2009, 02:26 PM']Is it just me getting tired of the constant messing about when trying deal with people when trying to join a band. A typical bass player wanted add should read.

Wanted: Bass player for dedicated band. Must have the right attitude, professional outlook, good gear, and play to a good standard. We are an established band ready to gig and rehearse once a week. Please phone **** ******* for a chat. You must however be prepared to be messed about from day one, remember to bring a list of tunes we ask you to learn for your audition as we will have forgotten what tunes we asked you to learn. Be prepared to turn up for rehearsal only to find no one there as we will have forgotten to tell you we have cancelled. Be ready for the band to split up after rehearsing for 6 months because one of us will have decided we can't commit as we are in too many bands already. And be prepared for the guitarist who is an arrogant prat, not to turn his volume down because he is way too loud. And finally be prepared for us not to call you back from your answerphone message in reply to this add because we can't be arsed.

I'm sure a lot of you could add to this, but this is seriously making me think about packing up all together as I've spent the last year being messed about from pillar to post ! [/quote]
Yep that sounds about right. Happened to me many times. Once had two months notice to learn three songs and when I got there I was the only one who knew them! Don't even think about packing it all in though.

[geoffbyrne]

Alternatively, players who don't turn up!!!!

We've (see my rant about lack of drummers in North Notts) arranged at least two rehearsals at hired room where the drummer for audition simply didn't show. Not a word. Nix.

G.

Edited November 11, 2009 by geoffbyrne

[Johngh]

[quote name='Les' post='651706' date='Nov 11 2009, 03:41 PM']An audition is a two way street though. If they've give you songs to learn then forget what they asked you to learn and the guitarist is an arrogant loud prat, well surely they failed their audition to be your band ?[/quote]

That is bang on, but many bands fail to understand this at all.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='xgsjx' post='651691' date='Nov 11 2009, 03:20 PM']Best thing to do is start your own band.[/quote]

I completely agree. I've auditioned for a couple of bands in the last 3 years and joined them both but the other groups I've done over the years have mainly been formed or co-founded by me. There's less mucking about and I get things my way. Also if someone isn't up for it (or if they are) I've always made a point of telling them promptly and politely.

I don't think it's bass players as geoffbyrne would no doubt agree. I'd even add promoters, studios etc. It's human nature for some and yes, it can be a pain!

[spacecowboy]

The "common two" are ruining my current band for me, Lead Guitarist too loud all the time and insists on bringing a huge Orange stack to a small practice room, and the singer for singing stupid lyrics during practice, farting down the mic and just generally being a dick, it wont be long before me the drummer and the second guitarist do a runner together....

[skankdelvar]

Got together with a drummer and guitarist last night.

I already know the drummer is exceptionally talented, and he, in turn, gave a thumbs-up on the six stringer. Setting up, said plank-spanker told me he'd been playing twenty years plus. "I'm pretty good, know loads of material, been in so many bands, I can't remember", quoth he with quiet confidence.

You can see it coming, can't you. Full six string barre chords, muffed solos and a deep desire to play only in the key of A. Couldn't work out the three chord pass in 'All Day and All of The Night".

Yep, a nice guy, but a self-deluded bedroom bandit. Waiting for [i]that [/i]call from the drummer...

[OldGit]

I did my first "audition" for many a year recently.
It took 3 months to get to the studio after my initial enquiry. Each email took 10 days to get an answer...

The short version is that their drummer failed the audition .. so laid back that beat 2 was actually on the 1st 16th of beat three.... all the time .. I was falling over him the whole night ...

"Thanks", I said on the way out, "but I'm not the droid you are looking for .."
I just know I'd be looking to annihilate the drummer after every gig ..

Shame though cos the main man was really good and charismatic and they had SXSW and a little European little tour lined up .. Oh well ...

[oldmanrock]

[quote name='skankdelvar' post='651908' date='Nov 11 2009, 07:44 PM']Got together with a drummer and guitarist last night.

I already know the drummer is exceptionally talented, and he, in turn, gave a thumbs-up on the six stringer. Setting up, said plank-spanker told me he'd been playing twenty years plus. "I'm pretty good, know loads of material, been in so many bands, I can't remember", quoth he with quiet confidence.

You can see it coming, can't you. Full six string barre chords, muffed solos and a deep desire to play only in the key of A. Couldn't work out the three chord pass in 'All Day and All of The Night".

Yep, a nice guy, but a self-deluded bedroom bandit. Waiting for [i]that [/i]call from the drummer...[/quote]
Doesn't just happen to me then?

[Marvin]

My drummer likes me again and we off to make music.

We had a session with a plank-spanker a few months ago. I'd only just started to play again so tied with being sh1t to start off with was rusty as. Anyway we turned up with 3 songs in hand to see how things would go, we'd get sort just over half way through and he started saying well that one's in the bag. I was thinking what about the rest of the song, you know where the key changes or the middle eight maybe? Are we not playing those bits? At the end he was happy with how things had gone and suggested another 3 tracks to do for the next session. Could we not nail the first 3 please?
I must admit I ran a mile. I felt I would be wasting his time, he was good so perhaps he only needed to do the first half and the rest would just fall into place.

[Delberthot]

an amateur practices until they get it right, a professional practices until they don't get it wrong

many a mickle makes a muckle

there are a lot of dicks around, even in a small town like mine. I've been playing in bands with my drummer friend since I was 19. If they're sh*t then we move on. I remember us autitioning for a band about 13 years ago. at the end, the guitarist said 'if you want us you know where to find us'

[thepurpleblob]

Surely you mean.....

"WNTD BSS PLYR FR DDCTD BND. MST HV TH RGHT ATTTD PRFSSNL OUTLOOK GOOD GEAR AND PLY 2 A GOOD STNDRD. WE R AN ESTBLSHD BND READY 2 GG AND RHEARS ONC A WEEK. PLEAS PHN FR A CHT. U MST HWVR BE PRPRD 2 BE MSSD ABOUT FRM DY RMMBR 2 BRNG A LST OF TNS WE ASK U 2 LEARN FR YR AUDTN AS WE WLL HV FRGTTN WHT TNS WE ASKD U 2 LEARN. BE PRPRD 2 TRN UP FR RHEARSL ONLY 2 FND NO THR AS WE WLL HV FRGTTN 2 TLL U WE HV CNCLLD. BE READY FR TH BND 2 SPLT UP AFTR RHEARSNG FR 6 MNTHS BCAUS OF US WLL HV DCDD WE CNT CMMT AS WE R IN 2 MNY BNDS ALREADY. AND BE PRPRD FR TH GTRST WH IS AN ARRGNT PRT NT 2 TRN HS VLM DWN BCAUS HE IS WY 2 LOUD. AND FNLLY BE PRPRD FR US NT 2 CLL U BCK FRM YR ANSWRPHN MSG IN RPLY 2 THS ADD BCAUS WE CNT BE ARSD."

[Shambo]

I can relate. About 2 months ago there was a knock on the door whilst I was having a lil practice. The chap asked if this was where the bass was coming from? I apologised and said I'd turn it down but aparently he'd been listening for a few weeks and wanted to offer me a position in his band. First inclination was to say no thanks but I invited him in for a coffee and heard him out. He was the lead guitard and the outgoing bassist was an alcoholic apparently who would skip rehersals and mess up performances. "O...K... What sort of songs do you play?", I asked. Reluctantly, he started to reel off some boy pub rock standards, almost apologeticly things like 'Summer of 69' and 'Wishing Well'. I wasn't knocking it but not the kinda thing I like and I was just about to say thanks but it's not my sort of thing when he said the next gigs in 2 weeks, with further bookings already made.

Now I've never played bass for an audience before, In fact I've never played in a band before, although I've known many. My experiences as a sound engineer has left me with an geniune dislike for egomaniac musos and I've never felt the urge to get up on stage, instead finding relaxation playing in solice, on and off, for the last 20 years. As I approach my 40's though I'm thinking that I'm missing out and my bass playing will improve having to work and improvise with other musicians.... so I said , 'what the hell, I'll do it', nothing ventured nothing gained and all that.

The chap goes off happy and an hour or so later drops off a CD of said pub standards, about 25 of them. So far so good, it all seems pretty straightforward simple stuff, I start at the beginning and i'm making good headway when the door goes again. It's your man the guitarist with another CD to learn and the news that my first, (and only), rehersal before the gig will be a week today. The next CD's got another 20 tracks on. 'Thats alot of songs to learn' I'm thinking, but quite a few of 'em are 3 minute, 3 or 4 note wonders. It's all new territory and I'm learning new songs though so OK. For the next few days, the chap calls round for an hour or so with his acoustic and we'll play a few of the songs I've cracked. On the 5th day, he turns up with another CD...

Apparently, the set list is changing. His wife, who sings in his side project duo with backing tracks, is taking over lead vocal duties. He tells me to forget the 25 or so songs I've already ingested, and crack on with these new 20 or so, female vocal orientated songs. I'm not impressed and tell him so, but I'm still pushing myself and learning so what the hell, I'll wing it. The day before 1st rehersal is the previous bassists last gig so, to show a little willing, I turn up to hear them play in the local pub. Christ... they were awful like buskers, way too loud, and playing to a near empty pub. I'm feeling quite relaxed... even I can do better than that I say to myself, and I can sort out their PA as well.

Day of the first rehersal I get a txt telling me it's cancelled. Apparently the original singer isn't happy about losing lead vocal duties and called it off. Day after that the chap calls round to tell me the original singers quit. 'No problem' I think, if they need a rhythm guitarist I've got a classical guitarist friend who's be happy to earn some beer tokens playing some simple pub fayre. NO, because the singers taken his mate, the drummer, has quit as well. The band is officially no more.

A week later I get another call telling me the original singers back on board to SHARE vocal duties, and they've recruited a new drummer... would I like to audition for the post of bassist. I thank them politely for the chance but what with all the previous nonsense I'll decline. Cheeky really considering I've learned about 35 songs for them, now they want to run the rule over me. A few days after that, the singer quit again.

Fwd to 2 weeks ago and the chap across the road is at my door again. A new band is in the offing. Him on guitar, his wife singing, a new drummer and me on bass if I'll do it he pleads. I've already learned half the songs so, with the promise of no more messing about, I agree. We've had 2 practices so far, which went OK'ish but I just know me and the drummer are just putting the flesh on the bones of the midi files he used to use with him and the wife's duo... and they're reluctant to try any of the more contemporary songs I've suggested...

and still no fugging gig... the one reason I agreed to do it in the first place. There's trouble ahead I know it.

/rant

Edited November 12, 2009 by Shambo

[dave_bass5]

When i was in a band a few years ago we were looking for a backing singer and drummer.
You know what, out of 7 people only 3 turned up. One singer had just come straight from work so hadnt had time to prepare her lyrics (we booked this audition 2 weeks before hand). one singer loved the stuff we were doing but "its not really my sort of thing, happy to sing them though. How much are the gig paying? i cant do fridays as i have my own band" and the drummer said he would bring a kit and didnt.

So it works both ways.

Sympathies to people who do get messed around of course but its not all one way.

[AdamWoodBass]

I think the key here is to expect to be messed around. Its not just amatures, I've worked with pros that have been less organised than some bog standard pub bands. The thing is music and business are two seperate entities and its very rare that a good musician is also a good businessman and a good organiser. I suppose you have to look at your expectations of that particular band too. For example if it is primarily a "session" gig then you should basically be expected to turn up either early or at least on time, nail everything note for note, get paid and go home. If it's an originals band looking for a deal you should basically be expecting to shoulder a lot of the burden of the band and also expect that there will be weak links ie people who can't be arsed to pull their own weight. I've done both situations and I've been in a signed band. I have to say that on the whole I prefer the session situation which I've been doing for the past 4/5 years. You don't have to get involved in inevitable band politics, you can charge a minimum fee and as a bonus you can protect yourself with a contract, plus more often than not you get to play with some really good musicians.

[thepurpleblob]

Maybe I'm terribly old-fashioned but I think people should show some damn respect for others. In most cases whether you claim to be playing for fun or not then you are either getting paid for your endeavours or hoping to. You have to give a little bit of "professionalism". If you say you are going to turn up then turn up. If you say you are going to learn the songs then learn them - properly. Try not to turn up pissed or stoned and try to remember it's not all about you.

Unfortunately, music seems to attract drunken, useless egotists so there's probably no hope.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='Delberthot' post='652170' date='Nov 12 2009, 12:35 AM']an amateur practices until they get it right, a professional practices until they don't get it wrong[/quote]
I've not heard that saying before. It's bloody brilliant!

Part of the reason I just quit my long standing originals band was (IMHO) the lack of professionalism. Regarding practicing, I would turn up to rehearsals knowing the tunes and hopefully use the time to get it tight with the band. Others would turn up hoping to use the time to learn the songs. Cue many boring, protracted, stop start rehearsals for me. This is probably why we only managed to write 4 or 5 songs in a year.

[bumnote]

This craigs list ad on the bottom line sums it all up for me

Bass player needed for working folk-rock group gigging 5+ dates per month. MUST have the following:

1. Technically brilliant on the bass
2. Must have own transportation
3. Must own a PA system adequate for rooms up to 400 persons
4. Must transport PA to all gigs (see # 2) and set up and take down while the rest of the band schmoozes fans
5. Must provide 2,3 and 4 at no additional cost to the band
6. Must be capable of lead and harmony singing at perfect pitch
7. Must be willing to serve as booking and business manager for the band. Bass player is expected to secure most of the band's gigs.
8. Must be able to supply subsidized housing for band members.
9. Must be willing to buy instruments for band members (accordion, bagpipes, hand percussion etc.) so that the band can expand the sound
10. Must own field recording rig so live shows can be recorded and archived

The band will conduct auditions and interviews. Please bring an inventory of the equipment we require to the audition and interview so we can determine if your gear will satisify our requirements.

Successful candidate will earn an equal band share of gig payment, typically $50 minimum per 4 hour show.

We have a gig Friday and another Sunday and 3 more beyond that in November, so move fast if you want this opportunity of a lifetime!

[Johngh]

What kicked of the original post from me was some of the stuff thats happened over the last year.

Band 1, I answer an ad on a musicians wanted forum. Go for audition, get offered the job, after 3 rehearsals and after learning about 30 tunes, the husband and wife guitard and singer say they can't commit because of work commitments. Why they didn't think of this before is beyond me. The band actually sounded very good.

Band 2, Answer ad, get the gig, turn up for first rehearsal after being given 2 weeks to learn the tunes, the guitard as learnt sod all and is useless. I tell them I'm also in a Wishbone Ash tribute. During a break the vocalist asks me if we need a singer for the Ash tribute as he is "sick of this lot" this is during my first rehearsal with them. Alarm bells ring. Two days later the guitarist phones to tell me the band folded. His daughter is keyboard player in the band and they don't get on when in the band together he says and he's had enough.

Band 3, The ash tribute folds after 6 months of reheasal learning some very tough bass lines because one of the guitards can't commit. again the band sounds excellent.

Band 4, Guitarist packs up because we want to sack his mate who is the other guitard and can't play a note, he was seriously crap. Another 3 months wasted.

Add to this all the ads that I've answered and the cretins can't even be bothered to phone back, I'm a bit frustrated to say the least. Oh and I forgot about the band that would not let me rejoin because my bass was too loud, wait for it....once !

[thunderbird13]

[quote name='Johngh' post='652626' date='Nov 12 2009, 01:32 PM']What kicked of the original post from me was some of the stuff thats happened over the last year.

Band 1, I answer an ad on a musicians wanted forum. Go for audition, get offered the job, after 3 rehearsals and after learning about 30 tunes, the husband and wife guitard and singer say they can't commit because of work commitments. Why they didn't think of this before is beyond me. The band actually sounded very good.

Band 2, Answer ad, get the gig, turn up for first rehearsal after being given 2 weeks to learn the tunes, the guitard as learnt sod all and is useless. I tell them I'm also in a Wishbone Ash tribute. During a break the vocalist asks me if we need a singer for the Ash tribute as he is "sick of this lot" this is during my first rehearsal with them. Alarm bells ring. Two days later the guitarist phones to tell me the band folded. His daughter is keyboard player in the band and they don't get on when in the band together he says and he's had enough.

Band 3, The ash tribute folds after 6 months of reheasal learning some very tough bass lines because one of the guitards can't commit. again the band sounds excellent.

Band 4, Guitarist packs up because we want to sack his mate who is the other guitard and can't play a note, he was seriously crap. Another 3 months wasted.

Add to this all the ads that I've answered and the cretins can't even be bothered to phone back, I'm a bit frustrated to say the least. Oh and I forgot about the band that would not let me rejoin because my bass was too loud, wait for it....once ![/quote]

thats rough but at least your passed the auditions - I went 12 months and had 4 failed auditions ( with no real feedback why ) before I joined my current band

[Johngh]

Well at least I have some good news at last. I've been offered a chance to work on a soundtrack for a musical that's going to be recorded in the new year.
Still being messed about with band ads though !